Mesa Triaxis VS MP1 VS Mesa Studio Preamp

[guitar08man]

ok, so ive been looking into some preamps lately and these three have caught my eye. I really could go either way on this, and i was hoping some of you amp nerds had any opinions. Here are some of my thoughts so far.

1. ADA MP1 = DIRT CHEAP.

2. Mesa Triaxs and Ada MP1 only take up one rack space. This is a huge plus for me because i like to keep my rig light, and run as little stuff as possible.

3. The studio preamp seems a little more "natural" than the others. Its a little less computer-y and more amp-y, which is why im attracted to it.

4. The Mesas = Mesa tone, where as the MP1 = 80's shred tone. Im still on the fence on this one. In need something that can give me a good chug-y rythym tone (think metallica or dream theater), as well as handle the low B string of my 7. Can the MP1 do this?

Opinions, suggestions, spelling corrections?

[horns666]

Dude, I'd rather have the Triaxis, but they seem a bit "dead" sounding to me..MP-1's are OK..very Vitto Bratta kinda tone, cool, but a too "thin" for my liking.

But I'm still very partial to the Marshall JMP-1..because it conveys VH very well!

This is a stock JMP-1 ..doin' classic VH ..

my old VH trib.."Virtual Halen"...

Recorded live in one take in a basement studio in early '96..

http://clevelandmetalzone.com/mp3/doctor.mp3

http://clevelandmetalzone.com/mp3/dance.mp3

http://clevelandmetalzone.com/mp3/i'mtheone.mp3

I always see your avatar and firgured you'd be interested!!

Pay attention to "Dance the night away", you really can hear the preamp's tone at the intro!!

The JMP-1 really does VH very well..besides other things!!

Bill

[Misanthrope189]

I can vouch to say that the triaxis is a great preamp. It is possible to get some nice 80's shred tones, as well as a huge low end, and with the different channels, you can have the variety of tone to go with either. Although the face looks digital, it is definitely a high-class tube amp, just with a number readout instead of knobs. Before we go further, though...what kind of power amp are you going to be running? That can have a big difference in the tones you'll be able to get.

Cheers,
Nick

[horns666]

Check into a Soldano SP77 is you want an organic pure tube tone, they used to go fairly cheap too!!

since guitar is popular again everything went up!!

[GodOfRhythm]

Depends on the versatility/flexability you need, if you can live with it being a bit more limitited:

The Studio, no doubt.

My Quad is basically the best amp I've ever played, except for maybe a Mk III Coliseum and....you guessed it........a STUDIO!
Studio: the cleans are nothing short of astonishing and the overdrive is warm, crunchy, sweet and pure Boogie. Regarded by many to be the best preamp ever made by Boogie, together with the Quad.

If you want the Mesa tone, there is NO substitute. I swear to god, mine NAILS the tones you mentioned, and I mean NAIL. It almost sounded like listening to the CDs, but the sound was of course a lot more alive and breathing.

[Rupe]

I've owned or used all of the above...the only one I still have is an original (1st year) MP1. When combined with a BBE and a good tube power amp, "thinness" will not be an issue.
I honestly like it better than anything else out there, regardless of price. I have replaced it several times in my eternal tone quest, but I keep coming back to it.
The MP1 will work well for everything that you mentioned (Hammett used them) and will save you a bundle. It is also the most versatile (along with the Triaxis). As for that low B staying tight, thats a product of your power amp, not the pre.

[guitar08man]

As for that low B staying tight, thats a product of your power amp, not the pre.

That is some interesting information. I should be getting a VHT poweramp in the next couple of days, so i think i pretty much got that covered.

[guitar08man]

Dude, I'd rather have the Triaxis, but they seem a bit "dead" sounding to me..MP-1's are OK..very Vitto Bratta kinda tone, cool, but a too "thin" for my liking.

But I'm still very partial to the Marshall JMP-1..because it conveys VH very well!

This is a stock JMP-1 ..doin' classic VH ..

my old VH trib.."Virtual Halen"...

Recorded live in one take in a basement studio in early '96..

http://clevelandmetalzone.com/mp3/doctor.mp3

http://clevelandmetalzone.com/mp3/dance.mp3

http://clevelandmetalzone.com/mp3/i'mtheone.mp3

I always see your avatar and firgured you'd be interested!!

Pay attention to "Dance the night away", you really can hear the preamp's tone at the intro!!

The JMP-1 really does VH very well..besides other things!!

Bill

damn dude those clips are sick!

[horns666]

damn dude those clips are sick!

Yes..All JMP-1

Isn't THAT what your lookin' for??!!

a triaxis or MP-1 won't give you THAT!!

Bill

[maiden_fan]

i run a jmp-1 and dont hesitiate to say it is my favourite pre amp on the market i have played, unless your playing full out death metal, and it will even do that with the right eq'ing.

[horns666]

i run a jmp-1 and dont hesitiate to say it is my favourite pre amp on the market i have played, unless your playing full out death metal, and it will even do that with the right eq'ing.

I bought mine when it came out in 1996..I trade two mint Marshall2210 for the entire new rack system..which is the 9200 monoblocw/5881/JMP-1/JFX-1/ I use a BBE422 in thge loop into Four 1960B cabs loaded with stock celestion 75s..sounds amazing..I'm the only one that has the 5881 version of the 9200, I must say it smokes all my friends who bought the EL34 versions, I don't like those, neither do they..mine has much more tighter bottom end and very warm sounding..more full bodied.

also the BBE 422 works ver well with this sytem..

I can certainly play death metal with mine..I do have a demo of me doing so..it a pretty crude basement demo but you can defiinitely see it's certainly capable of black/death metal riffage as well as Death/Eidolon/VH/Savatage/Dokken/Ratt/or whatever Marshall tones your looking for..

I play in original metal band called Bed Of Nails that is very At The Gates/ Kreator/ Arch Enemy with a touch of black and power metal..the songs are solid!

I could post it if you'd like..

Bill Z Bub

[nateb]

I bought mine when it came out in 1996..I trade two mint Marshall2210 for the entire new rack system..which is the 9200 monoblocw/5881/JMP-1/JFX-1/ I use a BBE422 in thge loop into Four 1960B cabs loaded with stock celestion 75s..sounds amazing..I'm the only one that has the 5881 version of the 9200, I must say it smokes all my friends who bought the EL34 versions, I don't like those, neither do they..mine has much more tighter bottom end and very warm sounding..more full bodied.

also the BBE 422 works ver well with this sytem..

I can certainly play death metal with mine..I do have a demo of me doing so..it a pretty crude basement demo but you can defiinitely see it's certainly capable of black/death metal riffage as well as Death/Eidolon/VH/Savatage/Dokken/Ratt/or whatever Marshall tones your looking for..

I play in original metal band called Bed Of Nails that is very At The Gates/ Kreator/ Arch Enemy with a touch of black and power metal..the songs are solid!

I could post it if you'd like..

Bill Z Bub

Yo Bill,

Couple of questions for you.

1) What is a good price for a used JMP-1 unit ?
2) What kind of tubes do you have in it?

-Nate

[horns666]

Yo Bill,

Couple of questions for you.

1) What is a good price for a used JMP-1 unit ?
2) What kind of tubes do you have in it?

-Nate

Nate the going rate for a new JMP-1 is too high in my book..even tho I bout it new for $699 at the time, You used to be able get the for about $250 used a couple years ago..but since guitar is popuilar again I wouild say you could prolly find a nice one for $300 which is cool

Tubes are the stocks ones that came with it..let me check..Marked Marshall ECC83s

One went bad and I threw a Sovtek 12ax7 in there and it seemed to sound a bit better..there is two preamp tubes in the unit.

The preamp doesn't operate at all without the tubes ..when the one tube went bad..the sound crackled horribly , so I popped in a fresh sovtek and it came back to life all happy!

[nateb]

Nate the going rate for a new JMP-1 is too high in my book..even tho I bout it new for $699 at the time, You used to be able get the for about $250 used a couple years ago..but since guitar is popuilar again I wouild say you could prolly find a nice one for $300 which is cool

Tubes are the stocks ones that came with it..let me check..Marked Marshall ECC83s

One went bad and I threw a Sovtek 12ax7 in there and it seemed to sound a bit better..there is two preamp tubes in the unit.

The preamp doesn't operate at all without the tubes ..when the one tube went bad..the sound crackled horribly , so I popped in a fresh sovtek and it came back to life all happy!

Right on Bill,

Thanks for the info. I found one used at a local shop for 150.00 gonna have to bag it. Need to make a new rig that I can keep together outside of my home rack. Figure that, nice parametric EQ, power amp, and a G-major will do nicely.

Thanks again for the info.

-Nate

[charvelguy]

Bill.. did you play guitar or bass on those clips?

If you can nab a JMP-1 for 150.00 - DO IT! Geez, you used to get these things used for a couple hundred.. then they started fetching like insane money..350.00.. even 400.00 used.

IMO.. the MP-1 stock.. the basic 1st round MP1, not the classic, is not suited for death metal.. course I haven't retried it with a 7 string with the 2.0 chip so.. I'm not certain.. but , if its higher gain sounds your after.. the MP-2 does have alot heavier sounds.