If you had $700.00 to spend on a Preamp..

[Robert Burns]

Would you go a mint Groove Tubes "Trio".. on the bay for what will probably end up costing $800.00 or would you nab a Carvin Quad X
4 channel mint pre that will probably end up costing about $500.00
Which in your opinion is the "Bad boy"? Thanks

[markD]

i have never heard a trio in person, but i have heard the quad x. i liked it. plus, don't you only have $700? in that case, the quad x wins by a mile because you'll have change afterward!!!

[Strangletooth]

I used to have a VHT Valvulator a few years back and it was the shit!!! You may want to take a look at those as well. Might be worth the effort.

[hippietim]

I used to have a VHT Valvulator a few years back and it was the shit!!! You may want to take a look at those as well. Might be worth the effort.

Yuck. That thing sounded like canned ass. I wouldn't give you a bucket of worm spit for that preamp.

[Strangletooth]

Yuck. That thing sounded like canned ass. I wouldn't give you a bucket of worm spit for that preamp.

Best tone I ever had and I've had just about every amp known to man and every conceivable combination possible. I searched for years for that tone.

VHT 2150
VHT Valv
TC 1140 HS
TC Gmajor
Ground Control

All of this was sold here, not sure to who anymore, but...

[Dogbone]

If it was me... I'd buy an Mp1 with the 3TM mod And still have money in my pocket for other cool gear

[Robert Burns]

Best tone I ever had and I've had just about every amp known to man and every conceivable combination possible. I searched for years for that tone.

VHT 2150
VHT Valv
TC 1140 HS
TC Gmajor
Ground Control

All of this was sold here, not sure to who anymore, but...

** If you have had "Almost every amp known to man"...then you have
had 1/3rd as many as HippiTim! :-)) Good to hear that the Quad X
is favored around here...it may go for $500.00, and since they are near
impossible to find anymore...this may be the one'.. Oh..the "One"!
Wonder how many times Tim has owned "The One"??

[Robert Burns]

i have never heard a trio in person, but i have heard the quad x. i liked it. plus, don't you only have $700? in that case, the quad x wins by a mile because you'll have change afterward!!!

*** I got a grand... if a triaxis came up...i could swing it..

[horns666]

*** I got a grand... if a triaxis came up...i could swing it..

My bud has one..never liked it. It just sounds "dead" to me. They're OK, I can get by with it if I had to..sounds dull to my ears.

[horns666]

Besides Bobby..you seemed to be having fun and had pretty decent tone on your videos. Even the one with you in the buff..man, that was rough..

One good thing these days. You won't get stuck with a piece of gear if you don't like it. That wasn't the case a several years back when music stores were literally giving amps away. My cuz had a nice 5150 1/2 stack collecting dust at $400. Fuck, If I only knew..

[jgcable]

I would go with a Marshall JMP1

[horns666]

I would go with a Marshall JMP1

Me too...oops, wait a minute I did..about 14 years ago.

..and I never looked back. I love it!!!

Me and my kid were playing my Bogner and Marshall rig all day. siiiiiiiiiigh..The Marshall walks all over the Bogner. They sound GREAT together but you mostly hear the Marshall, even at half the volume. I pumped the Bogner's treble, presence, and mids up to high heaven to a nasily, honking mess..but the Marshall just spanks it.

It doesn't have the bottom end of the Bogner. But it also doesn't sound like your playing 120 watts of raw power thru a traffic cone either. There is a threshold that the Bogner does NOT like whatsoever. Unfotunately that's at the right band level. The Marshall's tone doesn't change at all at high volume levels. What I dial at bedroom levels is exactly what it produces at high volume levels...it doesn't change at all.

[Matt_B]

I'd still go for the old tried and true ADA MP-1 w/the following mods:
- 3 tube board for sick amounts of gain.
- Transformer upgrade for improved dynamics.
- Noise mod.
- Battery mod.

I've got a Mesa Quad pre that sounds good (I love the cleans, very Fender-ish) but it sounds flat compared to my modded MP-1.

[Rupe]

Learn how to use your MP1 (have you put in new tubes?)and save some $$$. I've had almost every preamp mentioned here (except the Carvin) and many others...you've heard me sing this song before. I always go back to the MP1.

I like the JMP1 and could easily use it. The Triaxis was 'ok' but just didn't do it for me...and I really tried to give it the benefit of the doubt. The Fish was great but not good enough for me to justify keeping it with the prices that they were getting. The Trio was good too, but voiced more for classic rock tone...not a "metal" pre per se (but it can get there if you don't need extreme gain).

Ultimately, you need to use your own ears and get what works for you/your style/your guitars.

PS - I fully agree with Tim on the VHT...one of the most sterile, soulless, lifeless pre's that I've tried. No warmth whatsoever, I've heard much better from solid state units.

[horns666]

I agree 100%!!!

But I'll have to take your word on the VHT pre..I never tried one and prolly never want to.