Preamp for metal, Rocktron ENGL Peavey

[rckmusicartst7]

I have a 5150 head that I love but I want to get a rack pre and poweramp so I can have less wattage for other uses. Im looking for a preamp with a heavy sound close to the 5150. I'm most concerned about dynamics and clarity because I have a 31 band eq that helps with getting my sound. I also do want a nice tone with crunchy mids.

These are the preamps I'm considering so far..

Rocktron Piranha
Peavey Rockmaster
Engl 530/520

I would like not to spend over $400.
Also, midi control is not neccessary.

If anyone has any experience, or sound clips on these preamps I would greatly appreciate it.

[sleewell]

i got the E530, its a GREAT amp.

just do a quick search, i have reviewed it before.


out of those three i dont really see it as a contest, the ENGL will blow the doors off those other preamps.

[rckmusicartst7]

Originally posted by sleewell
i got the E530, its a GREAT amp.

just do a quick search, i have reviewed it before.


out of those three i dont really see it as a contest, the ENGL will blow the doors off those other preamps.

Yes I have read them :)

[Jelly]

You might find it hard to find the peavey...well, i found it hard when i was looking ages ago anyway...

[rckmusicartst7]

Anyone else?

[guidedbyechos]

Hey pat if you need a power amp I have one :D

[fatgraymatt]

If I were you, I'd keep my eye on this auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10171&item=7316028316&rd=1

Lee Jackson makes great stuff, if you want to hear what this thing sounds like, check out the latest Children of Bodom album, Alexi Laiho uses this preamp into a VHT poweramp for his rack rig. If you end up liking that sound, he also uses a Rocktron Intellifex for effects.

Alexi used to use the Rockmaster and ditched it for the GP1000.

[rckmusicartst7]

Originally posted by fatgraymatt
If I were you, I'd keep my eye on this auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10171&item=7316028316&rd=1

Lee Jackson makes great stuff, if you want to hear what this thing sounds like, check out the latest Children of Bodom album, Alexi Laiho uses this preamp into a VHT poweramp for his rack rig. If you end up liking that sound, he also uses a Rocktron Intellifex for effects.

Alexi used to use the Rockmaster and ditched it for the GP1000.

I haven't heard an Children of Bodom, does the preamp sound thick and crunchy like a 5150? How much do they usualy go for?

[fatgraymatt]

I haven't actually used the GP-1000 but I've owned a number of Jackson-designed amps and they have more distortion than a 5150. You can get a nice mellower distortion sound out of of them too if you want. I've heard nothing but great stuff about that preamp, not sure how much they usually go for but that auction is a no reserve so it's apt to go at a good price.

[msi-brat]

the three you listed are all pretty good...

i'd also throw a tech 21 sansamp psa-1 on the list of preamps you should look at... i had one for a while. it can do some 5150 II-ish distortion tones.. don't let the "s.s." fool you, it's all analog and quite flexible.

maybe a marshall jmp-1...
modded ada mp-1?

[Necky3792]

i listen to a lot of children of bodom, and i have a 5150. not really the same sound if you ask me. i guess you could say they are close in some ways. on the bodom recordings the gp-1000 sounds very 80's, hot rod marshall type sound, you own one so you know that the 5150 is more modern sounding, thicker. i used to have an ada mp-1 pre-amp. i installed a custom tube board from www.adadepot.com , the mod was called mod 3.1. it comes very close to a 5150. they also have mod 3.666 which is a step up from the 3.1 mod. check out some of their sound clips: http://www.adadepot.com/cool_things/soundclips/main.htm
. you can buy pre modded tube boards like i did for 60$ or just send your mp-1 to them and they'll do it. i installed mine in 2 and a half hours. imo you should go for the modded mp-1 or engl. i think soldano makes one called sp-77. i don't know much about those though.

[fatgraymatt]

Brat is right, Sansamp makes some good stuff. The other guitarist in my band uses a GT-2 and it even makes his old Peavey Supreme sound heavy.

[Spuime4c1es]

Originally posted by rckmusicartst7
I haven't heard an Children of Bodom, does the preamp sound thick and crunchy like a 5150? How much do they usualy go for?

i own one of these, and im actually thinking about also getting a Sansamp PSA1 (older version) also. so i would like to know about them. i hear they sound a bit buzzy

basic of GP1000 distortion:
it sounds very thin and weak unless you have a very full/thick poweramp, but if you do have a good poweramp like ENGL or VHT then it will get a superb sound but don't be fooled by Children of Bodom. its not high gain at all.
when recorded it sounds much better double tracked as well and that makes up for its low gain.

also note: doesn't sound great unless you use it in a full band situation so it can sit in the mix and shine, not great for personal use.

[Immortal_rites]

Roope Latvala (Bodom/Synergy) also uses it, and he says he uses a fair bit of EQ and a VHT 2/90/2 power amp...go figure...

however

I thought bodom sounded great live, much more defined and tight than the standard metalcore 5150/EMG mush...

just my £0.02

[Spuime4c1es]

yeah, to me bodom sounds great live.

but you wont get their sound just by having a GP1000. you'd also need a superb poweramp that has a thick warm sound. the preamp itself is warm but doesn't have much bottom end.

[Immortal_rites]

that said...I'd quite like to try one...can't find a UK dealer :/

I'll fanny around with preamps when I sell some guitars

[Spuime4c1es]

yeah, its a nice pre. good cut and low mid sound. it has upper mids too but they aren't 'ow' to your ears. lol


hows that Digitech 2101? i dont plan on buying one, but i want to learn about all ****ing gear whether i intend to own it or not lol

[Immortal_rites]

I'm still working with it...my new rhodes has duncan designed detonators, which sound like hammered s*it...so I'll review it when a) I fanny around and get some perfect settings (for future reference these will all be based on Sonata Arctica/COB/Helloween, Zyklon/Dimmu/Carcass and maybe some crazy stuff) and b) I get an EMG KFK set

[Tucu Tucu]

I personaly love the ADA mp1, mine has a MkII modification, and it sounds realy fat, tons of presense, my friend as one stock and it dosen't have as mutch presence as mine but it has more gain. You can get one on ebay under 350$, grate tube pre amp

[portraits]

I play metal/death metal kinda ****. I'm buying a peavey rockmaster from a guy tomorrow, i bought 4 new sovtek 12ax7-lps for it. I've been told the rockmaster will be good for the kind of **** I play and the sovtek tubes are the newest and are the most promising out of new tubes.

I'm trying to find a decent poweramp now, but I'll tell ya how the rockmaster is.

[Spuime4c1es]

alright cool :)

let us know bro!
I'm going to try to borrow a Mesa Strategy 500 for a week or so and write up a review in this thread (note: i use a perfect connection gp1000 preamp.)

[portraits]

the peavey rockmaster is pretty much the sweetest thing i've played. you can get tons of sound from it. you can get a real thick sound for heavy chugs or such, or you could get it so the highs scream.

it's got three channels ultra gain, crunch gain and clean. the ultra can of course get heavier than the crunch, they seem to be different but not by much. the clean channel is just that clean, it's got a decent sound, but who's using this for the clean channel?

It's got push and pull pots in some of the settings to give an extra boost to whatever you're turning up or down. this is what made me fall in love, i can get such a good distortion out of it. this is more than excellent for me, and i play death metal/grind kind of music


i can give people sound clips of stuff they want me to play with it if they're really interested