Anyone pushing the hell out of preamp?

DLC86

Fractal Fanatic
If you're into 60s and 70s tones try this:
Go in the cab block in the preamp page, select a preamp type that you like (tapes, vintage and transformer are my favourite), set gain so that the vu meter goes to 6-10 dB above zero and turn up saturation a bit.

I was tweaking my Led Zeppelin presets and as soon as I did that (coupled with the Supro model) I got an incredibly inspiring tone, I think that's the secret of that "bite" you hear on their records, they must have been hitting preamps, tape recorders and consoles quite hard those days.

Anyone already doing this? And if so, do you use it for live tones? I have the fear that what sounds good on small monitors at moderate volume might not sound that good thru a PA
 
I've included a touch of gain and saturation in the Cab block Preamp since Cliff posted about the "secret ingredient" to copping the early EVH studio sound back on the Axe Fx II years ago... But it's not a lot.
 
I've included a touch of gain and saturation in the Cab block Preamp since Cliff posted about the "secret ingredient" to copping the early EVH studio sound back on the Axe Fx II years ago... But it's not a lot.
I must have missed this post, I'll search it 👍
 
I was just looking at the extra preamp/tone parameters in the cab block this weekend. I haven't touched them as yet, but I've been mostly doing ambient tones or high gain stuff lately.
 
I like the cab pre, with either the tube or vintage mic type, with just above enough drive and saturation to tell it’s there. It really helps smooth out the IR.
 
Damn... I've been searching for 5 minutes and can't seem to find it.
I can't either.. anyway, no big deal.

I like the cab pre, with either the tube or vintage mic type, with just above enough drive and saturation to tell it’s there. It really helps smooth out the IR.
Yes, I've always used it with pretty low values in the past for that exact purpose.
What's new for me is using it to actually produce hearable distortion which, being post cab, isn't low-passed.

To give an example of what I mean listen to the guitar part starting at the minute 2:04 in this song:



It almost sounds like a guitar recorded direct with no cab but I think it's distortion added on the mixing console instead.
 
A comparison between the usual non-invasive settings and extreme settings.
Which sounds best to you? ("both suck" is an accepted answer too)


I actually prefer -preamp.... but then again, I don't really like to crank a neve pre... i just add a tad of "oomph" and mostly EQ'ing. But both sound good!!
 
I actually prefer -preamp.... but then again, I don't really like to crank a neve pre... i just add a tad of "oomph" and mostly EQ'ing. But both sound good!!
I reserve my final judgement for when I'll be able to try it at high volume with the CLRs, when the lockdown ends.
On the samples in the end the difference is mainly in the overall eq (preamp+ sounds a bit more mid-scooped) and in the added "sparkle" on the top, but when playing it also changes the feel, the tone seems more lively under the fingers.
 
I was tweaking my Led Zeppelin presets and as soon as I did that (coupled with the Supro model) I got an incredibly inspiring tone, I think that's the secret of that "bite" you hear on their records, they must have been hitting preamps, tape recorders and consoles quite hard those days.
Yup. When you hear terms like 'the Midas sound' or 'SSL sound', that's the preamps talking (or screaming).
 
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