Wish Sansamp PSA-1 style preamp

[iaresee]

You win Ian. I give up. Wish withdrawn. Close the thread.

You may be able to have some of what you want already you'd just answer the questions with some straight up sound clips.

The way you post, you make it seem like you don't know what's available to you in the AMP block already control-wise, so maybe approach this as the literal conversation it is instead of the sparring match you seem to want it to be?

Accept that we might be trying to help you get what you want faster without having to go the long and low-success route of asking for it to be modeled with precision.

Just because you wish it doesn't mean we all can't discuss it.

 

[Chris Hurley]

Run without a CAB block and just EQ post AMP block to dial back some of the fizziness.

That was actually part of it I'd prefer not to emulate. I always preferred it with a speaker sim. It sounded like a DI box without it.

 

[Chris Hurley]

Its 100% the approach to the controls that I'm interested in. It had a novel approach to tone generation. I wouldn't trade the Fractal for one.

I've been a Fractal user for many years and I know what is available in the box. This was just something cool that it doesn't currently do in this way. I don't know why I posted it because its not something Fractal will ever do.

Forgive me for even bringing it up.

 

[iaresee]

I’ll bet we can figure out concurrent controls to the PSA-1s in the AMP block.

 

[Digital Man]

Kurt Cobain used it as a distortion pedal I actually saw him use it live in concert as that. Robert Fripp used it as his main amplifier in the mud 90’s. It has a distinct sound that can be used as an amp, distortion etc, just like a real amp model in the Axe. Nothing else sounds or acts like it does. It’s the secret “sauce” nobody talks about..like a rock man

 

[Piing]

SansAmp PSA-1 schematic attached (analog circuit).
From here: https://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&p=247415
Original tracer: http://usrlocal.blogspot.com/2015/01/tech-21-sansamp-psa-1-pcb-traces-and.html

 

[la szum]

Yikes, this thread went off the rails in a bad, bad way. I don't think it is asking a lot to
include the PSA-1. I make more complicated wishes all the time.

Besides, don't we have the Marshall JMP-1 Pre. People ask about the ADA MP-1 a lot, too.
The Sansamp is similar. What's the big deal with questioning this particular preamp?
It's been a mainstay in the recorded tones of Jim Matheos from Fates Warning for
decades. Usually blended with a Mesa Mark IV, if I am not mistaken.

 

[la szum]

Oh, and I posted in this thread because I was searching the forum and was going to
make the same wish as @Chris Hurley .

I know better than to do that now, though.

 

[la szum]

I just picked one up. Because.

 

[Stratoblaster]

I used a PSA-1 for years with a Marshall JCM-800 which I modded to have a power amp input. I still have it but haven't fired it up in eons.

The main thing that stands out for me with this device is how "clean" it is, in that this unit is essentially a multi-band distortion and intermodulation distortion/objectionable clipping artifacts, etc. are greatly reduced. There is less "smear" and more overall detail/definition in this device since you can dial in the gain for each band and every stage is separate. This allows for optimal fine tuning for the BMT freqs.

The effect of a multi-band distortion pedal is different then driving a monolithic distortion/gain block/pedal/amp with an EQ and adjusting the bands/gain etc. You can get insane amounts of gain and fat saturation while retaining definition and clarity with a PSA-1....I can see why bands like Rammstein used them.

You can get very nice bluesy and crunch sounds with it as well, and bass guitars sound amazing through it.

Sure, a PSA-1 would be an interesting wish list since, as far as I know and off the top of my head, there is not an equivalent to a multi-band distortion type of device in Fractal-land....????? They are very, very useful and a different beast indeed....