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Noble preamp, any BC owners?


Kevsy71

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Lots of love for the Noble Preamp at Talkbass, but are there any Basschat owners? How was the experience (and customs charge!) ordering direct, and does anyone gig with it, and through what? Any comparisons with a REDDI etc. very welcome.

[url="http://nobleamps.com/preamps/"]http://nobleamps.com/preamps/[/url]


Muchas gracias :)

Edited by Kevsy71
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  • 1 month later...

I've been using mine for about 18 months and although I try not to rely on specific pieces of gear I really miss it on the rare occasions that I'm on a gig without it.

What does it do? In short, it allows me to take a lightweight class D amp (Aguilar TH500) to a gig and make it sound like I'm playing through a big old tube head.

The 9v power outlets are also a big plus if you like to run pedals on the gig - the only drawback is that they're not isolated so you can't use a standard voltage doubler cable for 18v pedals.

At almost every gig I get band members or sound engineers coming over and asking 'what's the black box?'. Singers using IEMs have commented that the bass still sounds 'fat'.

I have a regular gig in a hotel on upright, one week I left the house in a rush and forgot the Noble... At sound check the sound engineer pulled me over and said 'look how much I've had to do to your channel - usually I can just leave it flat'. I've used in on a few recordings and it comes across really well - the EQ is great and it's one of the only pieces of gear that I actually use the treble control on.

Is it much more expensive than other DIs? Yes. Is it worth it? For me, definitely. Compared to Sansamps, Radial DIs and the Aguilar Tonehammer DI this is vastly superior.

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[quote name='TKenrick' timestamp='1486323273' post='3230917']
I've been using mine for about 18 months and although I try not to rely on specific pieces of gear I really miss it on the rare occasions that I'm on a gig without it.

What does it do? In short, it allows me to take a lightweight class D amp (Aguilar TH500) to a gig and make it sound like I'm playing through a big old tube head.

The 9v power outlets are also a big plus if you like to run pedals on the gig - the only drawback is that they're not isolated so you can't use a standard voltage doubler cable for 18v pedals.

At almost every gig I get band members or sound engineers coming over and asking 'what's the black box?'. Singers using IEMs have commented that the bass still sounds 'fat'.

I have a regular gig in a hotel on upright, one week I left the house in a rush and forgot the Noble... At sound check the sound engineer pulled me over and said 'look how much I've had to do to your channel - usually I can just leave it flat'. I've used in on a few recordings and it comes across really well - the EQ is great and it's one of the only pieces of gear that I actually use the treble control on.

Is it much more expensive than other DIs? Yes. Is it worth it? For me, definitely. Compared to Sansamps, Radial DIs and the Aguilar Tonehammer DI this is vastly superior.
[/quote]

Funnily enough, the bassist from the band at my mate's wedding in October had an upright, Noble pre and Aguilar amp. If that was you, thanks for letting me borrow your amp for the few songs we played!!!

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[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1486330561' post='3230978']
Funnily enough, the bassist from the band at my mate's wedding in October had an upright, Noble pre and Aguilar amp. If that was you, thanks for letting me borrow your amp for the few songs we played!!!
[/quote]

Ha, that was almost certainly me - I can usually be found lurking in wedding venues with an upright most weekends. Either that or somebody has cloned my setup...

The wedding was in West Sussex, right? Sorry that we didn't get a chance to chat, I wanted to quiz you about your pedalboard!

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I'd be interested in using one but the price is prohibitive. In saying that if it was your main 'sound' and did a lot of live and recording it would make a lot of sense. Big warm tone, pedal board friendly etc. I had considered selling my main pre to get one, I play about 40 gigs a year give or take and if I sold my main pre the Noble could replace it.

Be interested to hear what its sounds like into a power amp. I'm supposing it could drive a power amp I'll pop over to the Noble site for a read!

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Haven't gone hunting for clips, but the ones on their site are terrible, just some live recordings with a noisy crowd. I'd want to hear comparisons with a bass going in to a regular clean DI vs this to convince me.

I'd like to see what these look like on the inside too!

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[quote name='krispn' timestamp='1486378415' post='3231174']
I'd be interested in using one but the price is prohibitive. In saying that if it was your main 'sound' and did a lot of live and recording it would make a lot of sense. Big warm tone, pedal board friendly etc. I had considered selling my main pre to get one, I play about 40 gigs a year give or take and if I sold my main pre the Noble could replace it.

Be interested to hear what its sounds like into a power amp. I'm supposing it could drive a power amp I'll pop over to the Noble site for a read!
[/quote]

It's a big investment, and I held off for 6 months before taking the plunge (the exchange rates was also more favourable when I bought mine). I do lots of gigs where I take public transport and don't need an amp so the noble was a good fit for my requirements.

It should be fine with a power amp, I tend to bypass the EQ on my Aguilar head and effectively use it as a power amp.
[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1486388219' post='3231300']
Haven't gone hunting for clips, but the ones on their site are terrible, just some live recordings with a noisy crowd. I'd want to hear comparisons with a bass going in to a regular clean DI vs this to convince me.
[/quote]

I'll see what I can come up with as far as reference recordings go...

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[quote name='TKenrick' timestamp='1486401860' post='3231496']
I'll see what I can come up with as far as reference recordings go...
[/quote]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1486407477' post='3231563']
Be good to hear some sound clips recorded in this parish. The Noble clips sound excellent, but you'd expect that really.
[/quote]

OK while you're waiting for some good recordings (and playing :rolleyes: ) here are some short clips I've just done using my new Limelight P with flats, fingerstyle, via a Scarlett Focusrite and Garageband with no effects/filters/post production etc.

[url="https://soundcloud.com/the_expandables/sets/noble-preamp-clips"]https://soundcloud.com/the_expandables/sets/noble-preamp-clips[/url]

On a couple of the clips I went through a Markbass Compressore before the Noble - think it was the two where I used the low cut switch.

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I was all set to sell my DB680 and get a Noble but I figured if I was lumping the power amp may as well keep the 680 it's only another few kg's😀 It's one of those things that on paper makes perfect sense but I was after the 680 for ages and would be reluctant to sell it. Maybe if I can shift my back up head I'll take the plunge.....if the exchange rate ever picks up!

Cheers for the clips btw

Edited by krispn
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[quote name='Kevsy71' timestamp='1486416210' post='3231650']
[url="https://soundcloud.com/the_expandables/sets/noble-preamp-clips"]https://soundcloud.c...le-preamp-clips[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks for taking the time to record these clips - very interesting. The problem I have - at least as far as warm, clean sounds go - is that I seem to be able to reproduce much of what any external pre-amp can do with the existing pre in my SA450. I'm not saying I'd easily be able to match the Noble (and the Noble certainly sounds spiffy in isolation) but when all's said and done - and played and recorded and mixed - is it really worth the considerable outlay..?

Having bought, tried and then sold many preamps and sound-shapers over the years, I suspect that in the end, how a bass sounds is ultimately down to the skill, technique and feel of the player.

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Having said that, this example does sound very good. But is that down to the Noble, or the £1m SSL desk..? ;)

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhCp3xLoZXQ&feature=youtu.be&list=PLf4nAblUKdMyh2_D4JjSkCWxzUDF01Yzl[/media]

Edited by discreet
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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1486421505' post='3231724']
Having said that, this example does sound very good. But is that down to the Noble, or the £1m SSL desk..? ;)

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhCp3xLoZXQ&feature=youtu.be&list=PLf4nAblUKdMyh2_D4JjSkCWxzUDF01Yzl[/media]
[/quote]

Neither, its Hurley being a kickass player. Great musician.

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