Ashdown OriginAL Valve Pre DI

[willgatesbass]

Anyone have any experience with these? I guess I’m hoping it’ll behave like a noble pre but for less than half the price and without the pesky import charges!

 

Would love to hear from anyone who’s tried this. Also any recommendations for similar valve DI pedals that won’t brake the bank. I’m aware of the Olympic MKIII and The WR Goliath. Again, these come with import charges and/or very high purchase price.

[pilotbicycles]

I may be mistaken, but from what I understand the OriginAL only uses the valve for the overdrive circuit, so it isn't quite a valve/tube preamp in the same sense of the Noble.

I've had a quick play around with one on a single occasion and liked it - though the experience would suggest the valve is only used for the overdrive. Overall, the pedal sounds good and the EQ is very versatile, but it certainly doesn't deliver a "valve-y" tone if that's what you're after.

Worth bearing in mind that the Shift Line Olympic pre is only £350 posted and has a remarkable feature set for that price, and the couple of pedals I have had delivered from Shift Line have all come without any import charges. I can think of no better valve DI/Preamp pedal at that price. The addition of a headphone amp and IR capabilities are huge bonuses too!

However, if you'd rather keep it free of import I can heartily recommend Audio Kitchen's The Small Trees DI pedal - https://www.audiokitchen.co.uk/products/the-small-trees-di/ £500

Or if you already have a DI you like and would like to save some money the DI-less version of The Small Trees is amazing too - https://www.audiokitchen.co.uk/products/the-small-trees/ £320

The Small Trees is an amazing little box ad one that I have come to use for pretty much all recording and live gigs in recent months - it really adds that valve amp character and adds some focus to the tone - tightening the low end, and adding some "sheen" to the top end. Lending to a lovely warm and punchy tone. I find for DI and recording Purposes I really don't miss the EQ of other units.

The transformer used for the DI version of The Small Trees is a beautiful example from Sowter, who's transformers have been used in some world class recording equipment and together with the tube boost circuit it makes for a wonderful signal with real weight and depth to the tone. At an extra £180 above the DI-free option, it's about the same as buying a Radial JDI.

To add context I have had experience with the Noble, Reddi, Verellen Meatsmoke, and Jule Amps Monique (I'd love to try the new Simone pedal sized pre from Jule too) - ultimately I didn't keep the Noble or Reddi, and have used The Small Trees in their place, and favouring the Monique for the times I have the luxury.

As a final outsider suggestion, I could see the Laney Ironheart IRT-PULSE being interesting and it's only about £150 - its a shame they don't make a Bass version as I could it see it doing amazingly well if they kept the price point and feature the same, and just tailored the IR and EQ settings for bass...

Hopefully some of that proves useful.

 

 

[pete.young]

On 14/12/2019 at 11:34, willgatesbass said:

Anyone have any experience with these? I guess I’m hoping it’ll behave like a noble pre but for less than half the price and without the pesky import charges!

 

Would love to hear from anyone who’s tried this. Also any recommendations for similar valve DI pedals that won’t brake the bank. I’m aware of the Olympic MKIII and The WR Goliath. Again, these come with import charges and/or very high purchase price.

Look for a used Dave Hall Amps VT1 or VT1 Pro.

[willgatesbass]

7 hours ago, pilotbicycles said:

I may be mistaken, but from what I understand the OriginAL only uses the valve for the overdrive circuit, so it isn't quite a valve/tube preamp in the same sense of the Noble.

I've had a quick play around with one on a single occasion and liked it - though the experience would suggest the valve is only used for the overdrive. Overall, the pedal sounds good and the EQ is very versatile, but it certainly doesn't deliver a "valve-y" tone if that's what you're after.

Worth bearing in mind that the Shift Line Olympic pre is only £350 posted and has a remarkable feature set for that price, and the couple of pedals I have had delivered from Shift Line have all come without any import charges. I can think of no better valve DI/Preamp pedal at that price. The addition of a headphone amp and IR capabilities are huge bonuses too!

However, if you'd rather keep it free of import I can heartily recommend Audio Kitchen's The Small Trees DI pedal - https://www.audiokitchen.co.uk/products/the-small-trees-di/ £500

Or if you already have a DI you like and would like to save some money the DI-less version of The Small Trees is amazing too - https://www.audiokitchen.co.uk/products/the-small-trees/ £320

The Small Trees is an amazing little box ad one that I have come to use for pretty much all recording and live gigs in recent months - it really adds that valve amp character and adds some focus to the tone - tightening the low end, and adding some "sheen" to the top end. Lending to a lovely warm and punchy tone. I find for DI and recording Purposes I really don't miss the EQ of other units.

The transformer used for the DI version of The Small Trees is a beautiful example from Sowter, who's transformers have been used in some world class recording equipment and together with the tube boost circuit it makes for a wonderful signal with real weight and depth to the tone. At an extra £180 above the DI-free option, it's about the same as buying a Radial JDI.

To add context I have had experience with the Noble, Reddi, Verellen Meatsmoke, and Jule Amps Monique (I'd love to try the new Simone pedal sized pre from Jule too) - ultimately I didn't keep the Noble or Reddi, and have used The Small Trees in their place, and favouring the Monique for the times I have the luxury.

As a final outsider suggestion, I could see the Laney Ironheart IRT-PULSE being interesting and it's only about £150 - its a shame they don't make a Bass version as I could it see it doing amazingly well if they kept the price point and feature the same, and just tailored the IR and EQ settings for bass...

Hopefully some of that proves useful.

 

 

Thanks so much for all the info. 

Any idea why you haven't been charged import and/ or VAT on the Shift Line pedals you bought in the past? If I could order an Olympic III without fear of getting hit with 20% VAT and import charges, that may well be the way to go for me. 

I'm now lusting after the Audio Kitchen stuff, no thanks to you! I love the simplicity and I bet they sound the nuts. To be honest, for the price of The Small Trees DI, I could just about get the full blown DI version of the WR Goliath. Similarly, for the price of the non DI version of The Small Trees, I could get the WR Gnome (basically a Goliath without the EQ section). Both of the WR pedals use a Lehle DI and all the audio examples I've heard sound wonderful. WR is also based in Europe so I doubt I'd have to pay any charges. I also like the fact that their products are bass-specific (the Goliath anyway).

The Jule stuff is mega. I tried the Monique Dove Cage in the Gallery recently and loved it. I bet the Simone pedal sounds the nuts but is way above what I want to spend. 

Also interested in the Lehle Sonic Spark, which claims to add harmonic content similar to a tube amp. The audio examples sound great, it's sub £200 and I could stick it before my Radial DI.

I guess I'm asking for the impossible - something like we've been talking about for £300 or less once it reaches my pedal board. 

Thanks again for taking the time to help. 

[willgatesbass]

5 hours ago, pete.young said:

Look for a used Dave Hall Amps VT1 or VT1 Pro.

Thanks - just bid on a VT1 pro on eBay. It's just over a hundred quid so might be well worth a go. 

[pilotbicycles]

Good luck with the VT1 - wonderful preamps.

The AMT Bricks have had my interest too. They don't have a DI, but at around 175 Euro (so about £145) you have the option of an Orange style or Alembic (which itself is fender based) style valve preamp. There are limited reviews, but all I've read have been positive. 

[Thunderpaws]

For not toooo much more money you could get an Ampeg PF20t head. It’s definitely all tube and it’s speaker output is defeatable to use as a recording di post transformer. 

[willgatesbass]

15 hours ago, pilotbicycles said:

Good luck with the VT1 - wonderful preamps.

The AMT Bricks have had my interest too. They don't have a DI, but at around 175 Euro (so about £145) you have the option of an Orange style or Alembic (which itself is fender based) style valve preamp. There are limited reviews, but all I've read have been positive. 

Thanks. I spent about an hour looking at AMT Bricks last night too. You know where all the good stuff is! 

[willgatesbass]

6 hours ago, Thunderpaws said:

For not toooo much more money you could get an Ampeg PF20t head. It’s definitely all tube and it’s speaker output is defeatable to use as a recording di post transformer. 

I think I was reading about these a few months back. Very cool. Needs to be a pedal or DI box unfortunately.