Ashdown FS Origin Valve Pre-DI Pedal - any good?

[PeteJ]

Just wondered if the Ashdown FS Origin Valve Pre-DI Pedal is any good? Subjective I know, but that's what counts. PMT are selling them for £199 which seemed reasonable.

Cheers

Pete

[Muppet]

Have they changed the name? When I bought one it was called the OriginAL Valve DI and it's still called that on Ashdown's page...

Anyway, I have the yellow Norman Watt Roy edition and it's brilliant. 

Here's a review that @Merton wrote last year which covers pretty much everything. I think at £200 it's a great deal.

 

[Skybone]

Are PMT still doing that 10% discount offer for BC users?

"BASSCHAT10" IIRC

[Merton]

I love it. £199 is a great price!

[javi_bassist]

3 hours ago, Muppet said:

Have they changed the name? When I bought one it was called the OriginAL Valve DI and it's still called that on Ashdown's page...

Anyway, I have the yellow Norman Watt Roy edition and it's brilliant. 

Here's a review that @Merton wrote last year which covers pretty much everything. I think at £200 it's a great deal.

 

I heard they had to change the name when it first came out, but I don't remember its previous name.

This review by Merton is gold. I love mine (I sold the Tone Hammer and I kept this). The EQ is really powerful. If the Valve Drive could be more subtle it would be awesome. I think it's too aggressive and you have to play with the input and get used to it. But IMO, it's one of the best preamp pedals out there. And at that price...

[Merton]

Originally (erm...) it was called the Origin, but that was a bit too close for comfort with another brand, so they added the "al" on the end. Not sure if PMT have just given it a weird name, as far as I'm aware it's the just OriginAL valve pre-DI still.

 

[krispn]

Foot switch FS?

 

[Merton]

Btw I did another demo of this last weekend. Sounds pretty good to me, save the crap playing!

 

[Lozz196]

Nice sounds! Not familiar with the material but like it a lot, will have to check them out.

[Merton]

2 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Nice sounds! Not familiar with the material but like it a lot, will have to check them out.

Cheers!

They did one album and an EP back in the mid 2000s, then the singer went on to form The Union with Luke Morley from Thunder

[Muppet]

5 hours ago, javi_bassist said:

If the Valve Drive could be more subtle it would be awesome. I think it's too aggressive and you have to play with the input and get used to it. 

Have you tried to swap out the valve?  I started to give it a go but you can't get to it from the rear or the front of the pedal, so unless I'm missing something a pretty comprehensive dismantle may be required...

[paul_5]

Any of these:

12AX7 - gain of 100

12AT7 - gain of 60

12AU7 - gain of 20

because they’re preamp valves they don’t need biasing, and can literally be unplugged from their socket and replaced; they only fit in one way, so knock yourself out!

[Merton]

46 minutes ago, Muppet said:

Have you tried to swap out the valve?  I started to give it a go but you can't get to it from the rear or the front of the pedal, so unless I'm missing something a pretty comprehensive dismantle may be required...

Fiddly as hell but I did it. you need to remove all the k lbs and basically take the whole thing apart. Or send it to Ashdown and get them to do it 😄

[paul_5]

Looks like it would be easier to replace the drive knob with a smaller value logarithmic pot - that’ll also reduce the gain, and will give more control over lower drive settings.

[javi_bassist]

1 hour ago, Merton said:

Fiddly as hell but I did it. you need to remove all the k lbs and basically take the whole thing apart. Or send it to Ashdown and get them to do it 😄

Which valve are you using now?

[Merton]

34 minutes ago, javi_bassist said:

Which valve are you using now?

Just a different 12AX7; I think it’s a Ruby but can’t remember! Will check over the weekend

[Lozz196]

I sense a Saturday purchase of one of these, I can feel its presence.

Good to know the valve can be changed as  I wouldn’t want too much gain, being able to swap for a lower gain one sounds ideal.

[la bam]

I bought one last a few weeks ago. It's absolutely superb. So punchy and clear. I'd say it's better than the pre in the abm.

There are loads of wiring options and tonal adjustments.

The drive is a proper drive rather than the warmer on the ABMs.

Very loud, very solid pre.

I got mine from pmt where it was indeed labelled the "FS origin" pedal, but it was in fact the new "originAL".

£199 compared to £379. It's a big saving.

Edited January 23, 2021 by la bam

[javi_bassist]

4 minutes ago, la bam said:

£199 compared to £379. It's a big saving.

Wow, great deal!!

I agree about the ABM pre. It's punchier than my ABM EVO II. I actually bought mine because I love the preamp of my RM EVO. 

I have bought a 12AT7 valve and I will try to swap the stock valve. 

[Lozz196]

Well I did it, one on its way from PMT. I think it was the massive saving that instigated this along with @Mertons very good demo, both factors meant I just HAD to get one.

[Al Krow]

40 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Well I did it, one on its way from PMT. I think it was the massive saving that instigated this along with @Mertons very good demo, both factors meant I just HAD to get one.

Congrats mate, be interested in getting your thoughts on this one.

Ignoring my slight disappointment that "Showtime" = mute button and not some mega fuzz option to overlay the drive of the valve, from what I've been able to gather it provides:

- a 5 band EQ (including 3 mids) i.e. comparable to what you would find on a decent amp or EQ pedal;

- a preset shape button, which I think delivers a slight mid-scoop;

- its magic sauce of the valve drive which kicks in at 0.40 on this clip: Ashdown Engineering OriginAL preamp pedal demo - YouTube

My question is to what extent that valve sound differs to a mild fuzz setting on a decent fuzz pedal or what you would be able to get from something like your Paradriver v2, which I know you're a big fan of?

Look forward to your feedback once you've had a chance to put it through its paces.

[Merton]

8 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

- its magic sauce of the valve drive which kicks in at 0.40 on this clip: Ashdown Engineering OriginAL preamp pedal demo - YouTube

My question is to what extent that valve sound differs to a mild fuzz setting on a decent fuzz pedal or what you would be able to get from something like your Paradriver v2, which I know you're a big fan of?

That’s my other demo video which I did way back in Lockdown #1 😂

Check out the video linked above in this thread for a more balls-out overdriven valve tone. It can go further than that too

 

PS - other features include an aux in, headphone out and a “thru” output which is not affected by any of the pedals settings at all. And the DI is a transformer-based one so rather lovely.

[Al Krow]

2 minutes ago, Merton said:

That’s my other demo video which I did way back in Lockdown #1 😂

Check out the video linked above in this thread for a more balls-out overdriven valve tone. It can go further than that too

 

PS - other features include an aux in, headphone out and a “thru” output which is not affected by any of the pedals settings at all. And the DI is a transformer-based one so rather lovely.

Cheers Martin - and it was a very good Lockdown #1 demo video, if I might say so!

Is the "thru" output in effect a "DI pre" output then and the "DI" a "DI post" output then. 

I think I read on your other thread not to use quality headphones with the unit though? 😁

[JapanAxe]

I’d be interested to know whether the valve itself is actually overdriven when engaged, or the overdrive created with a pair of diodes (as in most Marshall guitar amps). I don’t suppose anyone noticed a diode pair in there when changing out the valve?

[Al Krow]

11 minutes ago, JapanAxe said:

I’d be interested to know whether the valve itself is actually overdriven when engaged, or the overdrive created with a pair of diodes (as in most Marshall guitar amps). I don’t suppose anyone noticed a diode pair in there when changing out the valve?

Interesting point. If it's done by diodes, what's the valve actually doing?

My skepticism about valves in pedals is whether sufficient voltage is available to really drive them?I think purists / experts would say that even with the 240v in an amp, preamp valves are not going to provide the same tonal impact as power amp valves. 

I don't have the engineering nous to expand on this, though.