From las8323@rs175174.ks.boeing.com Mon Oct 29 10:19:23 2001
Subject:Re: Tube preamps

Ariston,

Beinz as though money IS an object. And seinz as how your tube pre-amp
exposure is ... limited. I'd pay close attention to another option.

Art, Presonus, hell, even Paia make tube pre's that sound not too terribly
bad. The Presonus Blue Tube ($150 eb*y) or the Art (sometimes like $50)
could be viably servicable AND if tube pre's are your cup o' tea, *then*
check into something like the SpeakeZ.

Though I've not heard the SpeakeZ, Steve Hayes is knowledgable and
concientious about Hammond/Rhodes, etc. and I've dealt successfully with
them before. I would have total confidence in their product and 30 day
policy.

BUT it IS possible that a tube pre is not for you (hey, it's happened).
Try out one of the garden variety guys within reach. If it's whatcher
after, then you can offload it at low, if any, loss and step up to the
SpeakeZ. Then that pre-amp will be the "keeper" and you can upgrade
your KB or Leslie-sim around *that*.

Me? I been known to go both ways (c'mon..). One bunch I played with had
a bass (ampeg vt) and guitar (marshall) and singer that played harmonica
(old shure green bullet with bellari tube pre) and I couldn't figure out
why I wasn't being heard. So I dumped my tube/mic Leslie, yanked my
Hammond preamp, ran straight line from the balancing transformer in the
Hammond to my Leslie sim and WOW!! Cut through at half the volume!!
Didn't sound like a blanket/quilt on the sound, either. I loved it,
they loved, all God's chilluns wuz happy!

'Course, I've since switched back to tubes. Seems as though that if
either the bass or guitar are S/S, then my organ sounds good in tubes.
If not, there's too much of the same on stage to stand out.

Just my $.02 -- double your money back guarantee :-)

Larry

> I'm a desperatly poor man,
> so I'd prefer the cheaper method of buying a the Speakeasy if it works, but
> I'd rather drop the extra three hundred bucks on something I knew would help
> than to drop $350 and not get the results I want.
>
> The thing I'm unsure about is that my motion-sound already has a tube
> pre-amp built in (12ax7). It actually does a good job of warming up the
> sound and, since it has a real rotating horn, it's the next best thing to
> lugging around a leslie. Will adding one more tube really make that much of
> a difference?
>
> Any input is greatly appreciated,
>
> -Ariston
>
> > As far as I know, there are only 2 tube preamps on the market
> >specifically designed for the Clone/Leslie or Hammond/Leslie
> >combination.
> > One is made by Hampton and the other is made by us at Speakeasy
> >Vintage Music.
> > Of course, I would recommend ours...