EP-3 preamp magical or just what they had at the time?

[B2D]

Re: EP-3 preamp magical or just what they had at the time?

Ok, we're back!!

I kind of forgot about this thread - Dave brought me back to it.

I've been doing mostly playing at home on the cleaner channel of my amp since COVID hit and my initial suspicions about the Secret Preamp were confirmed - it's definitely an always-on pedal. I've actually used in in place of my SP Compressor to fatten up and boost cleans, where it's particularly effective.

It does not sound or feel the same as the Xotic EP boost. This is a bit fuller and smoother if you dial it in that way. The EQ switch also accomplishes mostly what the internal DIP switches on the Xotic do. I usually leave it on dark or mid for my stuff.

The Spark is a clean booster with a lot of gain and EQ on board with some tone shaping. The Secret Preamp is just that - a preamp. It will definitely fill out the guitar sound and add some 'dimension' to it, but it also gives it this organic, touch-sensitive quality to it that's hard to describe but easy to feel and hear, especially if you play with it on for a while and then turn it off. I have mine set for slightly hotter than unity gain and I just leave it on.

It doesn't make a huge difference on high gain stuff, but if you're mid-to-low gain or clean most of the time it's excellent and I think it'll take the place of my compressor for that function of warming up the dry tone.

In short, it's a definite winner and works as advertised.

[AlexR]

Re: EP-3 preamp magical or just what they had at the time?

^ Yep, I agree......certainly an always on pedal. Its something that is hard to tell what its doing if you leave it at unity gain. But your sound is richer and more nuanced. Its like taking your amp from an acoustically dead room where everything falls flat to being in a live room which makes the guitar tone breathe more.
I've got 3 versions of this pedal.
The 'original', which was supposedly a little noisy in certain circumstances....and came with a bass/treble option tonally.
The "gold' version, which was a choice of some components for a lower noise floor,
And the version above, which has the 3 way tonal switch.

I recently sold my EP boost, as it was always a little flubby, and with multiple SP's I could do what the EP boost did at the front of the chain as well as at the end (where Kyle Chase says its best).

[Dave Locher]

Re: EP-3 preamp magical or just what they had at the time?

Thanks, fellas!

[LLL]

Re: EP-3 preamp magical or just what they had at the time?

It will definitely fill out the guitar sound and add some 'dimension' to it, but it also gives it this organic, touch-sensitive quality to it that's hard to describe but easy to feel and hear, especially if you play with it on for a while and then turn it off.

Bingo.

IIRC, the Secret Preamp uses the correct TIS58 running at the correct voltage; exactly like the original EP3s.

Saw a blurb on their website where they state, "It is currently the only authentic replica.." and this is true with the shuttering of Badger FX (makers of the Trilogy, 1011, EP-PRE etc).

It does things to the tone that are very hard to describe. Those curious simply need to try an authentic clone (not the Dunlop Echoplex, not the EP Booster, etc) or the real deal to hear what we're saying.

[Dave Locher]

Re: EP-3 preamp magical or just what they had at the time?

In your opinion is it worthwhile for someone who always runs at "Breaking the Law" levels of preamp gain? More than AC/DC, less than Metallica is where I live.

Everyone seems to be saying the less distortion one uses, the more one gets out of this pedal?

[LLL]

Re: EP-3 preamp magical or just what they had at the time?

In your opinion is it worthwhile for someone who always runs at "Breaking the Law" levels of preamp gain? More than AC/DC, less than Metallica is where I live.

Everyone seems to be saying the less distortion one uses, the more one gets out of this pedal?

Well, historically (and platinum-record speaking), it's at least good for up to VH 1 levels of gain (which Ed used an EP3 on)... which is more than AC/DC and less than Metallica.

I'd say "Breaking The Law" levels of gain and VH1 levels of gain are very similar.

It's the range of that boosted plexi amount of gain that was so prevalent in the late 70s (EVH) and 80s (lots of hard rock/metal bands) that you're talking about.

That's not to say you couldn't use it for Metallica amounts of gain or whatever tone you dig.

[vinta9e]

Re: EP-3 preamp magical or just what they had at the time?

Everyone seems to be saying the less distortion one uses, the more one gets out of this pedal?

That boost peaking at 10kHz up front seems rather pointless for high gain.

[B2D]

Re: EP-3 preamp magical or just what they had at the time?

In your opinion is it worthwhile for someone who always runs at "Breaking the Law" levels of preamp gain? More than AC/DC, less than Metallica is where I live.

Everyone seems to be saying the less distortion one uses, the more one gets out of this pedal?

I think there's some truth to that, although it's an oversimplified version of what it's speaking to.

For the level of gain you're talking about, you'll probably see some good results with one of these preamps.

I think sometimes people forget that a lot of heavy rock/metal tones like what you're talking about can come from the result of turning the amp up enough to breathe and get some dynamics and headroom out of it and also just how the sound changes when the speaker starts moving more air.

As volume goes up, I personally have observed that you can get away with less distortion than you might think. But you can also drive the preamp harder to make the sound a little bit more rich and juicy at the same volume level while also getting some nice natural compression.

Something like an EP3 type preamp is not something everyone needs, but it's definitely worth trying out.

[misterwhizzy]

Re: EP-3 preamp magical or just what they had at the time?



Let me know how that goes! I see it has the charge pump to get the voltage up. DIY intrigues me...

Wow. I guess 2020 happened.

I finally got this up and working this afternoon, and my initial reaction is that it might be one of those pedals I only notice when it's off. I didn't boost any gainy tones, but it makes the cleans more present and pleasant. I can't tell you exactly what frequencies are boosted or cut, but I can tell you my ears like it.

Truth be told, it took me two attempts to get the build right, because I went with 1/2 watt resistors the first time, and they were too big for the board. Then, I soldered the mini PCB to the switch 90 degrees from how it should have gone. And in between, I had to work up my courage to face frustration and failure again. Finally got my new switches in the mail today from BLMS, soldered one in, and I'm good to go. Really pleased after the first half hour or so.

[Dave Locher]

Wow. I guess 2020 happened.

I finally got this up and working this afternoon, and my initial reaction is that it might be one of those pedals I only notice when it's off. I didn't boost any gainy tones, but it makes the cleans more present and pleasant. I can't tell you exactly what frequencies are boosted or cut, but I can tell you my ears like it.

Truth be told, it took me two attempts to get the build right, because I went with 1/2 watt resistors the first time, and they were too big for the board. Then, I soldered the mini PCB to the switch 90 degrees from how it should have gone. And in between, I had to work up my courage to face frustration and failure again. Finally got my new switches in the mail today from BLMS, soldered one in, and I'm good to go. Really pleased after the first half hour or so.

Cool! I have never built a pedal and the mods I have done were all pretty sloppy so the fact that you got yours sorted out and working is an impressive feat in my eyes.
Curious how it sounds into a gained-up amp, but in the meantime I moved on to a different "magical circuit," a klon klone. Still EP-curious though...

[misterwhizzy]

Cool! I have never built a pedal and the mods I have done were all pretty sloppy so the fact that you got yours sorted out and working is an impressive feat in my eyes.
Curious how it sounds into a gained-up amp, but in the meantime I moved on to a different "magical circuit," a klon klone. Still EP-curious though...

I built one of those too. It's my favorite pedal I've ever owned.

Into a gainy amp, the EP was a disaster. Sort of. It does not at all do what a Tube Screamer or Klon does. It actually made it sound weaker. This was into a JCM800 clone with preamp gain set at about noon. But I switched to the neck pickup and rolled the volume pot back, and it was magic. Strangely enough, I've never had a better clean tone.

From what I read, the EP is such a simple circuit that choosing the right transistors is the key, and breadboarding out the tester here was really helpful in choosing the right ones out of the bag I purchased.