1990's ART Power Plant Pre-Amp

[teleblooz]

I found one of these 10-12 years ago for cheap. Hooked it up to a little power amp and speakers from a thrift shop. My wife had been asking me to move or hide a few amps I had in the living room, so I did and wound up putting the power plant, amp, speakers inside a cool, (gutted) old radio cabinet from the 30's. It worked great as a low to medium volume practice amp. I plugged it direct into a PA a few times and liked it. Run into a Crown power amp and a pair of EV PA speakers (with a few effects) was a blast. There are a lot of great Marshall, Vox, Fender (and many other!) tones in this box. Sold it a few years later and always regretted it.

Yesterday, I stopped by a funky music store and spotted an ART Power Plant pre-amp in the corner. I asked 'how much?' The fella said, "what the hell is it?" "A pre-amp from the 90's, when rack units were king". Sez I. He replies,
"I don't even know where it came from....how bout $20"? I told him it was worth more than that, but he said $20 would do the trick. So, I now have another one of these beauts.

Looking forward to giving it a go! Anyone else have experience with one of these? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts...good or bad.....

 

[Artie]

Re: 1990's ART Power Plant Pre-Amp

Pics? Please.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: 1990's ART Power Plant Pre-Amp

Tried one BITD,but I was looking for something higher gain.
Good tones tho,fat & smooth,pretty tubey!

 

[Mincer]

Re: 1990's ART Power Plant Pre-Amp

I had an ART SGE digital preamp back then. That was a dog.

 

[Top-L]

Re: 1990's ART Power Plant Pre-Amp

I think it was a late 80s thing, the one with the pink graphics. There was a black face reissue I think mid 90s.

Solid state preamps were really getting quite good by the late 80s. Peavey had their trans tube thing, Crate had their own thing. There was a Rocktron Pro GAP SS midi pre I owned that was great. But by the late 90s, digital modelling was the direction everyone went.

More recently, Peavey has their Vypyr amps which are SS transtube but with digital control.

I would def buy a PP, might even use it depending on the switching and gain staging it provides. I think it was just a two channel thing. Very clean and high gain.

 

[Mincer]

Re: 1990's ART Power Plant Pre-Amp

Tech 21's PSA-1 is an analog preamp that still sounds amazing to this day (and keeps its value really well).

 

[teleblooz]

Re: 1990's ART Power Plant Pre-Amp

Here is a pic. I agree on the Tech 21 PSA......I've wanted one since they came out. Only seen one used one for sale though and it was way out of my price range. As I recall, the Power Plant received great reviews and high praise back in the day for the ability to dial in convincing Marshall/Vox/Fender tones. Here's a ;ittle blurb I found about it:

"Designed by N.S.”Buck” Brundage, this unit was manufactured from 1990 to 1997 and it was a favourite of producer Max Norman – yes, he who worked with Megadeth on Rust In Peace, Countdown To Extinction and Youthanasia, not to mention Ozzy Osbourne in the Randy Rhoads era. Back in the day, ART said: “Power Plant combines the finest elements and saturation curves of 12AX7s into 6L6 tubes giving the user the thickest, heaviest crunch of classic tube amps without diction and articulation of notes! The Power Plant is one of the most versatile studio and live sound production tools available. It has totally separate clean and overdrive channels, master volume control, a switchable effects loop, and a +20 dB output for a power amp feed (this output has a unique equalization and pre-emphasis circuit that reflects the curve of a guitar amplification section).” - See more at: http://iheartguitarblog.com/2009/10...-dont-make-any-more.html#sthash.wgoiGuJM.dpuf

 

[Mincer]

Re: 1990's ART Power Plant Pre-Amp

Their graphics (and their marketing speak) were awesome.

 

[Artie]

Re: 1990's ART Power Plant Pre-Amp

Whoa! That thing was made to go with the Daisy Rock Champagne Sparkle.

 

[Brandenburg]

Re: 1990's ART Power Plant Pre-Amp

Their graphics (and their marketing speak) were awesome.

i have a 1991 ART SGX 2000 and a multiverb..I use the sgx ever so often and can still get some decent sounds from it. Mainly I just use it as a "headphone" amp though as I cant hook it up to a head because of my living situation now

I actually bought both at a pawn shop ~1.5 years.. nostalgia is a MF sometimes


just realized.. all but 1 effect is from the 80's or the tip of the 90's

ART SGX 2000=1991
RAT 2=1987
Ibenez TS-9 tube screamer=1982
ART Multi-verb.. its in storage and cant remember what the date on the screen when you turn it on but i think its like a mid 80's

ohhh.. and my Randall RG 100es is a 1989.. LOL


hey.. i like stuff from that time period and apologize for nothing.. lol

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: 1990's ART Power Plant Pre-Amp

:headbang:

 

[Mincer]

Re: 1990's ART Power Plant Pre-Amp

I'd love to see what graphics that they rejected in favor of the pink & grey.

I had an SGE, which is like a Multiverb with distortion on it. I did learn how to seriously program (very quickly) on that tiny little screen. We have it easy now with our PC editors and giant screens on the equipment. They were working in the stone ages then.