Quick Studio Pre question.....

[Fwank]

Hello all. I just did a quick search and I got what appeared to be a few conflicting answers so I thought I would just ask here.....

As far as the Studio Pre is concerned, am understanding correctly that it is supposed to be a "copy" of the Mark IIC+ preamp section? Now I am not going to get into "can I make it sound exactly the same as a C+ with XXX power amp" discussion because of the differences in power amps and such, but was just really curious as to whether or not the Studio was intentionally designed to be the preamp from a C+ or if it is just a unique preamp in itself. I believe I am going to buy one based on all of the sound clips I have heard regardless of if it is or is not a C+ preamp. I guess I am just asking more out of curiosity than anything.

Thanks in advance.

 

[axisman5150]

Hey Fwank,

I remember reading some post of guys who called MESA regarding that same question and they said it is Based upon the Mark IIC.

I just bought one and the tone on this thing is GREAT!! Even the recording outs sound good direct, just bring the treble down to take the fizz out of it.

I really liked Todd Duane's clips of his IIC+ and used his settings and it sounds pretty **** close. http://youtube.com/user/Treetopper

http://www.chain-metal.nl/mark3/?bg=2&d1=70&p1=1&d2=60&p2=1&d3=15&p3=1&d4=25&d5=20&p5=1&d6=80&p6=1&d7=30&p7=1&p=20&g1=100&g2=60&g3=20&g4=55&g5=65&t=3%2F28%2F08+IIC%2B+Main+tone

Just buy one, you won't be dissapointed.

 

[Fwank]

Well, its funny that you say that because I just bought one on Ebay that looks to be in great shape. Every time I heard the tones from a Studio Pre that people are getting it just made me want one more and more, so now I will be able to dial in my own sound with one. I am going to go check out the settings database to get a good start but I would like to see other people's settings on this board also. Does anybody have any settings they would like to share? I am sure that I will eventually find "my sound" with the Pre but I would like a good starting point from some guys on here that have owned one and spent some time with it.
Also, I have found several videos on Youtube from guys playing through their Studio Pre and I am yet to hear a tone that I didnt like with this thing. Its a shame Mesa does not make them any more, but I imagine they no longer feel the need to since the Triaxis is still available. And on that note, I also own an early Triaxis with the "Recto" board and no Phat Mod and I am totally in love with the tones from that, also. So between the Triaxis, the Studio Pre, and my Mark IV, I think I should be very happy and have any and every tone I could want.
Can you tell that I am a fan of Mesa gear? :wink:

 

[Fwank]

Well, its funny that you say that because I just bought one on Ebay that looks to be in great shape. Every time I heard the tones from a Studio Pre that people are getting it just made me want one more and more, so now I will be able to dial in my own sound with one. I am going to go check out the settings database to get a good start but I would like to see other people's settings on this board also. Does anybody have any settings they would like to share? I am sure that I will eventually find "my sound" with the Pre but I would like a good starting point from some guys on here that have owned one and spent some time with it.
Also, I have found several videos on Youtube from guys playing through their Studio Pre and I am yet to hear a tone that I didnt like with this thing. Its a shame Mesa does not make them any more, but I imagine they no longer feel the need to since the Triaxis is still available. And on that note, I also own an early Triaxis with the "Recto" board and no Phat Mod and I am totally in love with the tones from that, also. So between the Triaxis, the Studio Pre, and my Mark IV, I think I should be very happy and have any and every tone I could want.
Can you tell that I am a fan of Mesa gear? :wink:

 

[Fwank]

Oops, sorry, double post.

 

[Whoopysnorp]

Try putting volume around 4 (depending on hotness of your pickups and desired cleanliness of the rhythm mode), treble at 6, mids at 7-ish, bass at 1, lead drive around 6 or 7, and set masters to taste. I like to notch a little bit out of the middle using the GEQ but sometimes I think it sounds better with the GEQ switched out entirely. Turn rhythm bright and lead fat on, and leave lead bright off. This should give you sparkling clean cleans on the rhythm mode and a wicked crunch on the lead mode that really has that Mesa 'krannng' to it.

I just got back from doing a little jamming through my Studio Pre/Simul 395 rig and comparing it to my Rivera M100...once again I'm unable to decide which I prefer. Congrats on the purchase; that is an awesome unit and it was my first Mesa purchase ever.

 

[marantz1300]

I'm sure you already know that you can download the user manual from mesa for the studio pre.In it are base settings for different styles of music to start off with. I'm going to try some of the settings posted here.THanks.

 

[axisman5150]

I'm sure you already know that you can download the user manual from mesa for the studio pre.In it are base settings for different styles of music to start off with.

I found the user manual quite helpful compared to other manufacturers manuals. They not only explain what each knob does but give good suggestions on where to start setting the controls for certain types of tone.
Their settings in the manual are pretty good as well.

 

[ytse_jam]

I remember a guy from the board once phoned to Bendinelli and the latter said the Studio is built more after the C+ than the C, but it still isn't a perfect copy of the C+. Wonderful sounding pre to me in any case!

 

[Meson Boogie]

If anyone has the patience you can compare the c+ and studio pre circuitry on the schematics here:
http://www.tubefreak.com/schema.htm#studio

No idea how accurate they are. If they are from mesa I've read the c+ schematic is wrong :? Could be nonsense.

 

[schnarf]

I posted about my call to Mike B a while ago. The Studio Pre and Quad are both based on the C+ circuitry. He says it's extremely close as is. He says the recording out circuit loads the signal a bit, so it will be slightly darker than the actual C+. If you want to get slightly closer (probably not a big difference), you can either disconnect the recording out circuit internally, or run the signal from the effects loop send rather than the normal output. He also suggested you run it into a 50/50 poweramp, or the power section of a Mark IV.

 

[axisman5150]

yes, I remember reading your post, just couldn't remember who it was from.

I heard your Axe-FX clips on the JP forum the other day, very nice! 8)

It seemed to start a fire over there but I thought it was a great example of what the Axe-Fx could do. In fact, I just got the e-mail from Fractal last week that it was my turn but I just bought a Studio Pre so the Misses said NO!
But the Studio is quite an awesome preamp!

Have you ever recorded with this direct?

I've been jamming with this direct through my stereo and this sounds pretty good. I'm thinking of getting a Palmer PGA-04 and blending the direct with a SM57.

 

[Meson Boogie]

This came up in another thread, but is the 50/50 for a closer tone to the non-simul c+'s? It somewhat perplexes me that it would get a closer tone to a simul c+ than a simul poweramp like the 295.