studio preamp IIC+

The Boogie Board

Help Support The Boogie Board:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

kirk19

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 22, 2006
Messages
108
Reaction score
0
Hi


I want to know which power amp I need to use with the studio preamp to get as close as possible to a 2C+
Should I go for a 50/50 or a simul class 295 power amp ? I read somewhere that the studio preamp is almost identical to the 2c+ preamp section, is this true?
Any insights would be extremely helpful.


thanks!
 
I had this same question a few years ago when I saw a Studio Preamp on sale from a local guy.

According to Mike B from Boogie: The Studio was based on the C+

According Marcus Daniel from Boogie: The studio pre and the quad pre are both pretty different in tone from the MK II C+. They still have similar Mark Series characteristics and similar tonal nuances, but they'll never sound exactly like a C+. Neither to my knowledge were built with the C+ in mind.

Via an original product flyer, the Studio is channel 1 of the Quad preamp. Which was based off the C+

According to Shane C and grailtone member: After reading the schematics, the Studio has the same circuit design, control layout and operation as the 2c+ but different component values such as resistors and caps.

The Studio manual suggested the Simul 295
 
Thanks for the info... I read somewhere that a mesa 50/50 is basicly or almost the same as a 2c+ poweramp according to mike bendinelli. However if you really want a 2c+ to shine you need simulclass I think... so this is my dilemma. Both are available atm in my region :)

A real 2c+ with simul class and all options is like unobtanium... i have a 2c+ but it is 60 watt no simul class ofcourse. But I want a backup for the road. Real 2c+ stays in the studio for recording only

Any insights?
 
The Studio Pre sounds like what it is: an excellent, no-frills rack preamp that provides great tones at exceptional value. There is no power amp you can pair with it that will turn it into a IIC+. If there were, everybody would know about it. You should be able to get tones out of the SP and any quality power amp that put you in the same general vicinity as a C+ type tone, but it'll always have its own thing going on. Embrace that, I say.
 
I want to come close but I realise that duplicating is not 100% possible... i am happy with 95%
 
Sounds like simul-class is what you're after, so that narrows the options considerably. I used to have a Simul 395, which sounded like the voice of God when paired with my Studio Preamp, but eventually I decided a Mark III head would be more convenient for me, so I went that route instead. The 395s are rare, but the simpler 295s are usually available on the used market.

In my dreams, I have a Simul Satellite in a rackmount kit to pair with my Studio Pre. Those don't come up for sale too often though. And plus...I have the III+ purple stripe head, so that would be a crazy waste of money for a guy who's not even playing guitar in a band currently.
 
I would agree with any of the Simul power amps. Best sounding power amps I've used. Only real drawback is how much it costs to replace the tubes. I think it's worth it if you can get your hands on one, or two. Lol. I lucked out in getting my 295 back in the late 90's early 2k when people were selling Boogie gear because it was too large/heavy.
 
a simul 295 just came up locally for 450 euro... Good deal I think but indeed changing the tubes will cost €€€
 
I think people forget something when they ask what power amp is closest to the IIC+ power amp: The IIC+ came with three different power amps. The 60w, the 100/60w, and the ClassA/SimulClass power amp.

To those ends, the 50/50 is probably pretty close to the 60w power amp, and their SimulClass power amps would resemble the IIC+ Simul class ones. At least for getting in the same ballpark.
 
What about a 2:90? It has simul class, would that pair ok with the studio preamp? Or will a 295 be more vintage sounding?
 
Can I slave the studio preamp in one of my marshall like heads say friedman/splawn through the return of the fx loop? This is basicly what hetfield did with his 2c+ I think?

Slaving the preamp will require my splawn loop to operate on line level +4db I think, correct?

Thanks!
 
kirk19 said:
Can I slave the studio preamp in one of my marshall like heads say friedman/splawn through the return of the fx loop? This is basicly what hetfield did with his 2c+ I think?

Slaving the preamp will require my splawn loop to operate on line level +4db I think, correct?

Thanks!

Yup and yup, you're right on the money there.
 
Ok thanks! Just making sure I don't blow up my gear. I am very cautious with my amps and guitars.
I read somewhere on the forum that mike B said that you can use the send output from the studio preamp and go from there to a power amp for getting closer to the 2c+ preamp (you bypass the recording out this way which can load the preamp according to him). I am guessing if I do this I need to set the fx loop switch of the studio preamp also on line lvl so everything is connected on line lvl? If I do it this way instead of going through the main outputs, Can I still add a time based effect (eventide timefactor set to line lvl) between the studi preamp send and the return of the splawn fx loop or will this be impossible?
 
Alternatively, you could set your Splawn loop and Studio Preamp to both low level as well.

But yeah, the effects send is very similar to the main outs, just skips a little bit of circuitry and the main output knobs, and the loading caused by the recording outs. Use them interchangably, and effects can go in there fine as well. The transition between a preamp and a power amp and an effects loop are both usually the same thing, so effects designed to go there will work.
 
so I did a sound test today and hooked everything up... Sound is very much ok but I noticed when I put the preamp in the splawn return fx loop jack my front panel volume controls do nothing (splawn doesn't have an overall master volume and mine is an older one so it doesn't has the fx volume pot). I need to set the volume with the output on my studio preamp...
I am thinking that is probably because the volume control of the splawn is located in the preamp section rather than the power amp section of the amp?

If I drive the output of my preamp high/hot in the fx return I should be safe? Nothing can explode lol ?


thanks
 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/100168049@N04/24129966753/in/dateposted-public/

Here's a nice set-up. Heavy mother, 250 pounds including the speaker cabinet, a Road Ready 4X12 EV loaded, never ending headroom.

I recommend getting a BBE 822A and placing it between the SP & 295, it made a lot of goodness happen, I can't imagine not having it. Total "pillow off the speaker" unit.
 
kirk19 said:
so I did a sound test today and hooked everything up... Sound is very much ok but I noticed when I put the preamp in the splawn return fx loop jack my front panel volume controls do nothing (splawn doesn't have an overall master volume and mine is an older one so it doesn't has the fx volume pot). I need to set the volume with the output on my studio preamp...
I am thinking that is probably because the volume control of the splawn is located in the preamp section rather than the power amp section of the amp?

If I drive the output of my preamp high/hot in the fx return I should be safe? Nothing can explode lol ?


thanks

Yes, the volume on your Splawn is probably at the beginning of the circuit, which means you're coming in after it when you patch into the effects loop. The power amp is basically running full tilt all the time, so controlling overall level with the SP is the right thing to do, and no, you can't damage anything by doing this.
 
I am going to pick up a mesa simul 295 this weekend nearby. This will be a better combination than slaving the preamp through my fx loop. Anything I should keep an eye on these older units besides tube life?

Thanks all !
 
Something of that era will be approaching the age where it would benefit from a recap job, if it's not there already, so there is some potential maintenance to consider. It's the case with anything that's getting around 30 years old. I never worried about that with my 395 though, and it was a monster.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top