hamptone vs sebatron

[creature.of.habit]

hehe..

no thanks man

i don't need a shitload of detail as much as i need character and bigness (the all too clich?: larger than life feel)...

Maybe you should just save up for a distressor?

[creature.of.habit]

John, i bought a friggin tremolo Skylark, you're off the hook! that is, until i start buying gibsons again..

i know the hamptones are awesome..i just need to know if that other thing is more coloured/forgiving than them...

but i guess finding someone that has used both is pretty impossible...

We try to steer him right, but sometimes he drives drunk...

I don't have to recommend the JFET to you again, diogo, you know where I stand. It's awesome!

[inverseroom]

Oh nice, the Skylark T is a great little amp! I assume it's the Crestline style, right, not the old TV-front kind?

Alls I can say about the JFET is that it's more colored than any of my other pres, which include the Hamptone tube one, and the JLM Baby Animals, and some Mackie Onyxes. At low gain you get clarity, but it's larger than life in th elow end...at high gain you get a sound that you could use for Stax-style overdriven vocals.

[red cross]

If you don't want to "hear alot of detail", the choice of mic is going to affect this much more than your choice of preamp.

[creature.of.habit]

Oh nice, the Skylark T is a great little amp! I assume it's the Crestline style, right, not the old TV-front kind?

Alls I can say about the JFET is that it's more colored than any of my other pres, which include the Hamptone tube one, and the JLM Baby Animals, and some Mackie Onyxes. At low gain you get clarity, but it's larger than life in th elow end...at high gain you get a sound that you could use for Stax-style overdriven vocals.

i dunno...mine looks exactly like this one...

http://www.oaktreeent.com/web_photos/am ... _small.jpg

is this the tv one?

i really want the hamptones...thing is, besides not being able to put them together, i'dd want both the tube and the jfet..i'm a total sucker for the looks, and i'dd probably be just as impressed with the sound.

i got recomended the sebatron box as a nice alternative, and something that can sound "old" and forgiving..

it really seems the obvious answer here...it's probably not as good as the hamptone boxes, but at least it's assembled...

being broke sucks.

[creature.of.habit]

If you don't want to "hear alot of detail", the choice of mic is going to affect this much more than your choice of preamp.

i hear you..

i should've explained that earlier...ribbons and dynamics don't really work for my voice, although it's not the only application where i'll use the pres. i need the punch/lift of a condenser for most things.

[Bear's Gone Fission]

If you don't want to "hear alot of detail", the choice of mic is going to affect this much more than your choice of preamp.

i hear you..

i should've explained that earlier...ribbons and dynamics don't really work for my voice, although it's not the only application where i'll use the pres. i need the punch/lift of a condenser for most things.

Have you tried a Beyer M-88? They do a pretty good U-87 impression.

Bear

[inverseroom]

Diogo, that is indeed the Crestline version. Exactly the amp I had, I loved it. I ended up selling it and buying an Epi Pathfinder (aka Gibson Falcon) for the tube reverb...but the reverb is so noisy I use a reverb pedal. It's otherwise a very similar sound--shoulda just kept the Skylark.

[centurymantra]

I notice that noone has talked much about the Sebatron. I very nearly bought a Hamptone JFET awhile back (and am still thinking about it), but since I never did get around to this, I can't offer a comparison for you. That being said, I think the Sebatron is a brilliant preamp. Very versatile in that it can go from colored to clean depending on the pad settings and the EQ is very nice - very usuable. The 'air' setting with ribbon mics can do wonders, and the lo shelf on the pre is quite nice and very handy. Reading between the lines on this discussion, I really it think it sounds like the Seb could be what you are looking for. It is a bit of a "character" preamp, but it's versatility gives a wide range of sound and think it's closer to being an all-purpose pre than a lot of the pres in the Character camp would be. The DI inputs are also very nice.

[Recycled_Brains]

i really want the hamptones...thing is, besides not being able to put them together, i'dd want both the tube and the jfet..i'm a total sucker for the looks, and i'dd probably be just as impressed with the sound.

i got recomended the sebatron box as a nice alternative, and something that can sound "old" and forgiving..

it really seems the obvious answer here...it's probably not as good as the hamptone boxes, but at least it's assembled...

you can buy both versions of the Hamptone pre-assembled by Scott Hampton for a bit more loot.


-ryan

[creature.of.habit]

If you don't want to "hear alot of detail", the choice of mic is going to affect this much more than your choice of preamp.

i hear you..

i should've explained that earlier...ribbons and dynamics don't really work for my voice, although it's not the only application where i'll use the pres. i need the punch/lift of a condenser for most things.

Have you tried a Beyer M-88? They do a pretty good U-87 impression.

Bear

hey Bear,

i actually had a mic that suits my voice and had the perfect balance between presence and not being overly bright, causing a stupid amount of sibilance (which i also have a problem with, while being at the same time, a dark baritone). i sold a while ago and have another one on the making, exact same thing but with an old st. ives trafo in it. it's basically a U67 clone.

i've got my mics covered and i know what works, i just need the pre to go with them. the right one.

[creature.of.habit]

Diogo, that is indeed the Crestline version. Exactly the amp I had, I loved it. I ended up selling it and buying an Epi Pathfinder (aka Gibson Falcon) for the tube reverb...but the reverb is so noisy I use a reverb pedal. It's otherwise a very similar sound--shoulda just kept the Skylark.

can't you just make the reverb quieter John? replace some stuff in it or something? you do that sort of thing at light speed...

[creature.of.habit]

I notice that noone has talked much about the Sebatron. I very nearly bought a Hamptone JFET awhile back (and am still thinking about it), but since I never did get around to this, I can't offer a comparison for you. That being said, I think the Sebatron is a brilliant preamp. Very versatile in that it can go from colored to clean depending on the pad settings and the EQ is very nice - very usuable. The 'air' setting with ribbon mics can do wonders, and the lo shelf on the pre is quite nice and very handy. Reading between the lines on this discussion, I really it think it sounds like the Seb could be what you are looking for. It is a bit of a "character" preamp, but it's versatility gives a wide range of sound and think it's closer to being an all-purpose pre than a lot of the pres in the Character camp would be. The DI inputs are also very nice.

thanks Bryan...good to know! can you confirm the 60dbs? i read about someone noticing something silly like 80dbs off of theirs, after having it serviced. i emailed sebatron about this and the guy didn't even address it so..i suppose this is not a mod, per se..

i'm wondering if it can handle a ribbon with an acoustic guitar..say, finger picked? can the sebatron pull this off? or is it a situation where you'll have your gain maxed out and it'll still be lacking...?

thanks!

[creature.of.habit]

i really want the hamptones...thing is, besides not being able to put them together, i'dd want both the tube and the jfet..i'm a total sucker for the looks, and i'dd probably be just as impressed with the sound.

i got recomended the sebatron box as a nice alternative, and something that can sound "old" and forgiving..

it really seems the obvious answer here...it's probably not as good as the hamptone boxes, but at least it's assembled...

you can buy both versions of the Hamptone pre-assembled by Scott Hampton for a bit more loot.


-ryan

ryan, sadly i have no means to do so.

[kayagum]

i should've explained that earlier...ribbons and dynamics don't really work for my voice, although it's not the only application where i'll use the pres. i need the punch/lift of a condenser for most things.

You should try the Heil PR40. It's the best of both worlds - low end of a LDD, a high freq response closer to a condenser. You can also try the PR30 or the upcoming PR35 if the PR40 is still too bright. Have you tried the SM7 or the RE20? (Pssst.... Mark Eitzel used an RE20 for his vocals in Mercury).

Sibiliance? Have you tried the pencil trick?