ADA MicroCab Ampulator Questions

[Toppscore]

Hi! Is anyone familiar with
the ADA MicroCab or the ADA Ampulator?

Are these preamps both straight DI units
that can/must ONLY output to recording mixers?

Or, can they be used within a rackmount chain of effects
towards adding tone/sound possibilities?

Can these two preamps output to an amp or another preamp
without recording/mixer board interaction or handshaking?

These two preamps are very interesting.
Thanks for any and all responses.

 

[darkwave]

I've used tube preamps direct for several years, with various cabinet simulator approaches. These included Red Box, DMC Cabtone, direct outs from a Mesa Quad, and a Palmer PDI-09. The Ampulator was my favorite of them all, but even better was mixing it with one of the others in stereo.

The Ampulator is very tweakable, and brings the "poweramp effect" into the mix if you're only using a preamp. You can turn off the speaker emulation portion of the circuit, but the poweramp emulation is always there (most other hardware solutions ignore this element). This would be my choice if I were to pick a single one.

You still need a proper preamp or other sound source to get conventional sounds. I haven't really dove in deep with the newer IR options, but did use a POD and Amplitube for a bit (still liked a tube pre with the Ampulator better than those though).

-Douglas C.

 

[Toppscore]

I've used tube preamps direct for several years, with various cabinet simulator approaches. These included Red Box, DMC Cabtone, direct outs from a Mesa Quad, and a Palmer PDI-09. The Ampulator was my favorite of them all, but even better was mixing it with one of the others in stereo.

The Ampulator is very tweakable, and brings the "poweramp effect" into the mix if you're only using a preamp. You can turn off the speaker emulation portion of the circuit, but the poweramp emulation is always there (most other hardware solutions ignore this element). This would be my choice if I were to pick a single one.

You still need a proper preamp or other sound source to get conventional sounds. I haven't really dove in deep with the newer IR options, but did use a POD and Amplitube for a bit (still liked a tube pre with the Ampulator better than those though). -Douglas C.

Thanks, Douglas. Did you use these emulators with a preamp in front
of the ADA's and then on to an amp head? . . . . rather than a mixer?

Do the ADA's play well as a preamp for effects/tones/sounds
without going DI to a recording/mixing console???

ADA MicroCab and ADA Ampulator is what I want if they will create more
tone/sound possibilities from the middle of my newly built rackmount chain.

So far, I desire to line-up my rackmount preamps as follows:
1) BK Butler Tube Works Blue Tube RT924 Overdrive
2) Rocktron 320 Compressor
3) ADA MicroCab Emulator (ultimately, I can place this anywhere)
4) Lee Jackson GP1000 Distortion
5) Ibanez DM2000 Digital Delay
6) Rocktron Velocity 120 65watt 1U power amp

***maybe the ADA MicroCab would be great as the
number five last preamp before the power amp.
What do you think?

 

[darkwave]

I always used a rackmount tube preamp in front of the Ampulator - it's not really meant to replace that element of your signal chain. This included a Mesa Quad Pre and an Egnater IE4 over time. After the preamp I went to FX and then the Ampulator and another speaker sim in parallel (DMC Cabtone typically) and then my computer interface or headphone amp. I preferred the stereo sound of two sims simultaneously.

You could put time based effects after the Ampulator instead, but I wanted a system I could use either direct or through a tube poweramp+guitar cab without messing up my presets too bad when I bypassed the Ampulator. That, and my FX was one unit at the time.

-Douglas C.

 

[darkwave]

Thanks, Douglas. Did you use these emulators with a preamp in front
of the ADA's and then on to an amp head? . . . . rather than a mixer?

Do the ADA's play well as a preamp for effects/tones/sounds
without going DI to a recording/mixing console???

ADA MicroCab and ADA Ampulator is what I want if they will create more
tone/sound possibilities from the middle of my newly built rackmount chain.

So far, I desire to line-up my rackmount preamps as follows:
1) BK Butler Tube Works Blue Tube RT924 Overdrive
2) Rocktron 320 Compressor
3) ADA MicroCab Emulator (ultimately, I can place this anywhere)
4) Lee Jackson GP1000 Distortion
5) Ibanez DM2000 Digital Delay
6) Rocktron Velocity 120 65watt 1U power amp

***maybe the ADA MicroCab would be great as the
number five last preamp before the power amp.
What do you think?

For "typical" applications, you would use the Ampulator in a direct rig (no power amp or speakers to mic) or to add "tube feel" to a rack system with a SS power amp.

I'd probably place the Ampulator after the Lee Jackson unit and keep the speaker sim section turned off in your rig, but certainly feel free to experiment if you are looking for something more unique!

-Douglas C.

 

[Toppscore]

Thanks, Douglas. I just purchased the ADA MicroCab. Have not received it yet.
Once things get settled, I am seeking or will be experimenting to use the MicroCab
as part of an initial signature guitar tone ~ lightly used or turned on, just enough
to color the guitar sound. Along with the compressor, as well.

I will try placing it after the Lee Jackson GP1000. Thanks for the tip. Toppscore

 

[Toppscore]

I always used a rackmount tube preamp in front of the Ampulator - it's not really meant to replace that element of your signal chain. This included a Mesa Quad Pre and an Egnater IE4 over time. After the preamp I went to FX and then the Ampulator and another speaker sim in parallel (DMC Cabtone typically) and then my computer interface or headphone amp. I preferred the stereo sound of two sims simultaneously.
You could put time based effects after the Ampulator instead, but I wanted a system I could use either direct or through a tube poweramp+guitar cab without messing up my presets too bad when I bypassed the Ampulator. That, and my FX was one unit at the time. -Douglas C.

I like the parallel idea ~ I can play both at once or switch
from one to the other. Have been thinking about parallel
with two distortion rackmount preamps, as well.

I have no intention of recording, just coloring live guitar tones
within a rackmount setup and having post ADA MicroCab rackmount
effects manage the post MicroCab output.

Thanks again.