Is There Such a Thing?

**Skip Ellis** · 12-13-2024, 11:56 PM

Lately, I've been running my guitar (and occasional tracks) through my Mackie ProFX6 mixer, then into a homebrew cabinet with a 150 watt class 'D' amp board feeding a crossover, then an 8", 300 watt Faital bass speaker and a dome tweeter; I originally built it for announcements and the occasional vocalist at the local steel guitar club that I used to run (now non existent due to COVID and old age). The cabinet sounds pretty good but I was thinking of trying to get rid of the mixer and just use some sort of preamp/EQ to run the cabinet with just my guitar - it would be helpful for it to also have an effects loop for my Earthquake Systems Dispatch Master reverb/delay. Don't really want one of those all purpose Zoom things because I only need reverb and delay. Does anything like this exist? Not even sure why I want to do this - I guess I just like to tinker. Actually the BUD head would probably do it but I need 'cheap'.

**Cunamara** · 12-14-2024, 12:57 AM

How about guitar -> reverb/delay -> Empress Para EQ -> amp/cab?

ParaEq MKII

– Empress Effects Inc.

**dconeill** · 12-14-2024, 11:43 PM

Parameterize "cheap".

If you keep what you have you won't spend any more money than you already have spent; it doesn't get cheaper than that. And at least from your description I don't see what changing from a mixer to a guitar-oriented preamp will get you that you don't already have, except perhaps a slightly smaller footprint.

**Skip Ellis** · 12-15-2024, 12:28 AM

Originally Posted by dconeill

Parameterize "cheap".

If you keep what you have you won't spend any more money than you already have spent; it doesn't get cheaper than that. And at least from your description I don't see what changing from a mixer to a guitar-oriented preamp will get you that you don't already have, except perhaps a slightly smaller footprint.

Good point - sometimes my mind wanders and gets me involved in projects that are not especially productive; time would be better spent practicing in all likelihood.

**Jim Soloway** · 12-15-2024, 01:37 AM

Something like this maybe. It's got a loop, a couple of decent clean Fender style models in it and there's no programming involved.

https://www.hotone.com/products/binary/Binary%20Amp

**Boze** · 12-15-2024, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

Something like this maybe. It's got a loop, a couple of decent clean Fender style models in it and there's no programming involved.

https://www.hotone.com/products/binary/Binary%20Amp

I tried a Hotone Ampero II, NUX MG-30 and NUX Amp Academy two years ago before finding an HX Stomp on Craigslist. The dsp on these budget amp sim pedals isn't convincing and I'd be surprised if the Hotone Binary for $150 is a winner. I mean free returns so no harm in checking for yourself, I just feel a duty to spare folks the dead-end drive I took trying to find a budget amp sim pedal.

The Tonex is supposed to hang. It was a hundred bucks off for black Friday but is back to $400 now and has a pitiful display to access its features for that price.

**Jim Soloway** · 12-15-2024, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by Boze

I tried a Hotone Ampero II, NUX MG-30 and NUX Amp Academy two years ago before finding an HX Stomp on Craigslist. The dsp on these budget amp sim pedals isn't convincing and I'd be surprised if the Hotone Binary for $150 is a winner. I mean free returns so no harm in checking for yourself, I just feel a duty to spare folks the dead-end drive I took trying to find a budget amp sim pedal.

The Tonex is supposed to hang. It was a hundred bucks off for black Friday but is back to $400 now and has a pitiful display to access its features for that price.

I just recorded this passage using the clean Bassman model on the Binary Amp. The reverb is from my UAFX Evermore. You can decide for yourself if it's a servicable tone.