CAE 3+SE vs OD100SE+?

Exo-metal,this should be a bit bigger for ya.
As to the post of the cae3+ sounding bland,sterile,w/no feel, im not sure whats going on there.My cae 3+ used to be Trey's from Phish,but to my knowledge has no mods and it sounds absolutely killer with a vht classic poweramp up at tube cooking vol.It cleans up very nicely with guitar vol knob just like the amp head, and has a nice real amp feel to it.Cant stress enough- A quality poweramp is of utmost importance of getting the most out of the cae, or any other boutique preamp for that matter.
 
There were several different versions of the 3+SE, I suppose depending on who manufactured it. Different pots, different transformers, different values for the filtering and what not. I wouldn´t be surprised if one bone stock SE could feel stiffer than another.
 
exo-metal":2lljqp7k said:
Omg it's beauty personified you haven't even posted your guitars :rawk:
.
... :yes: ....lol.that would be for another thread for sure.For the OP, yes,when properly dialed in,w/ a qualify poweramp, or good ol 4 holer ,the CAE 3+ is absolutely killer tone.
 
glpg80":ojg3i13t said:
I really do wonder if he'd build a 3 channel modernized version of the CAE 3+SE preamp but based on his OD100SE+ preamp. For starters, I know the transformer mod on the old CAE's is almost essential to wake them up. Rumor has it that EVH himself used a CAE prototype with the transformer used in the transformer mod on FUCK.

John told the story on Rig-Talk

Suhr":ojg3i13t said:
That is actually the 3+ preamp prototype in to a Marshall Power section that I tweaked for Lukather. I watched as Ed was recording.
It was Channel 3 of the non SE version, I could build you the exact channel but I think the PT100 would do it no problem in a heatbeat.,
The SLO was only used on the solo on this track
viewtopic.php?p=739172#p739172

Suhr":ojg3i13t said:
The OD100 has morphed into more than a few different new models. I sold my interest in the 3+ preamp some 8 years ago but that was also my circuit design, Bradshaws idea, as was the X88R.
Suhr":ojg3i13t said:
The 3+ is made by Bradshaw
I no longer have anything to do with this product. That is the way it has been for 14 years. The basic design and circuit have not changed.
http://www.hugeracksinc.com/forum/viewt ... 04#p583304
 
Sorry for the thread revival but I’ve become curious about separate preamps like the cae 3+.

someone above commented about how great it sounded thru a power amp that was run at ‘tube cooking volumes’....

do these preamp separates need to be run thru power amps that are run loud (like most tube amp heads need to be) in order to sound and feel right?

or do they have the benefit of being able to run power amp volumes very low, like you can when reamping a proper tube amp?
 
Preamps may have a bit of an advantage at pairing up with a poweramp to be ran at a lower volume. You just have more control and more ways to control it all.
So,ya,I'd think so,especially since the majority of the tone shaping is done on the preamp side of things. But its a thing of beauty when u can get the power section up too.
 
@Little B Would you consider selling your CAE 3+ to me? I'm in the market for an original un-modded one from the 90s
You guys got me interested in firing up the ol CAE. Out of curiosity I put a ultra high grade 12a in v1 ( supposedly unavailable now) . A bit more thicker with more chime now. Anyways,@tylerpenn: you can find these unmodded.I recently saw one on ebay or rev and I believe there was one on Sweetwater and musicians friend used sites recently. Run thru all the sites, you'll find one.
 
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