Rocktron piranha preamp, any good?

[charvelstrat81]

I can get a Pirahna preamp rack for a real good price?
Am familiar with the ADA MP-1,JMP1 and a few other pre amp racks like the triaxis
but never tried one of these?
does it has that digital tone?

 

[thisguy]

I had one a long time ago and wish I still had it. I'd definitely get another for that price!

Doesn't sound digital.

 

[charvelstrat81]

I had one a long time ago and wish I still had it. I'd definitely get another for that price!

Doesn't sound digital.

Cool how does it compare to say the triaxis or the JMP1?

 

[gtr31]

It's pretty cool ,one of the neat feature is you have a parametric eq on mids from 80 hz to like 1500 I think

 

[tschrama]

Sure, for 100$, why not. but...

I have a few preamps, the usual suspects; the piranha is one of them and gets hardly ever used. The EQ is just very weird. I think the trick is not to use the mid parametric EQ to scope the mids (eg -9 at 650Hz), but instead pump the 3k-5K region leave the teble at zero, and boost the bass. It still doesn't sound like a real tonestack to me though.

It seems to be build very sturdy, the knobs feel great as if they can handle some abuse. There's plenty gain available. I usually sit around 50-55 out of 70 for a hi-gain rhythm sound. It has midi, hush build in, and is very easy to program.

I would take a ADA mp-1 , jmp-1, Rockmaster over it, which at the time, were similary priced on the 2nd hand market. The jmp-1 and ADA mp-1 went up in price in the meantime.

 

[tschrama]

The parametric mids go from 250 to 7K and are post-gain.

BTW
I even prefer the Rocktron Pro GAP to it which has both pre- and post- parametric mids EQ (and a gate and a hush).

 

[richardt4520]

That's a weird one, man. Don't know where they went wrong with that one but it's something in the EQ. I used a solid state ProGAP for a few years and liked that POS while I was using it with a Marshall power amp and Vox Bulldog speakers (celestion blues), but I think the only reason that sounded ok was the 200 watt power amp cooking the coils of the celestions which could only handle 60 watts total for the quad. I thought the Piranha would be a high voltage, tube version of that but I just could not get anything other than a thin tone out of it. For $100 though, it might be cool to get and mess around with. Maybe it was user error on my part.

 

[charvelstrat81]

If i used this on say the clean channel of the EVH 5153 mini will i be able to dial in a good crunch tone?
The EVH has great high gain but the lower gain crunch tones are not so great

 

[Skolphy]

I've had one for years and it's been nothing but awesome for me..the keys are using the right preamp tubes..not over eq-ing and avoiding too much gain. To me it sounds best on the tube distortion channel without the added diode gain. As someone else mentioned..gain setting anywhere from 40- 60 or so will cover anything you can throw at it..from Bad Company up to face melting metal. I usually only use the diode gain for solos..and even then only set the gain in the 50 or so range..The diode gain kind of compresses the sound a bit (similar to how a Ds1 or TS effects your sound).
Cleans are really nice, but you have to tweak them in a bit to get a good level.

This thing has so many ways to tweak though.. input drive..channel gain..active mid eq..fx loop..cab SIM out..and Hush built in!

I use mine with a Quadraverb 2 BBE Sonic Max and a Marshall 9001 tube power amp..I can get any kind of tone I want with it. For $100 you can't go wrong..

I won't say it's better than a Triaxxis, but I'd take it over a noisy MP1..any day.
I also owned the Pro Gap, and for solid state that thing kicked ass as well.

 

[charvelstrat81]

I've had one for years and it's been nothing but awesome for me..the keys are using the right preamp tubes..not over eq-ing and avoiding too much gain. To me it sounds best on the tube distortion channel without the added diode gain. As someone else mentioned..gain setting anywhere from 40- 60 or so will cover anything you can throw at it..from Bad Company up to face melting metal. I usually only use the diode gain for solos..and even then only set the gain in the 50 or so range..The diode gain kind of compresses the sound a bit (similar to how a Ds1 or TS effects your sound).
Cleans are really nice, but you have to tweak them in a bit to get a good level.

This thing has so many ways to tweak though.. input drive..channel gain..active mid eq..fx loop..cab SIM out..and Hush built in!

I use mine with a Quadraverb 2 BBE Sonic Max and a Marshall 9001 tube power amp..I can get any kind of tone I want with it. For $100 you can't go wrong..

I won't say it's better than a Triaxxis, but I'd take it over a noisy MP1..any day.
I also owned the Pro Gap, and for solid state that thing kicked ass as well.

Thanks for the $100 i will grab it monday

 

[d1469d]

The good thing about Rocktron is the built in speaker simulators. If you spend a little time with it you could use it for recording regardless. It would be something you pick up cheap and just keep it to mess around with.

 

[Chubtone]

The EVH has great high gain but the lower gain crunch tones are not so great

All the knobs at noon on the blue channel with the gain around 10 o'clock sounds fantastic IMO.

 

[sjk]

If i used this on say the clean channel of the EVH 5153 mini will i be able to dial in a good crunch tone?
The EVH has great high gain but the lower gain crunch tones are not so great

User error, faulty amp, or playing at mousefart volumes
Pretty common consensus on internet guitar nerd forums that the blue channel does a very fine low-mid gain crunch, mine does and there are countless videos on youtube showing this.

 

[sjk]

The EVH has great high gain but the lower gain crunch tones are not so great

All the knobs at noon on the blue channel with the gain around 10 o'clock sounds fantastic IMO.

This all day!

 

[charvelstrat81]

If i used this on say the clean channel of the EVH 5153 mini will i be able to dial in a good crunch tone?
The EVH has great high gain but the lower gain crunch tones are not so great

User error, faulty amp, or playing at mousefart volumes
Pretty common consensus on internet guitar nerd forums that the blue channel does a very fine low-mid gain crunch, mine does and there are countless videos on youtube showing this.

Mouse fart volumes, dont have any choice

 

[tschrama]

I've had one for years and it's been nothing but awesome for me..the keys are using the right preamp tubes..not over eq-ing and avoiding too much gain. To me it sounds best on the tube distortion channel without the added diode gain. As someone else mentioned..gain setting anywhere from 40- 60 or so will cover anything you can throw at it..from Bad Company up to face melting metal. I usually only use the diode gain for solos..and even then only set the gain in the 50 or so range..The diode gain kind of compresses the sound a bit (similar to how a Ds1 or TS effects your sound).
Cleans are really nice, but you have to tweak them in a bit to get a good level.

This thing has so many ways to tweak though.. input drive..channel gain..active mid eq..fx loop..cab SIM out..and Hush built in!

I use mine with a Quadraverb 2 BBE Sonic Max and a Marshall 9001 tube power amp..I can get any kind of tone I want with it. For $100 you can't go wrong..

I won't say it's better than a Triaxxis, but I'd take it over a noisy MP1..any day.
I also owned the Pro Gap, and for solid state that thing kicked ass as well.

Thanks for the $100 i will grab it monday

And, how do you like it?

 

[sjk]

If i used this on say the clean channel of the EVH 5153 mini will i be able to dial in a good crunch tone?
The EVH has great high gain but the lower gain crunch tones are not so great

User error, faulty amp, or playing at mousefart volumes
Pretty common consensus on internet guitar nerd forums that the blue channel does a very fine low-mid gain crunch, mine does and there are countless videos on youtube showing this.

Mouse fart volumes, dont have any choice

I have not tried one myself but the clips sound great for low gain crunch, maybe try a used Bogner blue pedal. Used prices have come down pretty good compared to the price of new.

 

[charvelstrat81]

I've had one for years and it's been nothing but awesome for me..the keys are using the right preamp tubes..not over eq-ing and avoiding too much gain. To me it sounds best on the tube distortion channel without the added diode gain. As someone else mentioned..gain setting anywhere from 40- 60 or so will cover anything you can throw at it..from Bad Company up to face melting metal. I usually only use the diode gain for solos..and even then only set the gain in the 50 or so range..The diode gain kind of compresses the sound a bit (similar to how a Ds1 or TS effects your sound).
Cleans are really nice, but you have to tweak them in a bit to get a good level.

This thing has so many ways to tweak though.. input drive..channel gain..active mid eq..fx loop..cab SIM out..and Hush built in!

I use mine with a Quadraverb 2 BBE Sonic Max and a Marshall 9001 tube power amp..I can get any kind of tone I want with it. For $100 you can't go wrong..

I won't say it's better than a Triaxxis, but I'd take it over a noisy MP1..any day.
I also owned the Pro Gap, and for solid state that thing kicked ass as well.

Thanks for the $100 i will grab it monday

And, how do you like it?

Just got it last night and ran it for a few hours.
It is OK definitely worth what i paid.