ADA MB-1 Bass Preamp

Considering that I have only had it for a short time, it was easy to use as opposed to newer midi programmables. As for the editing patches, just start from the beginning and it's pretty easy once you know what tonal spectrum you are looking for. I didn't get a manual, but I have the preset chart. I don't know the firmware revision number.

My younger brother and I have obtained several amps, basses, and preamps throughout the past 19 years. To mention a few, Ken Smith 6-string bass, original Fender X-factor Kabuki, vintage jazz / Precision basses, SWR / Ampeg SVT2 Pro limited edition 300 watt head. Considering the time it was manufactured, its competitor Rocktron came out with a similar programmable unit but with less options. In my opinion, the MB1 was designed for the person who's playing requirements consist of different tones due to musical styles. It has some hiss and probably wouldn't be the choice of preference in the studio, but is more catered to a live performance.

Considering the condition of this unit when it first came out versus the condition that I found it in, it had been worked on. When I purchased it, I opened it and to my surprise found 2 Groove Tubes 12 AX 7s which I thought looked fairly new. The electronics and saudering seemed to be clean and well mounted. As for depending on it and using it without a backup, I'd have to decline comment being that the unit has been worked on.

I have no experience with this.

Having an obsession for bass playing and growing up wanting this unit for quite sometime, I now know that this unit is well worth any amount up to its original value. I just wished that the company would still be around to upgrade or come out with a newer model.

I have not had the unit for very long, but I've used it quite a lot since I aquired it. It's pretty easy to get a decent sound out of it, if you know what you're doing, once you understand the signal flow and the user-interface. It's sometimes awkward to edit patches, especially while playing, but the unit can be extensively controlled via MIDI, which makes it just what I wanted. The manual is unclear in places, but there's nothing in it of which sense cannot be made with a little thought.

I use an Ibanez Soundgear series bass with active electronics into an Ampeg B-2R with 1x15 and 4x10 cabs. I play mostly jazz-oriented and rock-oriented material. The noise is sometimes noticeable, but it's usually manageable. For example, at moderate settings the unit sounds quite reasonable; however, if I ever need to regularly use very high compression with the tube preamp, all at high gains, I'll probably need to come up with a noise gate. Overall, I like the sound of the unit. I can get a nice fuzzy distortion as well as a raunchy sound, and I can preserve the low-end. The chorus and compression do just what I expect them to, which is what I want.

Although I have not put it through the ringer, I have used the unit on a gig, and I do use it without a backup. I do have a preamp built into my B-2R head that I can use if worse comes to worse. I bought the unit used from a local musician, who said that he owned it for about a year.

Customer support is non-existent, as ADA has dropped off the face of the planet. There have been reports on Usenet that ADA is out of business. Their published phone number has been disconnected, and their email goes into a black hole. I have been looking for a MIDI SysEx manual, which one would normally get from ADA, but have as of yet had no success. My understanding is that ADA also kept tight control over their service manuals, so I probably won't be able to find one of those either. There is no established user community for this product, either, although one might develop in the future out of necessity. (Of course, I knew all this going into the deal.)

I am very happy with my purchase of the MB-1. It works well, as I expected it would. My band also likes it; or, rather, they like what I can do with it. I would not have bought it new, however, for the street price (at the time) of around $575, even if ADA were still in business. And I think I would make the same choices, with hindsight, as I did with foresight.

As with all things new, it takes some time to become proficient. A methodical approach is best for this preamp as it is not your run-of-the-mill preamp. Once familiar with how you do the things you can do, you might spend weeks exploring for the best sound settings from this preamp, but it is worth the effort.

Nothing is perfect and this preamp is not very forgiving if you try to crank up levels too early in the process. If you can keep it nice, however, you should be impressed with what you can get out of it. The chorus is really rich (maybe too much for some) but it works well once it's in the mix. I use my MB-1 to drive either a Peavey Mk IV or Combo-300 (I use the amp's tone controls ONLY for room EQ if necessary so the MB-1 only contours my instruments).

I have owned my MB-1 for over three years and, to date, have had no problems with it. I work without a backup, except for plugging straight into my bass amp (which is how I used to earn my money before I got my MB-1).

Having had no problems, I've never dealt with ADA directly.

I've been playing about 20 years, and I play the following instruments through my MB-1: Rickenbacker 4003, Carvin LB-76, Ibanez fretless (early model I ripped the frets out of), Chapman Stick and Roland JU-1 synth (for bass pedals). My love is progressive rock (Starcastle, Yes, etc.) and jazz (Rippingtons, Flecktones, etc.) but I play a variety of stuff including beach, standards, country and pop. I have yet to find a sound I could not get out of the MB-1. In fact, my approach has always been as a studio musician (ie: you have to be able to do ANY tone) and that is what lead me to the purchase of my MB-1. In my opinion, worth investigating if you are a versatile bassist (or aspire to be one).

fairly easy to operate from any other midi bass preamp and since the preamps are good quality it is easy to get a basic sound to start with

some noise but it can be deal with live, I didn's experience much noise in the studio th chorus and the compression are very unique, I don't know that they sound bad, but they sound different than most units that are popular among bass players

I use it without a backup at least 8 nights a month and have had no problems

I e-mailed them and have been waiting for a reply for over a month

I'd buy it again, the only thing I don't like is that it is virtally impossible to get the unit to not clip in the EQ stages producing an ugly distortion if you are using a slightly overdriven tube preamp upfront

This is not the easisest unit for initial set-up, and the factory presets were useless for my tastes. However, once you write a preset that works in a particular setting(certain club, bass, effects send, etc.),it is VERY conveniant to write it to a program and forget it. For steady gigs, set it and forget it (you don't have to tweak knobs for 20 min. trying to fing that perfect sound you had last Saturday)

This unit is able to get the growl that I couldn't find in many preamps. The compressor works well, but I don't care for the chorus at all. Much too intense at even the lowest depth settings. The eq isversitile enough for just about any bassist. In the recording studio,engineer and producer gave thumbs up for audible improvement.("great presence!"

No problems in first year of use.

Called for info on midi options. They were helpful and courteous.

I tried a large list of preamps in all price ranges and was frustratedthat none filled the bill. No growl from the Alembic, no crossover on the Ampeg, too baffled by the ART. This one fills a needed void in themarket. This rating would be even higher with an added noise gate andimproved chorus.

Very stright forward for a MIDI Unit I figured it out without a manual without any problems. with clipping LED's at all the different stages it was easy to get an optimu level and mix from the tuba dn solid state sides, into the compressor then into the eq. Way cool!

A little noisy with the high's boosted, ( what else would you expect?), besides that it sounds very natural, the to 12AX7's are smoother than a baby's butt. The chorus is pretty good too.

When you turn it on you get the little "ADA logo" in the display the it slowly brings the tubes up to full voltage and displays "tubes not ready" til they're all set, then it busuness as usual, I've never had any problems with it yet. And my unit was used. At first I was a little aprehensive about using it at a gig without a backup, and would bring my trusty old carvin head long, but since then I have now problems getting a good sound out of it.

Haven't had any problems yet, though I called the company to get a manual, and I'm still waiting for it..

Easily the most feature laden mothership of bass preamps. Two seperate effects sends with send and return level controls on each, built in crossover, and low frequency limiter Way Kick Ass. Very well construction, I put in a new pair of tubes, and the inside is packed, built like a tank, nice transformer, and quality parts and cunstruction.