ADA MB-1 Bass Preamp

Very easy once you learn how.

Awesome tone control. The trick is understanding the frequency bands for the semi-para EQ and mapping them effectively to any dead spots or bright spots to even out the tone across the entire range. I could go from muddy muffled p-bass to bright snap with a metallic ring and everything in between. Even out pickup response across the selectors, select any tone with a few taps of your foot. No noise issues in practice, on stage or in the studio.

100% reliable. I never had a backup for 2-3 years of near daily practice (alone and/or with band) plus shows

Not with the MB-1, but my ADA Bassline speaker blew out during a show. It was under warranty. I brought it to the closest warranty dealer, they shipped it out and I got it back after several weeks. No issues, no cost to me, no questions asked.

I bought the full bass stack (MB-1, B500B, Bassline HX and Bassline 15, what the ADA adverts called "the modern bass quartet"). I am the original owner and have all the manuals though I tossed the boxes after loading into my SKB 4 space rack with a Furman power conditioner). I played hair band metal, thrash and finally death metal with this stack using my American Custom BC Rich Spider bass and an original Steinberger L until 1995. I spent a small fortune (and time) on other equipment (ART, Ampeg, GK, SWR, TraceElliot, MesaBoogie) trying to find tones and control. They all did fine on the tones (I liked SWR and Trace) but were too expensive to buy the programmable versions if they offered one compared to ADA.

The MB-1 has the most versatility and so many choices and combinations to tweek tone I never really pushed it to the tonal limits - I had 10 custom presets for each bass with open programs for many more. More tone options than I could use in a lifetime!

I'm posting this review to let some of you guys know I just tried this as a preamp for my acoustic electric and Oh boy it works great, been thinking about it or a long time and finally bought one to try, it gives you the compresser limiter you need and it gives you the sweep EQ you need, all of this is programable and it sounds sweet, why should you just dial in ONE good sound on your acoustic? if your acoustic sound is important to you, it just makes sense, now I have a full pallette of acoustic sounds to draw from fully switchable from my midi controller just like I have with my electric guitar sounds.
this is used w/ hi end guild full acoustic and several electrics w/ piezo pickups and even on the piezo pickups on my basses(the bass mag pu's go thru a dif preamp) I use RMC piezo pickups

features already covered, but for this app the sweep EQ is great

its well made

ADA is DOA

try it on your piezo pickups and on acoustic electric guitar, this preamp is the bomb

The User Interface on the front of this unit is intuitive (every parameter has its own button) but changing a sound quickly, or dialing in a radically different new sound quickly is darn near impossible. If you're playing you have to press <Edit>, then the <Parameter> potentially more than once for some parameters (like Compressor ratio and Compressor gain), then either the up or down buttons. Then after that's done, press store and the program number to save the program.

I will cut ADA some slack, however, since motorized poteniometers weren't really cheaply available when the MB-1 was being made. The UI lends itself to the set-it-and-forget-it programmability for which someone buys a MIDI preamp.

The back panel, however, is a dream. Each effect loop has its own send and return gain controls. The DI has a pre-post effects switch, and a ground lift switch. The crossover has a dedicated frequency knob, as does the low frequency limiter. In short, every function has its own knob--wonderful.

The range of sounds that one can get with the MB-1 is simply mind-boggling. Two parallel (tube and solid state) gain stages that can be mixed with different levels of gain/distorition and a EQ like filter run into a programmable compressor and then int a five band EQ of which the middle three bands are parametric. AND IT'S ALL PROGRAMMABLE!!! BWAAHAHAHA!!! But flexibility is nothing if the unit doesn't sound good. The tube preamp sound great and warm, and when over-driven, will turn any introverted children's book illustrator audience member into a wild and crazy metal head. The solid state is pristine. The compressor isn't *real* flexible with only ratio and output gain, but I've never had the urge to reach for the attack setting, so it must be right. The EQs can create extreme boosts and cuts in the sound, and aren't noisy at all.

There's even a chorus effect thrown in for those that don't have an external unit. The chorus is good and very usable when a slight to medium chorus effect is necessary, but I find it a bit tame for extreme chorus settings.

I'd give the unit a 9.5 because of the chorus, but I can't, so the MB-1 gets a 10.

I've owned my MB-1 since 1992. I've never had a problem.

The company doesn't exist. Check http://www.ADADepot.com for schematics and some parts.

I cannot imagine my rig without the MB-1. When I moved to Germany, I was lugging around a tranformer to step-up the voltage from 110V to 220V. This posed a problem and a potential health hazard since the ground gets lifted though the transformer, and I always had problems with buzz through the PA and/or getting shocked at the mic. So I tried some other preamps like the Rocktron Probass and the Ampeg SVP-BSP, and even though they were flexible, sounded good, and together gave me about 80% of the capability of the MB-1, there just wasn't the same level of flexiblity in the gain stages. I use lots of different sounds and effects, and MIDI programmability is 100% key to me. I can't live without it. Add on to that all of the extras in the MB-1 like a built in DI, crossover, and two effects loops, and there just is no match for the MB-1 feature wise.

I began looking for European MB-1s and after a long time was able to find two--I bought them both, just in case. I now have my rig again, and I'm very happy.

Shortcomings:
There are a couple of things that I would like to have seen in an MB-2, but, of course, unless I build it myself, I'll never see.

The MB-1 doesn't have a dedicated tuner output that's always on, and it doesn't have a separate gain control for the DI out; it's controlled by the master volume at the front. This can be a problem if you're running your amp near the max, and you've got the gain turned way up. The sound man is going to get a *very* hot signal.

This is initially a very difficult piece to use. It takes a good hour or so to learn how to use it, and I believe it's impossible to ever really master it. Also, the settings on the EQ are spread far apart. Unlike with knobs/levers where you can slightly tweek it, this goes up in increments of 3, putting a huge limit on it's possibilities.

This is a very versatile piece of equipment. You can get hundreds of differents sounds out of it. However, they all appear to be edited versions of the basic sound. This sound is dull, and empty. You can chose between either a thunderously booming low end, or a dull/dead low end. Also, in most settings, the high end has a sort of echo/fake sustain feel to it. I have found it impossible to get a good clean tone. It colors the tone very drastically. Blues, Jazz, Motown, and most classic rock are virtually impossible to play with this piece. However, funk/metal/punk can be played fairly well. The distortion is the best I've ever heard on any piece, ever. However, your playing bass, how often do you really need distortion?

I don't have anything bad to say about the reliability. I got it used, replaced the tubes right away, and haven't had a problem. I tried it once on a gig, and it held up the whole time. Mechanically anyway.

There is no customer support. The company is out of business. There are a couple of sites which have information about it, but not much past the instruction manual. Luckily I haven't had a need for customer support, but if I did, i'd be screwed.

Overall, I am pretty unsatisfied with this piece. I bought it about two years ago. I rarely use it. Every month or so, I pull it out of my closet, and plug it in. As if I have amnesia I attempt once again to get a good clean tone out of it. And after a half hour to an hour, I give up, and put it away for another couple months. ADA mentioned frequently the use of this product by Les Claypool and Victor Wooten, amoung others. However, both of these artists have since ditched the product.

I know most bassplayers will be baffled by it's possiblities, however if you few as a simple pre & post volume with added eq its easy enough to dial in good sounds save it, simple. as extras you can add compression and/or chorus and/or the effects loop.

There is no sound you cannot get with the MB-1. From Jazz to Fusion to Progressive metal it's all in there. From my 6-string basses to 8-string to double bass all gets handled perfectly. I do not go for the chorus, however with a subtle detune in the effects loop (through my Digitech harmonizer) I got this covered also.

I've bought the MB-1 new when it was issued (some 10 years ago?) and never needed any work been doen on it.

I hear ADA is out of business so should be none existent now.

I would certainly by this unit again

Washburn XB-102(with seymour-duncan tone circuits and a hipshot bass tremolo) > ADA MB-1 Bass Preamp > Madison 1000 watt Power Amp > biamped 2x10(high) and 4x10(low). This setup is powerful and makes the wall shake, if you play funk or like Les Claypool's sound, buy an ADA.

This preamp is awesome, it has tube and solid-state settings. On the tube side, it has 2 distortions(full overdrive and edge) and 1 clean, and the solid state side has clean with a pre and post gain. It aslo has chorus built in and is also biampable. I use the MC-1 footswitch to access all of the programs(256)

Very dependable, I havent had to replace the tubes yet. And if the tubes stop working, the solid state will keep running.

ADA is no longer in business, but there are manuals and other help on the web, www.ADAdepot.com

Overall, its AWESOME! This preamp will get the tone of the top bass players: Les Claypool, Geddy Lee, Flea, Jaco Pastorius, and even that guy on The Hives.

It's not rocket science, but it isn't a cakewalk either. forget about minor on the fly adjustments, especially while performing. I haven't gotten a midi controller yet, but as far as editing presets/programs, it's not too bad once you get the hang of it.

I'm using it biamped through a QSC power amp into an swr 6x10 and 1x18 (yes it sounds like the voice of god). I have only played my active Warwick Thumb and active Ibanez ATK. both sound great through it. You can get a LOT of sounds from the mb-1, you just have to be patient and experiment. The factory presets are mostly useless, but some are a good starting point for tweaking. I like it because it is basically giving me instant switchable access to 256 different EQ settings/distortion tones/chorus settings, all fully controllable via a midi pedal. When we write songs, I have a whole pallet of sounds and textures at my fingertips (and toetips) and I can switch to any of them for any part of the song that calls for a certain sound that I'm envisioning. It opened a lot of doors for me creatively, but If you like to stick with one or two good tones, you might be better off with something else (although the mb-1 would certainly do the job).

I haven't had it for long, so I can't really say anything about reliability. I did have to peel the face off when one of the buttons got stuck. Easy fix but scary to do it for the first time without know what's under there (the buttons and leads are integrated into the thin plastic face, almost like a calculator or something). Other than that I've had no problems. I would go with other people's more extensive and qualified reliability recommendations though.

ADA is non existant, but there seem to be several good resources on the Internet, just do a search for "ADA mb-1"

I bought this thing on ebay without ever hearing one after doing some research and reading. I am very pleased with it and very excited about exploring its possibilities in the context of my music. It is not a multieffects unit, but it is one sweet sounding all-analog-signal-path preamp with both tube and solid state sections, two distortion settings, a compressor, chorus, a crossover, a DI, and two effects loops all built right in. Add to this that it is really priceless since they don't make them anymore and you have a great value on your hands. (plus cool gear is fun too)

Having purchased my MB1 secondhand (v 1.19) I have no user manual, this has made it difficult to figure out things like MIDI implementation, the displayed messages (such as NO) hardly help, a decent size LCD display would have improved ease of use no end.

I have found this unit has a killer tone, it's fat and growly and has really musical frequency pionts in the EQ section, but as other correspondents have suggested the increments of 3db are none too subtle, it has crispy highs to burn so does tend to hiss a bit, I use gating in my effects so this is hardly ever noticable. I love the ability to control both input and output volumes into the tube and solid state pre's independently, and also the clip metering at all stages of the preamp. The MB1 also has the best rear panel implementation I have seen, with send and recieve volumes on the stereo effects loop and a great sounding crossover with adjustable subsonic filter.
I'm using it with Warwick corvettes (proline and FNA Jazzman), my rig consists of the ADA into a TC electronic 1140 pre running a digitech GSP2101 and an old Yamaha EMP700 multi effects on the effects loops, then out in stereo into a Yamaha GC2020BII compressor into a Woogie (Australian MESA Boogie clone 450 watts a side @ 4 ohm Power amp). I run 2 EV TLHP 15"'s two custom made EV 300 watt 2 x 10"'s cabs and a custom made high end module with two old JBL 2402 bullet tweeters. It breaks our roadies back carrying the whole catastrophy around but it's got massive headroom and has that HIFI Stanley Clarke tone that has been the holy grail of my personal search for a sound since seeing him perform in the mid 80's.

I have had no problems with my MB1 (touch wood).

As ADA is out of business, there's is no customer support officially available, in Australia however the distributor was PRO AUDIO in Canberra (run by Frank Gambale's family), who are great value and will always try and help.

Overall I like this product a lot, its got well thought out features and screams "I've been designed by a bass player for bass players", unlike so much thin or muddy sounding crap gear designed by guitarists for bass payers. It needs a noise gate, but if you run a decent effects machine through the effects loop that should have gating anyhow. The chorus is lush and the distortions are useful, as yourve probably figured, I like it a lot.

I like the idea of buttons and pressing the EDIT button, it makes sure you don't bump the knob and lose your setting. After you get the hang of pressing buttons, the patches are really easy to create. Take a little time and find out which levels are best.

I use it by plugging the Full range output into my Peavey Basic 112's power amp in, thereby bypassing the combos preamp section, and using it as a power amp and a cabinet.
This isn't noticably noisy when playing with a guitarist and drummer, but sometimes, in my room, I hear a faint buzz, nothing to get excited about.
The distortion is really good, I like it a lot. The MB-1 has 3 distortion levels, clean, edge, and full. The tone is shaped from shaping filters, input level, and eq, plus the output level. It sounds really good and tubey (from the two 12ax7a's).
The chorus is really rich, you can set the depth and the rate. I really like the chorus and I can get some good tones with it, but you can't get really varied chorus tone.
I don't care for the EQ section as much as the distortion and the chorus. It is the button variety (not knobs) and you press the button, and it goes from 0/3/6/9/12 and 0/-3/-6/-9/-12, which is not very flexible.

I got it used from someone who had it for about 6 years. It still works perfectly.

ADA went out of bizniz when their companies factory burned down. ultimatetone.com works for me.

I really like this preamp. It is one of the only preamps that has patches that you can instantly access besides the Line6 and the Sansamp PSA-1. This is also probably the most flexible preamp I have used. I would definetly buy one again.
The feature I love most about it is the patches saving, since it is one of the only bass preamps out there which can do this. Why won't other companys get with the program??
Victor Wooten and Les Claypool use this preamp, but that is not the reason I bought it, as I've said before, I needed to be able to save pathes. This unit is a godsend!

It's pretty easy and fast to make a good starting sound. The presets are with a few exeptions useless. It's wierd how they don't match their output levels. Mine didn'nt come with a manual and I haven't missed it since if you do something wrong it corrects you automaticaly. Basicly it's foolproof!

I've used it with poweramps, a Hartke 3500 and a SWR SM-900 into both Warwick and, currently, SWR cabs. I've played jazzbasses, fretless Warwicks and many other basses through this unit and I've used in the studio. Every time with exellent results. The onboard chorus is a killer; it sings like no other maybe with the exeption of a T.C. Electronic Chorus. Noise isn't a problem live but I used a noisegate in the studio. Very acceptable noiselevels for this kind of machinery. I like the fact that you can blend the two preamps. Tube warmth mixed with solid state sharpeness.

Exept for a screw coming loose once, I havn't had any problems with it and I have had for 5 years now. I've used on gigs without a backup several times. I've had some problems with the footpedal MC-1 regarding MIDI but it turned out to be because of a bad soldering job.

Never dealted with ADA and never needed to!

I play almost every kind of music from hard rock to bossa nova and I've used it in every style. Perfect for top 40. But I'm not using it very much right now because I now play mostly with a clean sound with just a few floor pedals. I wish it had knops instead of softbuttons 'cause they're easier to tweak live. A really cool feature is the two switchable effectloops with send and return levelknops.

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.