New cheap Harley Benton Bass Preamp!

NoiseNinja

NoiseNinja

Experimental-psychedelic-ambient-noise-drone
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Feb 23, 2011
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#1
For those of you who live in Europe it seems like Harley Benton, that is Thomann's (One of Europes biggest music equipment stores) own brand, and among other things are known for putting out relabled Joyo pedals and cheap intruments of great quality, just came out with a new bass preamp/DI called Harley Benton Custom Line Bass DI-Expander.

It features a switchable compressor, a gain circuit for adding grit and both a bass and treble control as well as well as mid control with switchable mid frequency parameter, even have an headphone output.

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Harley Benton Custom Line Bass DI-Expander

I am pondering on investing in one for trying it out, but would like to know if anyone has already had experience with it or eventual know if it's a clone of an already known pedal (it's definitely not Joyo's bass preamp, as that is a clone of the Sansamp)?

It's price tag is just around that of the new Ampeg Bass Preamp, but with more features.
 
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#6
Harley Benton Custom Line Bass DI-Expander has disappeared again from Thomann's catalogue.

So I called them and they informed me that it was due to a production delay, and that they would indeed get it, but they counted on not getting it before 1st of July.

I also asked if the employee in question happened to know weather it was a clone of any known pedal, and he replied that he did not know but would look into it and return with an answer by email.

I will update in case I actually get an answer.
 
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#10
NoiseNinja said:
And I got an answer already.

Although the features divert and the Herley Benton has a build in compressor it seems like the actual preamp is a clone of the EBS Micro Bass II.
Click to expand...

If the MBII is the inspiration, points docked for bumping the effects loop & blend feature in favor of a two-knob compressor. That said, I'll be interested to hear a review. Also, it seems like you really get what you pay for when it comes to headphone drivers in a pedal or stomp-box...
 
#11
Grahams Groove said:
If the MBII is the inspiration, points docked for bumping the effects loop & blend feature in favor of a two-knob compressor. That said, I'll be interested to hear a review. Also, it seems like you really get what you pay for when it comes to headphone drivers in a pedal or stomp-box...
Click to expand...

Well at less than 1/3 of the price of the original, if it turns out to deliver, I wouldn't complain about an eventual lesser headphones driver and missing effects loop in favor of a compressor, even if I don't personally is in need of another compressor.
 
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#13
Grahams Groove said:
If the MBII is the inspiration, points docked for bumping the effects loop & blend feature in favor of a two-knob compressor. That said, I'll be interested to hear a review. Also, it seems like you really get what you pay for when it comes to headphone drivers in a pedal or stomp-box...
Click to expand...


There is a blend control. I can live without an effects loop on an effect pedal.
 
#16
Got home from work on Monday to the Bass DI. Glad I ordered last week as they're sold out already :)

Unit is the same size as the Eden WTDI pedal. I kinda unsure what I should be saying about it. To my mind it's a solid easy to use preamp and that's all I'm looking for :D No drive effects just tone shaping. Got this weekend off so I'll have more time to play around with it.

@BassikLee I know you like the Millennium preamp, I'll play around with the midibase as it has VFLs and see how close the Bass DI can match the Millennium :thumbsup:
 
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#19
@petrus61

Line In tested :thumbsup:. Plugged my mobile phone in and played some MP3s,used the headphone out and the Bass DI became a very handy practise tool for the wee small hours :) No colouring of the "Line In" signal, you control the level at source.

These units are mail order for everybody except those that visit the massive Thomann store in Germany. I do mean massive,check the size of the place :D
2014-1-thomann.png


With 1300 staff and a turnover of around $900 million they need all that space :thumbsup: Pretty impressive for a firm still family run don't you think.
 
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#20
I wish these were around back when I was searching for a quality headphone amp to replace my Vox. The Ampeg SCR was a disappointment so I wound up grabbing a Rolls PM351...best $80 I ever spent. These look pretty darn cool regardless and pack lots of useable features. Maybe I'll snatch one up at some point!
 
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