Customer Reviews

Fishman PRO-EQ Platinum Bass Preamp/EQ/DI

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've owned this unit for about a year and I absolutely love it. First of all, it's built like a tank; MUCH sturdier than I expected, and heavy so it stays in place wherever you put it. This is a very well designed eq. So far I've only used it for a passive electric bass, but it allows me to use only this and a power amp; ANY old power amp (that old stereo, for example, or I use it with my tiny Crate power block), and get a great sound and full function. Most stomp box eq's don't allow for this, because they aren't an actual preamp. But this is, so you can plug it directly into a power amp. This has all the essentials and nothing extra. Excellent compressor, phase switch to cut feedback on an acoustic bass (genius!), pre/post on the xlr out with a ground lift; so it's a direct box too. Great voicing on the eq. This unit is first class in design, function and build quality, and I'm about to buy a spare. Even the battery box is the best design I've ever seen. You don't need an expensive bass amp, just get this and a power amp! Jim Parfitt, Seattle

This is a great DI box if you are looking for something that complements your bass without coloring the sound. I play a fairly clean sound with NS Design EUB, Warwick Thumb, etc. I use a Demeter HBP-1 when I use an amp, which is warm but clean. I can say that the Fishman Pro-EQ Platinum Bass accurately reproduces my instruments' sound without overly coloring the sound. It is warm, and the compression in the DI box is a great feature. If you are looking for something that will make your bass sound like it is running through an overdriven SVT - this is not the box. It is a very well balanced DI with the right controls for getting a bass to sound natural and full through the house. If you want to color your sound or are going for the sound of a particular amp, then go with a Sansamp or one of the other capable boxes built for that purpose. This box seems built with clean bass and upright bass in mind.

I bought this for upright bass. I liked the features, and really wanted to like the sound, but it just didn't have the drive or tone that my Tech21 Bass Driver has, which is what I ended up using. Now, before you jump to the "well, you weren't using it right" conclusion, I really did try several configurations, i.e. direct into a power amp, throught the front end of my GK bass amp, into a mixer, etc., and still came up with the same conclusion, it was weak.

I use this with my passive intruments to give me more control over the sound. Good Quality unit, but there are a lot of AMP heads that will allow for the same functions.