Noble Preamp Demo/Review

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Demo and review of the Noble Amps Tube Preamp/D.I. Box
All examples recorded into Logic 9 through an Apogee One Interface without any additional EQ, compression or audio plugins.
0:57 OVERVIEW OF FEATURES
4:25 PRECISION BASS SOUND CLIPS
7:30 JAZZ BASS SOUND CLIPS:
10:18 REVIEW SUMMARY
12:15 HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO OTHER PREAMPS?
13:23 ARE THERE ANY DOWNSIDES?

[@nobleamps]

Fantastic overview and review! Accurate and honest. Cheers!

[@FBT]

Cheers! I hate to use the phrase 'game-changer', but it's had a HUGE impact on my musical working life. Great product, great company.

[@etinsley]

I have one on order. I can't wait to get it!

[@donnnick]

What happened to your supply i can’t find one for the life of me. I’ll drive up to Washington and start coughing on people ripping masks to get answers. Joking off course but I do want a damn preamp

[@phillippasteur3904]

Great review and playing on a really interesting preamp.

[@markanthony5897]

As a Noble user/Owner, I appreciate what you had to say about resisting getting attached to gear and the few exceptions made for gear that makes your gigging life easier. I have only had more and more testimonials. Still, it has its competition, few competitors, it doesn't stand alone. Your story about feedback is very alike my own: Once I started using it full time, Immediately, I was receiving inquiries and compliments pertaining to my bass tone and It validated the acquisition right away. That was a very rewarding experience and at the same time gave me every bit of confidence I needed to not look back. One of the best gear experiences in my career. Can anyone recommend a good Musical Instrument & Equipment Insurer??? PS. I do this quite often, I am writing this comment October, 2022 and this content is vintage, no need to respond, I am late to this party.

[@mattleok]

Really useful review. Want one! Thanks for the info.

[@martinskrebergene]

4:42 P-bass direct into Apogee ONE interface (P-bass tone control rolled OFF) 4:56 NOBLE settings: BASS 0, TREBLE 0, Lo Cut ON (P-bass tone control rolled OFF) 5:21 NOBLE settings: BASS 0, TREBLE 0, Lo Cut OFF (P-bass tone control rolled OFF) 5:47 NOBLE settings: BASS 50%, TREBLE 0, Lo Cut ON (P-bass tone control UP) 6:13 NOBLE settings: BASS 50%, TREBLE 50%, Lo Cut ON (P-bass tone control UP) 6:38 NOBLE settings: BASS 50%, TREBLE 0%, Lo Cut OFF (P-Bass tone control OFF) 7:04 NOBLE settings: BASS 100%, TREBLE 100%, Lo Cut ON (P-bass tone control UP) 8:00 Jazz bass direct into Apogee ONE interface (both pickups on FULL, EQ flat) 8:19 NOBLE settings: BASS 0, TREBLE 0, Lo Cut ON (both pickups on FULL, EQ flat) 8:40 NOBLE settings: BASS 0, TREBLE 0, Lo Cut OFF (both pickups on FULL, EQ flat) 9:02 NOBLE settings: BASS 50%, TREBLE 0, Lo Cut ON (both pickups on FULL, EQ flat) 9:23 NOBLE settings: BASS 50%, TREBLE 0, Lo Cut OFF (both pickups on FULL, EQ flat) 9:45 NOBLE settings: BASS 50%, TREBLE 50%, Lo Cut ON (both pickups on FULL, EQ flat) 9:56 NOBLE settings: BASS 100%, TREBLE 100%, Lo Cut ON (both pickups on FULL, EQ flat)

[@jimrojasmusic]

Great review! Fortunately, I do live in the US and even in the state where Noble is made. It's still expensive regardless, but you get do get what you pay for. I own the REDDI and would like to keep it in one place ideally, i.e., the studio. But the Noble is great for easy transport, especially live gigs. Thanks for reviewing this product so well. I am definitely leaning toward ordering one.

[@FBT]

Thanks, James, I'm glad you found the review is helpful. The main argument against the Noble is the price, but if you work a lot in different musical environments then it can really make your life a lot easier. I've had mine for 5 years now and it's still going strong after daily use.

[@Belman5]

Direct into Apogee sounds pretty good IMO. I do however have a slight preference for the noble with bass 0, treble 0 and low cut off. Thanks for the insightful video. I can see how the unit would be useful in a live direct to front of house setting.

[@IgorOdaryuk]

Thank you for review! Really helpful and I’m almost click button “buy” 😜

[@georgibass]

Igor Odaryuk 😂😂😂😂

[@kabassa]

I really liked the direct bass signal without Preamp, I don’t know how it sounds in a full mix.

[@b1lahb1ah]

Cant really go wrong with a PBass with flats in any situation 🤷‍♂️

[@davidjanssen6217]

Great review! Do you know if the EQ is working more like a shelving type or a bell filter?

[@FBT]

Honestly, I don't know - Jack at Noble is the man to ask, shoot him an email and I'm sure he'll be able to tell you more about it.

[@AASteveo]

The XLR out of the Noble is a DI out that goes to a preamp, right? Or is it line level out? Confused that they call it a preamp...

[@angelmoncada382]

Great demo! I just got mine a couple weeks ago and am still learning how best to use it. For live applications, what are your favorite settings for say, a P bass? Just wanting to find out how those with more experience like to use it.

[@FBT]

Glad you enjoyed the review! As far as live settings go, I usually have the Bass and Treble controls set at 50%, the low cut engaged and the tone control on my P bass rolled off.Sometimes I find that the sound of the venue might mean that I have to tweak things a bit but that's always my starting point. For reference, I usually run the Noble into an Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 head with the EQ set flat.

[@groovydy]

Thank you! Have you ever tried it with an acoustic guitar? I really wonder what it sounds like.

[@burningkarma]

I prefer Tech 21 stuff but if I was regularly gigging venues with top notch sound systems, I'd definitely dish out $1,000.

[@halcyo]

The thing that this box does NOT have going for it is the price tag. If this was $300 they'd probably sell 5-10x more of them. I just for life of me couldn't justify a grand for a "somewhat nice but light tone boost". The performance is nice, but it's ratio to price is not.

[@TheSosatube]

You will not be disappointed, The Investment is worth it.

[@deegee6046]

it's worth it until you decide to sell it

[@57precision]

Great review. There's no doubt the EQ is very useable and musical, but for the life of me I could tell absolutely no difference between the bass directly into the interface vs the Noble flat, listening with my eyes closed on my best monitors. Maybe that's the point? Is this preamp a bit like the Klon of bass guitars, so transparent you don't even know it's there? On the other hand, since it is also a power supply, it really only costs $700 - $800 to use on your pedal board.

[@jackemoberts]

... "only $700 - $800"... Man, you could literally buy an Darkglass B7K V2, an Tech 21 SansAmp and new Bassstrings with that money. Hell, even if you want tubes in your pedal, you could buy an WR amplifying Goliath Tube Bass Emphasizer half the money that the noble costs. And its also handmade...

[@57precision]

@@jackemoberts I agree, would never buy this. Especially since I can't even tell if it's on or not when the EQ is flat. Seems like hipster gear to me. And speaking of SansAmps, just got a VT Bass DI. That should have all the tube tone I could want.

[@cablescribbles]

Since the DC power out is not isolated, do you find it to be noisy?

[@FBT]

Not at all

[@CheckDaClaws]

Hey. What kind of strings do you use on your basses?

[@FBT]

The P bass has had the same set of LaBella flats on it for seven years, I think the Jazz bass probably had a set of Fender Nickels (8250s) on it when I did this video.

[@HLinc.]

Are you tracking through the quarter inch out or XLR DI?

[@FBT]

I think it was XLR out rather than the quarter inch.

[@HLinc.]

FreeBassTranscriptions thanks! Mine is in the mail over to me as we speak! Can’t wait.

[@DavidSenderoff]

Jesus! That DOES sound good!

[@samwatts2848]

At 7:05, any idea what is causing that hissing sound?

[@FBT]

Probably the combination of having the treble knob on the noble at 100% and the tone control on the bass all the way up

[@cptncanela]

7:36 the strings looks extremely high to me. Is it on purpose?

[@FBT]

Yes, I prefer the sound and feel of a high action on my basses

[@zyxyuv1650]

It's very soft and unaggressive. Transient response is slowed. HF on strings is darkened and the LF enhancement from 20-50 Hz is on the minimal side. You'd use this for trying to emulate vintage music. This doesn't work for up front, aggressive, "modern" or "Hi-Fi" bass, though you could force it to work with further processing.

[@davomoena]

I love the noble preamp, but I can not understand why do you use it with the low cut on.

[@FBT]

If I'm recording then I usually have the low cut off, but (as I said in the video) when I gig with the Noble I find that there's too much low end unless I use the low cut - I use an octave pedal a lot of the time so things get too sub-heavy in smaller venues if I leave all the low end in.

[@SirSelby]

Seems okay. I’m honestly not hearing anything amazing in any of the recordings of this, though. I don’t think the $1000 price tag is justified, but of course value is in the eye of the beholder. I don’t think it lives up to the hype, but maybe if I were to try one I would think differently. On the videos I am just hearing very subtle changes that seem pretty easy to get with much less expensive gear.

[@johnmclaughlin2392]

In my opinion this pedals biggest disadvantage its clear and pure sound. It has no character. Maybe a KZbin review is an unfair way to audition it’s tonal quality’s.

[@bassamp]

One good reason to get it 🤔? I dont hear shit with headphones.

[@RH-xs8gz]

It sounds nice, but I don’t really think it’s worth the price. The SansAmp does more for about a quarter of the price.

[@FBT]

Tone is in the ears of the beholder, right?

[@RH-xs8gz]

@@FBT absolutely!

[@JoesGuitarCafe]

ever use it with an electric guitar?

[@FBT]

I only have a cheap squier tele, and I felt like it had too much low end when it ran through the Noble. It's generally quite a dull-sounding guitar, though.

[@JoesGuitarCafe]

@@FBT is that the sound of the Di alone you are referring to? or the di running into an amp? thanks

[@FBT]

@@JoesGuitarCafe just the DI on its own, I haven't run it through a guitar amp

[@JoesGuitarCafe]

@@FBT im looking to buy for electric guitar, im not rich but i want the best

[@lavadoraautomatica1]

Most of my gigs are live so the whole tubes would scare me but if I were in the studio 100% for sure.

[@FBT]

I've gigged with it 100+ times and haven't had any problems with smashed tubes - I tend to keep it on top of my amp so it's out of harm's way. I also bought a camera hard case to transport it in so it doesn't get knocked about.

[@chickenlickin3820]

i'd rather just use my UA6176 : )

[@gpasc]

Giant box.

[@dangracia7805]

150Hz is actually pretty high for a HPF. 60Hz and 80Hz are more common and unnecessary on bass cabs that can produce those lower fundamentals. Stopping everything below 30Hz is often all you need with a good amp and cab. STILL It sounded good on your P-bass so I wouldn't change that.. Wish your Jazz Bass would have been a passive Jazz instead of active for a much better idea of how a Jazz Bass sounds. I'm a bit prejudiced to passive Jazz having bought my first, a 1965 Jazz, in 1966. After it was stolen in 1976, I bout my current '82 Jazz which has a maple neck in 1985 and have used it ever since. The classic sound of a Jazz is with the passive EQ and Tone turned all the way up. Those controls that Fender has used since its 1962 Jazz are all subtractive controls. All the way up is every thing on and nothing cut. The active Jazz has boost/cut in the controls and is a MUCH different sounding bass. Hate to say it, but I did NOT like the sound of your active jazz through that Noble. I did like the sound of the P-bass through it but not the Jazz.

[@arsenije_wav8620]

Is it good? Yes. Is it 1000$ good? Hell no. For that money I can build an entire pedalboard, with a compressor and preamp that will do much more than give me some vague sense of "tube warmth" as if that's something I even need

[@cacadordorio]

It doesnt upgrade your tone like tech 21 pedals do 🥴

[@-carlis]

To my ears, the difference is so marginal, if any. I am not implying this $1000 investment is one another fraud of the capitalist modern word. I am just saying that the direct sound is already too good enough. And for reference I am listening through a pair of Genelec 8341 from Metric Halo ULN-8, and I also listen with Sony MDR CD900ST headphones. If I can't even tell the difference in a studio setting, no one could in a stage setting, either. No one would ever come to a bass player and say, "Hey your tone is greater compared with your last live. I bet you must have used Noble Preamp!"

[@bobfrancella2285]

Actually, I heard one the other night, but before I got close to the bassist to see his gear, I couldn't believe how killer his tone was, playing through a GB 4x10 and head. When I asked about his tone, he smiled broadly and pointed to the Noble. Mine is on the way!

[@harrykettelarij3928]

Sorry it doesn't do what i like ☹️

[@threndor9017]

No real difference if you ask me. I don't think it's worth it.