New: SMS V8 Octal Tube Preamplifiers

[Brad Sarno]

New for 2013 - to be released at the Dallas show this March.

The SMS V8-Guitar (& Pedal Steel) and V8-Bass 100% octal vacuum tube preamplifiers. V=Valve 8=Octal

The ultimate, clean, tube tone with pure and minimalist circuit design

boutique-vintage style audio capacitors for the finest, most musical tone

low-noise, audio-grade resistors

rugged, compact, lightweight aluminum chassis

DC heater supply

300+ volt B+ supply

high performance balanced XLR transformer output (optional) for low-level DI (direct inject) connections

high-gain, 1/4" unbalanced main output

no effects, no effects loops - minimalism to the extreme

vintage "octal" tube design using one 6SL7 preamp stage tube and one 6SN7 output driver tube

warmup "Wait" power-up sequence setting on rotary power switch for extended tube life

hand built in St. Louis, MO - USA

optional, custom fit rack-mount shelf available - can also mount Steel Guitar Black Box

Classic "Baxandall" Bass/Treble shelving EQ for Bass version

Classic "tone-stack" Bass/Treble tone controls for Guitar/Steel version

Dimensions 10.5" x 2.3" x 8"

Weight - not sure yet

Price - to be announced


www.sarnomusicsolutions.com

[Brad Sarno]

Currently on the road with:


V8-G Guitar/Pedal-Steel version
Randy Beavers - (Lee Ann Womack band)
Wayne Dahl - (Martina McBride)

V8-B Bass version
Byron House - (Sam Bush, Robert Plant, Chris Thile, Buddy Miller, etc..)

[Len Amaral]

Hey Brad:

Looks cool and we can always count on you for an inspiring piece of gear. Can you give us an idea of how you would set this up with? Power amp into a speaker, into a board for recording, etc?

[Hook Moore]

Nice !!!!

[Eddie Freeman]

Brad, you already have tone enhancers on the market, how does this differ from, say the Black Box?

[Brad Sarno]

Where the Black Box is NOT really preamp, no gain or EQ, this V8 is a full blown preamplifier. An instrument signal goes in the front, and then there is gain and EQ and the output on back is line-level to drive an amplifier. The XLR output is more like a hot mic-level so you can go DI into a mixer or mic preamp.

There are a few ways to connect this preamp in conjunction with effects. I know that Randy and Wayne are touring with guitar effects pedals placed before the preamp, and then the output of the preamp goes right to an amp and DI. One could come out of the rear 1/4" output and go thru a line level effects unit and then on to an amplifier as well. But in that case, the XLR output would not be effected. So I guess that in my mind, I see this as the kind of thing where a good delay/reverb pedal placed before the input would be ideal.

B

[John Macy]

I get the best bass tones in town at my studio using the preamp section of an 1962 Ampeg B15 into an Avalon U5 direct box...can't wait for a compact version....

[Roger Crawford]

Dang, if only I could get to Dallas this year!

[Brad Sarno]

UPDATE - Pricing Info


SMS V8-G preamplifier - $645 (plus shipping and paypal fee)
Transformer balanced XLR output option - $75

[Randy Gilliam]

Brad I Sent my Preamp too you for repairs. Have you recevied it? I Sent You a Couple Emails. Thanks Randy G.

[Len Amaral]

Hey Brad:

Someday when the moment strikes, I am going to plug my Freeloader into my TWO Black boxes, then into my THREE Revalation preamps then to SMS Classic preamp
just to hear what it sounds like

Seiously, I would like to add the new preamp to the rotation of of my gear.

Regards,

Lenny [/b]

[Len Amaral]

Oh, I forgot about the Tonic preamp and the dirt box to add to the other gear. A Stewart world 1.2 into a Marshall stack without the Marshal head. This of course is when I have plenty of time on my hands....*S*

[autry andress]

HI Brad
I would like to buy a spare tube for my black box. Could you bring one to the Dallas Show??
Thanks
Autry