Sarno tube preamp vs PresonusTubePre V2: 1-channel

Greg Lambert · Post by **Greg Lambert** » 20 Dec 2018 6:21 pm

Just wondering how the presonus would match up to the sarno? Anyone done a comparison?

mtulbert · Post by **mtulbert** » 21 Dec 2018 5:33 am

NOt familiar with that particular Presonus pre. I can tell you that Brad's products are designed for steel guitar and the tone from his products are amazing. IMHO you can go wrong with anything that Brad makes.

Happy Holidays

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 21 Dec 2018 5:37 am

I've had both.
The Sarno is worlds above the Presonus. Its designed for steel, and has "audiophile" components.

A cheap ART Tube MP works better than the Presonus if used like the Sarno unit is designed to be used.

Greg Lambert · Post by **Greg Lambert** » 21 Dec 2018 10:17 am

Jack Stoner wrote:I've had both.
The Sarno is worlds above the Presonus. Its designed for steel, and has "audiophile" components.

A cheap ART Tube MP works better than the Presonus if used like the Sarno unit is designed to be used.

Could you explain how an Art tube should be used like a Sarno? Im lost?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 21 Dec 2018 10:52 am

The ART has both instrument and mic inputs. It has a 12AX7 tube, but when I tried it I replaced it with a 12AU7. I connected the guitar out to the ART then from the ART to Volume Pedal - how a Black Box is designed to be connected.

The ART adds some tube sound to the signal. I wasn't too enthused with it but it did do what I wanted.

Ed Pettersen · Post by **Ed Pettersen** » 21 Dec 2018 10:53 am

Jack Stoner wrote:The ART has both instrument and mic inputs. It has a 12AX7 tube, but when I tried it I replaced it with a 12AU7. I connected the guitar out to the ART then from the ART to Volume Pedal - how a Black Box is designed to be connected.

The ART adds some tube sound to the signal. I wasn't too enthused with it but it did do what I wanted.

The ART is starved-tube design. It will "warm" the signal but you're not really getting the harmonic richness from a real tube device like the Sarno FWIW.

Greg Lambert · Post by **Greg Lambert** » 21 Dec 2018 12:30 pm

Jack Stoner wrote:The ART has both instrument and mic inputs. It has a 12AX7 tube, but when I tried it I replaced it with a 12AU7. I connected the guitar out to the ART then from the ART to Volume Pedal - how a Black Box is designed to be connected.

The ART adds some tube sound to the signal. I wasn't too enthused with it but it did do what I wanted.

Was the tube sound very obvious with the Art?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 21 Dec 2018 2:58 pm

As noted it is a "starved plate" (Low plate voltage) design which is basically just a buffer/cathode follower type circuit. But there was some "tube like" change in the guitar tone. The 12AU7 did sound a little better than the stock 12AX7 which suggests the tube is affecting the sound.

I've had other starved plate tube preamps and they did nothing. An example, I had a Presonus Dual Blue Tube preamp and it did nothing for microphones or instruments (connected to my recording studio hardware).

If you want a tube preamp, go for the Sarno Black Box. Its designed for steel guitar and will give you true tube preamp sound.

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 21 Dec 2018 4:25 pm

If you are talking the Sarno V8 tube pre, there is nothing close to it in most any price range. Superb piece of gear!

Greg Lambert · Post by **Greg Lambert** » 21 Dec 2018 7:50 pm

Thanks Jack and John.

Gary Hegland · Post by **Gary Hegland** » 27 Dec 2018 1:09 pm

I'd love to have a Sarno. Cost is the issue for me. I really enjoy my Tube Pre. It adds a richness (harmonics, overtones? I imagine so). It wouldn't have the dynamic range of a high plate voltage design, I don't think. Probably mostly an issue when recording (idle noise). I swapped the Tube for a 12au7 because the stock tube was overdriving the front end of my amp.

PS- these days I strictly play at home. Not a pro by any means.