Outstanding tones! And, I love how simple it is. Thomas Blug (who IMHO is nothing short of a genius designer AND player) has an extraordinary product, but there's so much going on with it, that I'd spend more time pushing buttons than playing. This is very straight forward, with all options sounding exceptional. Very well done.
Hey! It's my most favorite pedal ever! I've used one for 30+ years. It can do every rock and metal tone I want. It is starting to get a bit crusty though and needs some new pots. It's not just the tone though, it's the way this thing feels and reacts. I don't remember how I came to own it. I certainly don't remember paying THAT much for it. So rare to see it mentioned, much less get a full video on it. This is great!
Thank you for the kind feedback! To be honest this is the best pedal I've picked up in decade or so. That the pots get problematic over time is normal, but it is no problem to have them replaced. :)
Thank you a lot. I also remember the H&K Attax , had it for a while. But I thought it was a combo ... Do also stand-alone Attax preamps exist? Ahh I have to google it :) EDIT: Ha! I've looked at the schematics of the Attax Preamp and the Tubeman and the Attax share the same concepts with the tube! Really interesting, thank you a lot of pointing me to this preamp!
Oh, man, this is my favorite pedal I've ever played through. On guitar, your demo speaks for itself and it's sheer ear candy playing six string through it but I actually gigged with it on bass instead, using the Blues channel as a light overdrive when playing with a pick and it was glorious, way better than any other OD/distortion I'd tried. Sadly, the big 4 channel switch started flaking out and I had to retire it. I found a replacement switch but couldn't get it working properly again :( Maybe one day I'll get it repaired properly or pull the trigger on one on eBay/Reverb...
Thanks for the kind words and yes indeed, the Tubeman rocks. I've read that you also can use it for bass, I don't know if you knew, but there are even bass optimized mods for this out there! Just found it on google. Sad to hear with your switch, but since there are still replacement parts, you just have to get it soldered right. This shouldn't be a problem at all. :) If there is enough request I will build a Tubeman Clone with 2 Tonestacks and footswitchable channels. I am already working on it, but I am not sure if there is enough resonance here for it... If so I will make a video with free PCBs :)
@@patman0322 I am already on it! Stay tuned. Schematic is already done and the PCB design is almost ready for manufacturing. This will be a lot of fun, of course everything will be published here, so everyone can build it too. Of course some soldering knowledge is handy :) but since it is on a PCB it shouldn't be that hard by following my instructions.
Hi ,I am wondering if it could be possible to make a mod that uses the mid boost switch to bypass the internal clipping circuits, allowing someone to use various od/distortion pedals in front of the Tubman to essentially use them for different character clipping circuits but 'tubified' thanks for the video I enjoyed your analysis of this great preamp.
Hi, thanks for your feedback & question: of course this would be possible with some amount of work. The "problem" is that there is only ONE internal diode clipping stage, and I tried it myself the character is subtle. In fact, the diode clipping does make the sound a bit softer. The real and most clipping occur in the tube stages, that's how the tubeman is designed. The IC input stages are only to pre-amplify & filter (boost) some frequencies and not to distort / clip by itself. To use various od / distortion pedals in front of the Tubeman I use the jazz / funk channel (or even the blues with less gain). It works perfect. I have a modded DS-1 which works perfectly with the Jazz channel!
Hi!! I had MK2 and i liked it but it`s been a really long time since i sold it! How do they compare?? Also i got really curious about the TDA amp you described! You just follow the datasheet schematic?? Thanks!!!
Sadly I can't compare it to the MK2, since I've never played it. But yes it would be interesting. The TDA2003 is a dirt cheap IC used in many small guitar amps (in the power amp stage) and yes I am only using the standard example schematic in the datasheet. I am really pleased how the tubeman and this power amp sound :)
Most of them use opamps because it does make most sense. The "gain-shaping" & harmonic behavior is up to the tube and the rest is for the opamps. Discreet doesn't mean "tube", but discreet does mean that there is no IC involved, but it can be a transistor or multiple transistors. In short: the term discreet is pretty much useless in this case when it comes to circuit design. I could built a discreet opamp out of many transistors but it still sounds the same. For example a Mesa Boogie Mark 5 consists out of many ICs and transistors even in the signal path (!) and this does make sense. They are used in the graphical EQ and the reverb etc. But no one would say this isn't a real tube amp. The question always is, does the tube most of the work or not, when it comes to harmonics / distortion.
![Hughes & Kettner Tubeman Tube Preamp | Circuit, Sounds, Mods [GER]](/img/1.gif)
Outstanding tones! And, I love how simple it is. Thomas Blug (who IMHO is nothing short of a genius designer AND player) has an extraordinary product, but there's so much going on with it, that I'd spend more time pushing buttons than playing. This is very straight forward, with all options sounding exceptional. Very well done.
Thank you a lot for these kind words :)
Great video. I had one of these back in the day. I really enjoyed it and this video helped me relive it. Thank you!
Thank you a lot for these kind words!
Hey! It's my most favorite pedal ever! I've used one for 30+ years. It can do every rock and metal tone I want. It is starting to get a bit crusty though and needs some new pots. It's not just the tone though, it's the way this thing feels and reacts. I don't remember how I came to own it. I certainly don't remember paying THAT much for it. So rare to see it mentioned, much less get a full video on it. This is great!
Thank you for the kind feedback! To be honest this is the best pedal I've picked up in decade or so. That the pots get problematic over time is normal, but it is no problem to have them replaced. :)
The tones you're getting are very reminiscent of my H&K Attax Preamp. Loved the deep dive.
Thank you a lot. I also remember the H&K Attax , had it for a while. But I thought it was a combo ... Do also stand-alone Attax preamps exist? Ahh I have to google it :) EDIT: Ha! I've looked at the schematics of the Attax Preamp and the Tubeman and the Attax share the same concepts with the tube! Really interesting, thank you a lot of pointing me to this preamp!
@@Aeon_Electronics Glad to help. I think it's time to pull my Attax out of the closet and get it set up again!
Oh, man, this is my favorite pedal I've ever played through. On guitar, your demo speaks for itself and it's sheer ear candy playing six string through it but I actually gigged with it on bass instead, using the Blues channel as a light overdrive when playing with a pick and it was glorious, way better than any other OD/distortion I'd tried.
Sadly, the big 4 channel switch started flaking out and I had to retire it. I found a replacement switch but couldn't get it working properly again :( Maybe one day I'll get it repaired properly or pull the trigger on one on eBay/Reverb...
Thanks for the kind words and yes indeed, the Tubeman rocks. I've read that you also can use it for bass, I don't know if you knew, but there are even bass optimized mods for this out there! Just found it on google. Sad to hear with your switch, but since there are still replacement parts, you just have to get it soldered right. This shouldn't be a problem at all. :) If there is enough request I will build a Tubeman Clone with 2 Tonestacks and footswitchable channels. I am already working on it, but I am not sure if there is enough resonance here for it... If so I will make a video with free PCBs :)
@@Aeon_Electronics " If there is enough request I will build a Tubeman Clone with 2 Tonestacks and footswitchable channels. "
I'd love to see that.
@@patman0322 I am already on it! Stay tuned. Schematic is already done and the PCB design is almost ready for manufacturing. This will be a lot of fun, of course everything will be published here, so everyone can build it too. Of course some soldering knowledge is handy :) but since it is on a PCB it shouldn't be that hard by following my instructions.
Suena bien. Me gustò de inmediato.
Thank you! :)
Hi ,I am wondering if it could be possible to make a mod that uses the mid boost switch to bypass the internal clipping circuits, allowing someone to use various od/distortion pedals in front of the Tubman to essentially use them for different character clipping circuits but 'tubified' thanks for the video I enjoyed your analysis of this great preamp.
Hi, thanks for your feedback & question: of course this would be possible with some amount of work. The "problem" is that there is only ONE internal diode clipping stage, and I tried it myself the character is subtle. In fact, the diode clipping does make the sound a bit softer. The real and most clipping occur in the tube stages, that's how the tubeman is designed. The IC input stages are only to pre-amplify & filter (boost) some frequencies and not to distort / clip by itself. To use various od / distortion pedals in front of the Tubeman I use the jazz / funk channel (or even the blues with less gain). It works perfect. I have a modded DS-1 which works perfectly with the Jazz channel!
Really nice video 😊
Have you ever tried what Thomas Blug is doing now with his brand Bluguitar ? The amp 1 is incredible
Thank you a lot! Thomas Blug really does amazing and unique things. I am curious about the new upcoming AmpX. :)
Hi!! I had MK2 and i liked it but it`s been a really long time since i sold it! How do they compare?? Also i got really curious about the TDA amp you described! You just follow the datasheet schematic?? Thanks!!!
Sadly I can't compare it to the MK2, since I've never played it. But yes it would be interesting. The TDA2003 is a dirt cheap IC used in many small guitar amps (in the power amp stage) and yes I am only using the standard example schematic in the datasheet. I am really pleased how the tubeman and this power amp sound :)
do they all use opamps or do some amp pedals use discreet output?
Most of them use opamps because it does make most sense. The "gain-shaping" & harmonic behavior is up to the tube and the rest is for the opamps. Discreet doesn't mean "tube", but discreet does mean that there is no IC involved, but it can be a transistor or multiple transistors. In short: the term discreet is pretty much useless in this case when it comes to circuit design. I could built a discreet opamp out of many transistors but it still sounds the same. For example a Mesa Boogie Mark 5 consists out of many ICs and transistors even in the signal path (!) and this does make sense. They are used in the graphical EQ and the reverb etc. But no one would say this isn't a real tube amp. The question always is, does the tube most of the work or not, when it comes to harmonics / distortion.