How Does the Aguilar AG Preamp Compare to the Tone Hammer?
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- Опубліковано 16 лип 2023
- In this video, we're comparing the Aguilar AG Preamp to the Tone Hammer.
Revered for its tight, fast response and wide tonal flexibility, the AG preamp takes the beloved AG sound and places it in a compact pedal/DI. The AG preamp features a 4-band EQ and foot switchable broadband “deep” and “bright “ controls for added depth and presence. Its 18-volt operation provides plenty of headroom ensuring your sound stays clean and transparent. It also features a built-in headphone out and aux in, for silent practicing, as well as a balanced DI with pre/post and ground lift controls. The AG preamp is a must-have for any bassist looking for a clean and transparent preamp with all the controls needed for sculpting their sound.
The Tone Hammer preamp/DI is Aguilar's swiss-army knife for your pedalboard. Featuring fully sweepable midrange frequencies in addition to bass and treble controls the Tone Hammer gives you studio-inspired EQ paired with a pristine D.I. for the studio and stage. The proprietary Adaptive Gain Shaping circuitry (AGS) allows the player to kick in an additional gain structure allowing you to go from modern tones to vintage, tube-like saturation with the stomp of a button. It’s 18 volt operation gives the Tone Hammer plenty of headroom to reproduce the most dynamic playing styles and it robust design makes this pedal truly road-worthy.
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Good review, but I really feel your tracks are too quiet. I have to crank the volume and then quickly lower it when you start talking just to hear it properly.
Excellent "comparison" showing in what circumstances each of those is stronger. Thank you, it worked a lot for me!
Great video as always, and very helpful.
Jayme Lewis plays it, it always sound fantastic. Hearing that bass line at 3:30, can’t help but hear Dolores O’ Riordan, R.I.P. I’m a TH owner for 2 years now, very happy with it.
Good comparison, thank you! The drive on the Tone Hammer pedal sounds great, and if I didn't have a drive pedal, that would be my first choice. But the AG sound brings the words "clear", "open", "deep", and "spacious" to mind, and that is special. I guess the answer is to have one of each!
Nice comparison and therefore very useful clip. Well done.
Ive used a Tone Hammer DI as my main bass preamp now for many years. I can always use it into the effects loops of any amp to get my tone. Ive been using a setting recently that I came across from a Talkbass member named Eublet that looks extreme but just sounds amazing with a P Bass and roundwound strings.
AGS on, gain at 8 oclock. Master to taste.
Bass - cut to 11 o'clock
Treble - cut to 9 o'clock
Mid level - cut all the way counter clockwise
Med frequency - at 12 o'clock for a punchy\clanky Steve Harris tone. Shift to 2\3 oclock for a Nate Mendel pick style tone - fuller low mids with a little tube type drive.
Like I said - on paper they look extreme but they just sound good, especially into the front end of my Hartke LH500.
Im disappointed by the AG pre. No effects loop, no drive and no cab sim which for me would have made it an update and better than the TH. Also i think those mid frequencies are a little odd.
Oh well - saved me some money 🙂. Thank you for the upload.
I think it sounds like that they just put the cab sim into the AG and its always on, it improved the low-end and mid-range preformance obviously, and Tone Hammer sounds like no cab sound at all. Other than that they are basically the same thing
LOVE the approach here
Soo good
Btw
I couldn't decide
So I bought both
So it's PreAmp Deathmatch at my house this week
#therecanbeonlyone
AG is nice enough, but the scoopier, crispier nature of the TH I think is it for me.
Great video man. I always thought the TH was modeled after the TH amp. Didn't realize it's more likely an OBP-3 in a box
Since I first saw this vid I've been hanging out waiting for the AG preamp to arrive in New Zealand. I'm still waiting but the moment it lands here I'm buying one. The footswitchable bright/deep boost function seals the deal for me. Love the tone of both units, but I've already got Tone Hammer functionality in the form of my amp so loving that point of difference.
nice review and comparison.
Nice review, as always 😉. Could it be that the new AG sounds a bit compressed (in a good way)?
@AguilarAmplification should make the Tone Hammer in a smaller form like the AG preamp ;)
I’m loving the sound of the new AG Preamp! I play mainly clean, finger style or with a pick on a P-Bass. The fixed mids at those freqs are good for not ‘competing’ with the guitarist in the band. The TH has such a unique ‘vibe’ about it though, and sounds really good isolated. Get both!!
Thanks for the video. I’ve never like the sound of the TH much. And the AG is warmer and closer to a sound a prefer but almost at too far the other direction. My personal preference is somewhere in the middle.
Deep boost of the AG and DB heads are killer option to keep the bassist presence from an indoor to an outdoor stage. The main feature from my point of view
Just started using TH yesterday Nice warm sound in my opinion. I plan on using this with any Amp I encounter on the road through the effects loop and bypassing the Amp X's Preamp. I tried it at a rehearsal today with a amp with out a effects loop with just a taste of gain and it gave the amp and extra warmth. Also sounds great through my Apogee Duet and Mackie Monitors. I'll get a chance to use in a large venue this weekend cant wait. I'm using it with a Sadowsky 24- 5 NYC.
Man how many Basses are on that wall? That's pretty cool setup!! Could I ask what that setup is for hanging all of those bass guitars? I would like to replicate similar on my wall too! Thanks-
Would be interesting to hear the TH driving the AG.
Good comparison, it seems like the question is, do you want a heavy scoop if splitting between these, the TH sounds much more scooped overall. More highs, but less mids.
Both great preamps! Personally after hearing the demo, I think the AG sounds good, but a little as if you’re throwing a blanket over the bass tone. The Tone hammer is more present, has good top end clarity and ads a little perceived width with the P Bass examples. To me, the tone hammer would give me a more usable sound in a real session.
Well, there is the aguilar agro, which is the drive channel from the AG amp.
Exactly the video i needed. I got the tone hammer when it first came out and was keen to check out the AG. Looks like it aint needed. Tone Hammer for me 😁
Man i love my tone hammer too
Love the adjustable mids of my TH DI. The AG may have the better form factot though.
have 2 opb-3 preamps in each of my carvin 6 string basses ,one with a 9 volt and the other with the 18 volt. ordered new elixir string for all 4 basses. 4 ,5 and two 6 string basses. i like the aguilar.
even tho i know that the TH is more versatile, i always prefered the tone of the AG700, and its the same apparently for the pedal version. my main problem is that Aguilar gear is super expensive in europe. a TH700 is around 1300 euro (1000$ in the usa) and the AG700 around 1500 euro(1000$ in usa too). but the aguilar preamp DI is only 350 euro ( 300$ in usa) so for most european ( especially in the east were the average salary is 600 euro per month), its better to just buy the pedal and used it with another cheaper amp or power amp to get close to that AG sound.
It's hard to tell with this mix but I would bet the TH would cut through better....I think the AG sounds better as the primary sound
I prefer the sound of the Tone Hammer. Thanks.
Is the AG 700 similar to the MESA carbine series ? I already has a Carbine M3
Any idea which might work better with upright? I do a lot of doubling. Thanks.
I think the genre you are playing really determines the better choice... definitely something like hip hop very deep bass heavy
This video did NOT help me pick
😂😂😂😂
So I bought both and did my own shootout
All points in the video are solid.
For me I went AG because the two mid settings were what I needed more than the mid sweep and level did- but only slightly
IF the Hammer had a knob to control the AGS gain/fuzz, I might have kept it. I might want to sound like Chris Squire or Geddy sometimes but AGS seemed to be either full Lemmy or not. I manage fuzz on other pedals
Would LOVE and effects loop on either?
Good tone for both. Thanks for the awesome vid
Seriously had to turn my vol up louder than normal to hear the AG in this vid and then down again when it was the TH.
If I had to choose I’d get the TH.
I prefer the tone hammer because it sounds a lot more transparent and defined.
When will we get a review of that orange rig behind you?
Soon
I prefer the richer, thicker sound of the AG.
Agreed, it’s a bit warmer
4 Sure!
I very much prefer the Tone Hammer, because the EQ can approximate the old Trace Elliot "Pre-Shape" (boost at 50 Hz, cut at 400 Hz, boost 2-5KHz).
180 degree shutter angle please. motion blur is a good thing
Do either have cab sim?
What song that he cover ? [1:37]
TH in these examples is better for me
Tone hammer seems to have more life
Tone Hammer out of these two. But I'm considering Origin Effects Supervintage, Noble Tube pre
Aguilar or Aguilar? Aguilar! They're both great but I prefer the Tone Hammer.
The AG wins for me.
None of them is for me. Thank you for the great review.
i used TH .. it was good , not sans good but this AG is galaxies better
burn through the witches, I slam in the back of my Aguilarrrrr. Chris, have you seen the new Fender Suona series? Thinline Jazz Bass
Not in person but I’ve seen photos
The obvious is to blend them.
The AG cannot be powered up using phantom power compared to the TH.
Warmth is good but too much is just too muddy ! Not my taste . Tonehammer for me 👍🏽
Making this run 18vdc at the jack is so stupid. They could have very easily stepped up standard 9vdc at the jack internally and it would not have to have its own power supply. Lots of pedals do this. The cost difference would be pennies.
They do this in their amps, except they’re stepping down to whatever the internal operating voltage is.
Last time I bought some max1044 chips they were definitely not pennies, but the convenience was worth the dollars.
Prefer the Tone Hammer 👍🏼 feel like the AG can get lost in the mix real fast
AG
TH won all the comparisons for me. More punch and a nice touch of grit. The AG was too clean and delicate sounding to my ears
IMO Tone Hammer has more mojo
TH IS way way way better
T.H wins.