'Stage Box' Rhodes Preamp Feedback
All of the feedback on this page was completely unsolicited and was either sent directly to us at Speakeasy or posted to one of a few public forums on the Internet, particularly the Yahoo Groups 'CloneWheel', 'NordElectro', and 'Rhodes'. The Rhode 'Stage Box' preamp was released in March 2003.
The new issue of Keyboard magazine features a very favorable article reviewing the Speakeasy tube preamps and the Fat Box (renamed Stage Box). The Speakeasy preamps enhance the sound of a Rhodes like nothing ever has, allowing the player to sculpt the tone color and overdrive to their own needs. I know personally the high standards of work Steve Hayes and his awesome crew perform from collaborating on one Rhodes+Midi project with them. I also see the other side of their work every time my band performs. I've been running my Rhodes through a Fat Box into a Speakeasy tube preamp for the last 7 months and my sound has never had such clarity, definition and balls. This set up brings my Rhodes "front and center" in the mix and the stereo ping-pong vibrato is simply awesome. Speaking as a musician and a technician the Speakeasy preamps kick ass!
Peter Hayes
11/29/03
I use a Stage Box in front of my Silverface Twin Reverb. It is vital to my setup, it makes it possible to get the overdriven tone I like very easily. Without it, I really can't get the tone I want. It may not be very useful with a Blackface since they have no master volume, but I can make my Silverface roar at very low volumes.
JBN
7/17/03
I recently bought the Stage Box from Speakeasy, primarily because I needed a small signal boost. I'm running my Rhodes and a Motif into a Barbetta Sona 41 and with the Stage Box I don't have to crank the gain on the amp as much, resulting in less hiss, etc. It also feels "fatter" to me, but it could just be the volume increase. Another cool benefit of signal booster is that if you are running your Rhodes through a Phase 90 that distorts when the signal is hot (like mine does), you can just add the signal booster after the phaser in your effects chain to resolve this. (You don't have to crank the Rhodes volume as high). I am enjoying a much cleaner phase effect because of it!!!
Dave
4/30/03
I also use the Stage Box and have for over a month. I will never go without it. I go out from my piano into the FB, out of the FB to my wah and phase 90, into my twin reverb head to a SWR bass cab. The difference is night and day. An excellent device.
BC
3/31/03
Just got my Stage Box and the difference is amazing. Vastly improved definition and tone color just doesn't do it justice. It's like upgrading from a bologna sandwich to a big ol' 20 pound butt steak. It's like going from a fly swatter to a base ball bat. I can't get over how great it makes my Rhodes sound. I haven't played this much in sometime and I'm not getting any work done. I'd recommend the Speakeasy pre amps to all my Rhodes clients. Best $100 I ever spent.
Peter
3/13/03
Now to get my mitts on the tube pre......
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