Behringer preamp PB100

[andrei]

are these any good?
(what about Behringer stuff in general?)

http://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_pb100.htm

they shure are cheap...

i got a piezo pickup for my acoustics (the ones that you glue/tape on the body) and the output is pretty weak.
i plan to use it as a preamp for those and as a booster for solos (together with a Boss MT2).

do you think it's a good idea, or do you have other sugestions?
thanks!

[Matt Parsons]

Don't buy Behringer gear. Every experience I have had with them has been negative.

[Metal Mortician]

It's cheap for a reason...

[ibanezaholic]

well it aint no boss pedal but try it out there like 30 bux.

[esp_gaijin]

"i got a piezo pickup for my acoustics (the ones that you glue/tape on the body) and the output is pretty weak. "

i'm not certain, but i didn't think the output of a piezo was intended to be all that great sounding or loud enough signal, to go direct to a mixer;
i always thought one needed to go either to an acoustic amp (which is preamp + power amp + cab ), or to an acoustic-guitar-intended preamp and then into the mixer.

to that end, i use a crate CA-1P and love it to death, sadly they stopped making them years ago.
Rane and Trace Elliot probably make similar devices though, but are costly; the crate was inexpensive by comparison.
Fishman might make such a preamp nowadays too.

going from my acoustic electrics (used to have 2, now only 1 ) straight into a mixer never sounded good;
going into the crate ca1p then mixer sounded great.

similary you wouldn't plug an electric guitar right into a power amp and get a very good sound; it needs a preamp first to process the signal properly.

jme anyway.

[andrei]

thanks for the input!

i saw one of those Behringer pedals and fond a reason why they're so cheap: they're plastik with plastik and... some more plastik... :)

@ gaijin:
yes, piezos aren't met to go directly into the amp, they do need preamp.
so, i need a preamp, something pretty simple and... inexpensive.

i dont own a head+cab, just a lousy 30w combo. :o

so, i'm trying to get the best out of it.

i do appreciate the negative feedback as they don't inspire any confidence to me either.
but what are the alternatives?

[DethWar]

I use a Behringer V-Amp rackmount with my 5150. It sounded pretty sheisty when i first paired them together but after hours of messing with the countless knobs and buttons on the v amp ive found I can get just about any sound I want out of it. Behringer blatantly rips off pod with the v amp so yeah its not quite as good but the difference is barely noticeable and its a few hundred bucks cheaper. BTW the v amp pro is the only product by behringer I would defend. Everything else does appear to be shit from what I can tell.

[andrei]

thanks folks,

maybe i'll give the preamp a shot... for 15eur, might just be worth it.

i'll let you know if i find it any good.

[ESPKH4Builder]

i say stay away from the Behringer Preamps