Redeye

[Charlie Bernstein]

Originally Posted by bobbyg67

With all the new stuff out there, is anyone still using the redeye preamp on their rig?

Love my Red-Eye. Wouldn't leave home without it. It's hooked up to an ABCD swich so I can play my dread, mando, squareneck reso, and roundneck reso through it.

I resorted to it after trying preamps with a lot of features that didn't really help. The Fire-Eye engineers do all the tweaking for you so you don't have to. Result: a a treble knob, a boost knob, a boost switch and — nothing else!

You spend less time tweaking and more time playing.

[Mandobart]

I'm kind of a Luddite. If what I have still works as good as ever and does the job, there's no reason for me to get the latest/greatest. Of course I'm still camping in a 1987 Airstream (pulled by a 2009 Chevy pickup), taking my 1993 (two-stroke outboard) ski boat out and riding a 1985 Harley. And living in a (significantly remodeled) house built in 1961.

My Redeye is still great, though it'd be nice if I had the 9 volt power plug-in like the newer ones (though I'm sure I could and might do a DIY upgrade).

[meb]

The RedEye gear is better than many, but I prefer and use the sunnaudio
DI-2 Prestine. Before that, I used the precursor to the Prestine called
the Stage DI. It has a subset of the Prestine features and also sounds great.
My main pickup is the Sunrise.

[SFCRetired]

I went through a long search for a good DI and settled on the redeye. I have zero regrets. I was using the K&K pure preamp. Its just fine but I like the phantom power of the redeye and that is what sold me on it. Along with the boost feature.

[HogsNRoses]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

Can't you have it repaired? Looks fixable to me. All discrete components... Your Tube amp repair man will handle it easily.

I have an ancient Red Eye, but that picture is even more old. I’m fairly certain mine is surface mount. I’d love to flip the board over, but it is suspended in the case attached by many leads. I’d have to desolder it to view the board. The back of the board has very few holes or vias.

I suspect the poster’s Red Eyes broke because of one of those flying leads or, more likely, water corroding a jack or potentiometer. The Red Eye components are high quality, but will probably still corrode someday.

I make preamps myself, and I am amazed by how good surface mount sounds with the right design and components.

[ACOUSTICDEWD]

I found the Empress ParaEQ MKII Deluxe to be the ultimate K&K solution. Far more control and fine tuning, while staying in that pure analog realm, and being in a small form factor

Red Eye needs to add a HPF and sweepable mids to their line which are basic first steps for any K&K.

[Br1ck]

Originally Posted by ACOUSTICDEWD

I found the Empress ParaEQ MKII Deluxe to be the ultimate K&K solution. Far more control and fine tuning, while staying in that pure analog realm, and being in a small form factor

Red Eye needs to add a HPF and sweepable mids to their line which are basic first steps for any K&K.

I totally agree with the EQ needs of a K&K. I chose not to participate when I can get a Dazzo and simple SunnAudio pre and be done with it. RedEye's are good too, and I had a nice talk with the owner who told me most pres have poorly designed gain stages, so you EQ for the pickup, then EQ for the bumps and valleys from the gain stage. I don't want to do that.

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

I totally agree with the EQ needs of a K&K. I chose not to participate when I can get a Dazzo and simple SunnAudio pre and be done with it. RedEye's are good too, and I had a nice talk with the owner who told me most pres have poorly designed gain stages, so you EQ for the pickup, then EQ for the bumps and valleys from the gain stage. I don't want to do that.

Does the Sunn Audio Prestine HPF help tame any feedback if and when the volume gets louder that in turn presents more feedback susceptibility?
Also, is it easy enough to engage the boost switch without accidentally hitting the other foot switch right next to it? I use clean boost for solo's a lot for my live shows.

[guitarman68]

Yes, the HPF helps a lot against feedback when volume gets louder.
My only complaint would be the narrow distance between mute button and boost button. I always have to be very careful when hitting the boost without muting the whole unit, but once you are used to it, it works.

[meb]

As to the boost, I put the Big Button on the boost switch and leave the
mute button naked. This has worked fine for me.

The Prestine is a great sounding unit.

[gwlee7]

Originally Posted by meb

As to the boost, I put the Big Button on the boost switch and leave the
mute button naked. This has worked fine for me.

The Prestine is a great sounding unit.

Literally was gonna post this suggestion but will just second it.

[kathyson]

Originally Posted by bobbyg67

With all the new stuff out there, is anyone still using the redeye preamp on their rig?

Yes! All the time

[Mking]

Originally Posted by Mr Blues

I wish the sold the Red Eye pedal in the UK . I brought a used one from an American man who was living in the UK . Mine eventually broke because of wear and tear playing in all types of weathers
I might order one from the USA

I have one in mint condition for sale. I am in Virginia, USA.

[RCGuitar]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

I'm kind of a Luddite. If what I have still works as good as ever and does the job, there's no reason for me to get the latest/greatest. Of course I'm still camping in a 1987 Airstream (pulled by a 2009 Chevy pickup), taking my 1993 (two-stroke outboard) ski boat out and riding a 1985 Harley. And living in a (significantly remodeled) house built in 1961.

My Redeye is still great, though it'd be nice if I had the 9 volt power plug-in like the newer ones (though I'm sure I could and might do a DIY upgrade).

Call Darin at red eye. When I inquired about getting rid of the 9 volt power cable I use, he sent me a Jack to wire it into my case so I can plug it straight in to my voodo labs power supply. Great customer service.