Art preamp or Harp Commander for studio use?

["Rick B" <rick@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Bob and Dave and everyone,

For home studio use, to make it sound like you are playing through an amp,
or
to just thicken your tone nicely when you are plugged into your computer
soundcard,
which would be better, the ART preamp or the Harp Commander?

I have a Mesa V-Twin tube pre amp foot switch which contains two 12 AU7s,
but when
I turn it up it just more or less sounds like a buzz machine.  There is no
variety in the tone
like I get from playing my Kalamazoo amp.


Previously Dave wrote:

>I have both. I bought the ART preamp before going for the HC. I consider
them quite different. The preamp is great for adding tube warmth and volume.
It's a lot less expensive than the HC but also not as versatile. I use it
now to add power to the microphone I use for recording our band practices.
The HC is a solid state box that is designed specifically for the harmonica.
It allows for coloring the tone of the output through different settings and
has two outputs for playing to an amp and pa at the same time.

Previously Bob wrote:
>I also have both. I like the ART for adding warmth and tube tone and it
does
it great. The harp commander is good on splitting the signals and toning
down the feedback but doesn't give the tube tone that the Art does. The Art
has a tube in it. The Art is a lot cheaper so you might want to try it
first. It really depends on what you are trying to do.

        --Rick B
            www.bluesharp.org