GDP / DI or IR for just Preamp stage?

Stage & Studio Valvulator GP/DI
1

I’m really interested in picking up the GDP / DI or IR because I’ve always loved the sound of the Pittbulls and Delverance amps, and 90% of my use is in a home studio. I’m already a PS2-A owner (bought new) and would be using that for powered / cab situations.

There are some used GDP DI’s floating around at a significant discount compared to the new IR (very cool product) and I’m thinking fo grabbing one since since I can just load IR’s in post or use one of the several outboard IR loader devices available. My questions are:

  1. What difference / potential benefit is there in the new version in just the tube preamp stage alone?

  2. Is the IR section of of the GDP / IR a significant upgrade in terms of latency / feel / quality vs. the standard digital IR devices available?

2

The very interesting thing about both the GPDI and GPDI/IR is that they are really 1W guitar amplifiers.

They have a preamp – following the Pittbull and Deliverance – but they also have a power amp stage. The analog cab sim and the IRs are applied after the power amp so you hear preamp → power amp → “speaker”, just like using a typical setup.

Check out Steve talking about the design and development of the GPDI/IR (part one),

  • It has FX loop so you can plug in different preamps into and let them access the GPDI/IR’s power amp
  • This also lets you connect it to your amp so it becomes an additional channel; this is also remote switchable.
  • New power supply, more headroom, higher voltage give us a bigger amp-playing experience
  • No fan
  • Internal updates and protection circuits
  • All amp voicing are the same topology but enhanced by new power supply and sag function
  • Removed headphone amp (to save back panel space)

It uses industry-standard high-resolution audio processing: 24-bit 20ms 48kHz

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3

Thanks all. The effects loop is big for me. I hadn’t thought of it, but since I have quite a few rack and pedal based preamps,this would allow me to go from those in to the power stage to add that missing component to those units for tracking. I’ll definitely be going with the GPDI/IR.

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