|
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Recently, someone posted a question about a list of the Ovation lines rated generally from top down. Could somebody do the same for the electronics installed on the Adamas and top Ovation lines? I get confused hearing about original FET stacked and two knobber stereos, OP 24, Op 30 to 50, Op-X, Op Pro, Op whatever . . . Generally, what is considered the top line electronics now used by Adamas/Ovation? I only have two roundback models, one with the stacked stereo configuration on my 1651 that I absolutely love, and the other an OP-40 on an 1866/12 that requires much more fiddling with certainly no better result. This question came to mind when I noticed the variance of responses for preferences on the OFC wish list guitar. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Currently the standard is the OP-Pro. OP-Pro Studio is a variation on that, with a built in compressor and a low frequency exciter. The "new thing" is the VIP, with modeling features. I would say the Studio and the VIP are not for everyone.
I believe (not positive about the timeline and models) the line goes:
OP-Pro - New standard, introduced on the LX models.
OP50 - found on late model CL's, CE's and Adamaii.
OP40 - Legends and Elites
OP30 - Balladeers
Optima - CL's, CE's and Adamaii
OP24+ - Legends, Elites, Balladeers
OPx is in there somewhere, they show up occasionally. Not sure if they were standard on any model for any length of time.
OP20 - Celery and Applesauce
Then there's the Thinline (Viper) and HexFX(Legend).
I'm sure the historians around here can do better, and I'm sure I've left some out, but that's my understanding as I can figure out from the resources available.
Btw, to me, the Optima is the best of the older generatons of preamps. Quiet, good eq, notch filter, latching volume button, tuner, XLR... that thing has it all. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | The only really important thing about Ovation electronics is the pickup. That thing has yet to be surpassed. As for preamps the original volume-only FET3 works just fine. The others just have extra bells and whistles, all of which are great( I agree with Waskel about the Optima, it's killer) but there is outboard gear which does the same job a lot better. I guess what I'm trying to say is if you have an old guitar with old electronics you're better off buying something like a Focusrite channel strip and keeping the guitar original than upgrading the preamp. That said, the Op-Pro Studio and VIP are AMAZING. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Good points, Paul. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 651
Location: Australia | I wonder if you can still order a new guitar with an Optima ? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | As long as the factory has supplies, and they must even if it's just for warranty purposes, I guess there's no reason why you couldn't custom order any guitar with an Optima.
Until I sold my SMT my 2 main gigging guitars had the Optima and Op50. In terms of sound and functionality there wasn't a whole lot of difference, but I found the need for a "special" XLR cable for the Op50 to be a major pain in the ass. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | My 1881 has the Optima, and it's AWESOME. I've had the OP-24 in my CL for twelve years, and it's finally fritzing out, so I'll probably have the factory upgrade that to an Optima instead.
Waskel, the 1778T also had the OP-30, which is very nice - decent controls, eq, tuner, etc. I'm looking to order a CL12 with the Studio, just because it's the new thing, but I'm really fond of the Optima. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 651
Location: Australia | I thing I particularly like about the Optima (apart from the sound) is the fact that it tucks away neatly, flush with the guitar.
Both my O's sport Optima's. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | I agree. It's a big improvement over the OP-24, which does have the main volume knob that sticks out past the body of the guitar. The tuner on the Optima is nice, and allows for alternate tunings, but I must say that I like the cutout feature that the OP-30 has for tuning, and the fact that you can turn the tuner both ON and OFF with the push of a button. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I also like the Optima and the XLR output is scary good. So quiet that you don't know it's on until you touch the strings. Only problem I have with my Optima is that it eats batteries even when not in use. I think a ghost turns it on at night. Anyway, I just take the battery out when I'm not using it. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | Just as the factory claims, the OP Pro doesn't require any eq gymnastics to get great sound. With my Crate amp totally flat, the pre-eq on and the guitar eq flat,the sound is very natural. There's no low end boom or brittle piezo quackyness.
Ovation has come a long way in making great acoutic guitar electronics. The old FET-3 and OP-24 pre-amps are functional and extremely durable, but cannot compare to the OP Pro. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | Dispite all the newer OP-whatevers, my favorite preamp still remains OPTIMA. Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Amen to that, Dave!
Does anyone know the "standard" info on what the differences are between the OP-Pro and the Studio version?
(I'd look it up, but it's more fun this way) :D |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | :rolleyes: Here... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2005
Posts: 331
Location: San Angelo, Texas | Played an Op-Pro Studio dropped into my 1777LX...BIG difference! I use a boss Chorus pedal installed at the board, and through the church house sound it is awesome! Took a great sound and made it even better! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2002
Posts: 1900
| Mark In Boise, If the Optima eats batteries when not in use, sounds like a design flaw or an intermittant problem in the circuitry, doesn't it? I've had the same battery in my op24 longer than I can remember and it works like new every time.. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Mark;
You need to check the contacts at the input jack.
The power to the pre-amp should be disconnected when the plug is pulled out. Sounds like something is still "touching", and is keeping that circuit closed. . . . |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | Yeah, cliff is right. When you unplug the jack from the guitar, the optimia draws no power. I usually don't have to change batteries until I see battery acid oozing out the hatch door. Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 766
Location: New Hampsha | Sometimes the knobs are labeled; sometimes the knobs aren't - the label went MIA, whatever. So all one faces is an anonymous bunch of knobs and sliders, etc. My Adamas is like that - No ID that I can see.
It would be really neat to have a section in the Reference section that had a picture of what each of these look like so they could be ID'd when they aren't new.
Possible Homework Assignment for Somebody? Pretty Please? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | Ovation website has section with photos of all pre-amps. Dave |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Right here. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2006
Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Any idea if the factory can still upgrade a guitar with an original OP-24 to an Optima? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 766
Location: New Hampsha | Originally posted by Standingovation:
Ovation website has section with photos of all pre-amps. Dave Someone Missed the Point - that's great for the current crop of pre-amps, but what about the older discontinued stuff? 'Bay sellers sometimes include a semi-fuzzy pic of the faceplate or just a description; it would be neat to have a resource and be able to compare it to a known pic to ID it; or be able to look at a pic from a description and get an inkling of what it can/can't do.
You guys wax enthusaistic about the "Optima" but perhaps you might realize that not everyone has a mental image of what all the discontinued pre-amps looked like or had for features!
Give us poor guy guys who don't own one of each a break in the reference section. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | It's all right HERE
Ovation Electronics Archive |
|
| |
|
Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | No, it's not. Those are just the older ones. :p |
|
| |
Which Electronics Are Best?
