Distiller

Filter-Based Preamp for Bass

"I have never been this impressed by the electronics in any bass I've either owned or built!  [...] The filters are amazing and I really find that the LFC complements them perfectly."

– Geoffery St. Germaine
stgermaineguitars.com

Having owned several Alembic basses, I have found their electronics to be truly special. Unlike most other basses using passive tone controls or conventional 2- or 3-band EQs, Alembic basses come equipped with a unique 12dB-per-octave low-pass filter that features a widely adjustable cutoff frequency and a resonant peak just before the cut. With just one knob, you can access a very wide range of tones, from the darkest dub and reggae sounds to the brightest slap and funk tones and everything in between. 

While synth players routinely use resonant filters, they are not common among bassists, who may only encounter them on a few high-end, boutique instruments.

Compared to the original Alembic filter, the Distiller offers longer battery life, lower noise, and adopts a standard grounding scheme that makes it compatible with virtually any bass. It can also be easily installed in a pedal if desired.

Specifications (revision 4)

Input impedance: 1 MΩ
Output impedance: 2.7
Supply voltage: 9V or 18V
Idle current draw: 0.3mA
Battery life (alkaline): 1500 hours
Noise floor: -103dBu
Max unclipped output: +12dBu
Dynamic range: 115dB
Cutoff frequency range: 250Hz - 8kHz
Filter slope: 12dB/octave
Resonant peak (Q switch): 0 / +5 / +10dB
Gain adjustment range: +3 to +16dB
Board size: 33x23mm
Potentiometer: sealed, long life (100,000 cycles), conductive plastic. Ø6mm shaft, M7x0.75 bushing

Official Distiller Demo

Combinator / Sean Fairchild having fun with his new Distiller 

(Check out his other videos too, he's incredible!)