This is a great unit for those who need a flexible, dependable preamp with a DI to run to a PA board or other device, with a handful of very useful features for live and studio work. It is especially well-suited for use with acoustic instruments like electric acoustic bass guitars, electric upright basses, and upright basses with pickup systems; I myself have appreciated its phase switch and expanded tone control section when using it with my upright bass.

Powerful yet easy-to-use features are what give the the Pro-EQ Platinum Bass the versatility to shine for both acoustic and electric instruments. One of the key elements of the multi-faceted preamp is its ability to add warmth to a raw bass signal without sacrificing punch, or corrupting the purity of the signal. Fishman uses sweet-sounding J-FET technology for smoothness, quick articulation and full, open dynamics - and the unit features a special Voltage Doubler circuit, so it has enough headroom even when running on its internal 9-volt battery. You can also use a quality 9-volt AC adaptor (not included). And when plugged into a mixing board with standard 48v phantom power, the internal battery is bypassed and the unit can be powered by the board.

The single knob photo-optic compressor lets you dial up more punch, attack and sustain without any of the pumping or squashing that plagues other so-called bass compressors. And its simplicity is welcome; lack of a flock of knobs doesn't mean it won't do the job. The preamp’s five-band graphic EQ is specifically voiced for bass. The Pre/Post switch lets you choose to send your EQ settings to the board, through the quiet DI, or just send the pure sound of the instrument pickup- that way, you can optionally have and adjust your on-stage sound without affecting the sound going to the board. Finally, an innovative "Depth" control lets the player dial in tight and focused bass for a well-defined bottom end.