Showing posts with label preamps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label preamps. Show all posts

5/31/2012

Behringer ADI21 V-Tone Acoustic Review

Behringer ADI21 V-Tone Acoustic
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have a couple of $100-plus guitar pre-amps I use when
playing my flamenco guitar through an amplifier. For
that use, they work fine.
For recording to a desktop recording software however
the sound from my pre-amps just wasn't very good. In
fact, it sucked. I use a pickup-the-world film transducer -
which is an uncommon pickup but it sounds EXACTLY like
the guitar, picking up string-squeak, body taps (golpes)
and syllabant sounds inherent to the nylon-string guitar
but lost when using piezo pickups.
If you want a sound exactly like a microphone, use a
mic - but if you want something close out of a pickup,
give this a try.
I'm overjoyed at how full, balanced and rounded this
little box sounds. It is way sturdier than I expected
for the price. The plastic casing is so hefty you'd
think it was die-cast metal if it were colder to the
touch.
This is a stomp box, and built accordingly. The stomp
button is sturdy and separated adequately from the
rest of the controls, which have a stiffness to them
that will help them retain their settings when you
take it places. The printing which identifies the
controls is in poor-contrast and I have to pick up
the box and hold it close to my face to read the
labels. A minor gripe.
The sound of this little dream box allows me to plug
my guitar into it, then into my Firewire box and
get a good, usable signal. I have no onboard pre-amp
like a Fishman, only a jack because I prefer the external
battery and pre-amp approach for my hand-made (by me)
guitars.
I have only used a flamenco guitar through this box
so I cannot say if it sounds good with a steel string
acoustic. For the price, the sound is amazing. It
makes the signal richer, fatter, and sounds a lot
like a mic'd guitar.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Behringer ADI21 V-Tone Acoustic

Acoustic Amp Modeler / Direct Recording Preamp/DI box

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5/05/2012

Fishman G-II Acoustic Instrument Preamp Review

Fishman G-II Acoustic Instrument Preamp
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The perfect location for the transducer of my instrument yields low volume. Therefore I need a preamp that will boost the signal to match the loudness of my other instruments. This preamp didn't make much difference even when the input pot (on the back of the unit) was all the way to the max. If the job of this device is to merely match impedance, then maybe it's doing its job. I don't know. But if the job of this device is to boost the signal of the transducer, then it should offer a max volume setting that is too loud and we could choose a setting in between that suits us best. But at best it gives a slightly noticeable increase in volume.
This is not a strong amplifier. It is merely a 2-band EQ with a slight loudness increase. It did not do the job for me, so I am giving it the minimum rating.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fishman G-II Acoustic Instrument Preamp

The G-II is designed for acoustic guitar, violin, viola, cello, and mandolin. On the inside, all new electronics deliver cleaner, more transparent sound and an unprecedented 400 hours of battery life. The preamps are housed in a rugged, lightweight injection-molded case, measuring 1.375" high x 3.5 wide x 5" long. These units come complete with rubber feet and a heavy-duty stainless-steel belt clip.

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5/03/2012

Fishman Aura Spectrum D.I. Review

Fishman Aura Spectrum D.I.
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this on the reccommendation of reviews on line, here and elsewhere. And the reviews were right, this little box does everything I need.
I was looking for a DI that would provide: a tuner, E.Q., feedback suppressor, and a pre-amp. I play a variety of acoustic instruments and needed
a way to change instruments onstage without the noise associated with unplugging a guitar cable from a DI. The Fishman automatically mutes the signal when
the tuner is engaged, cool! Now I can change from my guitar to mandolin or dobro without having to go to the PA to mute the channel. I wanted something that had
all these abilities in one unit, having too many little boxes on-stage is a drag during and after the performance.
Now for the images the unit provides. I don't have any of the guitars imaged, my stage acoustic is a strange cheap Korean guitar that I hotrodded,(tired of dragging expensive guitars to bars), so I just choose the image of the "Concert Guitar" and found a mic image that sounded the best. They all sounded pretty much the same, which all are actually very usable sounds. I knew and expected I wasn't going to make my guitar sound like a vintage Martin, or my cheap but very cool(vintage) Harmony
electric mando sound like a Gibson, but my instruments sounded great and were pre-amped just right, all with just one box!!!
CUSTOMER support, I had a problem with the first unit the vendor sent, it quit working a week after I bought it, just before a gig I was planning and needed it for.
I went to the Fishman website and wrote a letter describing my problem and need (the gig was in one week), they understood my panic, sent me a new unit without requiring me to send the old one in first (Trust and belief in customers is a new experience for me), THIS was WAY cool and the new one came a day before the gig.
In using the Aura Spectrum on the gig, I was pleased to find the feedback suppressor worked miracles, the sound man had me way loud in the monitor, with a loud low frequency making everyone nervous, I just stepped on the feedback button, and POOF!, it was gone. I could tune up various instruments and get levels very easily, all without leaving my chair (I have to sit down to play dobro). This was a new day for me, life was good, I am a happy customer!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fishman Aura Spectrum D.I.

Aura® Spectrum DI is the complete tone solution for the acoustic musician featuring award-winning Aura Acoustic Imaging technology that restores a studio-miked sound to your undersaddle or soundhole pickup.Housed in a professional quality all-metal case, Aura Spectrum DI features a 3-band EQ, one-knob compressor, automatic feedback suppression with up to 3 notches, chromatic tuner, effects loop, plus a high-quality balanced XLR D.I. The included Aura Image Gallery software provides access to an ever-expanding list of instruments recorded using world-class studio mics and techniques.Aura Spectrum DI is not only incredibly versatile, but it also delivers the most realistic acoustic sound available for stage or studio.Features:
Award-winning Aura® Acoustic Imaging
128 pre-loaded Images for use with the mostpopular acoustic instruments
Instrument Preamp with Balanced XLR D.I. out
Volume, Blend, and Image Select controls
Three band EQ
One-knob compressor
Automatic anti-feedback with up to 3 notches
Built-in chromatic tuner with bypass/mute
16 user-configurable Image locations
USB interface for Image downloading fromAura Image Gallery (software included)
Feedback-fighting Phase switch
Automatic D.I. Ground Lift
9-Volt Battery or optional adaptor operationSpecs:AUDIO I/O:
1/4" mono input & output w/input trim control
Balanced XLR D.I.
1/4" effects loop
24-bit A/D/A conversionPROCESSOR:
32 bit processingMATERIAL:
Durable all-metal constructionDIMENSIONS:
5.6"L x 5.25"W x 2.1"HPOWER:
9-Volt battery or optional adaptor powerBATTERY LIFE:
20 hours

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4/17/2012

Fishman PRO-EQ II Preamp/EQ Review

Fishman PRO-EQ II Preamp/EQ
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This is a great preamp....it works great with my mandolin....it's lightweight and easy to use...I really needed this and I am really happy I bought it!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Fishman PRO-EQ II Preamp/EQ

This perennial favorite now features a tough new injection molded case featuring an easy access battery compartment, input trim control and advanced new electronics which provide longer battery life. Features include volume, bass, middle, treble, and brilliance sliders along with an AC adapter jack, phase switch and sub-bass trim control.

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