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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
 Posted - 08/09/2005 : 1:39:11 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Leonard
OK - I got a powered mixer (Yamaha something) and I need to know what balanced vs nonbalanced inputs are. I will connect a voice mic and a guitar mic, and maybe sometime my guitar directly (from the Baggs Element Active undersaddle transducer through a Baggs Para Acoustic DI). Any help or explanation? LRR
Balanced connections use three conductors. One is ground or reference. The other two each carry half the signal, inverted from each other. This feature works to minimize external noise, because the noise signal (a flourescent light with a bad ballast, for instance) will affect all the conductors equally, in phase. When the two balanced conductors are resolved, any common in phase signal (the noise) is cancelled out, while the out of phase information is doubled. So balanced connections are desirable, and are nearly universal in high quality microphones.
The XLR connector is the normal plug used for balanced cables. If your vocal mic is a Shure SM-5x or better, it will come standard with balanced output, and you should use an XLR cable and connect to the balanced inputs.
Balanced mics are also low impedance devices, which further reduces noise sensitivity.
The 1/4 phone plug/jack is the normal connector for unbalanced cables. This is the standard "guitar cable."
Your PADI is both a preamp and a "direct box" or a device which converts unbalanced high impedance (guitar cable) to balanced low impedance (mic cable). A direct box is useful for long cable runs to reduce noise. If your mixer is on stage with you, you may use the XLR out of your PADI, but you don't really need to. If your mixer is connected via a "snake" and run from some distance away from the stage, the XLR connection of your PADI can be a lifesaver.
A snake, in sound system terms, is a multi-conductor cable with a set of female XLR connectors on the stage end and a set of male XLR connectors on the mixer end. If you've seen the sound person running the mixing board out in the audience at a show, they're using a snake to carry the mic signals from the stage to the mixing board.
Fran
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E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
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Leonard
Lokahi
USA
124 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2005 : 08:40:21 AM
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| Thanks, Fran. A great explanation. Now I'll just plug everything in. LRR |
Be the change that you wish to see in the world. M. Gandhi |
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Slackkeygirl
Aloha
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - 09/12/2005 : 3:24:34 PM
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| I have had a Fender Acoustasonic and sold it when I heard the Roland AC60. Very compact with lots of outputs and decent effects. Comes with a carrying case. About $499. Sounds fabulous with my Taylor 314ce as well as with my Martin 000-15 with Dean Markley soundhole pick up. |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 10/24/2005 : 4:54:41 PM
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Have I said that I LOVE my California Blonde (Fender is parent company). Sweet sound for my Taylor 810.
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 10/24/2005 : 5:28:06 PM
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| I love my Cal Blonde, and my CA brunette wife, too. The only amp I tried that sounded good with the classical -- didn't make it sound like a cheap electric. -- it's just that it weighs a ton. |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2005 : 09:37:58 AM
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Yeah, I don't move it much...BUT, as to the heft amps USED to carry for that kind ow power and quality, not too shabby.
Mike :) |
Aloha, Mike |
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OHIO-HAOLE
Akahai
USA
86 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2005 : 12:45:12 AM
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| got a crate acoustic amp...small but big clean punch...love it...ken. (ohio-haole) |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2006 : 1:29:16 PM
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Anybody got an opinion on the Fishman acoustic amps and the Aura Guitar Modeler?
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2006 : 7:21:45 PM
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OK, thanks. Let me ask this question. My Taylor 810 has a bridge pickup (I assume after market, i bought it from someone else who I can not now ask this question). It has an internal battery. My question is what is it? I know little or nothing about acoustic pickups and would appreciate a primer on the subject...also, if anything, what I can do to increase the performance...replace it,etc. I would like to get a "fuller" sound out od it.
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2006 : 06:18:17 AM
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Your best bet for identifying the unit is to remove the output jack. In most systems, that is a preamplifier that might have some markings that would help identify the system.
For a primer on acoustic pickups I have to invite you to search the Acoustic Guitar Magazine forum at the link above. Also look through the article reprints on the AG site. You can also search at rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic using Google Groups:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.makers.guitar.acoustic?msg=subscribe
The Aura and Mama Bear systems might give you the sound you want, these are the latest technologies for improving pickup sound. The traditional tool for the job is an external preamp with tone controls. The Baggs PADI is a popular choice.
Fran
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E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
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slackkeymike
Lokahi
440 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2006 : 1:08:03 PM
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Thanks Fran.
So this would be used in addition to something like the Layla 3G digital interface that Reid was talking about (another thread), correct? I may be willing to buy these two devices, but I am not interested in a mixer (Mackie) at this point, just me, myself, and I, and I do not sing (much). But I am interested in recording and that sound shaping stuff. I am going to go by a local dealer for for a demo.
BTW, since my guitar already has a pickup (saddle), is simple to change one out for another? I am thinking of a Fishman matrix to go with the Fishman Aura...just a thought.
Mike |
Aloha, Mike |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2006 : 2:44:27 PM
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Mike,
I'll answer a tiny bit of your question to Fran, and then he can correct me.
The PADI, which Sarah and I have, is a preamp, DI box, and parametric EQ combined. We feed that (along with other signals, like mic inputs} into preamps that go into (or are part of) the Echo Layla3G when we are recording. But,wait, there is more...:-)
The PADI is a great device that turns your really, really bad pickup's output into something that sounds like a guitar. For instance, Barry F. uses one all the time on stage to override the House sound guy's settings (which might be a compromise between vocal settings and guitar settings) or just not as loud as Barry wants. It is worth the $$ for lots of settings and uses.
We, too, use it for the occasional live gig that Sarah gets. It makes our great guitars sound OK.
...Reid |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2006 : 08:07:26 AM
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| The PADI is amazing. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
Edited by - cpatch on 01/09/2006 08:07:43 AM |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
Posted - 01/10/2006 : 11:44:09 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by slackkeymike
Thanks Fran.
So this would be used in addition to something like the Layla 3G digital interface that Reid was talking about (another thread), correct? I may be willing to buy these two devices, but I am not interested in a mixer (Mackie) at this point, just me, myself, and I, and I do not sing (much). But I am interested in recording and that sound shaping stuff. I am going to go by a local dealer for for a demo.
BTW, since my guitar already has a pickup (saddle), is simple to change one out for another? I am thinking of a Fishman matrix to go with the Fishman Aura...just a thought.
Mike
Mike, are you looking for recording gear or performing gear? I have seen people in other acoustic guitar forums express an interest in an amp for their own personal listening, and I've never really understood this desire. In my experience an acoustic guitar through an amp never sounds as sweet, clean, and musical as it does just playing acoustically.
But strokes are for folks.
When I tried my PADI as part of the recording chain I thought it added too much hiss, but that certainly might have been peculiar to my pickup and recording equipment.
There are many sites dedicated to home recording, many to acoustic guitar, and lots of crossover between those. I often direct people to Doug Jones's writeup at http://www.acousticplayermagazine.com/apm001/techtalk001/homerecord2_001.html which covers a lot of ground. A gentleman named Doug Kennedy has created a site with a lot of information on pickups, mics, preamps, and so on: http://www.fingerpick.com
Fran
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E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
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