The Bright-Eye: Red-Eye, trimmed down

[Uncle Pauhana]

The Red-Eye has a new little sibling. If you want the superclean, high impedance preamp and the boost function, but don't need the effects loop and the DI function (the balanced XLR output), you might want to take a look at the Bright-Eye.

http://www.fire-eye.com/brighteye

[SimplyLuo]

I realize it's kind of against their philosophy, but it would be nice to have a new version with decent EQ instead of stripped down features

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by SimplyLuo

I realize it's kind of against their philosophy, but it would be nice to have a new version with decent EQ instead of stripped down features

I would like to see that too!

[Uncle Pauhana]

Originally Posted by SimplyLuo

I realize it's kind of against their philosophy, but it would be nice to have a new version with decent EQ instead of stripped down features

I can relate to the convenience of an all-in-one unit with EQ, etc., but for me the convenience is outweighed by the ability to choose individual components. For instance no preamp of which I am aware has a tuner component that is in the same galaxy as the Turbo Tuner. And while I'm sure that Fire-Eye could engineer a great EQ, I've got my eye on the Empress Parametric. The Red-Eye's effects loop opens up the whole world of outboard gear that can be fed out through that DI output.

[fedexnman]

I'd like to see a 9v battery or 2qty 9v battery(18v) red eye preamp pedal with also an amp out , fx send return, and eq section as well as the phantom powered xlr out .

[Vancebo]

As long as we are dreaming. I have really been enjoying the tone from my red eye for the past couple of months. My Dazzo equipped guitars really shine. But, I always need to have a little bit of mid range cut. On one guitar I trim 4db at around 700hz. On another guitar it is low end heavy, I trim 6-7db at around 250hz. So, I am thinking I could cover a lot of territory if there was a simple 2 knob semi-parametric mid EQ. Oh, and a mute switch added to the Red-Eye. Pretty please.

[Uncle Pauhana]

*cough* effects loop *cough*

Okay, I'll shut up now.

[Vancebo]

yep. An effects loop.

[janmulder]

... and then you have the Tonebone PZ Pre

[TOCS]

Is the "Clean boost/buffer" just their fancy way of saying gain? Or am I missing something?

[Uncle Pauhana]

Originally Posted by TOCS

Is the "Clean boost/buffer" just their fancy way of saying gain? Or am I missing something?

I'm not sure I'm answering what you're asking, but "boost" refers to SWITCHABLE boost... stomp on the big red button and you get a volume increase for solos, switching from pick to fingers etc. The rotary knob lets you choose how much of a boost you get when you stomp.

[TOCS]

Originally Posted by Uncle Pauhana

I'm not sure I'm answering what you're asking, but "boost" refers to SWITCHABLE boost... stomp on the big red button and you get a volume increase for solos, switching from pick to fingers etc. The rotary knob lets you choose how much of a boost you get when you stomp.

I can't seem to make sense of that. Assuming one is after clean gain, isn't the entire idea behind a preamp to boost the signal as much as you possible can and then administrate the volume level at the end of the signal chain? From what you describe that boost function sounds more like compression to me.

[Uncle Pauhana]

Originally Posted by TOCS

I can't seem to make sense of that. Assuming one is after clean gain, isn't the entire idea behind a preamp to boost the signal as much as you possible can and then administrate the volume level at the end of the signal chain? From what you describe that boost function sounds more like compression to me.

Volume boost = compression? Not a concept with which I am familiar. The builder specs a boost on the Red-Eye of from +3 to +7 dB. And yeah, when I hit the switch it gets louder.

If youʻre really curious, the builder is quite approachable... but my non-technical take on your statement "Assuming one is after clean gain, isn't the entire idea behind a preamp to boost the signal as much as you possible can and then administrate the volume level at the end of the signal chain?" is that the Red-Eye has so much headroom that you can save up some of it for boost.

BTW, the idea of pedals including a boost function, or offering boost as their sole function, is not new. I just searched Sweetwater for "boost" and got 384 hits!

[TOCS]

Originally Posted by Uncle Pauhana

Volume boost = compression? Not a concept with which I am familiar. The builder specs a boost on the Red-Eye of from +3 to +7 dB. And yeah, when I hit the switch it gets louder.

If youʻre really curious, the builder is quite approachable... but my non-technical take on your statement "Assuming one is after clean gain, isn't the entire idea behind a preamp to boost the signal as much as you possible can and then administrate the volume level at the end of the signal chain?" is that the Red-Eye has so much headroom that you can save up some of it for boost.

BTW, the idea of pedals including a boost function, or offering boost as their sole function, is not new. I just searched Sweetwater for "boost" and got 384 hits!

I got the impression that it was somehow related to compression since you said a common situation in which to use the boost function would be when soloing.

It's not that the boost function is new to me, I just found it odd when talking about acoustic amplification.

I just don't remember seeing a function like this on the acoustic preamps I've looked at.

[Uncle Pauhana]

It's not a universal feature, but some of the most popular units such as the L.R. Baggs Venue, the Radial Tonebone PZ-Pre and PZ-Deluxe, the Fishman ToneDEQ and Platinum Pro, and the Grace Design FELiX and ALiX, all have boost switches. I expect there are others, too.