Setting the volume on a DI/Preamp

[steelvibe]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

Newer Pz Pre units have a button that now allows the user to use the boost independently from the loop. That was one concern of mine as I did not like the boost options which were either; boost the signal but without the loop, turn on the loop or turn on the boost and loop. Now you can use the boost as a normal volume increase but also turn the effects loop on at any time but clicking on any pedal in the loop.

Hey Petty, thanks for your response. That's interesting- it means that the folks at Radial are listening to the concerns of those who like their products! What great customer service, and that just bumps up the attractiveness of the Pre for me. I know that using youtube to judge tone quality of guitars and amplification gear is really not the greatest gauge for quality, what I have heard from the Radial products is very impressive. I can only imagine until I make a purchase on a good preamp/DI that these sound way better when you as a player are at the wheel.

Choices, choices, choices........

[Ed-in-Ohio]

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio

Interesting and informative thread.

I have a related question: When one controls gain/volume at the pickup (via a volume wheel) does one lose tone or fidelity?

I've gotten contradictory answers to this from different "experts".

Originally Posted by Petty1818

I have wondered about this as well. I usually run my volume on full just to be sure. However, I don't think acoustic pickups work the same as electric guitar pickups where the volume being turned down can take away some high end. I don't have anything to back my assumptions but I have never really heard any tonal change with my volume set at different levels.

I just got a thorough reply from Daren at Red-Eye about this...

"Setting the level control of active pickups...
You should set the volume control of active pickup systems to output approximately the same level as a passive pickup puts out [when using it with the Red-Eye]. You should not loose any fidelity, in fact, some built-in preamps distort the signal more when they are set to output a higher level signal."

Interesting!

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio

I just got a thorough reply from Daren at Red-Eye about this...

"Setting the level control of active pickups...
You should set the volume control of active pickup systems to output approximately the same level as a passive pickup puts out [when using it with the Red-Eye]. You should not loose any fidelity, in fact, some built-in preamps distort the signal more when they are set to output a higher level signal."

Interesting!

Interesting for sure but I don't know if it's the last word on the issue. From what I have read, the Red-eye sounds great with passive pickups and not as impressive with active systems. Daren could be answering this question based on his red-eye design and not on how active pickups really work. I don't really know why active pickups would distort when on full unless they were matched with the wrong preamp/di.

[lschwart]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

Interesting for sure but I don't know if it's the last word on the issue. From what I have read, the Red-eye sounds great with passive pickups and not as impressive with active systems. Daren could be answering this question based on his red-eye design and not on how active pickups really work. I don't really know why active pickups would distort when on full unless they were matched with the wrong preamp/di.

It's more likely that they might overdrive the input of the Red Eye and that would create the distortion.

There's no one right answer for where to set the output of an active pickup. It's adjustable for a reason. Some inputs might need more, some less.

Louis