Martin HD-28 With Trance Audio Amulet M Dual Mono M-VT Tone Control Demo

[SpruceTop]

Hi Folks, the following track demonstrates the effect of the Tone Control on the output of the Trance Audio Amulet M Dual Mono M-VT Acoustic Guitar System. NO EXTERNAL EQ OR EFFECTS WERE USED IN MAKING THIS RECORDING.

Signal Chain: 2014 Martin HD-28 with Trance Audio Amulet M Dual Mono M-VT strummed with BlueChip TD35 Pick > 10-Foot-Long Mogami Gold Instrument Cable > PreSonus Studio 192 Digital Audio Interface with PreSonus Studio One DAW outputting one input channel to a 24/48 Mono Wav File.

First section of the track is The Trance Amulet M Dual Mono with Tone Control at FULL TREBLE which is the full tonal-range of the system with the Amulet transducers installed at their current locations;

Second section of track is with Tone Control at FULL BASS;

Third section of track is Tone Control BALANCED tonal position as heard through AKG K240 Studio Headphones. This Tonewheel position can vary slightly depending on personal taste, the guitar in which the M Dual Mono M-VT is installed, and the room acoustics of a venue.

Remember: 10 to 15 feet of air between a loudspeaker and an audience will make any pickup/preamp system sound different (likely better) than a direct recording heard through headphones.

[Cuki79]

Thanks SpruceTop,

It is going to be very helpful for me.

Cuki

[Vancebo]

I liked the third version the best. Set flat. That's the best posssible scenario.

I agree with your last statement about the positive effects of speaker and air. The Trance's strength lies in the live performance setting, not the direct recording. I can say the same for the Dazzo. When I used the Lyric, I thought it sounded pretty good through headphones but it was a little lacking for live performance. I had to EQ the heck out of it.

Whenever you can start flat on your EQ and have it sound good that's a good place to be.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Vancebo

I liked the third version the best. Set flat. That's the best posssible scenario.

I agree with your last statement about the positive effects of speaker and air. The Trance's strength lies in the live performance setting, not the direct recording. I can say the same for the Dazzo. When I used the Lyric, I thought it sounded pretty good through headphones but it was a little lacking for live performance. I had to EQ the heck out of it.

Whenever you can start flat on your EQ and have it sound good that's a good place to be.

On subsequent listening, my "balanced" position in the demo sounds a bit bright to me and it can be altered by just a nudge of the Tonewheel toward the bass-end of its travel. Look for more Martin HD-28 with Trance Amulet M-VT demos coming up. I want to redo my ToneDexter Martin demos and do a demo with the ToneDexter followed in the signal chain by a Session DI Acoustic.

You're right! Both the Trance and Dazzo systems start out at a pretty well-balanced state and need very little EQ to get them to sound good!

[martingitdave]

The recording sounds excellent through the PA speakers. Thanks for posting. I contend that it is the best available analog pickup I've used.

[guitaniac]

I agree that the "balanced" sample could use a tad more bass, at least with my Sony headphones. If I had to choose between full treble and full bass, however, I'd go with the treble. The full treble sounds like a usable amplified guitar sound to me. The full bass doesn't.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by guitaniac

I agree that the "balanced" sample could use a tad more bass, at least with my Sony headphones. If I had to choose between full treble and full bass, however, I'd go with the treble. The full treble sounds like a usable amplified guitar sound to me. The full bass doesn't.

From what I understand, the Full-treble position on the Tonewheel represents the complete signal (all bass, midrange and treble frequencies) from the two Amulets. The Tonewheel progressively rolls-off treble and mid-range frequencies as it is turned toward the Bass-end of its travel. For my taste, the usable range of the Tonewheel is a very small range of degrees of arc in which all frequencies come into balance, and its just off the Bass-end of Tonewheel travel. I think a more linear Tonewheel curve would be of benefit as it would enable a larger sweet area of tone control over a greater range of Tonewheel travel. I will redo my demo this weekend to enable folks to hear a better overall tonal balance and play some actual tunes rather than just chordal strums with a flatpick.

[MaurysMusic]

Thanks for doing these! They're very helpful.

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

From what I understand, the Full-treble position on the Tonewheel represents the complete signal (all bass, midrange and treble frequencies) from the two Amulets. The Tonewheel progressively rolls-off treble and mid-range frequencies as it is turned toward the Bass-end of its travel. For my taste, the usable range of the Tonewheel is a very small range of degrees of arc in which all frequencies come into balance, and its just off the Bass-end of Tonewheel travel. I think a more linear Tonewheel curve would be of benefit as it would enable a larger sweet area of tone control over a greater range of Tonewheel travel. I will redo my demo this weekend to enable folks to hear a better overall tonal balance and play some actual tunes rather than just chordal strums with a flatpick.

I'm not big on these soundhole rim voltage/tone controls. I find that my Zoom A3 is much more fine-tuneable, with respect to getting the precise volume level I want and the tone that I want.

As a soundman, I especially dislike those VT controls which give a huge mid cut at one end of their range. I find that tone especially difficult to deal with.