Anthem vs Anthem SL

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Matt McGriff

I'm glad I found this thread! As going to order the full version, but am now ordering the SL and saving $100! Looking forward to not having to drag my aura pedal around...

Congrats! You will be very pleased with this system. Just remember you may have some tweaking to do with the Tru-Mic to get the "tone" you like.
Be patient and use your ears. Once you have it dialed in, you're pretty much set. Incidentally, used mine last night at an "open mic" and got lots of compliments. From what I could hear, most of the other performers were using UST's alone because there was a lot of quacking going on.

[Matt McGriff]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

Congrats! You will be very pleased with this system. Just remember you may have some tweaking to do with the Tru-Mic to get the "tone" you like.
Be patient and use your ears. Once you have it dialed in, you're pretty much set. Incidentally, used mine last night at an "open mic" and got lots of compliments. From what I could hear, most of the other performers were using UST's alone because there was a lot of quacking going on.

Thanks. I'll get it tomorrow and have it installed in the next week or so. I'll be able to dial in the blend through my aviom plugged into the board so I'll really be able to hear to get the sound I want.

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

Congrats! You will be very pleased with this system. Just remember you may have some tweaking to do with the Tru-Mic to get the "tone" you like.
Be patient and use your ears. Once you have it dialed in, you're pretty much set. Incidentally, used mine last night at an "open mic" and got lots of compliments. From what I could hear, most of the other performers were using UST's alone because there was a lot of quacking going on.

Jerry had the full Anthem in his guitar and Randy was using a Dean Markley mag. Diana's, Blair's and Mikey's guitars were all equipped with undersaddle piezo pickups.

Yep. Small world.


And here's what my own Anthem SL-equipped guitar sounded like on the same night. I finished up the night after most of the sign-up acts had gone home.

https://youtu.be/nrXSulnEvJ0

[Sjp]

I just installed this in my J45 to replace the Element that was factory installed. Not only was the replacement installation easy, it is a big upgrade in sound quality. The SL is more natural sound and not quacky.

[Vancebo]

Gary, I have heard a lot of your clips over the last few years and I think this might be my favorite as far as guitar tone wise.

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by Vancebo

Gary, I have heard a lot of your clips over the last few years and I think this might be my favorite as far as guitar tone wise.

If I'm making progress with my Anthem SL rig's tone, its likely due to the EQ flexibility of my recently acquired Zoom A3. For my particular Anthem SL rig, there isn't a mic level "sweet spot" which gives me complete satisfaction, with respect to tone. On Thursday night (when the vid was recorded) I was using the A3's two bands of virtual parametric EQ to 1) cut 4db at 160Hz, Q=1 and 2) cut 6db at 1KHz, Q=1. I was also using the A3's virtual graphic EQ for a 2db cut at 6.3KHz.

With the A3, I can use the 2 band parametric EQ and the 6 band graphic EQ in series, or I can even use two parametric EQs in series. On top of that, I can use the A3's basic 3 band EQ for "quick and dirty" adjustments at the gig, when needed.

I can also use the A3 as a blender, since the mic input is a compound jack which will also handle a 1/4" mono plug. The mic channel works well with active pickup systems, as well as mics. At last night's gig, I used the A3 to blend the PUTW I/O UST (in a different guitar) with a Baggs Lyric which I recently installed.

[DrJamie]

Initial observations on the switch from the Lyric to the Anthem SL are a much better amplified sound, after dialing in the mic/UST balance. Through my non-eq'd Bose L1 Compact, the bass is a bit heavy, even on this 3/4 LG-2, but similar to my Fishman Ellipse Blend in my D-18. Much happier with the sound so far. I guess I like that UST added in. A better test will be this Monday night at my monthly acoustic gig. There, I plug into my buddy's Loud Box, and can dial the bass back a bit if needed. The tech even switched the covers so I could have the tortoise color instead of the crème, which I much prefer inside the sound hole.

[Groberts]

I captured a few new recordings of my Collings OM1A w/Baggs Anthem PU at a solo acoustic gig I played last night. I thought maybe a recording or two might be worth a thousand words? This was my first time recording with my iPhone 6S Plus.

Forgive the clams and timing issues with the Looper. If you hit the 'loop play' at the wrong time, it occurs overtime the loop repeats. LOL Oh Well.

While the jam on Stairway is a bit self indulgent and cliche, I thought it would be good to hear the acoustic with a little bit of delay. I used a Strymon Ola Chorus on the rhythm part of the loop.

[guitaniac]

That was a very enjoyable listen, Mr. Roberts. Are you blending in some UST signal (with the mic signal that's above 250Hz), or is your blender simply set in the full mic position?

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by guitaniac

That was a very enjoyable listen, Mr. Roberts. Are you blending in some UST signal (with the mic signal that's above 250Hz), or is your blender simply set in the full mic position?

I believe I had the mix set somewhere around 80-90% true Mic. I am still experimenting. Dialing all the way to Tru-mic side still retains the 150z and below from the UST. And I believe that is the setting that really sounds best.

I watched a YouTube demo of the Anthem and the presenter indicated the sweet spot was 90% Tru-Mic. That was just one persons opinion, so I gave it a try. I will dial 100% to Tru Mic for my next gig and if the background is quiet enough, I'll try to capture a recording. Then again, maybe I need to try that at home in a more quiet/controlled environment. Hmm. :-)

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by guitaniac

Jerry had the full Anthem in his guitar and Randy was using a Dean Markley mag. Diana's, Blair's and Mikey's guitars were all equipped with undersaddle piezo pickups.

Yep. Small world.


And here's what my own Anthem SL-equipped guitar sounded like on the same night. I finished up the night after most of the sign-up acts had gone home.

https://youtu.be/nrXSulnEvJ0

I knew I heard quacking. Jerry's guitar sounded good and he is very talented.

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

I knew I heard quacking. Jerry's guitar sounded good and he is very talented.

To be fair, the high school kids were using cheap guitars with cheap electronics. Most higher end UST systems don't sound that bad. A DTAR Wavelength system, for instance. sounds pretty decent in that kind of "casual listening" environment.

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by Groberts

I believe I had the mix set somewhere around 80-90% true Mic. I am still experimenting. Dialing all the way to Tru-mic side still retains the 150z and below from the UST. And I believe that is the setting that really sounds best.

I watched a YouTube demo of the Anthem and the presenter indicated the sweet spot was 90% Tru-Mic. That was just one persons opinion, so I gave it a try. I will dial 100% to Tru Mic for my next gig and if the background is quiet enough, I'll try to capture a recording. Then again, maybe I need to try that at home in a more quiet/controlled environment. Hmm. :-)

Thanks for the info on how you were dialed in for the vids. Happy experimenting with the blend.

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by guitaniac

Thanks for the info on how you were dialed in for the vids. Happy experimenting with the blend.

The Blend is easy really. I was only experimenting to see if any blend other than dialing 100% to the tru-mic would give me anything I don't already have or need.

I could leave the Anthem dialed 100% to the tru-mic side where I believe it sounds the best and is the most organic and natural sounding. FYI - When the thumb wheel is dialed all the way toward the tru-mic side (which is toward the neck of the guitar), the Anthem still uses the UST for 150Hz and below.

[guitaniac]

Originally Posted by Groberts

The Blend is easy really. I was only experimenting to see if any blend other than dialing 100% to the tru-mic would give me anything I don't already have or need.

I could leave the Anthem dialed 100% to the tru-mic side where I believe it sounds the best and is the most organic and natural sounding. FYI - When the thumb wheel is dialed all the way toward the tru-mic side (which is toward the neck of the guitar), the Anthem still uses the UST for 150Hz and below.

There seems to be some confusion about the exact crossover frequency. The figure which I recall is 250Hz (close to the fundamental frequency of the open 'b' string). In any event, I'm very aware that when the blend is on full mic, the UST still handles the part of the signal which is below the crossover frequency. I've been using an Anthem SL system for several years now.

PS Here's one of the places where its been stated that the crossover frequency is 250Hz. This is Doug Young's Anthem review from 2010. He mentions the crossover frequency at about 1:35 in. Its possible, I suppose, that the Baggs folks have revised the design since then.

https://youtu.be/jNJwDq3OV6o