ToneDexter Thread (continuation of original thread)

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

I wonder if a ToneDexter WaveMap can be loaded into a Fishman Aura Spectrum DI Preamp? Not that it's necessary or fulfills any real purpose but I was just wondering. I'll have to give it a try sometime as it can't hurt anything to try. If it does work, one good thing would be that the Aura Spectrum has an onboard Compressor that might be of use to some players.

That guy (an IT engineer) unlocked his Fishman Aura OEM

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-m...-unlocked.html

He'd probably have access to the Aura Images and may be able to do it. I don't see any real benefit. You can always add an extra compressor pedal after your Tonedexter if you need it.

Cuki

[pipe dreamer]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

I've got both the ToneDexter and the Fishman Aura Spectrum so I may give it a try just to satisfy my curiosity.

Hi SpruceTop

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the two devices going head to head, specifically when used through an acoustic amp in live settings. I own the Aura Spectrum, and I really like it, but my head has been turned by the Tonedexter!!

[jsbaker]

I'm curious about this as well. I play an Alvarez Yairi with B-Band A2.2 XOM pickup system through an Aura 16 (for IR shaping). Its the best live sound I've found to date.

After reading about the ToneDexter, I'm curious if there would be enough improvement to justify the cost. FYI, I already own some nice small diaphragm mics, so that's not a concern.

[gfirob]

There is no comparison between the Tonedexter and the Aura. The Tonedexter is using your original guitar with the mike you choose in the position you place it. You can tweak and change it. Right now it is the best way to achieve your guitar's honest tone without using a microphone, hands down.

[MrP]

A lot of interesting reading makes me very tempted to try the Tonedexter track.

I have a new high end guitar on order. (Gibson LG style).

What would be the best choice of pickup to give me the best possible match to the Tonedexter unit?

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by jsbaker

I'm curious about this as well. I play an Alvarez Yairi with B-Band A2.2 XOM pickup system through an Aura 16 (for IR shaping). Its the best live sound I've found to date.

After reading about the ToneDexter, I'm curious if there would be enough improvement to justify the cost. FYI, I already own some nice small diaphragm mics, so that's not a concern.

For what it's worth, I was going to install the B-Band A2.2 XOM and use it with the Tonedexter. However, when I asked about this, I was informed that this pickup had been tried (or at least a dual system similar to this), with below average results. Having said that, I am sure that if you roll the blend all the way to the UST it will work but I think even then, the AST is still carrying the highs.

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by MrP

A lot of interesting reading makes me very tempted to try the Tonedexter track.

I have a new high end guitar on order. (Gibson LG style).

What would be the best choice of pickup to give me the best possible match to the Tonedexter unit?

I would go K&K or some type of UST (Fishman, Baggs etc). I know a lot of people use the Tonedexter with the Amulet but I don't believe that it's all that beneficial to spend more on a pickup like the Amulet in this case.

[MrP]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

I would go K&K or some type of UST (Fishman, Baggs etc). I know a lot of people use the Tonedexter with the Amulet but I don't believe that it's all that beneficial to spend more on a pickup like the Amulet in this case.

Thank you Petty...I think you mean that I should get as good result with the Amulet as with K&K but it's more expensive.
I have the Amulet in another guitar and like it a lot, perhaps I will stick to this choice even for the new guitar. I think maybe it will be more versatile for occasions without Tonedexter.

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by MrP

Thank you Petty...I think you mean that I should get as good result with the Amulet as with K&K but it's more expensive.
I have the Amulet in another guitar and like it a lot, perhaps I will stick to this choice even for the new guitar. I think maybe it will be more versatile for occasions without Tonedexter.

If you have the Amulet already then yes, definitely stick with it. I just find that the Tonedexter does such a good job of creating a mic'd guitar wavemap that I can't really see myself ever spending over $200 on a pickup. The other part of it is that the K&K and UST are fairly consistent in terms of installation where as the Amulet can be a bit of a pain. I unfortunately had struggles with it.

[martingitdave]

I agree that the Trance is more versatile without Tondexter. However, if you intend to use only with a Tonedexter, the passive K&K is both cheaper and lighter, and will have no impact on tone. I prefer to not use a pedal, so I have been a hold out on the Tonedexter. But, I continue to soften my position with each performance. I’d love an on guitar processor for a Tonedexter wavemap. I’d be willing to invest in the system if I could record with the pedal and play with a more limited functionality onboard unit.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by pipe dreamer

Hi SpruceTop

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the two devices going head to head, specifically when used through an acoustic amp in live settings. I own the Aura Spectrum, and I really like it, but my head has been turned by the Tonedexter!!

I haven't tried the ToneDexter and Fishman Aura spectrum DI in a head-to-head smackdown. My Fishman Aura Spectrum has been in its box for a few years and will likely never be used again (maybe sell it?). The ToneDexter is a better solution because it can be trained with whatever guitar and mic you have available or wish to buy. The main advantage of a Fishman Aura Spectrum is that many of the available Aura Images, whether generated for a certain model guitar or not, are made with venerable and expensive mics (but do they sound good in a particular application?) that most of us will never consider buying. In my Aura Pedal and Onboard Aura experiences, I've always gravitated to the tone of the ribbon mic Aura Images because of the warmth for flatpicking.

Since I likely won't ever play-for-pay again, because of carpal-tunnel issues in both hands, my fleeting ToneDexter experiments have been limited to my family room. I'm very pleased with my WaveMap results on every guitar I've used with the ToneDexter (three guitars, so far, two with ES2, and one with Trance Amulet M-VT). Because of its mic-like tone characteristics, the ToneDexter can generate feedback--much less prone than a mic, however--which can occur, too, with a Fishman Aura pedal, and this should be taken into consideration when playing live. Based on my experiences with the ToneDexter and Fishman Aura systems, I would recommend the ToneDexter for those trying to make a choice in buying one or the other. Being that you already have a Fishman Aura Spectrum, and like the results you're getting with it, you may as well keep using it and save your money, or sell it and put the cash toward a ToneDexter.

[AeroUSA]

I’ve been comparing both and I still prefer the Aura live. The tone and compressor just work better for the music I play and the venues I play in.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

I’ve been comparing both and I still prefer the Aura live. The tone and compressor just work better for the music I play and the venues I play in.

The Fishman Aura Spectrum's compressor is a nice feature and I should have mentioned it. It can help achieve a more usable volume balance in live settings. Also, although the compression feature wasn't really designed for it, it also helps toward balancing an unbalanced UST's string-to-string output.

[AeroUSA]

I adore it. It made improved the tone last night and when I dig in for a solo it sounded glorious. Smooth and compressed lead tone. Never heard a compressor like it.

[Petty1818]

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

I adore it. It made improved the tone last night and when I dig in for a solo it sounded glorious. Smooth and compressed lead tone. Never heard a compressor like it.

I wanted to like the Aura and honestly, there were times when my plugged in tone was superb. However, for the most part I battled with it onstage. What I found, and this is true of many Fishman preamp/DI's is that my tone became a bit too processed/hi-fi. It wasn't a harsh high end, it was just as if the image had some eq added on to potentially make it better for live use. As a result, my guitar lost a bit of that warmth/body that I generally like.

The other issue was that I always felt detached from the Aura. It wasn't a latency thing, it just always felt as though I was playing through a pedal. The overall feel was off. I don't have either of these issues with the Tonedexter.

I won't praise the TD just yet as I need to use it live more but as a multi-instrumentalist in my band, I do really love the idea of having wavemaps for my mandolins etc.