K&K Problems thru Bose L1

Soaranator · #1 02-03-2016, 11:12 AM

My picking buddy and I both have K&K Pure pickups in our guitars (Taylor 612 with new UltraPure preamp and a Taylor 320 SEB with a passive system + volume control). We play open mics and have played everything from quiet coffeehouse venues to bars at over 100db.
At one venue we play, they have two Bose L1 Compact columns and the T1 ToneMatch. We have the worst time there with the sound man complaining to us that our guitars are way too hot, and we always end up with either feedback or inaudible guitars. The columns are in front of us instead of behind us. Never had any other venues using the Bose system complain about the K&K pickups being too hot - usually the other way. Never had such epic feedback issues with any system.
We feel pretty certain the problem is operator error, but are trying to figure out the best way to approach this problem from our end, and suggestions from experienced users to offer the soundman would be greatly appreciated.

maxtheaxe · #2 02-03-2016, 11:57 AM

From the sound of this, I'd agree that it has to be operator error. Look...the K&Ks are passive transducers, about as simple as it gets, although they are known for putting out a lot more level on their own than your typical passive pups; all that should be required in this is less pre-amp level at the board...it doesn't take much.

The other thing is that they are very flat in their eq response, which means that the mids sound proportionally too hot and are hard to control...my only complaint about K&Ks, and it's a small one. I've found that I have to attenuate the mids quite a bit to get a balanced tone and decent headroom with these.

One thing that has worked well for me is that I got the K&K Pure XLR Mach II preamp, which has a notch filter with adjustable bandwidth...very nice for hunting down problem frequencies in the mids and dialing them out, or tightening the low/low-mid frequencies for a tighter bass response. I have four acoustics with the K&Ks and a couple with LR Baggs Element undersaddles...works great with all of them.

You may also want to consider a sound-hole cover if you're playing at anything close to live band volume.

RockerDuck · #3 02-03-2016, 02:02 PM

Operator error. A mixer in this situation is better than the tone match. I use a mixer with my L1 compact and get a great sound no matter what I plug into it.

MaurysMusic · #4 02-03-2016, 02:04 PM

+1 on operator error.

Groberts · #5 02-03-2016, 02:10 PM

Does the Tonematch do any special Digital signal processing that optimizes a Bose L1 Compact versus using a mixer like Allen & Heath ZED10 FX or other smaller, high quality mixers?

jseth · #6 02-03-2016, 02:42 PM

Sounds like predominately "operator error" to me, although you can certainly do a couple things to help the guy out... for one, be sure that the gain setting on your K&K preamp is not overly hot... and let the guy know he's dealing with more of a line-level signal from THAT guitar.

With the passive K&K, I have found that it's difficult to dial-in an acceptable tone on my Goodall, either through my AER Compact 60, or my Bose L1 w/ T1 unit... I mean, I got it to where I didn't actually want to vomit from the sound (!), but it wasn't even a glimmer of what I wanted. So, realize that the K&K-equipped guitar without a pre-amp is going to be more difficult to get a good sound from...

I wasn't happy with my K&K in the Goodall until I bought a K&K PURE XLR pre-amp... smooth sailing with that in the signal chain!

Another thing to add: one the passive K&K guitar, make SURE that the volume control is all the way up when you are setting the T1 to it... you want to get your gain staging with that volume max'd, even if you turn it down a tad during performance.