Quote:
Originally Posted by martingitdave
That depends on the tone you're looking for and the gear you're using. Finding a preamp with the recommended 1 Meg Ohm can be a bit tricky. Finding one with 1 Meg Ohm input impedance and a prametric EQ is more tricky. Finding one with 1 Meg Ohm input impedance and 2 bands of prametric EQ, and a high pass filter is more tricky still. Trial and error has produced surprising results for some people with all manner of equipment.
For instance, I recently "reunited" with the TC Helicon Play Acoustic, which has 1 meg Ohm input impedance, and just edited all of the parametric EQ information. I got an excellent clean tone from it.
I also invested in the ToneDexter, which is the latest and certainly the "greatest" preamp system available for correcting a pickup to sounds like a microphone using impulse response.
The hurdle for many of us with the K&K is not the kind of gig where you setup your own pedals and equipment. That is reasonably straightforward. It's the "plug and play" performance where someone hands you an instrument cable and says "strum" to get their level check. This is especially true for people who finger pick and need to tame the lows and bring out the highs.
About 1/3 of the time I can plug in a passive K&K into someone's PA system and get something that sounds like a guitar when played with a pick and bare fingers. 1/3 of the time I get something that can be used with a pick, but sounds like mud with bare fingers. 1/3 of the time I get something that sounds like mud regardless. Most of the time the board doesn't have mid controls in the 500 Hz to 1000 Hz range, which is where most of the over reproduced mud comes from.
For those situations, I have the K&K pure preamp. It sounds good, but it's big, clunky, and not really convenient to clip on your belt or guitar strap. It sometimes scrapes and scratches against the instrument. I'm presently working with a forum member who has developed custom IR files for me to use with another smaller preamp system. This has a lot of bugs, and isn't ready for prime time. But, I have hope that we can eventually use my ToneDexter wave maps with a (truly) portable preamp device.
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Maybe I've been lucky, but the gear I've tried my K&K with, a Mesa Rosette and the TC Play acoustic, have no problem with the ohm compatability. Also no problem plugging straight into a Bose L1C, although I should clarify that by saying there isn't an ohm discrepancy -- but it doesn't sound good (which is why I got the Play Acoustic) due to too much low-mid information.
Also, if I do the quick and dirty setup thing at open mics, usually through fairly commonplace DI boxes, I don't think relatively unsophisticated EQ settings can be blamed for performances that didn't go over that well. So far I'd say I'm getting the appropriate audience reaction based on my performances whether or not the guitar tone is ideal. In ideal performance situations where people are paying, EQ settings become much more important.
I actually get a lot of compliments on my guitar tone although I realize it could be more advanced, enough that I'm hesitant to switch guitars even though the neck is a little wide for me. And I'm sure a lot of that has to do with the combo of K&K in my particular guitar. It seems like K&Ks invariably go well with Collings guitars (and I'm sure many others).