Radial Stagebug 1 or 4?

krisls · #1 07-16-2018, 08:42 PM

Hi guys, I've done a bit of a search and come up with a couple of threads several years old. I am looking to get one of the Radial Stagebug DI's either the 1 or the 4. 1 is more an 'acoustic DI' while the 4 is regarded as a 'Piezo' one. Slightly diff specs but not radically so.

I want a very simple plug n play for primarily my Maton (AP5 pro – undersaddle w' mic) and other similar guitars and occasionally my K&K ( straight pure mini) equipped 000.

Any EQ would be done at the board and for the record I have a PZ Deluxe on my pedalboard which works well for everything I've thrown at it. Nor am I a huge believer in the 'K&K impedance issue'.

So any experience hands on with either or preferably both, advice or thoughts....

ps … I was looking to get a Q Strip... but they's $450 here... I don't need one that much. The Radials run about $130.

Kris

pieterh · #2 07-17-2018, 05:37 AM

Looking at the specs I would be inclined to go for the SB-4 just because it has a low cut filter and a ground lift and because it is optimised for passive pickups (so would be ideal with the K&K).

Incidentally, you mention a Pz-Deluxe. Would the stage bug be used when you aren’t using the Pz-Deluxe? Otherwise the Pz-Deluxe should presumably do everything you need...

krisls · #3 07-17-2018, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pieterh

Looking at the specs I would be inclined to go for the SB-4 just because it has a low cut filter and a ground lift and because it is optimised for passive pickups (so would be ideal with the K&K).

Incidentally, you mention a Pz-Deluxe. Would the stage bug be used when you aren’t using the Pz-Deluxe? Otherwise the Pz-Deluxe should presumably do everything you need...

Thanks for the response. I was leaning to the sb 1. The use would be as a standalone... ie just bring guitar, no pedals or board etc. So no PZ Deluxe. I think I get why you say the 4 but I am unsure. Is it actually better for the K&K?
Kris

philjs · #4 07-17-2018, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krisls

I want a very simple plug n play for primarily my Maton (AP5 pro – undersaddle w' mic) and other similar guitars and occasionally my K&K ( straight pure mini) equipped 000.

These (passive K&K vs Maton onboard pre) are two very different animals, Kris.

General rule of thumb is to use a passive DI for an active pickup and an active pickup for a passive one. Both the SB-1 and SB-4 are active (use 48v from the board) while the SB-2 is passive. All are slightly different: the SB-1 offers a 10dB pad, the SB-2 a 15 dB pad and the SB-4 has no pad at all but has a high pass filter instead (and note that the SB-4 is not really geared towards acoustic guitar but towards other piezo instruments like violin, cello, etc. where the HPF is most useful). All offer a ground lift switch.

If it was me, I'd buy one of each: a SB-1 for the K&K and an SB-2 for the Maton (they're monetarily cheap for Radial boxes). Hope this helps,

Phil

buzzardwhiskey · #5 07-17-2018, 08:16 AM

Our lead acoustic guitar player, with a K&K equipped dread, uses the Radial PZ-DI with switchable load capability...

http://www.radialeng.com/product/pz-di/

It's wonderful.

pieterh · #6 07-17-2018, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krisls

Thanks for the response. I was leaning to the sb 1. The use would be as a standalone... ie just bring guitar, no pedals or board etc. So no PZ Deluxe. I think I get why you say the 4 but I am unsure. Is it actually better for the K&K?

Kris

I would want to try one, certainly. Active DIs are recommended for passive pickups though it isn’t essential the other way around - active DIs can and do sound great on active systems. One reason for using active DI on a passive system is to make sure there is enough juice to power both the mixer (or similar) input as well as the line out to an on stage amp or similar. For your usage an active would be ideal so that one bug would do a great job on both guitars.

I have the Pz-pre and have my (active) Taylor going to input 1 and my Furch (with passive K&K Pure Mini) going in to input 2 with the piezo buffer activated.

As for the SB-4 not really being suited to guitars, the fact that it is optimised for passive pickups with a low cut is ideal as far as I am concerned. I know not everyone would agree with me but in most cases (in my experience) the frequencies that the filter take out are not essential to the basic good tone of the guitar and would be more likely to sound muddy and get in the way anyway.

I would suggest trying them if you can. If not and you can afford two, get the SB1 or even 2 to go with the Maton and the 4 to go with the K&K!