LR Baggs Voiceprint (Soundscape) DI FIRST LOOK! - Page 4

SpruceTop · #46 10-11-2020, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

Did you ever try the trance? I’d love to try that with the VPDI.

I've had Trance M-VT systems in several guitars, only dreadnoughts though, and thought they sounded great. I have a Trance M-VT Phantom sitting on the shelf that I'll likely install in my Martin D-18 (after removing the Schatten HFN Artist 2) or in my Larrivee D-40M. For me, I've had consistently good amplification results from installing Trance M-VT systems, even when not following the exact recommended installation procedure (who in their right mind is going to jack against the pickup in various places to get the best-amplified tone?) but by using my own procedure that's available with photos on AGF. A few AGFers bought Trance M-VT systems upon my advocacy for the systems and didn't like them.

Last year, the Schatten HFN systems were the soup-du-jour on AGF but now many players have expressed their dissatisfaction with the various HFN systems' amplified tone. Currently, Dazzo is the new kid on the block and I haven't tried one of Teddy's systems yet but may do so someday. My feeling is that most quality systems can get good results if properly installed, and utilized.

By the way, I'm considereing buying a new Adamas GT Cutaway Deep Contour (3 dB acoustic volume variation in tone across fingerboard) because it's Ovation pickup and Op Pro Studio preamp will sound as good as anything out there while enabling tweaking its amplified tone to just about anything you want. How do I know this? Been there and done it!

AeroUSA · #47 10-11-2020, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petty1818

Aaron, can I make a request for your next demo of the voiceprint? Could you do a flat eq demo? I would love to hear how the IR sounds without eq applied to either the pickup or the IR.

Petty I was wrong. For today’s stream I worked on my tone and it was way too thin. I ended up turning off all of the EQ and was very happy with the sound. Just a few narrow notches to take out some annoying frequencies from the pickup.

Check out my live stream from today. I wasn’t particularly happy with my performance it I was very happy with the tone. This is a Goldplus that is the hardest base-tone to start with! I can’t wait to try Thai pedal with the Trance. I think it’s going to be good!

Akousticplyr · #48 10-11-2020, 06:04 PM

Very helpful initial review, thanks Aaron.

Still tweaking the Optima Air but now I think I may have to try the LR Baggs for an A/B comparision through my rig.

Petty1818 · #49 10-11-2020, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

Petty I was wrong. For today’s stream I worked on my tone and it was way too thin. I ended up turning off all of the EQ and was very happy with the sound. Just a few narrow notches to take out some annoying frequencies from the pickup.

Check out my live stream from today. I wasn’t particularly happy with my performance it I was very happy with the tone. This is a Goldplus that is the hardest base-tone to start with! I can’t wait to try Thai pedal with the Trance. I think it’s going to be good!

That sounded great! I am excited to try this pedal. So are you installing a Trance soon? I still have mine and might try it again but I also have a Dazzo lying around.

AeroUSA · #50 10-11-2020, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akousticplyr

Very helpful initial review, thanks Aaron.

Still tweaking the Optima Air but now I think I may have to try the LR Baggs for an A/B comparision through my rig.

They Optima Air can load IR’s which is cool and it has a gorgeous reverb. They are quite different beasts.

MaurysMusic · #51 10-11-2020, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

I've had Trance M-VT systems in several guitars, only dreadnoughts though, and thought they sounded great. I have a Trance M-VT Phantom sitting on the shelf that I'll likely install in my Martin D-18 (after removing the Schatten HFN Artist 2) or in my Larrivee D-40M. For me, I've had consistently good amplification results from installing Trance M-VT systems, even when not following the exact recommended installation procedure (who in their right mind is going to jack against the pickup in various places to get the best-amplified tone?) but by using my own procedure that's available with photos on AGF. A few AGFers bought Trance M-VT systems upon my advocacy for the systems and didn't like them.

Last year, the Schatten HFN systems were the soup-du-jour on AGF but now many players have expressed their dissatisfaction with the various HFN systems' amplified tone. Currently, Dazzo is the new kid on the block and I haven't tried one of Teddy's systems yet but may do so someday. My feeling is that most quality systems can get good results if properly installed, and utilized.

By the way, I'm considereing buying a new Adamas GT Cutaway Deep Contour (3dB acoustic variation measurement across fingerboard) because it's Ovation pickup and Op Pro Studio preamp will sound as good as anything out there while enabling tweaking its amplified tone to just about anything you want. How do I know this? Been there and done it!

I do it because that's the way Gary (from Trance tought me). It's not that difficult if you do it with headphones, and take your time... and it pays big dividends.

AeroUSA · #52 10-11-2020, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petty1818

That sounded great! I am excited to try this pedal. So are you installing a Trance soon? I still have mine and might try it again but I also have a Dazzo lying around.

The next Martin I get will most likely have a Trance.

Akousticplyr · #53 10-11-2020, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

They Optima Air can load IR’s which is cool and it has a gorgeous reverb. They are quite different beasts.

Agreed. I suppose I'm looking for the "a-ha!" more natural acoustic tone DI and right now it seems it's between the Tonedexter, the Optima Air and this LR Baggs.

Cuki79 · #54 10-12-2020, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaurysMusic

I do it because that's the way Gary (from Trance tought me). It's not that difficult if you do it with headphones, and take your time... and it pays big dividends.

My experience is that I spent two weeks re-installing and never got close to what I had at the 2nd try (which I thought was not right because of strong sensor unbalance) but indeed gave the best overall tone. What Trance needs is to provide separate tone control for the sensors. The nasty high-end comes from one of the sensor (I don’t remember which) and a “too hard” bond...

The MVT is a must to have the tone knob and get rid of this nasty high end... it is a pity because you got rid of it, it is a less extraordinary.
Pickup... other SBT usually lack high end.... The trance audio amulet has tons to spare.

Doug Young · #55 10-12-2020, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

(who in their right mind is going to jack against the pickup in various places to get the best-amplified tone?)

I do it that way, again by Gary's recommendation, and it works great. It's fairly easy, and mostly eliminates the trial and error of placement. All I do is plug in, position the jack, and nudge it around until I get the best sound. Then stop and let it set overnight.

SpruceTop · #56 10-12-2020, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I do it that way, again by Gary's recommendation, and it works great. It's fairly easy, and mostly eliminates the trial and error of placement. All I do is plug in, position the jack, and nudge it around until I get the best sound. Then stop and let it set overnight.

Thanks, Doug, I'll give it a try on my next installation.

SpruceTop · #57 10-12-2020, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaurysMusic

I do it because that's the way Gary (from Trance tought me). It's not that difficult if you do it with headphones, and take your time... and it pays big dividends.

Thanks, Maury, although I've gotten good results from my installation process, I'll give Gary's recommended method a go. I guess that's why the Amulet is called a "lens."

MaurysMusic · #58 10-12-2020, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Thanks, Maury, although I've gotten good results from my installation process, I'll give Gary's recommended method a go. I guess that's why the Amulet is called a "lens."

My pleasure.

MaurysMusic · #59 10-12-2020, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cuki79

My experience is that I spent two weeks re-installing and never got close to what I had at the 2nd try (which I thought was not right because of strong sensor unbalance) but indeed gave the best overall tone. What Trance needs is to provide separate tone control for the sensors. The nasty high-end comes from one of the sensor (I don’t remember which) and a “too hard” bond...

The MVT is a must to have the tone knob and get rid of this nasty high end... it is a pity because you got rid of it, it is a less extraordinary.
Pickup... other SBT usually lack high end.... The trance audio amulet has tons to spare.

When you say this, are you judging the pickup in a direct-to-digital situation? Are you using it into a computer or onstage? I ask, because onstage I've found my OM-28V w/Amulet M to have "the right amount" of high-end. I play mine through a Bose L1.

JimAltendahl · #60 10-12-2020, 08:59 AM

I play fingerstyle and use my nails to pluck the strings. Occasionally my fingernails will scrape along the string windings producing an awful string squeak. This issue becomes very pronounced when playing my Taylor ES2 equipped guitar plugged in. I'm able to reduce some of the string squeak using a parametric eq, but this affects the overall tone of the strings. I'm wondering how effective the Soundscape multi-band compressor would be at reducing the squeaks? It would be like using a de-esser on a recorded track to remove string squeaks. Aeron, I would love to see you try using the multi-band compressor to address this problem.