Any L.R. Baggs Session DI fans?

[Nick84]

Originally Posted by KCharlesD

Thanks, Nick, that's promising, it would be worth a try - but as Jack B1 has said, it's a matter of whether the change the session makes is worth spending that amount of money. It could be, and it's L R Baggs too, like the Lyric. And pmarino, your guitar sounds absolutely great.

At home, I tried going through the inexpensive Behringer AD121 pedal (very useful to keep around at its price) and initially I thought, yes that warms the sound up a little. Haven't used it at a gig, though, I figured maybe it lost a little clarity, and it's only a cheap pedal.

Yes the notch filter is very effective compared with others on multi effects and also the 4 point lo-cut switch can be a god send for easy feedback fighting.

I’ve got other multi effects pedals but for quick set up and for my REB my first port of call is my Session. I was happy with what I got for the money considering the build quality and the case it came with.

[steelvibe]

OP here. i finally pulled the trigger on one of these and all i can say is that it is an excellent product. I've developed a "less is more" approach to amplifying my guitar and the Session DI is checking off that box nicely.

Here are my favorite things about the Session DI

- The VU meter is on the top of the unit so you can set your gain easily

- no need for a boost switch, here is where the genius of the built in multi-band compressor is so killer. Once your gain is set the compressor will smooth out the dynamics of your playing to that gain level. Quieter dynamics= decrease in compression/ louder playing dynamics= increase in compression.

- works great with SBT pickups (my favorite)

[Nemydom]

Could someone please clarify, if LR Baggs Session Acoustic DI is fully analog or digital?

[Nemydom]

Originally Posted by Nemydom

Could someone please clarify, if LR Baggs Session Acoustic DI is fully analog or digital?

Just got a response directly from LR Baggs:

"Thanks for your email.

The Session DI is a fully analog circuit. The signal is not converted to digital, nor is there any digital processing on any part of the signal.

I hope this helps. If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Sincerely,
Caleb Elling
LR Baggs Service and Support"

[PANDAPANDELO]

Just wanna say that I'm really lovin' the LR Baggs Session DI into my rig latelly. I've noticed that the Comp EQ is beint less important, since I'm with a nice pickup, and it seems to work harder in nasty frequencies, as it is suposed to work.

With my K&K Trinity, I'm leaving the mic without bass, so it don't feedback easily, and leaving the bass to the Pure Mini. But, since it adds a little of low mids with the bass control, and I tend to have problems in that area with my acoustic guitar, I'm using more of the Saturation Know on the Session DI to enhance those lower frequencies, and it is working as a charm. What already sounded good, is sounding stellar! Plus, it gives me the DI out that the K&K Trinity Pro Preamp don't have.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by PANDAPANDELO

Just wanna say that I'm really lovin' the LR Baggs Session DI into my rig latelly. I've noticed that the Comp EQ is beint less important, since I'm with a nice pickup, and it seems to work harder in nasty frequencies, as it is suposed to work.

With my K&K Trinity, I'm leaving the mic without bass, so it don't feedback easily, and leaving the bass to the Pure Mini. But, since it adds a little of low mids with the bass control, and I tend to have problems in that area with my acoustic guitar, I'm using more of the Saturation Know on the Session DI to enhance those lower frequencies, and it is working as a charm. What already sounded good, is sounding stellar! Plus, it gives me the DI out that the K&K Trinity Pro Preamp don't have.

I've found I've got to use the Saturation dialed in at 9 or 10 o'clock max as a barely heard tonal seasoning, otherwise, I can hear too much distortion in the tone which I don't like to hear on acoustic guitars.

[Petty1818]

I still own the Session DI, and although it's a quality item, I don't feel like I need it. I am the same way with the saturation, too much and it's just distorting the signal. The right amount doesn't do enough to justify having more items in my chain.

I sometimes wonder if the same effect could be achieved with a simple, transparent and low drive pedal.

[JackB1]

I think for what you get with the Session pedal, it's tough to justify it's cost or need. It's 2 main pieces are compression and saturation. Compression is often part of many other pedals, so you may not need this at all and Saturation is a debatable effect for acoustics. Why aren't there any other stand alone acoustic pedals for "saturation"? If this is just a wonderful effect, why haven't more pedals come out with this effect?

So for what you get, I don't know how valuable this perdal is. For those that like it, more power to them. I just don't personally get the need for it.

[Zestystrat]

Originally Posted by Petty1818

I still own the Session DI, and although it's a quality item, I don't feel like I need it. I am the same way with the saturation, too much and it's just distorting the signal. The right amount doesn't do enough to justify having more items in my chain.

I sometimes wonder if the same effect could be achieved with a simple, transparent and low drive pedal.

I'm still on the fence on the Session. What does the rest of your signal chain look like that you find it non essential?

[PANDAPANDELO]

The Session is not a simple compressor. It don't get your signal and compresses it normally when you reach the threshold. It is a multiband compressor, so it act only in certain frequencies. So, if you have a pickup that is really natural and don't have the problem with those frequencies, it won't do too much to your tone.

But, for example, when I use only the K&K Pure Mini, and I set the Compressor on the Session, I need to use way less EQ on my mixer to achieve the same result.

It is suitable to correct excessive frequencies, not just the overall volume.

And the Saturation knob is exactly what you guys told it to be: subtle, but that makes a lot of difference for me. I always work with subtle saturation on mixing. So it is perfect for achieving a similar result, but in your pedalboard.

And, as I said, since I don't use another DI pedal, it gives me that, and that makes it a nice preamp for my signal chain. The question is: will I still use it when I have the Felix2 Preamp? I really don't know... I'll have to test the Saturation as an Effect, for vocals and acoustic guitar. Maybe I'll use, maybe I don't. Time will tell. Until the time comes, I'll keep using it!

[steelvibe]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I think for what you get with the Session pedal, it's tough to justify it's cost or need. It's 2 main pieces are compression and saturation. Compression is often part of many other pedals, so you may not need this at all and Saturation is a debatable effect for acoustics. Why aren't there any other stand alone acoustic pedals for "saturation"? If this is just a wonderful effect, why haven't more pedals come out with this effect?

So for what you get, I don't know how valuable this perdal is. For those that like it, more power to them. I just don't personally get the need for it.

Here is why I like it (and it is my thread afterall- happy to own it)

Let me preface by saying that I have real world experience in this working as both an electric and acoustic guitarist on my praise team. One thing learned over years of doing this is that, for ME, less is more. If I want pads or fancy "transition" music, that is what the keyboardist's job is. Solo, now that is a different story. When there is nobody to "share" your sound with, then some tasteful effects can absolutely elevate a performance (thank you Jon Gomm, Michael Hedges, Mike Dawes, etc.). I have come to the following conclusion of the Session DI after the above observations:

-The Comp EQ is unlike anything else on the market. It squishes when you approach the gain limits that you set up when dialing in the room, and it automatically boosts your signal when you play more quietly. It is essentially "alive" in its response to your playing dynamics! Okay, got a little excited there.

-It can be powered via wall wart, 9V battery, and phantom power. Phantom power is fabulous when you want the most simple set up possible, and what is more simple than plugging into an XLR cable into the snake wall? The 9V is nice for working with amplifiers at home or the smaller gigs.

-You have a mute switch, something that many units surprisingly don't have.

-It has a 1/4" out to go to your amp, ground lifts, HPF, and low cuts.

-It is built like a tank, video out there of Lloyd himself running it over with a truck. It was fine (although not something I would do)

It did initially bug me that there was no EQ, but then I realized something; LR Baggs assumes you are sending the DI signal out to FoH, where there is a smorgassbord of EQ. There will be loud drums, and a bass player, and a keyboardist, and vocalists, most of which crave the lights and sonic space. Any precious EQ'ing you do on stage is not maybe but definitely going to be interfered with. I think I've made my point, and I realize not everyone has to like it. I personally think it is one of the best Pre/DIs ever made.

[PaperMoon]

The Session DI, coupled with a regular MXR 10-band EQ pedal, (EQ pedal -> Session -> Out), has been a gamechanger for me. I can get a natural sounding--and natural feeling--sonic profile that eluded me forever previously. I'll run this setup with my Ultratonic- Taylor and with an Ibanez jazzbox and it works equally well. I've been using it for 3 months now and the battery hasn't depleted at all. The Session rocks!

[RogerPease]

The notch on the Session is really good.
But there are other ways to get that.
Just sayin’. _RP

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by PaperMoon

The Session DI, coupled with a regular MXR 10-band EQ pedal, (EQ pedal -> Session -> Out), has been a gamechanger for me. I can get a natural sounding--and natural feeling--sonic profile that eluded me forever previously. I'll run this setup with my Ultratonic- Taylor and with an Ibanez jazzbox and it works equally well. I've been using it for 3 months now and the battery hasn't depleted at all. The Session rocks!

Great thread! Thanks for the comment about the using a 10 Band EQ pedal with the Session. I want to try this. I have the Baggs Align EQ but when I boost or cut (mostly cut) frequencies, I find I don't care for the sound. Maybe I need a simpler EQ with 10 bands like the MXR. I am also looking into the Empress Para EQ MKII. More complex but its supposed to be a great pedal also.

[PaperMoon]

Sure thing! When I initially got the Session I went from it to either my board or direct to the speaker (I use Bose stuff), and it was fine, but I had that 10-band lying around and it really clicked. I keep its volume and gain at the center detents, pull down 1kHz by about 3-6db (I can't stand that frequency range), and for the rest it's mostly flat until room considerations come in. I find it super useful for those small quality-of-life tweaks you need to make in different places and it's pretty efficient and easy to do so.