Red Eye pre/DI question

[steelvibe]

In my experience in bands, and with regard to my set up, I've discovered that I have an appreciation for simplicity. Naturally I would be very attracted to an SBT impedance matching pre/DI like the Red Eye products. Very little in the way of knobs to turn and phantom powered function to boot. I have a Fishman Platinum Stage that sounds good (I have always felt that Fishman products have a certain signature coloration though), and it is a keeper for certain open Mic situations, but it does not sound as good to my ears as the Red Eye.

Who can convince me that a Red Eye is worth owning when it has zero feedback control? No phase switch, no mid- shaping capability, no notch filter....nothing. Certainly it can't mean that they are inherently feedback resistant? What are owners doing to combat the issue?

[Monsum]

I owned both, the Red Eye and a bigger brother of the Fishman Stage preamp called Platinum Pro EQ/DI. My choice for a SBT pickup between these two preamps would be the Fishman.
The Red Eye is okay if you like what your pickup sounds like without any EQ alteration. But then if like that, most of preamps would do the job. I've never understood the admiration for the Red Eye unless your priority is simplicity of the setup and all you need is some kind of a good quality DI/preamp.

If you like the Red Eye but there might be a need for further EQ adjustments, you might end up buying another pedal (EQ) to complement the preamp and your setup loses that desired simplicity.

[Uncle Pauhana]

Aside from the volume boost and the treble control (which the builder calls a "dead string knob"), the Red-Eye is a pure pre-amp; that is, it's meant to take your guitar's output and treat it so that it sends the best possible signal to a mixing board or amplifier where it can be processed as needed. It's not intended to do everything; it's intended to make the sound tech at the board smile. It's great at what it does, but if you want more control close at hand, you may prefer another pre, or perhaps to utilize the Red-Eye's handy effects loop to add a graphic or parametric EQ pedal.

[kaos]

I love the redeye, but I do use the effects loop for tuner, eq, reverb, and harmony singer. The eq is essential for me.

[varmonter]

I sunk some bucks awhile back in a half rack(two actually)
eq by a company named Speck Electronics.
Called a Speck ASC eq.
Better known in the recording industry probably more so
than in the pro sound community.
Anyway i think i could get by with the
lowest quality preamp and still make my
guitar sound great as long as i had this
parametric eq with me.
Redeye gets a lot of love here . I've never
tried one . But a seperate clean eq can work
wonders for any rig. And could only compliment
what ever your running now.
Like i said i can't speak for the red eye but
i also can't beleive its a one stop shop item. in that
you will find you need something in addition.
Personally I like the Grace Felix. Owned and used one for about
Three years now If it breaks out of warranty i would get another .

[Methos1979]

The Red Eye is a great preamp/DI and it really does just give your tone an incredible little boost in quality. I found that the treble boost did help with my tone but as the OP pointed out it does not solve every issue. Red Eyes are great if you're just sending your signal out to a soundman that knows what he's doing and will take care of EQ'ing your signal. But if you need to do your own EQ and feedback control then you'll likely need more. I kept mine for years but never used it much as I have yet to find myself in a situation where I'm dealing with a sound pro and his PA!

[Perchman]

I mostly play out with my own PA but the few times I have played open mics, it’s been with my D55 with JJB 330 and Fire Eye and there hasn’t been any problems. That treble knob can really help tame some sizzle. Actually I’m blown away at how much better my J35 and Baggs Element VTC sounds going through the Fire Eye. I expected simply added gain but it helps tremendously with that UST sizzle. I don’t know how, but it’s a more organic sound even with a UST and existing preamp already in place.

[SalFromChatham]

My Red Eye Fire Eye is integral to my k&k guitars’ awesome acoustic tone. The EQ needs are minimal. I play in some pretty loud places, through a Bose stick... and feedback is handled via a soundhole plug....

I did buy a BOss GE7, which I am selling, to put in the loop of the REFE... I just never use it. I like the tone fine as it is without it.

[Groberts]

For the money, you can't beat all the features in one pedal; the Fishman Platinum Pro EQ. That said, I just wired up a new pedalboard and ran EVERYTHING through the Redeye effects loop. The Clean boost on the RedEye is magic for my solo's to pop out in the mix and the Red eye is super clean.

I had to add the Baggs Align EQ for notch filter, phase switch and EQ tone shaping. I never use compression so I don't miss that.



Here is a video recording through the pedal board into a Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge.

[The Kid!]

That shimmer sounds amazing!

[Woodstock School Of Music]

I have my Boss GE7 wired to the Redeye efx loop. Most of the time I don't use the EQ but it sure came in handy the other night when I played a boomy room and I needed to cut through more.

[dcopper]

To OP,
whether the RedEye will be enough for you will just depend on your setup, the venue and how you are shaping your tone. I use the Redeye often with the K&K Taylors I have and it just plain makes your tone better with no real muss or fuss. I like the treble control and it helps to get a more articulate sound out of the K&K pickups.

If you need to shape your kids/cut bass etc., (and I found that the RedEye controls that low rumble inherent in the K&K pickups) then you will need something more in place of or in addition to the Redeye.

The RedEye does for the K&K what the SB2 preamp does for the Sunrise sound hole pickup- it just brings out the best in the pickup tone. You may just need a bit more- maybe a small eq pedal in the effects loop or in line with your redeye.
davidc

[The Kid!]

There should be enough EQ at the board, but something like the Empress ParaEQ would be outstanding in the loop. You could get a graphic EQ and that would work well too, but you’re going to have a lot more control with the Empress.

I never liked how the LR Baggs Para DI sounded. The red eye just makes everything sound better to me. I put my whole pedal board in the red eye loop.

I actually run a Tonedexter before the red at the moment. I may change the order eventually, but I’ve been gigging so much that I haven’t had the time.

[Br1ck]

There are two schools of thought to please two kinds of people. Those that love to twiddle knobs and those that don't.

The RedEye will appeal to those that don't. These will go to great lengths to start with a pickup system that puts out a signal needing little to no tweaking. Match impedance, boost the signal and go. I asked the EQ question of the RedEye designer why there were so many pres with so much EQ. He told me it was to compensate for a non linear gain stage.

My take is you will twiddle knobs to get the sound you want, then the guy or gal manning the board will twiddle knobs to get the sound they want.

I've found my sound satisfaction in Dazzo pickups tailored to my guitars. I used to use my RedEye but I've found better sound in my SunnAudio Stage 1 DI. The boost switch is the only RedEye feature I miss.

Both the RedEye and SunnAudio do a great job smoothing out piezo pickup sound. And both work well for quick and dirty open mic situations.

You can tell which camp I'm in. My home stereo has no tone control, and no balance. One volume. If I want a brighter sound, I put a Telefunken in the input tube socket. If I want warm, it gets a Mullard. In between gets an Amperex Bugle Boy.But I start the chain with a nice Denon cartridge I like.

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

There are two schools of thought to please two kinds of people. Those that love to twiddle knobs and those that don't.

The RedEye will appeal to those that don't. These will go to great lengths to start with a pickup system that puts out a signal needing little to no tweaking. Match impedance, boost the signal and go. I asked the EQ question of the RedEye designer why there were so many pres with so much EQ. He told me it was to compensate for a non linear gain stage.

My take is you will twiddle knobs to get the sound you want, then the guy or gal manning the board will twiddle knobs to get the sound they want.

I've found my sound satisfaction in Dazzo pickups tailored to my guitars. I used to use my RedEye but I've found better sound in my SunnAudio Stage 1 DI. The boost switch is the only RedEye feature I miss.

Both the RedEye and SunnAudio do a great job smoothing out piezo pickup sound. And both work well for quick and dirty open mic situations.

You can tell which camp I'm in. My home stereo has no tone control, and no balance. One volume. If I want a brighter sound, I put a Telefunken in the input tube socket. If I want warm, it gets a Mullard. In between gets an Amperex Bugle Boy.But I start the chain with a nice Denon cartridge I like.

I enjoyed your post and everytime you mention the SunnAudio and Dazzo, you peak my curiosity to try it.

I recently added the RedEye and a large reason is because I heard that it works famously with the K&K PU. I love the Red Eye and yes it works nice, but for 'me', it is not a 'magic bullet'. The K&K seems to lack 'air' and detail. maybe I need to boost the treble knob a little more on the Red Eye to enhance that.

I agree, the Boost knob on the Red Eye is exceptional. I use it a lot and I would need another pedal on my board for clean boost if I didn't have that. So the Sunn Audio is probably not going to work considering real estate on my pedal board. (and the need for a clean boost)

All that said, your summary is very well taken.