ToneDexter with Schatten HFN pickup

gluve95 · #1 07-10-2020, 04:19 PM

Is anyone one here using the ToneDexter with the Schatten HFN active. Are they even compatible. How good does it sound. Can you compare to other preamps like LR Baggs.

Petty1818 · #2 07-10-2020, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gluve95

Is anyone one here using the ToneDexter with the Schatten HFN active. Are they even compatible. How good does it sound. Can you compare to other preamps like LR Baggs.

It will work fine. Most SBT’s and UST pickups will work great with the tonedexter.

Gordon Currie · #3 07-10-2020, 06:06 PM

I know there are a few on here who use the active version, I use the passive Schatten HFN.
There isn't going to be much difference in their use with ToneDexter. They can sound excellent.

ToneDexter and (fill in the blank) preamp aren't exactly comparable.
Although ToneDexter has clean preamp capabilities, that is not it's special sauce.
It's the ability to make a 'wavemap' - essentially an impulse response - from YOUR guitar captured with YOUR microphone.

(One caveat - the Schatten (and others like Dazzo) typically ends up sounding so good that ToneDexter doesn't give the HUGE quality jump as one would get with most under-saddle transducers, or even the K+K.)

guitarman68 · #4 07-11-2020, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

I know there are a few on here who use the active version, I use the passive Schatten HFN.
There isn't going to be much difference in their use with ToneDexter. They can sound excellent.

ToneDexter and (fill in the blank) preamp aren't exactly comparable.
Although ToneDexter has clean preamp capabilities, that is not it's special sauce.
It's the ability to make a 'wavemap' - essentially an impulse response - from YOUR guitar captured with YOUR microphone.

(One caveat - the Schatten (and others like Dazzo) typically ends up sounding so good that ToneDexter doesn't give the HUGE quality jump as one would get with most under-saddle transducers, or even the K+K.)

That covers exactly my experience trying the TD with Schatten, Dazzo, Ultratonic and K&K:
TD provides a huge improvement combined with the K&K, a bit with the Ultra Tonic, almost none with Schatten and Dazzo.

gluve95 · #5 07-11-2020, 03:04 PM

So,it sounds like paying the extra say over the LR Baggs Venue my not be worth it. Unless there are other features in the ToneDexter that make it worth more.

guitarman68 · #6 07-11-2020, 03:51 PM

If you are planning to use the preamp with other pickups than the Schatten, ToneDexter is great. If not, I can find no reason spending the extra dollar.

jonfields45 · #7 07-12-2020, 06:07 AM

If bang for the buck is the figure of merit, then the Behringer ADI21 is hard to beat.

If going well above the ADI21 price, go all the way to ToneDexter as it will handle the guitar or pickup you have not yet imagined buying where the box in the middle won't be any better than the ADI21 (at least as this EE sees it).

gluve95 · #8 07-12-2020, 07:03 AM

Knowing myself I have no doubt I will want to try different guitars and pickup. So with that in mind ToneDexter may be a good investment.

phcorrigan · #9 07-12-2020, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gluve95

Knowing myself I have no doubt I will want to try different guitars and pickup. So with that in mind ToneDexter may be a good investment.

The $400 price was a big chunk of change for me, but I have absolutely no regrets.