Opinions on the Shatten HFN vs Fishman Rare Earth Mic Blend

[amsmarle]

Hello Everyone,
I am reading about a lot of love for the Shatten HFN.
I would be interested to read any opinions regarding the 'Shatten HFN vs Fishman Rare Earth Mic Blend' in terms of preference etc. I have a RE Mic blend running through a Aura Spectrum. Wondering what the HFN may sound like through the Aura Spectrum has anyone tried it..?

Regards
Alan

[AeroUSA]

If I was you I would either use the HFN and enjoy the less cluttered guitar or I’d install a matrix only fishman and use the Aura pedal.

[jonfields45]

If you don't mind the soundhole clutter, the Rare Earth Blend is a great pickup. Mag alone you've got a loud stage guitar and blended with the mic you've got a realistic my-guitar-louder that requires no equalization, no preamp, and no Tonedextor/Aura.

In my only HFN install, it requires EQ to boost the bass and tame the brightness. For me a simple Boss GE-7 takes it to a place that I think requires Tonedextor with other SBTs or USTs. Without the GE7, it works fine into a guitar amp with bass and treble controls and a high impedance input. It won't work into most mixer (low impedance) inputs.

A Matrix and an Aura (or Tonedextor) is another great solution where you've got a mixer friendly loud stage compatible Matrix and the option to add the Aura when you want my-guitar-louder. To my ear, USTs get little love on the AGF but sound great in a typical performance environment loud band or not.

And then there are a dozens of other good choices all of which have advocates on the AGF!

[hotroad]

I have both installed in my two most used guitars. The HFN does require some eq'ing either by pedal or amp. I lower the highs and raise the lows just a bit. The Fishman is more stand alone and has the option of using either the mic or the soundhole pickup or blending both. I change the blend from one song to another. But the tone of the HFN is superior to the tone of the Fishman using just the pickup without eq or effects. If you use a lot of effects on your guitar, the Fishman would be a better option since its magnetic at the soundhole. Currently I am in love with the tone I get from the HFN but I am not ready to change out my Fishman for the HFN just yet. I like the mic option for warmth and fingerstyle, a deeper mellower rounded tone than one can usually get from a soundhole pickup alone.

[amsmarle]

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

If I was you I would either use the HFN and enjoy the less cluttered guitar or I’d install a matrix only fishman and use the Aura pedal.

Thanks for your advice, what is the "I’d install a matrix only fishman" all I can find are matrix infinity or VT models. Is it just the PU itself with bare wires..?
(not sure)

Alan

[GuitarLuva]

Originally Posted by amsmarle

Hello Everyone,
I am reading about a lot of love for the Shatten HFN.
I would be interested to read any opinions regarding the 'Shatten HFN vs Fishman Rare Earth Mic Blend' in terms of preference etc. I have a RE Mic blend running through a Aura Spectrum. Wondering what the HFN may sound like through the Aura Spectrum has anyone tried it..?

Regards
Alan

I tried the Schatten HFN with aura imaging from the Ellipse aura preamp, tonedexter and the baggs tru mic from the anthem. While all of those sounded good, I prefer the pickup on it's own. It sounds very natural as is. I used the putty to install and for me its plug and play, no EQ.

Everyone has a tonal preference. If you want your guitars natural voice amplified go for the HFN, it's the best I tried. You can blend it with aura images if you wanted just don't blend too much, maybe less than 50%. After that I find the aura technology to sound kinda artificial.

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

If you don't mind the soundhole clutter, the Rare Earth Blend is a great pickup. Mag alone you've got a loud stage guitar and blended with the mic you've got a realistic my-guitar-louder that requires no equalization, no preamp, and no Tonedextor/Aura.

In my only HFN install, it requires EQ to boost the bass and tame the brightness. For me a simple Boss GE-7 takes it to a place that I think requires Tonedextor with other SBTs or USTs. Without the GE7, it works fine into a guitar amp with bass and treble controls and a high impedance input. It won't work into most mixer (low impedance) inputs.

A Matrix and an Aura (or Tonedextor) is another great solution where you've got a mixer friendly loud stage compatible Matrix and the option to add the Aura when you want my-guitar-louder. To my ear, USTs get little love on the AGF but sound great in a typical performance environment loud band or not.

And then there are a dozens of other good choices all of which have advocates on the AGF!

Your description would apply word for word to my Schertler AG6/S-Mic as well.

I really think the mag mic blend pickups excel for fingerstyle playing. Since that is what I do, I would choose the Rare Earth Blend over the Shatten or anything else, but I don't like the mag mic blend pickups nearly as much for flat picking styles.

[amsmarle]

Thanks everyone for the replies and suggestions.
It seems that the comparison scenarios to try may be the following.

1) The HFN on its own and possibly with the 'Aura Spectrum'
2) The Matrix seems to be the favoured ideal match for Aura Spectrum
3) Continue with the existing Rare Earth/Aura 'Spectrum setup'

No-3 is has been a great improvement on the broken E-Sonic 2 that is sitting dormant in my Epiphone EF 500RCCE. So removing the (Nanoflex piezo) for the Matrix wouldn't be a problem, I'd just have to keep the preamp in the side of the body to cover up the opening.

Food for thought

Many thanks
Alan