NU-X Optima Air

[DakotaCovers]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

Here is embedded


So it makes a second competitor after Baggs Soundscape.

Nux pedal will have Hi-Z, all the pedals share the same plateform (I have the IR pedal).

There is good chance it goes up to 2048pts as the Nux Solid studio.

There is a blend pot too...

for $179.00. It is going to be a great contender for Tonedexter.

$149 from some sellers at this time! I really like mine.

[DakotaCovers]

Originally Posted by Marty C

That was posted in July. I found one right after that post.

Did you get it? How do you like it? Have you used it at home? Live? Have you recorded your own impulse responses?

I really love mine.

[Marty C]

Originally Posted by DakotaCovers

Did you get it? How do you like it? Have you used it at home? Live? Have you recorded your own impulse responses?

I really love mine.

Yes, I did purchase this a few months ago. Only used at home so far.

So far, I have used the following IR’s:
- self made using Cuki’s process and software
- some premade from Cuki’s laboratory files (also used some Jon F made in Cuki’s lab)
- some purchased from Worship Tutorials
- self made using the Optima Air

So far, my best results are from the purchased ones from Worship Tutorials. I am not experienced in using a mic to record a guitar and I struggle with placement. I need more work in this area to improve.

The Optima Air does really well as a stand alone eq/di device. The reverb is good (for my purpose), but I struggle with noise and gain structure. This again is where I need more experience.

I am using my Taylor 814ce DLX, V brace primarily. However, I have also used a few Martins with UST. All this feeds a Bose S1 Pro or Fishman LB mini. I do feel the ES-2 doesn’t need much help and my IR dial is low, set at maybe 20-30%.

My biggest challenge is getting the bass where it is not too heavy or the treble to bright. This is where the mic placement comes, which I haven’t mastered.

I play early in the mornings so volumes are low. I have only played out once and I ended up turning off the IR and using the Optima as only for EQ and reverb. Again, I need more experience.

It all seems simple to use IR’s, but there seems to be lots of areas where this can change. Many variables. Volume, room, system I play through, finger style or pick, etc. Same variables as always, but maybe more compounded. If I only play at home at minimum volumes, I love it. I just need more experience.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by Marty C

So far, my best results are from the purchased ones from Worship Tutorials.

At $14.99 the IR package for each guitar, they'd better be good!

This is something I don't understand: "how can you make people pay for that". I guess one can monetize everything: even Worship Tutorials.

[DakotaCovers]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

At $14.99 the IR package for each guitar, they'd better be good!

This is something I don't understand: "how can you make people pay for that". I guess one can monetize everything: even Worship Tutorials.

It may seem like a lot but when you are trying to make a $2000-$3000 guitar sound the best it can, maybe it’s worth it!

I do enjoy the process of trying to make my own impulse responses from my own guitar though.

[DakotaCovers]

Marty C,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with the optima air and impulse responses. I appreciate it.

[Marty C]

Originally Posted by DakotaCovers

Marty C,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with the optima air and impulse responses. I appreciate it.

Thanks for the kind words. As I mentioned earlier, I have some experience to gain with mic placement. Cuki, Jon and Aaron’s experience and knowledge were very helpful. Before them, I had never heard of an IR.

You should try the program Cuki set up. I had better results making my own IR’s with it than I did trying to make them with the Optima Air. From his program, you can transfer them to the Optima Air.

Just a note from an experience I had. After I finished the process, I had a hard time hearing the complete IR result through my Bose since my guitar acoustically is loud and close to my ear. Until you really turn up the volume, it’s hard to tell what is IR and what is natural guitar. So, I put a plug in my sound hole so I could hear the IR better to do some final tweaking. Then I went back into the program to raise the HPF to remove some boominess. After this, I could raise the IR level again to bring back more of the natural tone. I just left the plug in since I was enjoying the result. It’s still there.

You are right. It’s a fun process.

[DakotaCovers]

Marty C
I am going to be sending some recordings to Cuki and I may try his software myself in the future. I really like the idea of plugging the sound hole with a sound hole cover. It makes a lot of sense.

[skiltrip]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

At $14.99 the IR package for each guitar, they'd better be good!

This is something I don't understand: "how can you make people pay for that". I guess one can monetize everything: even Worship Tutorials.

I recently picked up their Taylor 816 pack, and it actually IS very good. The thing is, they've IR captured with lots of different pickups, AND lots of different mic models (though some are simulated models using a Slate flat mic with different mic profiles, but they still sound unique and good). But the different pickups are the key here more than anything. They actually did one set of captures using the Taylor Expression System in the Taylor 816, as well as 3 piezo styles, and 3 soundboard style pickups like the LR Baggs Anthem. It really makes it so anyone can use these with their specific guitar pickup system like it's tailor made for them. It works amazing well with my Taylor 416e, which has the same ES2 pickup system used to create the IRs. That ends up giving me 9 different mics I can then mix and match and it ends up sounding even better blending multiple mics. It really does sound incredibly similar to my 416 mic'd up. Worship Tutorials really did put a lot into these packs, it's not just one simple capture, there's a lot in there that can serve a lot of people. For me, well worth the $14.99. It's worth noting that only the Taylor has the Expression System pickup option, as it's the newest pack they've done I think. The other packs they offer have the 3 piezo and 3 soundboard pickup options, but not the Taylor Expression system option.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by skiltrip

The thing is, they've IR captured with lots of different pickups, AND lots of different mic models (though some are simulated models using a Slate flat mic with different mic profiles, but they still sound unique and good). But the different pickups are the key here more than anything.

I just want to tell people to check my free IR database before spending money.

http://acousticir.free.fr/spip.php?rubrique2

there are 14 Taylor ES2 equipped guitars.

And it's free.

Also I provide an open source app to make your own IRs. That will match better your guitar than anything that was capture from another guitar. (Check Tonedexter, Voiceprint DI...)

It's also free.

[jamison162]

Originally Posted by Marty C

The reverb is good (for my purpose), but I struggle with noise and gain structure.

I was going to comment on the noise in most demos. That is probably just the nature of the beast: Digital/IR technology....I hear a digital "whine" and a small level of elevated white noise and digital artifacts.

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by jamison162

I was going to comment on the noise in most demos. That is probably just the nature of the beast: Digital/IR technology....I hear a digital "whine" and a small level of elevated white noise and digital artifacts.

My IRs are dead quiet with no input and generate no perceptible noise when used. The noise is a Nux issue.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

My IRs are dead quiet with no input and generate no perceptible noise when used. The noise is a Nux issue.

My NUX NSS-5 sold studio pedal (Verdugo Plateform like the Optima-AIR) is less noisy than my more expansive Torpedo cab M pedal.

It only can get noisy when unproperly powered though.

The problem could be anywhere...