Do I need a preamp/DI (L.R Baggs Para)

[holmes321]

So I have two acoustics that I use at the moment:

- Martin OMC-16 OGTE , with a Roland AP-1 preamp (7 band digital eq, tuner, digital reverb). A fairly robust instrument, and good for the occasional open mic with the built-in eq and reverb. Usually I can get a reasonable sound from this in a small room.

- Stonebridge D24-SF. No pickup installed as of yet, but thinking about it. Lovely sounding guitar, acoustically.


Anyway, I was researching whether I "need" (or would benefit from) a preamp/DI (such as the L.R Baggs Para, or similar) when playing live.


I can see this being beneficial with the Stonebridge, as I won't necessarily have the EQ etc on board.


Would there be any benefit when using my Martin? Surely 2 EQ's in series is absolutely unnecessary (I know there are other features of the Para DI that are useful, such as the notch etc.). Does using something like the Para DI just make guitars sound better by default, for some reason? This is the way it seems to be sold... I guess the balanced output is good.

Cheers

Chris

[varmonter]

I don't think 2 eqs is a bad thing . Just be cautious
of pitting them against each other.
I set the one downstream flat and boost cut
the upstream one to get the best sound.
than tweak the downstream one to fine tune.
My short answer is yes.. you need a pre/di .
The stronger and better the signal to FOH sound technician
the better you will sound and the more headroom
you will have to work with.

[pieterh]

In my experience external preamps are usually preferable even when there is an onboard preamp. 7 band eq on a guitar seems quite generous but in my experience one usually only needs a little tweak from the guitar here and there. External preamps will often have useful features like low cut (one of the essential features if you ask me!), notch filter (feedback killer but also good for evening out your tone) and a sweep mid (like the notch filter but can boost as well as cut).

What is more most decent preamps including the one you mention have a balanced XLR output which is very useful for connecting to a mixer or an acoustic amp with a balanced input. Less noise, better signal.

[lschwart]

With the Martin, a preamp/DI unit like the Para DI will not, by default, make the guitar sound better, so only consider getting one if you feel you need some of the functions it offers (if, for example, the EQ on the guitar's preamp feels inadequate to you or you would prefer the way the controls on the Baggs work--they do work differently; or if you have a use for the balanced DI output or the notch filter, effects loop, etc.). If you just need a balanced line, you could just get a simple passive DI box.

Whether or not you need a unit like the Baggs for the other guitar will depend on what sort of pickup you put in it. If you go with a passive pickup then, yes, a unit like the Baggs will likely be useful to you for all the obvious reasons.

Louis

[holmes321]

Cheers for the replies chaps.

As I'd expected, it's, perhaps, not essential but it wouldn't be obsolete with the Martin.

Chris

[Br1ck]

Good acoustic sound starts with the guitar, then whatever converts vibration to an electric signal in the most accurate reproduction of the vibration. Get that right and send it to a DI with the highest grade components in a design that is linear across frequencies and has the correct input impedance for the transducer. Get all this right and EQ needs are minimal.

It is my opinion the fewer electrical components in a signal path, the better off you are going to be. My experience with a Baggs Lyric taught me not to use a device that needs so much EQ. Replace the transducer, don't add more EQ to compensate. Buying a device with five or six pots is just degrading the signal unless you are going right to the top of the line professional gear.

Tweak EQ at the mixer.

Now start adding reverb and chorus and compression and delay and it won't much matter. And don't get me started on the quality of the AD/DA converters in that do everything digital box.

[Methos1979]

You can't go wrong with a PARA DI. I'm using one right now in my signal chain and it's invaluable in taming for feedback and/or boxiness on certain frequencies. Built like a tank and there's a reason why it's been pretty much the industry standard for many years.