Has anyone else discovered the Red-Eye preamp?

TwinandTwang · #1 06-20-2010, 05:04 PM

I got one of these Red-Eye preamps for live playing and it sounds so much better than my Baggs Para Di it is amazing. It is made for fiddle players but sounds incredible with a K&K in my D-18. Just thought I would pass it along. Fire-Eye is the company name. My Para DI was always with me until I got this thing.

TwinandTwang · #2 06-25-2010, 06:02 AM

No one? Check it out. Amazingly transparent compared to my ParaDI. The Para Di sounded hazy and unclear. Huge difference.

Pegleg · #3 06-25-2010, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwinandTwang

I got one of these Red-Eye preamps for live playing and it sounds so much better than my Baggs Para Di it is amazing. It is made for fiddle players but sounds incredible with a K&K in my D-18. Just thought I would pass it along. Fire-Eye is the company name. My Para DI was always with me until I got this thing.

I don't know.... "designed with guidance from serious musicians"... and they're "Squeekie Mouse" and "Croaky Frog"? May be a good product but the company website does not inspire much confidence....

Duncan121 · #4 06-26-2010, 03:36 AM

Can't speak to the sound because I've never heard it but the specs certainly do not lead me to believe it could be a better piece of gear than the PADI or the Venue..I've been wrong before but can't imagine a guitar player buying a preamp today with such limited tone shaping ability. Just too much competition out there these days...

ukejon · #5 06-26-2010, 04:12 AM

It does look quite tonally limited compared to my Venue. On the other hand, there are comments online, especially on some of the fiddler blogs, that say you've got to try it to believe it. Look forward to hearing some more comments from guitar players.....

15 Man · #6 06-26-2010, 04:20 AM

I'll keep my UltraSound DI Plus Pre Amp. Thanks just the same!

stephenT · #7 06-26-2010, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwinandTwang

I got one of these Red-Eye preamps for live playing and it sounds so much better than my Baggs Para Di it is amazing. It is made for fiddle players but sounds incredible with a K&K in my D-18. Just thought I would pass it along. Fire-Eye is the company name. My Para DI was always with me until I got this thing.

Quote:

"I used to have to carry a larger preamp and several effects boxes to gigs. The Red-Eye Preamp simplifies my setup and eliminates several flakey cables. Now my whole kit fits in my violin case."
-- Squeekie Mouse, "Professional Musician"

Quote:

"I used to use two DIs to play my fiddle and mando at gigs. The Red-Eye Twin Preamp simplifies my setup and eliminates feedback when I set an instrument down too close to a monitor."
-- Croaky Frog, "Professional Musician"

Look at the sentences, the frog and mouse are the same people, very tacky.

Ed422 · #8 06-26-2010, 05:29 AM

I haven't seen or tried one. A couple people I know (long time online acquaintances) are sold on 'em, though. They are big enough players that I'm interested in seeing one. If the gear I have wasn't doing what I need, I'd have ordered one. As far as the web site, sometimes it's a fine line between professionalism and kitsch, especially for a new company using a web site.

Ed

brightlight · #9 06-26-2010, 01:04 PM

those comments are pretty strange. What kind of "professional" musician would keep "flaky" cables in his rig to begin with?

But I guess like most things it deserves the benefit of the doubt until it's been tried out.

donh · #10 06-27-2010, 11:46 AM

The RedEye is a wonderful piece of work, and must be experienced to be appreciated. It opens up modes of expression that many people fail to realise even existed before. It was designed from the ground up for acoustic instruments, and typically gives you at least two more notches of gain before feedback as well as the other benefits.

I brought one to the McKnight McJam. We played about with it for about 10-12 minutes while a couple of Tim's guitars were being demo'd. Tim was seriously impressed and two McJammers inquired about purchase.

Omanarama · #11 06-28-2010, 06:16 AM

Hmmm... Austin boys, eh? I'll have to check 'em out.

TwinandTwang · #12 08-08-2010, 06:13 AM

Wow. I didn't expect to see people slamming this product because of the marketing. It is made by a guy who cares about sound and designs it to work for performing musicians. It sounds awesome. No bells and whistles but very usable. Maybe more people will try this and see. It makes my PARA DI sound like mud regardless of the number of knobs and adjustments I make on the PARA DI.

HudsDad · #13 08-08-2010, 07:06 AM

..............

donh · #14 08-08-2010, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwinandTwang

Wow. I didn't expect to see people slamming this product because of the marketing. It is made by a guy who cares about sound and designs it to work for performing musicians. It sounds awesome. No bells and whistles but very usable. Maybe more people will try this and see. It makes my PARA DI sound like mud regardless of the number of knobs and adjustments I make on the PARA DI.

It must be some human-condition thing. Kinda like "nyahh-nyahh" on the playground.

My experience with the ParaDI and the other 'lotsa-knobs' product is that when I plug into them I'm struck with the immediate desire to turn a few knobs to try to improve the sound. When I plug in to the Red-Eye, I am struck with the immediate desire to play the guitar. I have also observed this behavior in others, and find it quite amusing.

mutantrock · #15 08-08-2010, 08:45 AM

Never heard of Red-Eye until today. I just got an Fishman Aura Spectrum because I love to turn knobs and I like the features.
Red-Eye looks "old school" which I like as well. I have several pedals from Analogman who also builds no frills sound good stuff.