K&K Pure Mini w/ LR Baggs Para DI

[LukeBanjomin]

This may have been discussed already but I wasn't able to come up with a full solution and figured I might start a new thread with my specific problem.

Yesterday I installed my Pure Mini and have it running through a Para DI. I love the sound I'm getting! However, anytime I palm mute (basically 80% of my playing while fingerpicking) the sound cuts out. After some research I saw that it's apparently due to differences in impedance? I don't have an experience on this topic and was wondering if there was any advice to resolve the issue.

I'd heard about adding a 1 megohm resistor to the pickup and am interested in trying that out. Any experience or advice with the modification?

Thanks!

[MrErikJ]

Originally Posted by LukeBanjomin

This may have been discussed already but I wasn't able to come up with a full solution and figured I might start a new thread with my specific problem.

Yesterday I installed my Pure Mini and have it running through a Para DI. I love the sound I'm getting! However, anytime I palm mute (basically 80% of my playing while fingerpicking) the sound cuts out. After some research I saw that it's apparently due to differences in impedance? I don't have an experience on this topic and was wondering if there was any advice to resolve the issue.

I'd heard about adding a 1 megohm resistor to the pickup and am interested in trying that out. Any experience or advice with the modification?

Thanks!

I suppose that's possible, but it doesn't make sense to me. Usually, mismatched impedance results in a muddy sound with overly attenuated treble, not a cut-off in output. The Para DI has a 10 megaohm impedance and JJB & K&K are recommended to have a 1 megaohm input impedance on a preamp for the most clean sound. It's possible you could install a resistor to change that, but you may be better off picking up a K&K, Red Eye, or JJB preamp as they are designed for that impedance.

However, if you like the sound, I wouldn't necessarily change the preamp. Your issue sounds electronic and I would take it to a tech for a check-up first. A small install issue can cause a large number of issues.

[LukeBanjomin]

Originally Posted by MrErikJ

I suppose that's possible, but it doesn't make sense to me. Usually, mismatched impedance results in a muddy sound with overly attenuated treble, not a cut-off in output. The Para DI has a 10 megaohm impedance and JJB & K&K are recommended to have a 1 megaohm input impedance on a preamp for the most clean sound. It's possible you could install a resistor to change that, but you may be better off picking up a K&K, Red Eye, or JJB preamp as they are designed for that impedance.

However, if you like the sound, I wouldn't necessarily change the preamp. Your issue sounds electronic and I would take it to a tech for a check-up first. A small install issue can cause a large number of issues.

That's what I like to hear! I'll see if I can find a time to get it checked out because ideally I'll keep using the equipment I have. No return policy on the preamp so I'm not in a hurry to buy another. Thanks for the response!

[midwinter]

1) How hard are you palm muting?

2) Does it do it without the PADI?

3) Does it do it with different cords?

[lschwart]

I don't know why the sound is cutting out when you palm mute, but it has nothing to do with impedance. And there is no impedance mismatch in play here. Both a 10 and a 1 megaOhm impedance are a match for the K&K. It's just that K&K recommends the lower impedance because they say that it reduces the bass response and will give you a better more manageable sound. It is not at all clear that this actually makes a difference, but you'll hear a lot of disagreements on that. In any case, whatever difference there might or might not be is not the result of an impedance mismatch, but the result of subtle differences between 2 perfectly appropriate impedances at the input.

Louis

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by lschwart

I don't know why the sound is cutting out when you palm mute, but it has nothing to do with impedance. And there is no impedance mismatch in play here. Both a 10 and a 1 megaOhm impedance are a match for the K&K. It's just that K&K recommends the lower impedance because they say that it reduces the bass response and will give you a better more manageable sound. It is not at all clear that this actually makes a difference, but you'll hear a lot of disagreements on that. In any case, whatever difference there might or might not be is not the result of an impedance mismatch, but the result of subtle differences between 2 perfectly appropriate impedances at the input.



Louis

I agree. The biggest issue I had with impedance mismatch, before buying the K&K matched preamps was howling feedback at the low end. The hosted bass cans be a problem in this regard. I think your most likely culprits are this:

1. The lead wire to your UST is slightly pinched in the hole through the saddle slot. If the wire gets overly compressed while palm muting it will short out the pickup. Remove the strings and the saddle and check the fit of the lead wire.

2. You have the gain on the preamp set too high and the palm muting is overdriving and clipping the signal.

Check those first.

Don't wire a resistor in. You're going to ruin something.


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[ljguitar]

Hi Luke-B…
I use ParaDIs with K&K, piezos, mags and any other pickup equipped gear, and I can tell you it's not an impedance mismatch issue.

We haven't a clue what you are playing through/into (amp? board? PA?) when this cut-out occurs. You have not described your setup/soundcheck procedure for setting up the ParaDI to determine where the overload of the input gain occurs.

When serving as a sound tech, I've had palm-muters who drop their palm onto the saddle/bridge area overdrive input on preamps with K&Ks (which are a very hot pickup) and other hot pickups.

If there is no protective circuit it will give a loud 'brap' or overdriven sounding 'thump'. If there is a protective overdrive circuit on the input gain, then it cuts out.

Depending on whether the system you play through has a protective cut-off on it's input gain, dropping one's hand onto the saddle with a hot pickup may be overdriving both input and output circuits.

Compared to the volume of fingerpicking, dropping a palm mute can be louder by quite a bit.

Remedies -
…drop you hand further in front of the bridge toward the sound hole.
…turn down the input gain on the preamp to match the volume of the palm mute not the fingerstyle playing
…adjust the output gain on the preamp so it's not overdriving the input gain of the next piece of equipment (amp or board) down-line.
…use the hi pass filter/bass cut filter on the board to roll off those low frequencies and harmonics created when dropping your palm onto the strings.

[Vancebo]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Luke-B…
I use ParaDIs with K&K, piezos, mags and any other pickup equipped gear, and I can tell you it's not an impedance mismatch issue.

We haven't a clue what you are playing through/into (amp? board? PA?) when this cut-out occurs. You have not described your setup/soundcheck procedure for setting up the ParaDI to determine where the overload of the input gain occurs.

When serving as a sound tech, I've had palm-muters who drop their palm onto the saddle/bridge area overdrive input on preamps with K&Ks (which are a very hot pickup) and other hot pickups.

If there is no protective circuit it will give a loud 'brap' or overdriven sounding 'thump'. If there is a protective overdrive circuit on the input gain, then it cuts out.

Depending on whether the system you play through has a protective cut-off on it's input gain, dropping one's hand onto the saddle with a hot pickup may be overdriving both input and output circuits.

Compared to the volume of fingerpicking, dropping a palm mute can be louder by quite a bit.

Remedies -
…drop you hand further in front of the bridge toward the sound hole.
…turn down the input gain on the preamp to match the volume of the palm mute not the fingerstyle playing
…adjust the output gain on the preamp so it's not overdriving the input gain of the next piece of equipment (amp or board) down-line.
…use the hi pass filter/bass cut filter on the board to roll off those low frequencies and harmonics created when dropping your palm onto the strings.

Listen to Larry on this. This is the solution. I have had this thing happen before. Controlling gain throughout your signal path is very important. The more you have in the path of the signal the more you have to be careful.

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by Vancebo

Listen to Larry on this. This is the solution. I have had this thing happen before. Controlling gain throughout your signal path is very important. The more you have in the path of the signal the more you have to be careful.

I feel like chopped liver. :-(


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[Vancebo]

PM me and I'll give you the name of a good therapist. Nobody should have to endure this kind of abuse. 🤡🌈🐶

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by Vancebo

PM me and I'll give you the name of a good therapist. Nobody should have to endure this kind of abuse. 🤡[emoji304][emoji190]

Thank you!


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