Acoustic DIs: spoilt for choice?

bermudianbrit

Hi all,

So I've been looking for an acoustic DI and processor unit - something that will kill feedback, make the tone a bit better with some EQ and ideally include some compression. I have other pedals for this and can build up a board if needed - I probably will need an acoustic board anyway for delays, a good looper ETC, but I know that the DI at the end of the chain is important. I've found 3 and I'm hesitating, wanting some feedback (excuse the pun) on any experiences people may have had. I'm looking at:
1. Boss AD10;
2. Fishman Platinum Pro EQ; and
3. LR Bags Session DI

There may be more...suggestions welcome. I play a Martin GPCPA35, with the simplified Fishman Ora system in it, so my on-board pickup is good, but lacks EQ - and that internal mic can feedback or get boomy real quick.

THoughts?

maltingsaudio

Bags 

Lewy

The Session DI is cool but it’s not really got EQ per se. The Comp EQ effect is subtle so if you find yourself needing to - for example - make big mid cuts to get your pickup sounding right, the Session won’t do it. But if your raw sound is somewhere in the ballpark to start off with EQ-wise, then I think it’s great. The notch filter is effective for feedback, CompEQ is
very responsive to your playing dynamics. 

bermudianbrit

nice. My main use for the comp is to get single lines/fingerpicking to pop out a lot more as I alternate between them. I get the sense that this is too suttle for that kind of comp. Shame I cant just go in and try these out but nowhere seems to carry them save Andertons, which is miles away from where I'm at in Birmingham.

ICBM

I know you have the Aura system onboard so technically you don't need it in a pedal, but the full-size Aura Spectrum will do what you want too - compression, EQ, anti-feedback, DI, and a tuner all in one box, and it has an FX loop. You can blend in as much or as little of the extra Aura modelling as you want.

I have one I would consider selling, for a lot less than the Platinum retails for, if you're interested.

Javabean

I have two of the three suggested in the original post - the Fishman Pro Platinum and the Boss AD-10.

The Fishman is good, the only thing which lets it down is the tuner which I find difficult to see in bright light, - an issue if you do any outdoor gigs in the daytime.   Everything else that Fishman says it can dod, it does well. 

I run a looper in the effects loop, but the boost comes post effect loop, so if I record a  chord sequence while my vocalist is singing, then want to boost a solo, I can’t use the Fishman’s boost as it boosts the loop too.  If I put the looper on the output side I’d have to use a separate DI.

For the record I also sometimes use the Fishman Stage for a ‘quick and dirty’. - it runs off 48v phantom power too.  Nice and tidy.  Also does guitar and bass.

I have recently invested in the Boss AD-10.

This is a very powerful (in terms of user configuration) piece of kit.  First difference is that the Boss has two inputs.  I use one for my acoustic and plug a Roland SPD One Kick into the other.  The AD-10 has the functionality to set EQ for each input. 

The built in looper is OK but I find using one button loopers a bit awkward,  because of this if I’m using the inbuilt looper I have a separate foot switch which provides second button functionality.  I can use the boost without boosting the loop too.  There's no undo / redo on the looper.

As my singer also does vocal looping, I sometimes use an RC-30 in the effects loop.

I actually use a Boss two button foot switch.  I set the second switch to trigger the auto feedback sweep.  This is a great function, works very quickly and  it will kill two frequencies too.  

Although I haven’t used one, you can put an expression pedal in place of a latching pedal.  The expression pedal can be set to control one of many functions - not just volume.

It has an effects loop in which I run a Boss OC-3 Super Octave.   If I want to run a more capable looper.(the RC-30), I do this in the effects loop, however Boost comes before the effects loop, Delay comes after.

There are 10 presets in which to store EQ/ Delay /Body Resonance / Compression and Reverb settings.  In memory mode, once you have selected the patch you can go manual which gives foot control over Boost and Delay.

There are different types of Delay, Reverb and Compression, this really is a highly configurable piece of kit.

There’s not much I’d change on the AD-10.  You need to read the manual carefully as there are many options which aren’t apparent - such as the Noise Gate.

My summary :---

The Fishman is really good at what it does, but in comparison the AD-10 does a multitude of things also really well.

If you want one input, no menus, to set the knobs until you get the sound - then the Fishman is great.   I have run this with a Wampler Tape Echo and TC HoF Reverb in the effects loop - sounds great.  ( I also have the Baggs Venue DI, which I’d put in the same category.  I don’t mind which of these two I use, I probably use the Fishman more as it fits on my board better, being smaller).

If you want ultimate control in one box including reverb and delay, multiple presets then I’d go Boss.

Anyone want to buy a Fishman Platinum Pro?