Jinder Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Hi all, I'm at a crossroads with the Aura Ellipse in my SJ200. I quite like the way it sounds plugged in but I hate the frankly terrible battery life and the rattly buttons when played unplugged, plus I'm sure all that hardware glued to the top is holding the guitar back acoustically. It sounds stunning, but I just think there's more to come. I've just ordered a Matrix Infinity to put in my '41 SJ100 as the Baggs Element in it has started to sound tubby and lifeless (in my experience, Baggs undersaddles go that way after about 200hrs of plugged in work, I have no idea why...it happened in my '07 Hummingbird, my '09 Blues King, my bandmate's '06 J45 Custom and now my SJ100), so I'm looking forward to comparing the Aura Ellipse with the Matrix Infinity. If I can happily roll with the Infinity in the 100 I'll probably go that way with the SJ200 and excise the Aura Ellipse. I like the idea of less hardware in the guitar and I've put Matrix Infinity units in six guitars in the past with superb results and no complaints, so I know I'm likely to be happy. It also opens up the possibilities of using an Aura Spectrum DI if I decide to go that way. I use my acoustics in all situations, solo, in big venues, small venues, loud, quiet, band work and so on. Most important is a mix of feedback rejection and big sound. I remember selling my Epi EJ200 (solid top, non-cutaway, Matrix Infinity onboard) and my drummer being saddened to the point of virtual mourning ("that guitar sounded so crisp and clean and huge plugged in, aggressive when you hit it hard but no distortion or nasty attack transients...why the **** did you sell it?"), and he had a point-it did sound great for band work: I think given the range of volume and venue sizes/speaker proximity I work with, a K&K, Trance Audio or similar would be too feedback prone, and although I toyed with the idea of using totally passive piezos and outboard pres, the Matrix Infinity seems an easier choice. What are your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Admit bein' a brick when it comes to pick-ups, mics and electronics. Last solo-gig I did was with my Fishman'ed Mart D-35 combined with a old fashioned microphone on a stand in front. According to the engineer, who knows what I/we like, it sounded splendid in the little room. Felt so to me. But pass, , , I'm not the guy to advice you at all. As long as U don't sound like that 90's Stills album All Alone* or some of Bobs stuff from the same period, I guess you're quite safe. *must be said the performances and songs are extremely good, which of course is why the artificial wooden voice is so annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 I have a infinity matrix in my 000 martin Does the job as far as I'm concerned. But still sounds like an undersaddle pickup , albeit not as false as the more basic fishman that was in the j45 factory fitted. It really was pants If you're going spectrum aura then it doesn't matter what's in it it seems Having one in a guitar , I wouldn't be buying one to fit to anything in the future But I'm not a touring musician with a band Final point , don't be taking advice from drummers 🙄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 I have four main guitars. A J50, an HD28, a D15, and an Elderly Farida OT22. The first two have k&k minis. The last two have LR Baggs sounhole pups. My nice guitars with the k&ks sound great in bigger venues. The pups are hot, and have less quack than USTs. They still need attention paid to the gains... and they can feedback. They are of course non invasive to the guitars, and that's important to me for those guitars. The last two of mine... with the Baggs sound hole M1a and M80... are my easiest most reliable live sound. I adjusted the pole pieces down. For one's "gigging" guitars, they can't be beat in my opinion. They sound natural once dialed in. There is no feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Much difference in the m1a and the m80 ? Besides the price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 1496397676[/url]' post='1859488']Much difference in the m1a and the m80 ? Besides the price Naaah. The M80 has an edge in that it will work passively if the battery dies... never experienced though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 No expert opinion here by any means, but for what it's worth - your experience with the lam top EJ-200 pretty well confirms my observation that lam guitars may tend to amplify better than solid wood. Don't know why, probably shouldn't even be commenting on this one😨 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted June 2, 2017 Author Share Posted June 2, 2017 Admit bein' a brick when it comes to pick-ups, mics and electronics. Last solo-gig I did was with my Fishman'ed Mart D-35 combined with a old fashioned microphone on a stand in front. According to the engineer, who knows what I/we like, it sounded splendid in the little room. Felt so to me. But pass, , , I'm not the guy to advice you at all. As long as U don't sound like that 90's Stills album All Alone* or some of Bobs stuff from the same period, I guess you're quite safe. *must be said the performances and songs are extremely good, which of course is why the artificial wooden voice is so annoying. I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't stand the horrid tone on that Stills album...the concept of him doing a truly solo acoustic album is brilliant and the version of Treetop Flyer is great, but that guitar sound is HIDEOUS. For a man who owns enough vintage acoustics to fill an industrial unit, I'm amazed he let that one go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted June 2, 2017 Author Share Posted June 2, 2017 My Infinity should be here tomorrow or Sun which will go in my '41 Reissue SJ100, I'm looking forward to seeing how it fares. If I don't like it, next port of call is to try a K&K FanTaStick UST into a Fire Eye Red Eye pre or Radial PZ Pre. The good thing about pickup systems that don't have to be glued in a-la SBTs is they have pretty good resale value so can be flipped on the Bay to pay for further experiments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 The endlessly rattling buttons and sliders made me crazy with my J200 Standard. I stuffed the ends of toothpicks in everything that moved and was considering removing the Aura before I acquired my SJ200 Golden Age and sold the Standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted June 3, 2017 Author Share Posted June 3, 2017 The endlessly rattling buttons and sliders made me crazy with my J200 Standard. I stuffed the ends of toothpicks in everything that moved and was considering removing the Aura before I acquired my SJ200 Golden Age and sold the Standard. That's been my experience too. The rattles drive me batsh*t crazy. I also really think it's just too much hardware to be hanging from the top, and the frankly abysmal battery life has caught me out twice onstage, leaving me with a dead guitar, which is embarrassing. As someone who moonlights as a touring guitar tech, it's doubly so...I've never experienced a battery going out onstage before, and change the batts in the guitars of the artists I tech for every three months as a precaution. Pedals get fresh 9v batts every show, but as most pickups boast at least 350hrs of life (Matrix Infinity), with the Baggs Element claiming 1000hrs and the old Martin Thinline Gold Plus claiming 12,000hrs. I'd say that 30hrs (claimed, 25 in reality) for the Aura Ellipse is pretty lousy in comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 Im a huge fan of the Matrix Infinity, coupled with an Aura Spectrum DI I find the tone to be very full, natural and big. Very, very stable and sounds great throgh PA's and amps. My main gigging guitar is the J-150, and the Matrix does a great job with that guitar, I think you will be pleasantly suprrised Jinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 Im a huge fan of the Matrix Infinity, coupled with an Aura Spectrum DI I find the tone to be very full, natural and big. Very, very stable and sounds great throgh PA's and amps. My main gigging guitar is the J-150, and the Matrix does a great job with that guitar, I think you will be pleasantly suprrised Jinder. What's your thoughts 'uncoupled' with £300 spectrum machine though Aussie ? I just think it sounds like not the worst UST. But I wouldn't fit one to anything in the future The fishman spectrum is a piece of kit though . Am well impressed with any examples I've heard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted June 3, 2017 Author Share Posted June 3, 2017 Thanks EA. I think it'll do the job just fine! I've just restrung my SJ200 and it's sounding phenomenal acoustically after eight months of gigging, it's really loosening up and sounds huge. As do the rattling buttons on the stupid Ellipse Aurful. It's got to come out. I think your approach of running Matrix Infinity units into a Spectrum or Aura 16 is a great way to do it. Jason Isbell uses the same setup in his Martins and has incredible live tone. I like the plugged in tone of the Ellipse Aura but it's just a really ill thought out system. If the buttons had rubber damping skirts it would totally solve the problem and make it quite a sensible bit of kit. Still too much bulk dangling in the guitar though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Son of Gilbert Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 I installed a K&K Ultra with preamp in my 2007 J200 TV. Best clear acoustic sound I've ever heard! I had a 2012 J200 Standard with Aura and the K&K is 10 times better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 What's your thoughts 'uncoupled' with £300 spectrum machine though Aussie ? I just think it sounds like not the worst UST. But I wouldn't fit one to anything in the future The fishman spectrum is a piece of kit though . Am well impressed with any examples I've heard Even without the aura i find the matrix has a high quality, natural and stable tone. Been running it revently just through the boss ve-8 and bern sounding very high quality, no quack, lits of punch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 Even without the aura i find the matrix has a high quality, natural and stable tone. Been running it revently just through the boss ve-8 and bern sounding very high quality, no quack, lits of punch. I installed the Infinity in my SJ100 today and am really pleased with the tone. Sounds beautiful through my Loudbox Performer, crisp and articulate with perfect string to string balance and sounds great with flat EQ. I'm probably going to go down the Aura 16 route rather than the Spectrum as I have a DI etc already, but even without the Aura it sounds very workable and loads better than the Baggs Element that was in it beforehand. I forgot that I also have an Infinity in my old Hohner 12 string, I may pull that out and put it in my SJ200 so i can be rid of the wretched Aura Ellipse once and for all... EA, how is the VE8? I've been considering one...just wish it had EQ on both channels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Even without the aura i find the matrix has a high quality, natural and stable tone. Been running it revently just through the boss ve-8 and bern sounding very high quality, no quack, lits of punch. Ah still , ve8. Spectrum aura , helicon play You're adding at least £200 to the price of a pickup with a sprinkle of fairy dust That's not fair I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Ah still , ve8. Spectrum aura , helicon play You're adding at least £200 to the price of a pickup with a sprinkle of fairy dust That's not fair I Even if you go straight, with no fairy dust I reckon it stil sound great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 EA, how is the VE8? I've been considering one...just wish it had EQ on both channels! Its pretty good. I use it in small gigs where i want to have minimum amount of boxes, ie just one. The guitar effects are good, especiall chorus, the looper also works a treat and the harmonies are very good if you keep them very light, ie no more than 20% level - but they are not as good as the harmonies as on the Play Acoustic whch I bought before it. But for a quickfire gig, where you want some good voice EQ, harmonies, guitar effects and looper the VE-8 is hard to beat. I picked mine up second hand, keep an eye out, they are starting to pop up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 Its pretty good. I use it in small gigs where i want to have minimum amount of boxes, ie just one. The guitar effects are good, especiall chorus, the looper also works a treat and the harmonies are very good if you keep them very light, ie no more than 20% level - but they are not as good as the harmonies as on the Play Acoustic whch I bought before it. But for a quickfire gig, where you want some good voice EQ, harmonies, guitar effects and looper the VE-8 is hard to beat. I picked mine up second hand, keep an eye out, they are starting to pop up. Really interesting stuff...I've just bought an Aura 16 secondhand (£120 on the Bay rather than £230+ new!) so I'm looking forward to getting into that, and will keep an eye out for the VE-8 secondhand too. Do you use a 12-string with your Spectrum DI? I have a Matrix Infinity in my old Hohner Leyanda beater 12 and will be interested to see how it sounds through the Aura. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Really interesting stuff...I've just bought an Aura 16 secondhand (£120 on the Bay rather than £230+ new!) so I'm looking forward to getting into that, and will keep an eye out for the VE-8 secondhand too. Do you use a 12-string with your Spectrum DI? I have a Matrix Infinity in my old Hohner Leyanda beater 12 and will be interested to see how it sounds through the Aura. I dont own a 12 string mate. I use chorus to get that jangly 12 string sound plugged in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 No expert opinion here by any means, but for what it's worth - your experience with the lam top EJ-200 pretty well confirms my observation that lam guitars may tend to amplify better than solid wood. Don't know why, probably shouldn't even be commenting on this one😨 Actually he said his Epiphone EJ-200 was a solid top. My daughter has one and although it's the cutaway, it's also a solid top. It's no Gibson, but it's a monster guitar for the money. Some people hunt ducks. Some people hunt deer. Some people hunt bear. We hunt tone. Okay, I hunt deer, too....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted June 6, 2017 Author Share Posted June 6, 2017 Actually he said his Epiphone EJ-200 was a solid top. My daughter has one and although it's the cutaway, it's also a solid top. It's no Gibson, but it's a monster guitar for the money. Some people hunt ducks. Some people hunt deer. Some people hunt bear. We hunt tone. Okay, I hunt deer, too....... Yep my EJ200 was one of the very few non-cut solid top models, 2010ish era. Lovely guitar, one I was very reluctant to part with. It now does sterling duty with Victoria Pearce, a great singer songwriter from the Westcountry here in the U.K. I totally agree that they're a monster guitar for the money. My touring buddy Peter James Millson uses a modern solid top cutaway model which is absolutely tremendous, he makes it sing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djw171 Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 For what's its worth, I've never had any complaints about the Baggs Element system in all three of my Gibsons. I gig regular and they sound as crisp and clear and natural as the day I bought them. I run them into a Roland AC90 which is a phenomenally good amp which projects a very natural sound and fills the room (and outdoors) so well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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