ponty Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Ok.. I know this question has probably been asked before, but here it is again. I am going to change out my pickup - actually it is a GHS mini mic. I am looking at a Baggs IBeam active $139 passive $89 , or a KK pure mini $90. My need is for church and folk club venues. What are your experiences with these and which would you recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_no Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Ok.. I know this question has probably been asked before, but here it is again. I am going to change out my pickup - actually it is a GHS mini mic. I am looking at a Baggs IBeam active $139 passive $89 , or a KK pure mini $90. My need is for church and folk club venues. What are your experiences with these and which would you recommend? I would prefer the iBeam active. I had one in a Larrivee OM-03R and liked the natural sound. I have a K&K Trinity system, too. Sounds good, but I don't like the external clip-on pre-amp. You can play a K&K without a pre-amp, but I like a stronger signal. I'd rather change a battery inside the guitar once a year rather than use an external pre-amp. You'll finf a lot of love for K&K, so I might be in a minority. Good luck, whatever you do! Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherofpearl Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 The lr baggs element that Gibson uses on most acoustics is great!! Very natural sound. Im sure the I beam is similar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Morton Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I would look at the Dimarzio Angel System, A bit more money but it is a fantastic system and sounds great. I would go K&K but for best results you should run it into the Pure XLR preamp/DI. I have been using the Angel System for a few months and have been very please and I have tried everything! JM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincentw Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 This guy^^^knows what he is talking about. I'm going with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I would look at the Dimarzio Angel System, A bit more money but it is a fantastic system and sounds great. I would go K&K but for best results you should run it into the Pure XLR preamp/DI. I have been using the Angel System for a few months and have been very please and I have tried everything! JM Small hijack, sorry... You like this system Jeremy, I've read a little of it. Recommended? back to the original topic, I actually like the LRBaggs element that's fitted at the factory, but I do like the K&K I had installed in my SJ-200TV, I had some reservations given the size of the body, but it's great. It all depends on your budget I'm afraid, good luck with your choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR GIBS Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 http://www.kksound.c...tumtrinity.html - The ultimate acoustic pick-up system. Michael Greenfield told me that in a personal e-mail. Demonstration: I BELIEVE him. Oh, and by the way I have a L.R. Baggs IBeam active in my "GALE" guitar (cedar/rosewood replica of a 0028 Martin) - Great plugged in sound for 139 $. Really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markwillplay Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I can speak to this. I have had baggs i-beam passive and active and KK mini...no comparison as far as beig sensitive to placement and howling...the KK is FAR better. I say that becaue I used the baggs in different guitars in many different setting with different PA's foar a couple of years...my buddy has one that was passive...same difference, just less gain. The KK does NOT require the pre-amp. I disagree totally. However, it does sound better with it. I have used this pickup in probably 10 different guitars of many sizes. It can be low end boomy in dreads, but you can control it. It is even better in OM sized guitars, but I use it in the two slopes I have with very good results. Easy to tame and not near as sensitive to placement. That is not an opinion, that is a fact that this poster has tested every which way to Sunday. Now, sure the trinity system can give you more air, but it is also a multi source system and if you are looking to plug in and play quickly without a ton of time ti deal everything in perfectly....I would go with the MIni. One source dopes have it's advantages. I had the trinity in one guitar and it ws really nice, but the louder I needed to be, the less mic I could use. all that is not to say the the ibeam is bad, it is just more finiky in different guitars and can be harder to control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Morton Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Dimarzio Angel System and you do not really need to worry about feedback! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 I just bought the i-beam active from Bob Colosi for my J-200. I'll let you how it sounds by mid this week if you already haven't purchased yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchabalk Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 another one to add to the list Dazzo Pickups I haven't used it but it's a similar technology to the K&K, there's a relationship to Frap somehow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Just got a Trance Audio Amulet in the mail. Will deliver it to my Luthier along with my Jackson Browne Signature Model 1 in Boulder, 200 miles away, on Thursday. Pick up my J-45 that was in for a crack repair. The install should be done and ready for me to do the drive again in mid-August. Can't wait to hear how it will sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR GIBS Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 I can speak to this. I have had baggs i-beam passive and active and KK mini...no comparison as far as beig sensitive to placement and howling...the KK is FAR better. I say that becaue I used the baggs in different guitars in many different setting with different PA's foar a couple of years...my buddy has one that was passive...same difference, just less gain. The KK does NOT require the pre-amp. I disagree totally. However, it does sound better with it. I have used this pickup in probably 10 different guitars of many sizes. It can be low end boomy in dreads, but you can control it. It is even better in OM sized guitars, but I use it in the two slopes I have with very good results. Easy to tame and not near as sensitive to placement. That is not an opinion, that is a fact that this poster has tested every which way to Sunday. Now, sure the trinity system can give you more air, but it is also a multi source system and if you are looking to plug in and play quickly without a ton of time ti deal everything in perfectly....I would go with the MIni. One source dopes have it's advantages. I had the trinity in one guitar and it ws really nice, but the louder I needed to be, the less mic I could use. all that is not to say the the ibeam is bad, it is just more finiky in different guitars and can be harder to control. I have a K&K installed in one dread and really it is low end and boomy. Agree totally. And yes - K&K does need a preamp. I have no trinity system yet, but I'm 100% sure in what you say about the mic - thanks for this info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markwillplay Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I have run my KK's through very large PA systems without any pre-amp at all and been fine as long as there is eq somewhere. The signal from KK mini's is very strong. I have had them in several slope dreads, OM's and regular dreads and I find that the pickup is NOT boomy. It will give you what the guitar gives you...if your dread is boomy, guess what...you get boomy. Now I do use the KK pre and it does sound smoothe, but my partner goes straight into the PA and gets great sound. It really does depend on the guitar, but for a singal source, it is very hard to beat for that price. I know the ibeam does not. I have had a lot of experience with them and they are finiky. Sure, no volume, they are fine, start turning them up or play thorugh a real PA and you have trouble coming..that's just based on my experience. If you want no feedback, get a mag... I would love to try one of those trance units, but they are so expensive. If they don't sound 4 times better, not worth it. If they do, and I hear it, I will start saving up (ha ha ha ha) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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