# Instruments and Equipment > Equipment >  Review - New Headway EDB-2 Preamp

## almeriastrings

The Headway EDB-1 has now been around a while, and has picked up some pretty high profile users, Ricky Skaggs being one name most will recognise. It is an extremely well-made and versatile unit, think of an L R Baggs Para-DI with an extra 'blend' channel, and then some. The quality and accuracy of the EQ and notch filtering on the Headway preamps is outstanding. Build quality is to full 'pro audio' engineering standards, rather than 'prosumer' grade. As of very recently, it has just got even better, as the EDB-1 is being retired and the updated EDB-2 introduced in its place. It has numerous features and options - too many to describe here in detail, but key elements include a high grade mic pre with +18v phantom power, a master 'mute' switch (with indicator!), a new 'standby' mode, phase reverse on Ch1 and Ch2, preset EQ ranges for violin/mandolin, guitar and bass, notch filter with variable Q for Ch1 or Ch 2 (with indicator LED), three input impedance options for Ch1 and Ch2 (Low-Active, High 5M and Hi+ 10M), EQ now assignable to Ch1, Ch2, or both, an AUX in on mini-jack for iPod practice/backing tracks, fully balanced output on XLR (of course), plus mono out on 1/4 jack, ground-lift, and operation on 2X 9v batteries - with low battery alert indicator. It will also operate from a separate PSU. It does not operate from +48v phantom power, but the presence on phantom on the outlet XLR will not cause any problems.

This is how it looks:

 



Panel control functions:



I have been testing out of of the very first units off the line over the last few days. I do not personally use a pickup in any of my mandolins, but I do have them in my Breedlove acoustic guitar, and there is a pair of ancient Barcus-Berry 'Hot Dots' in Bill Clifton's old D-35 - so I was able to test both active and passive transducers with those. My wife also has a transducer in her OM-42 and mountain dulcimer. As expected, it works very well indeed with all sources. The range of EQ available is superb, and the controls are very positive and precise. There was plenty of gain even for the very low output old 'Hot Dots'. Self-noise was imperceptible - another improvement is that available gain has increased and even lower noise components are used in this new version (though the older model was no slouch in this respect to begin with). It really is a very good sounding preamp. Clean, clear, lots of headroom and with exceptional EQ facilities. For passive transducers, it is a matter of selecting which input impedance sounds best - 5M or 10M - it can vary.

My prime interest in this unit, however, was how it would perform as a _microphone_ preamp. Of of the drawbacks of using a compact mixer live is that even if you use ones with high-grade mic pres, you invariably sacrifice more extensive EQ options, usually being limited to just Low-Mid-High. A sweepable mid is great, but still falls short of what you can do on a large desk. My thought was that possibly, the EDB-2 might be a way around this limitation when using a microphone on acoustic instruments.

I therefore set about trying it with a range of microphones:

1) Shure SM-94 (cardiod, electret)
2) Audix VX-5  (hypercardiod, electret)
3 Rode M3 (cardiod, electret)
4) Beyer M-201 (hypercardiod, dynamic)
5) AKG D5 (hypercardiod, dynamic)
6) Shure Beta 27 (LD, hypercardiod, condenser)
7) Neumann KM-184 (SD, cardiod, condenser)
8) SE Electronics SE1A (SD, cardiod, condenser) - manual mentions incompatibility here
9) AT 4031 (SD, cardiod, electret)
10) ART M-One (budget LD, cardiod, condenser)
11) SE Electronics X-1 (budget LD, cardiod, condenser)

Key questions to be answered were how the +18v phantom supply affected things (not an issue on the electrets or dynamics, of course, but certainly so for the LD condensers), input gain performance, self-noise, headroom, etc. The manual specifically mentions problems with SE mics on the +18v supply....which is why I included a couple in this test.

To be continued...

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craig.collas, 

dang

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## Mike Bunting

Thanks, I'm looking forward to the conclusion. I wonder if it has enough improvements for me to consider upgrading from my EDB-1.

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## mandotim1955

If it's an improved version of the EDB-1, it's going to be sensational.

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## Ben Milne

Mmm, hole bunch of mics you've mentioned are listed as P48 in their respective specs. Not liking the chances on its of those, but standing by for report...

I think the original version is a great piece of kit for particular circumstances, but it looks like my two criticisms of it might remain, the size of the mute switch, and inability to power from P48.  I find using two 9v batteries or a walwartPSU  a bit inconvenient.

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## foldedpath

I don't know about most of the other mics on the list, other than spec requirements, but I know the KM184 likes to see 48v for best performance (full frequency response, low distortion, self-noise specs, etc.). It might _work_ at 18v, but I'd be curious about whether it sounds the same as full voltage. I hope you'll be comparing against a 48v mixer or mic pre. 

Otherwise, I like the specs of the EDB-2 preamp. It would work fine with the range of clip-on mini condenser mics we talk about here, because those don't need full phantom power.

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## almeriastrings

OK... Part Two.
_
First, a typo to correct. The Hi+ input impedance on the jack inputs is 20M, not 10M. The 'Low' impedance on those inputs is 1M, incidentally (not 50K as printed on page 13 of the manual - it is correct on page 25). The XLR input impedance is 2K_ 

The Mic Pre

There are two unusual features. The first is that it only supplies +18V phantom power. There is absolutely no problem with this for most back-electret microphones, or most mics that are used as 'blenders' with pickups. The vast majority of these will be quite happy with +18v. So, in this little test, the SM94, Rode M3, and Audix VX-5 were fine (as expected). The manual does specifically warn that SE Electronics 'true condenser' mics are problematic with anything less than the full +48v, and I confirmed this. The SE1 refused to work at all, and I also tried an SE4400a - that too was completely dead. Similarly, the X-1. To be fair, these are specified as requiring +48v, so this is no real criticism of anyone. I also tried another mic, the ART M-ONE. This is an unusual, budget LD microphone that has a rather nifty looking blue LED built in for a 'glow in the dark' effect  :Disbelief: ! On a more serious note, it does draw rather more current than most condenser mics at the same time, so it was no surprise to see that while it produced some output, it was noisy and did not sound too great. I am not sure it would sound too great even with +48v, but I digress! The surprise performer on this meagerly +18v was the KM184. It really did sound very usable and acceptable. A close runner-up was the LD Shure Beta 27. That too sounded OK. The lesson here is that mics certainly vary greatly in how they perform with less than their specified phantom voltage. Some may not work at all, or sound very noisy and compressed, others may work fairly well. Obviously they all work a lot better when operated within specs! 

Just to prove that, I turned off the +18v and inserted a good separate phantom power supply between the EDB-2 and the microphones. All of the mics that failed to work properly the first time around were now happy and delivered normal output. Those that did function earlier on less than specified voltage (KM184 and Shure Beta 27) delivered a higher output. There was no discernible difference in the performance of the electret mics. If you are planning on using microphones specified as needing +48v with this unit, then it is certainly a good idea to use a separate phantom power supply capable of delivering a full +48v between the Headway XLR and the microphone. This will require a short XLR-XLR patch cable. Turning the +18v Headway power off will also no doubt extend battery life considerably. 

This unit was clearly intended for use with electret and clip-on mics that have modest power requirements and it indeed performs well with those. The above was intended as a bit of a 'stress test' just to see what happened, and to show that in any event, there is a practical work-around.

I mentioned two unusual features with the mic pre. The second is the gain available. This is quoted as +50db max on the XLR input. I did not measure this precisely, but I did directly compare to another preamp I have that has identical gain (a Presonus Digimax) and it was very close. This level of gain is quite a lot lower than what you will find on many desks and studio preamps, but will be adequate for higher output microphones. I found that with low-output microphones (both dynamics) it was necessary to bring the gain and master controls up quite high, to the point where self-noise became obvious. By contrast, the mic inputs on my Allen & Heath ZED R16 and Soundcraft EFX-8 mixers offered more gain (+60db) and subjectively lower self-noise. It is not easy to get ultra-low noise, high-gain performance from battery operated microphone preamps that also have to supply phantom power. This is one reason why those that do provide this can easily run to $1K per channel (Sound Devices, Audio Developments, etc). The available gain and cited noise performance (-84dB at 30db gain) is perfectly acceptable for higher output mics used in a live music setting, however. It is nonetheless a long way short of what really top class preamps can achieve (75db gain and -127db). Therefore, although fine for live and stage use, the 'microphone' channel here is not a 'studio' preamp. In practical use in a live situation, and with suitable microphones, self-noise is not intrusive or problematic, however. Mic choice is critical, however. You really do need fairly high output ('hot') microphones that (unless you are also running a separate phantom PSU) are also happy with the +18v available.

In most cases I found I could run the input gain around 2 O'Clock and the master in the same position. Once you advance the input gain much above 3 O'Clock some self-noise becomes evident.

In summary, I felt the EDB-2 is an excellent DI for transducer pickups, both passive and active. The EQ and notch filter facilities are highly versatile and perform superbly. The mic input is also absolutely fine for use with close-mic'd instruments and with fairly high output microphones operating within their specified power supply requirements. Low output mics can be a problem, however, and the self-noise performance ('noise floor') could be better. It is really a matter of selecting microphones that are well-matched to the unit. The DPA 4099, for example, is known to work very well with it. 

If you already have an EDB-1, I would have thought that it is not worth the expense of upgrading unless you really need the 'new' facilities on offer. The EDB-1 is already a very solid performer.

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## Mike Bunting

> If you already have an EDB-1, I would have thought that it is not worth the expense of upgrading unless you really need the 'new' facilities on offer. The EDB-1 is already a very solid performer.


I was thinking the same thing.

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Barry Canada

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## foldedpath

Good review, thanks for the info. It's not surprising that they built it to these specs for phantom power, considering the trade-offs with battery drain. I have a Tascam DR-680 field recorder that supports 48v on six channels, but that's from eight AA batteries, and the battery life is noticeably shorter when running phantom on all the channels. The design of the EDB-2 is obviously intended more for powering things like the clip-on mini condenser mics. Adding a 48v phantom power supply would just add an AC power cord, which defeats the purpose of a portable battery preamp like this.

I have to go off on one small rant about the way they label the EQ knobs. It's that "presence" label... ugh! I wish manufacturers of devices aimed mainly at acoustic instruments and general sound reinforcement would get away from using that term. It's just a dumb carry-over from early tube electric guitar amps, where it worked on the negative feedback loop to shape tone differently from the rest of the EQ bands. 

Why not just label the 5 EQ bands on the EDB-2 as Bass, Low Mid, Mid, High Mid, and Treble? Or just list the center frequencies. We're not dummies, especially anyone interested in gear like this. We don't need to be coddled as if we're knuckle-dragging electric guitar players, who freak out if we see something that doesn't remind us of our old tube amps. Use the proper terms for these things. Bah, humbug! 

But it looks like a useful little box anyway.  :Wink:

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## Avi Ziv

> Why not just label the 5 EQ bands on the EDB-2 as Bass, Low Mid, Mid, High Mid, and Treble? Or just list the center frequencies. We're not dummies, especially anyone interested in gear like this. We don't need to be coddled as if we're knuckle-dragging electric guitar players, who freak out if we see something that doesn't remind us of our old tube amps. Use the proper terms for these things. Bah, humbug!


LOL! Love it

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## ParcelOfRogue

Hi Ben,  I'm  John from Headway who did the outline design of the EDB-1 & 2, as well as the much smaller EDM-1.  I thought I might explain where we are on issues raised.

I play Mandolin, Octave Mandola, Mandocello and a bit of Electric Bouzouki, by the way.

The Multi -function EDB-1 or EDB-2 are far too power hungry to operate on the few milli-amps available on Phantom power from Mixers etc.  We did try to make them operate in that way, but I don't believe that any such device with that level of functions could operate in that way.

However, the new, smaller, simpler, less power hungry EDM-1, will operate from Phantom power, if the supplied XLR to Jack Plug adapter is used.  This is because the unit has less functions requiring power. Phantom on Mixers was designed for powering true Condenser Mics, but will cope with standard Di Boxes, which have low power requirements and don't operate many functions.

The EDB-2 has a much lower noise figure, especially on it's XLR Mic Input, than EDB-1. The general performance of EDB-1 offered less clarity and higher noise than EDB-2, which I believe people sometimes confused with the 18v Phantom to Mic Input aspect. While a tiny handful of true Condensers ( so far just by SE ) have failed to work on the 18v Phantom, most work fine and certainly good enough for live work.

On the size of the mute, we had to keep that small since the box is already cramming a quart into a pint pot at the very least and there is no room to include oversized switches or pots, otherwise, the box would be much larger, heavier, impossible to get into an instrument case, or mount on a belt. 

The EDB-2 offers a Standby setting as well as a Mute.  The Standby, was to encourage a 2 stage switch on, to cut the thump while the box is plugged in live to speakers. The Standby can also be used as a Mute, which gives you another chance to find it on a dark stage.

We have listened to what people liked about the EDB-1; which was a great deal; as well as the relatively few moans and we have taken as much as possible on board, which is so far going down very well. Players requests for additional features are likely to be taken into account in future products.

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## ParcelOfRogue

Hi almeriastrings, I am John Littler of Headway. Thank you very much for your detailed report on the EDB-2, which I have noted.

I thought I might offer an explanation to the readers regarding the noise levels.
Noise, or background hiss is generated by all electronic components, to a greater or lesser extent and in putting a multi-function unit together, clearly that would add more noise than a simple Pre-amp or Di Box with few functions. Of course, if you daisy chain several simpler units together to obtain similar functions, this would add noise and might be likely to be noisier.

In addition, in offering a unit that has a viable life with batteries, we are limited in terms of the choice of components used.  If we were offering a unit with less functions or one which was powered purely via mains, or a mains powered AC-DC adapter, we could use lower noise components and offer a better figure.

However, we have reduced noise on EDB-2, compared to EDB-1, especially on the XLR Input Mic option and I believe you are correct in suggesting that it is fine for live, as it was mainly intended. If noise is an issue, such as in professional recording studios, you would probably be unlikely to be using a battery powered device. We are very pleased with the tone, EQ and noise figures on the new Pre-amps, including on the simpler 
EDM-1 and I would suggest comparing the units next to closer competitor units, if anyone is unconvinced about their performance.  

As to the differences between EDB-1 and 2, apart from noise, they are more than meets the eye. EDB-2 can offer 5 Band EQ to 1 or other channels, or both, Phase reverse can now be applied to either channel, there is both lower gain and higher gain on both channels, via dual gang pots, which cope better with very hot or very weak pickup systems and it has an XLR Output level which is more modest, to be better able to plug into XLR Mic Inputs on basic level Mixers.  

Also, we believe we have achieved a clearer tone with better headroom and have tried to make the labelling easier, for the average non technical user to understand.  We also put a lot of effort into improving the manual further, which had already received positive comment.

On notch filter, that can now be applied to either channel and the cut has been reduced to 12 dB from 15 dB.  We have found this sufficient to cut feedback peaks, while making less of an unwanted hole in the sound. Of course, with notch filters, the point is to make some sort of reduction in sound in an unwanted area.

The switchable input impedance has been extended to a 3 way on Channel 2 and the On/off switch has the addition of a standby position, which if used to switch on slowly in 2 stages, will cut the clunk noise, if connected to live speakers.

However, we are grateful for your input and are likely to take your comments on board when producing future additional models.

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## ParcelOfRogue

Hi String 14, I am John of Headway and I'm grateful for your input.  However, I thought I would comment on the Presence issue as there is quite a bit of uncertainty about what that term refers to.

It is true that Electric Guitar amps sometimes offered what they called Presence in addition to Treble.  They usually referred to Presence as being the very top end control, operating at a higher frequency than Treble. Instead of taking our cue from that world, we decided to ally with the Pro Audio definition, which sites presence as a narrow area, centred between about 2.5 kHz and 3 kHz, which normally requires a smaller amount of cut and boost compared to the other controls. I recall the EDB-1/2 use about 7 dB cut and boost, instead of between 12-15 dB on other controls.

We find the Presence area a useful one to cut for many piezos, magnetic pickups and Electret Condenser Mics, as they often produce too much in that sometimes clunky low treble area, although much of this is subjective.

It is always difficult trying to pitch descriptions on product or in manuals, so that they are as understandable as possible to the non-technical, but also get the information over to the technically minded without sounding long winded or worse. Since a fair proportion of our customers play the Violin family and are not usually at all technical, we have to bear them in mind and I am sure that well informed players such as yourself will normally cope easily with the unit.

There are a lot of people who have been using EDB-1/2 in different ways and while most will not use the belt clip, it is there if required and that would not be practical with the Power Supply, but we also include the Power supply for those that require it.

We do listen to real customers and try to take their views into account in future products, when they are possible.

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## Perry

These units look very nice and as I am on a constant quest for better plugged in tone I am tempted. 

There are two features on my ToneBone Pre-Z that I find very useful; the boost switch and the mute switch. 

I suppose if the sound were far better on the Headway I can live without them. Also the fact that the Headway runs on batteries is a major plus.

Can anybody compare the Headway "sound" to that of the ToneBone Pre-z?

FWIW I am using my ToneBone with a Schertler/mandolin and K&K/guitar set-up.

Thanks

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## mandotim1955

I use a Headway EDB1, our guitar player uses a Tone Bone Pre-Z. To my ears, no contest; the Headway produces a far more natural sound, with less noise.

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## almeriastrings

I like the Headway very much. It offers a huge amount of control, with flexible routing and input/output options and a logical layout. The ability to create mic/pickup blends is a really key feature. It is an excellent sounding box. 

The Radial is also a good quality unit, but entirely different in concept. It seems to me that it is more geared to those using pickups only and requiring more extensive pedal routings and 'live' switching between sources. I would say the Headway is much more "pure acoustic instrument" oriented, and is just about perfect for anyone working with both a mic and a pickup together. The EQ on the Headway also has the edge, in my opinion. As you can see above, the designers themselves are very approachable and clearly understand the needs of acoustic musicians.

The variable input impedances offered are a real life-saver when you have to cope with 'guest' musicians with various types of transducer.

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## Perry

> I like the Headway very much. It offers a huge amount of control, with flexible routing and input/output options and a logical layout. The ability to create mic/pickup blends is a really key feature. It is an excellent sounding box. 
> 
> The Radial is also a good quality unit, but entirely different in concept. It seems to me that it is more geared to those using pickups only and requiring more extensive pedal routings and 'live' switching between sources. I would say the Headway is much more "pure acoustic instrument" oriented, and is just about perfect for anyone working with both a mic and a pickup together. The EQ on the Headway also has the edge, in my opinion. As you can see above, the designers themselves are very approachable and clearly understand the needs of acoustic musicians.
> 
> The variable input impedances offered are a real life-saver when you have to cope with 'guest' musicians with various types of transducer.



Thanks for the input. 

Interestingly enough even though the ToneBone Pre-Z is touted as being for two instruments it only has one set of EQs so what I end up doing is use just one channel and change the low pass filter when switching from mandolin to guitar. Not the best scenario but seems work good enough. I used to own a Pendulum SPS-1 and it truly was dual channel but was quite a complicated layout.

What appealed to me about the ToneBone is that it sounded good right out of the box with almost no adjustment.

The Headway's EQ is assignable to channel one or two or both BUT the notch filter can only be assigned to channel one or two or bypassed; but not both. As mentioned this unit seems to be more geared to a dual pick-up system. 

I still may get one; can someone suggest US dealers?

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## Perry

p.s. there's a review of Headway 1 & 2 units is the current (Willie Nelson on cover) issue of Acoustic Guitar mag. I don't have it yet so can not comment on content.

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## dang

> The Radial is also a good quality unit, but entirely different in concept. It seems to me that it is more geared to those using pickups only and requiring more extensive pedal routings and 'live' switching between sources. I would say the Headway is much more "pure acoustic instrument" oriented, and is just about perfect for anyone working with both a mic and a pickup together. The EQ on the Headway also has the edge, in my opinion. As you can see above, the designers themselves are very approachable and clearly understand the needs of acoustic musicians.
> 
> The variable input impedances offered are a real life-saver when you have to cope with 'guest' musicians with various types of transducer.


I have and use a Tonebone PZ-pre that I use with a NXT Double bass by Ned Steinberger.  This is the budget version so I didn't realize how poor the polar pickups would sound going into a bass amp without a preamp.  Got a tone bone PZ pre and problem solved...

It's got that PZB switch that "adds a class-A booster circuit and increased impedance for the piezo-electric element."
If I don't have that switch 'on' the NXT bass sounds terrible.  

I have a Schertler Dyn-M on my mandolin that I regularly use (without any preamp), and I want to get the Headway EDB-2 as a multi-functional device, but what I am wondering is without that PZB booster circuit will I have the same quality of the sound for my NXT bass as I am currently getting with my tone bone?

...Or as you said above (Almeria), is this one of those situations where the headway can handle the "variable input impedances offered"?

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## almeriastrings

Hi Dang,

I have no direct experience at all with the Steinberg 'Polar' transducers (so take this with a pinch of salt), but from what I can infer from the somewhat sparse specifications they publish, it appears to be a multi-element piezo system. They specify a _minimum_ preamp input impedance of 1M Ohms. That being so, then the 'Hi' switch on Input One of the EDB-2 should provide a satisfactory match (5M Ohms), however there is an alternative (Hi+) position that increases the input impedance to 10M Ohms - this is identical to the impedance of the Tonebone PZ with the PZB-2 switch engaged. 

The PZ is a very nicely engineered pre/DI. I would not say the Headway was superior - simply different. The main difference is in how they handle microphone inputs .The EDB-2 will supply either a 'regular' format 18v phantom power source on the XLR, or A-B power (<10v) to _directly_ power an electret mic via either tip or ring on the Ch. 1 TRS socket. So, as a preamp/EQ/DI with 'blending' in mind it is hugely flexible.  If you do not need this kind of microphone handling, then there may be little advantage changing from another really high grade unit such as your Tonebone PZ. It does not have a 'boost' switch, either, and has no foot operated switches. You have to pre-set them by hand. In that sense, the Tonebone may be preferred by some users. They are both really excellent devices and both sound very good on a wide range of sources.

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## dang

> Hi Dang,
> ...however there is an alternative (Hi+) position that increases the input impedance to 10M Ohms - this is identical to the impedance of the Tonebone PZ with the PZB-2 switch engaged.


Perfect, just what I was trying to understand!




> The main difference is in how they handle microphone inputs .The EDB-2 will supply either a 'regular' format 18v phantom power source on the XLR, or A-B power (<10v) to _directly_ power an electret mic via either tip or ring on the Ch. 1 TRS socket. So, as a preamp/EQ/DI with 'blending' in mind it is hugely flexible.  If you do not need this kind of microphone handling, then there may be little advantage changing from another really high grade unit such as your Tonebone PZ. It does not have a 'boost' switch, either, and has no foot operated switches. You have to pre-set them by hand. In that sense, the Tonebone may be preferred by some users. They are both really excellent devices and both sound very good on a wide range of sources.


What I am really looking for is a preamp for my Schertler and AT Pro-35 which both have XLR inputs (rendering the tone bone useless) but the ability to cross over and use it for my NXT bass (and therefore have an option for a situation where I need to run on batteries) makes the Headway EDB-2 even more handy.  THANKS!

Dan G.

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## almeriastrings

Right.

Well, you can actually run an AT PRO 35 straight from the Ch.1 jack socket, in fact. This means you can use the 'wireless' version (without the XLR 18-48 phantom to 5-10 volt A-B power converter). I use them like that to power AKG C411's, DPA's , Ovid system mics, AT's, Sony lav mics and various other back-electret elements and it is excellent. It is just a question of a bit of re-wiring in some cases, e,g., replacing the mini-XLR on the wireless versions with a TRS jack plug. I measured 7.5v on that input socket which is right in the middle of the 5-10v requirement of all of these designs.

I know people who successfully have used the DYN's into both channels of the Headway, but if into Ch. 1 you need an impedance converter. I would normally run one of those into the Ch. 2 XLR and reserve  Ch 1 for electret mics that require the 5-10v A-B power.

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## lloving

Has anyone had any luck using the EDB-2 with a DPA 4099v using the 18v phantom power. I have tried that combination with no luck. I am using a QSC K8 powered speaker as the final output. 4099v to EDB-2 to the QSC. I get nothing but a pop when I go from Off to Standby on the EDB-2. Other testing has verified the 4099v and the QSC both are in working order. 
Is my problem the 18v, do I need the full 48v for this setup to work?

Thanks for any replies.

LL

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## foldedpath

> Has anyone had any luck using the EDB-2 with a DPA 4099v using the 18v phantom power. I have tried that combination with no luck. I am using a QSC K8 powered speaker as the final output. 4099v to EDB-2 to the QSC. I get nothing but a pop when I go from Off to Standby on the EDB-2. Other testing has verified the 4099v and the QSC both are in working order. 
> Is my problem the 18v, do I need the full 48v for this setup to work?


My guess would be that the DPA 4099's XLR barrel adapter/step-down transformer is looking for a nominal 48 volts to convert to the mic's 5-9v bias power. If it's seeing significantly less than 48v as a starting point, then the mic may not be getting enough juice. 

A battery preamp like the EDP-2 that says it has "phantom power" at 18v is really just stating that _some_ condenser mics will work with it, and it saves on battery drain. But it's not really the nominal spec for phantom power. The manual says it's enough to power "99% of condenser mics" and I think that's misleading. Some very good condenser mics don't perform well unless they get a full 48v, like Neumann KM-184's among others.

As a long shot, it might also be a problem with your XLR cable, so test that against other cables known to be working.

Edit to add: I just remembered that the DPA 4099 works fine with the 24v "phantom power" in the mic input of my little AER Alpha amp, which isn't that far off from 18v, but it could still be a consideration. Check your settings on the preamp, and check your cables.

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## almeriastrings

FP (as usual) is quite right. The little XLR 'adapters' that come with DPA's, AKG's, AT's etc., are built to expect a standard +48v phantom supply from a typical mixing desk. Some will work from +24v and a few from +18v... but it varies, because internally they use different circuits. Also, their current requirements vary in addition to their voltage requirements. To top off all those variables the actual mini-microphone elements themselves _may_ work on anything from 3v to 11v! Performance will normally be reduced as voltages drop below the optimum, however.

This is the inside of an AKG Micromic III adapter:





Quite a sophisticated circuit using surface-mount components on those. Some are much simpler. I have noticed a lot of the lower cost adapters shamelessly copy the DPA circuit, but use lesser grade components!

Solutions:

1) If you do not want to do surgery on your DPA you can still use it into Ch. 2, but you may need to insert a separate phantom power
box capable of supplying a higher voltage and current first. You can then turn the phantom on the Headway Ch. 2 off. There are lots of these available. Some use mains (115 or 220v) via a adapter and others use batteries. From measurements I have done over the years, I can say that you will normally get very best performance from either a mains powered unit OR from a battery powered model that uses *FOUR* (not two) 9v batteries, though some that use 2X 9v batteries are absolutely fine. Quality on these things varies wildly. I would recommend avoiding the very cheap ones.

2) With a Headway EDB-2 (not EDB-1) you can do away with the XLR adapter and directly power the mic from the Ch.1 TRS jack.  This means modifying the mic and voiding your warranty, however. _Only try this if you know exactly what you are doing and have adequate electronics skills_. If you get it wrong you could - potentially - cause serious damage. It does work very well, however. I often mod them by inserting a lockable mini-HICON connector in the cable, this then allows you to use either the original XLR adapter or a custom cable to the Ch.1 jack of the EDB-2.

As you can see... variables.. variables...

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## lloving

Thanks FP and Almariastrings. Very useful info. I think the picture is getting clearer at this end.

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## pit lenz

It's a pity that the EDB can't pick just the P-48 from it's output XLR and forward it to the input so a 4099 (or other condenser mic) could at least be fed from a PA mixer's 48V supply...

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## lloving

Now that would be nice.

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## mandroid

Is there an EQ save?  since 2 channels but only 1 set of EQ controls ..

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## lloving

> Is there an EQ save?  since 2 channels but only 1 set of EQ controls ..


EQ Selection Switch for Ch1 or CH2 or both. 

By the way my apologies for hijacking the thread. My issues with the DPA 4099v and the EDB-2 should be resolved by Headway. They are replacing my EDB-2. Good service by the way.

LL

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## pit lenz

> My issues with the DPA 4099v and the EDB-2 should be resolved by Headway. They are replacing my EDB-2. Good service by the way.
> 
> LL


Hi lloving, do you have any news on that for us ?
thanks
Pit

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## lloving

> Hi lloving, do you have any news on that for us ?
> thanks
> Pit


Unfortunately the US dealer and the US distributor have never followed through on the exchange. The distributor is not responding to phone calls or emails. 

I hope Headway will come through. The problem there is I have to send the unit back to them at my expense. International shipping and customs both ways etc. ....

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## almeriastrings

What _precisely_ is wrong?

Are you using the DPA with XLR? If so, this will not work with the EDB-2 as it is out of specification for it. The EDB-2 supplies 18v phantom or 7v phantom - not 48v. If you read the spec for the DPA 4099 it states:

" Min. 5 V to max. 50 V through DPA adapter for wireless systems; *48 V phantom power ±4 V* with DAD4099-BC XLR adapter"

You must use the "wireless" version. Not the XLR version.

The only way to use the XLR version is to insert a separate full voltage phantom PSU before the EDB-2. For example:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MicPower2/

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## pit lenz

Almeriastrings, 
you are right of course about the 18-V phantom issue and dpa mics, but Headway`s own user manual is really misleading, to say the least:

Page 17: _(note that they're talking about their phantom power being switched on to the XLR input)_ 
Phantom Power is required to power true condenser Mics e.g. DPA 4099 or AKG C414 where no battery is used inside Mic. Exceptional quality reproduction may be obtained in this way. Dynamic
Mics such as the Shure SM 57 are more usual in live work as they are tougher and often easier to use than condenser types but are less subtle and accurate for acoustic instruments and do not require Phantom Power.
IMPORTANT: Before Switching Phantom Power ON/Off, switch Standby ON first.

Page 28: 
Where using Mics avoid Omini-Directional and use Uni-Directional, preferably Hyper-Cardiod, such as DPA.

 :Confused:

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## almeriastrings

I agree they should make this clearer. You _can_ use the DPA 4099 with the EDB-2, but from tests I ran, optimum performance is when the "wireless" version is wired via an adapter cable from the Microdot connector to the 1/4" TRS input, where you can assign "A-B" power to the tip. *Some* condenser mics are fine with +18v via the XLR, but others are not. It depends how voltage and current critical they are. The "XLR adapter" connector type may - or may not - work. I had a low cost Thomann-brand "Ovid" mic (with adapter) working OK, while the DPA refused. The only way to be sure is to try it. Any of the "wireless" versions should be OK, however, as these rely upon a much lower polarizing voltage, as supplied on the 1/4" TRS jack. 

DPA themselves do not help, because they say (in various obscure places):

_"The adapter is functional at 12 V phantom power but needs 48 V ± 4 V to reach full specifications – see diagram"_

Which is true - sometimes - depending what you are plugging it into, but I had "motorboating" and cut-outs when I tried it with the Headway....

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## lloving

FWIW. I now use the a DPA 4099 through a Sennheiser EW100 G3 connected to a Soundcraft unpowered mixer (not using available phantom power) with great success so the Headway EDBII sets on the shelf waiting for me to send to Headway. I may retry it with another power source but I was lead to believe the DPA/EDBII combination would work with out additional equipment. So I'm not sure the chase would be worth it.

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## almeriastrings

If you have the "wireless" version of the 4099, all you need is a custom adapter cable. It will then work perfectly. 

You need: DPA Microdot to 3-ring TRS.

You then set the 'phantom' (it is actually a kind of T-power/A-B power) switch on the Headway to 'Tip', positive bias. 

It will then work perfectly. It just needs the correctly wired adapter cable. Nothing more. I am kind of surprised no-one seems to be offering these "off the shelf" for sale, because it is a common problem.

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## dang

> If you have the "wireless" version of the 4099, all you need is a custom adapter cable.


I have been following this thread for a while, and I think I get it but...  is there a separate DPA4099 product that is the wireless version???

I thought there was just one model with a variety of mounting systems, and I don't see anything on the DPA site about a wireless and "wired" version.

When I look at the custom adapter cable link from the DPA4099 page there are a lot of wireless systems listed but I only see one that terminates to anything like a TRS - the DAD6034 which is listed as a "Micro Dot to Mini Jack (with threads)."  Is a mini jack the same as 1/8in?  Could you just use that with the screw on 1/8 to 1/4 adaptor?  

I agree with the above statements about wishing the EDBII had 48V.  I know that is a lot to ask from a unit that can run on batteries, but couldn't they make it so the 48V only worked when plugged in?  Still an amazingly versatile product as is... but if you could use it to run your large condensers too?  Sigh, we can dream  :Wink:

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## almeriastrings

The "wireless version" is simply the mic + Microdot connector - without the XLR adapter. There were some early models where an XLR adapter was hard-wired in. The  more recent models have the detachable adapter. Yes, the DAD6034 is a 1/8 mini-jack, unfortunately. You would need to check the precise wiring to establish compatibility.... where the tip and ring are assigned. Not at all obvious (again) from the published info. They don't make it easy...

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dang

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## lloving

> The "wireless version" is simply the mic + Microdot connector - without the XLR adapter. There were some early models where an XLR adapter was hard-wired in. The  more recent models have the detachable adapter. Yes, the DAD6034 is a 1/8 mini-jack, unfortunately. You would need to check the precise wiring to establish compatibility.... where the tip and ring are assigned. Not at all obvious (again) from the published info. They don't make it easy...


So the XLR adapter is the issue. Makes sense to me since my setup workes with the microdot (wireless?). Now to see if it will work "wireless" through the EDBII, (Sennheiser > EDBII > Powered Speaker)

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## almeriastrings

> (Sennheiser > EDBII > Powered Speaker)


You will get a signal like that. Plug the output from the receiver into the XLR of the EDB-2. Make certain phantom is *OFF* on the EDB-2, though, or you could damage the receiver. That will give you access to the EQ on the EDB-2, etc. That said... you will be loosing quite a bit by sending it through the wireless system.... the dynamic range,/SN ratio and frequency response of all but the very latest (and best) digital wireless systems are no match for hard-wired.

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## lloving

almeristrings 

First many thanks for your input. Those of us who are newbees in live sound need all the help we can get. 

In your earlier post you said:
"If you have the "wireless" version of the 4099, all you need is a custom adapter cable. It will then work perfectly. "

I assume such a cable would have to be custom built. Can one rely on the published specs from Headway and DPA for the correct "pin out" of such a cable?

Is there a source for this type of custom work? 

Again thanks for your input.

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## almeriastrings

There are only two wires in the DPA. It terminates in the miniature 'microdot' connector - for which DPA do sell a range of adapters, but at (in my opinion) rather exorbitant prices!

http://www.trewaudio.com/store/DPA-M...-Adaptors.html

They also do not make one to a regular 1/4" TRS jack, either.... which is what you need. 

Any competent electronics person should be able to make something to suit, however. There is a company in the UK that makes certain adapters at much more reasonable prices:

http://www.micronic.co.uk/store/item...ophone-adaptor 

It would be easy to cut the mini-jack off that one, for example, and replace it with a 1/4" TRS. On the EDB-2, you can assign the + low voltage bias to either 'tip' or 'ring'. I assign it to 'tip'. This has worked fine with 4099's and with AKG C411's (which have similar requirements). It is possible someone in the US might offer something similar too, but unfortunately, I don't have any specific leads.

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## lloving

I will try this approach and post back here.

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## almeriastrings

More follow up on interfacing DPA's, for the record, as someone may find it useful.

The difficult part (literally) is the microdot connector. These are very hard to source. DPA will sell you a female one, though, for around $25. The part number is DJJ0031.

Once you have that, you can make your own cable adapter. 

When you have _that,_ you can interface your DPA to _any_ suitable preamp that supplies between 5-10V bias.

In the US, Church Audio have experience of interfacing DPA's and in the EU Orchid Electronics have a very nice preamp that will also work well once you have the connection from Microdot resolved. I have had some discussions with John at Orchid, and we are pretty sure that this would do the job.  The main problem is, quite simply, the microdot connector DPA use. I just chop them off (!), but I can see why to avoid devaluing or voiding a warranty this may not be for everyone.

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dang, 

lloving

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## j. condino

How does the sound and quatility of the Headway compare to my tried and true old Baggs para acoustic DI? I've been looking for a new preamp / DI box for giging. The Radial systems seems to have everything I'd really like, in a simple package- including the boost, but not having 9v or some kind of battery power is a deal breaker. There are several regular venues for me that don't have power anywhere near the front end of the stage and I need something that is quick to setup. The old Baggs PA DI is generaly a very useful workhorse, but sometimes it seems like I need 20 minutes to dial in the room and it always seems to be on the nights with an incredibly impatient sound guy running the mains. Thanks!

j.
www.condino.com

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## pit lenz

> More follow up on interfacing DPA's, for the record, as someone may find it useful.
> The difficult part (literally) is the microdot connector.


Thomann (in Germany) sells a 1.8 m (massive version)  or regular diameter cable for 28  for the newer 4099s with the microdot gooseneck. Cutting off the end and soldering it to a 1/4" jack gives you a complete robust solution.

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lloving

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## almeriastrings

Excellent. I had not noticed that one before! Very useful.

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## lloving

> Thomann (in Germany) sells a 1.8 m (massive version)  or regular diameter cable for 28€  for the newer 4099s with the microdot gooseneck. Cutting off the end and soldering it to a 1/4" jack gives you a complete robust solution.


Also available from Fullcompass.com in the US. (NFI)

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## oldwave

http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wi...709/index.html
Here is an alternative to the DPA that is an excellent microphone, i have used it on both violin and mandolin.  Would have no problem powered by the Headway. In the us its street is cheaper than the dpa. I have used the dpa violin mic holder with it also.  I usually use a bit of gaffers to mount it to a mandolin. Its extremely light.

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## pit lenz

Here`s a quick follow up on the EDB-2 topic:

I just purchased an EDB-2 for my first upcoming mando gig. First thing I tried was the dpa phantom adapter (newer model with smaller capacitors inside). My 4099 worked ok with Headway`s XLR power supply, I had no issues so far, but this is not a long time experience.  Almeriastrings reported earlier that they may or may nor work or start to motorboat at a certain point, in my quick little test they seemed to behave normally.

But I have another issue with my EDB. 
I have the little k&k pickups and a microphone. I switched EQ and notch filters back and forth to see where to put them to best use and heard a strange phase behavior when the EQ is put to both CH.A  AND Ch.B. After that I hooked up my Smaart measuring system and checked the phase plots. 

Switching the EQ to both channels reverts the phase of the whole system! 
Having it on only one channel (be it 1 or 2) remains polarity straight.
Unfortunately the phase switch allows only one channel at a time to be reversed, so there is no way to have both channels EQ`ed and keep polarity straight.
I verified that with a hearing test with white noise and a Y-cable, feeding an active speaker directly and at the same time a split through the EDB. EQ switched to both channels cancels out the entire signal if levels are the same. Maybe someone (Almeria?) would please check (and confirm?) this with their EDB.
I can`t believe that this should be a feature and not a bug.

Inspired by Sam Bush`s setup I wanted to try a small mic/pickup combination. So I might end up with a combination of a PARA DI and the EDB.
Bagg`s eq will take care of the k&k`s "quack" and will feed Headways`Ch.2. 
Ch. 1( with it`s dedicated notch and EQ)  sees a small Sennheiser me-4  (a cardioid lav mic) that I had lying around and works pretty well without being too obstrusive. Both sources are hooked to the stereo endpin to Tip (k&k) and Ring (Sennh.). I could even feed Pickup (PADI`s XLR) and mic (EDB`s XLR)  separately to the PA system, so the sound engineer can set a different balance for House and monitors. A first test sounded quite promising to me.
I am well aware that this setup is a little overkill, compared to my more than humble mando skills, but being a soundengineer I like to tinker and improve stuff.

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## almeriastrings

> But I have another issue with my EDB. 
> I have the little k&k pickups and a microphone. I switched EQ and notch filters back and forth to see where to put them to best use and heard a strange phase behavior when the EQ is put to both CH.A  AND Ch.B. After that I hooked up my Smaart measuring system and checked the phase plots. 
> 
> Switching the EQ to both channels reverts the phase of the whole system! 
> Having it on only one channel (be it 1 or 2) remains polarity straight.
> Unfortunately the phase switch allows only one channel at a time to be reversed, so there is no way to have both channels EQ`ed and keep polarity straight.
> I verified that with a hearing test with white noise and a Y-cable, feeding an active speaker directly and at the same time a split through the EDB. EQ switched to both channels cancels out the entire signal if levels are the same. Maybe someone (Almeria?) would please check (and confirm?) this with their EDB.
> I can`t believe that this should be a feature and not a bug.


I will try to test this over the next few days. Meantime, I would suggest contacting John at Headway to report your findings and see what he says. He designed it - so is the best person to raise this with. It sounds very strange. I must admit that in normal use I had not noticed anything, but then, I have not fed identical signals to both channels with EQ switched in.

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## ballynally

> Here`s a quick follow up on the EDB-2 topic:
> 
> 
> 
> But I have another issue with my EDB. 
> I have the little k&k pickups and a microphone. I switched EQ and notch filters back and forth to see where to put them to best use and heard a strange phase behavior when the EQ is put to both CH.A  AND Ch.B. After that I hooked up my Smaart measuring system and checked the phase plots. 
> 
> Switching the EQ to both channels reverts the phase of the whole system! 
> Having it on only one channel (be it 1 or 2) remains polarity straight.
> ...


Hi,

Just wondering about a few things:
About phase behaviour, i take it you use 2 inputs (1 pickup/1 mic) to go to ch1 and ch2. Then you say there is a phase reversal going on when using the EQ. You also mention you can switch the phase, but only on one channel. I would think the mic channel would be the preferred one for that though one has to listen.
And you say the entire signal cancels out due to phase reversal? mmm..disturbing.
Any update on that?

You use a STEREO endpin with the 2 sources into one jack? Could that be part of the problem?

Are you using 2 pre amps now?

The reason i'm interested is that i have K&Ks meridian electret mic and want to combine it with either UST or K&K mini on various instruments (guitar/mandolin/braguesa).
The headway EDB seems the ticket but want to make sure a have good control over the various EQ/notch settings. When using 2 sources with separate preamps (like an EQ pedal or other) i might just need the earlier EDM1, though your Sam Bush setup looks promising.
Any update on that?

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## pit lenz

Hello ballynally,
Don`t worry, there will be no sound cancellation in any normal use.
Yes; I use one mic and one pickup via stereo jack from my mando. 
I didn`t say that the entire system cancels out when a phase is reversed.

I´m very sensitive to delay and polarity issues. So I noticed a reversed polarity when EQ is switched on both channels.

Then, just for aural verification of my measurements, I fed the same signal directly and again through the Headway and could verify the  effect by cancellation.
But this was just an measuring experiment, not a hookup that would be practical in normal life.




> Switching the EQ to both channels reverts the phase of the whole system! 
> Having it on only one channel (be it 1 or 2) remains polarity straight.
> Unfortunately the phase switch allows only one channel at a time to be reversed, so there is no way to have both channels EQ`ed and keep polarity straight.
> I verified that with a hearing test with white noise and a Y-cable, *feeding an active speaker directly and at the same time a split through the EDB.* EQ switched to both channels cancels out the entire signal if levels are the same. Maybe someone (Almeria?) would please check (and confirm?) this with their EDB.
> I can`t believe that this should be a feature and not a bug.


I contacted John Littler from Headway about that. He responded right away to tell me that they never had anybody notice this behaviour but would double check again.
The next day he wrote back:



> Dear Pit, we have had a word with our electronics engineer who designed the circuitry and you might be interested to know this is what he said:
> Hes right about what hes saying.
> I designed it so that all signal paths are always in phase with each other, which they are.
> But when the EQ is on both channels, theres an extra mixing stage (to mix both Chs to go into the EQ), and although all EDB-2 signals are in phase with each other, theres an absolute reversed phase with the outside world caused by this mixing stage. I was originally trying to make the signal path as short as possible with the least number of stages, minimum number of chips etc.
> #So this isnt news and I honestly didnt expect anyone to find this to be a problem as all signals in the units are always in phase with each other.


Again, no need to worry, I just stumbled over a design decision and not a bug, since I was the first and -so far- only one to notice, it shouldn`t affect the performance of that -wonderful- Headway in your case...

greetings
Pit

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almeriastrings

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## ballynally

Oh thanks, Pit. Yes, i'd thought that an extra eq stage for both sources might lead to a phase reversal. Glad to know there is no real audible effect. I've hooked up my K&K mic straight to my Schertler Unico amp without pre amp. It has a 10v button that works w the electret. It has a useful low/mid sweep as well. I recorded from the amp's output straight into a Zoom recorder and it's very clear. However, through the speaker the mic has issues. One could call it feedback i suppose but it's more like certain overtones that appear.
This happens quite naturally with condensers anyway and the electret is the same. They are very sensitive and pick up a lot of sound and the proximity of a nearby speaker will amplify that. So it needs more eq. That would mean a dedicated preamp as most mixers work with 48V instead of 10 (more or less). Another few hundred euro/dollars..mmm

For live use it's still a delicate setup. I feel a proper PA will be able to tackle the issues better but I'll try it out on a gig without a pre amp next sunday going through 1 Schertler amp with side speaker. UST and K&K mic (guitar) to 2 channels plus vocal mic and see how i fare.

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## ballynally

(quote)For live use it's still a delicate setup. I feel a proper PA will be able to tackle the issues better but I'll try it out on a gig without a pre amp next sunday going through 1 Schertler amp with side speaker. UST and K&K mic (guitar) to 2 channels plus vocal mic and see how i fare.[/QUOTE]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gigged with it yesterday. Both mic and UST mixed through amp.

It kinda worked. I say kinda because the overtones persisted throughout the evening and got worse when i cranked up the amp halfway through. You cannot quite eq your way out of this though with a dedicated pre amp/eq one might get closer.
Having said that, It did add a good bit of 3d depth to the sound so it is useful.
I still think that the mic is made for a PA with a listening audience though i will continue using it with my small amp setup, due to the fact that i can use the UST more the louder the audience gets.
I would not rely on the mic itself. It could be used for a recording but then one might opt for a proper full size quality condenser instead of the electret.

So, final thoughts: It is still a practical mic system as i can transfer it to different instruments. It does need a preamp.
I think a combi of both UST and K&K pure mini or Mag will be best, depending on your style..

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## almeriastrings

> So, final thoughts: It is still a practical mic system as i can transfer it to different instruments. It does need a preamp.
> I think a combi of both UST and K&K pure mini or Mag will be best, depending on your style..


All microphones need a preamp... whether the 'Mic' channel in an acoustic amp, or the preamp in a mixing console. None of them produce enough voltage to drive a power amp directly. 

There are two issues with the Meridian. 

1) Providing the correct kind of power (volts) to the mic itself. It requires a variety of A-B power, similar to 'plug in power' rather than normal +48v phantom power and:

2) Precisely what situations you expect to use it in, and any EQ that might be required.

One immediate problem is that there are only a very limited number of preamps capable of supplying the kind of power demanded by this mic. Apart from K&K's own, the Headway will do it, though you may need to custom wire a suitable cable.

This adds substantially to the overall cost of the system.

It is not a mic that works well in close proximity to an acoustic amplifier (or to monitors). It just picks up too much 'spill'. 

The DPA4099 and the ATM350 are considerably better in that regard, further, neither demands an 'unusual' power supply. Even so, as with any microphone, there is a limit to how much stage 'spill' they can cope with before feedback, and other unwanted artifacts creep in.

These systems work best with either no stage monitoring at all (using the mains as monitors or via IEM's) or if you do use a monitor keeping the stage volume DOWN and being very aware of the null point of the mic, and trying to keep the monitor there, rather than allowing it to intrude into the main areas of sensitivity. You cannot EQ your way out of the laws of physics, unfortunately...

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