Tom...so Dieter says that the pure mini (alone) into the new Progression Tube Preamp trumps the pure mini WITH the mic, mixed through the Quantum Blender?

Very interesting...

d

Seems like the dual-source (internal mic plus transducer) "blend" systems get the best ratings from a lot of folks. Several (K&K, Baggs, Fishman, etc.) can be active with pre-amp control just inside the sound hole with no or minimal guitar alterations.

What are you guys' thoughts about "on board sound-hole pre-amp" Vs "on the belt pre-amp"
Vs "on the floor pre-amp" Vs "on the PA"?

Ed

Dave: that's exactly what he said, and part of why it intrigues me so. Part of why I like the pure western mini, all other factors excluded, is that is sounds very close to authentic without batteries, blenders, wires going every which way in the interior of your guitar, no stereo jack, no belt pack, no nothing. Invisible pickup, wire, preamp, PA. that's it. But I do want that tube preamp from K&K now that I have a strong suspicion of what it can do. I have a strong prejudice to have the whole acoustic setup and signal chain as simple as humanly and technically possible. One source, one wire, one tone that sounds like your guitar, not some generic guitar. These folks at K&K are on to something that I've not heard outside the realm of studio tube mics. tom

Well, a few weeks ago after speaking to Dieter at K&K, I took the plunge and purchased the new Progression Tube pre-amp.

It most definitely adds some very musical sparkle and air to the high end...and to me that was the only area where the K&K pure mini (into the K&K XLR preamp) needed improvement.

It's an easy no fuss set-up once you get the hang of the controls and EQ....and I'm a low-tech kind of guy.

Does it sound better than the K&K combined with the internal mini mic? Perhaps not better...but in real world live stage situations, it seems to be much more practical for ease of use and that tube really works!!! I used at two gigs and my buddy and I did some A-B'ing with a couple of guitars with pure-mini's in them. The pure mini's through the K&K XLR preamp and the Raven Labs Blender sounded very good AND representative of the acoustic properties of the guitar we were playing...and isn't that what you want? Through the Baggs Para Acoustic DI... a little less so, to my ears. BTW- the Raven Labs PMB-1 blender is an amazing piece of gear...too bad they stopped making them.... BUT, the pure-mini through the K&K progression sounded even more like the guitars we were playing. Warm, clear, clean plus a very musical high-end presence/shimmer which indeed was reminiscent of the high-end you hear when a guitar is mic’ed. .

If you like the tone of your K&K pure mini set up now, you will really like the tube pre. Is it worth it? I guess it depends, but to me it is. It's easier, quicker and less expensive than going the dual source route with internal mics. The pickup preamp combo really sounded like the guitars we were using with no feedback issues whatsoever.
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Is it perfect? No. I’d like to see the instrument inputs in the front of the box rather than in the rear. I’d also like it if it was taller, rather than stretched out horizontally. I’m looking forward to the brackets that will make it rack-mountable.

But it’s a simple single source piece of gear that gets closer than any other single source preamp/pickup combo that I’ve ever heard in nailing the natural acoustic tone of the guitar…and it does it with minimal fuss.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!

dave

Thanks for the report, Dave. Very, VERY interesting. And sonoman, I agree with you completely about keeping the signal chain simple!

I can't see a Progression Tube pre in my near future, but if I ever get the money, and don't 'need' another guitar, I could see picking one of these up.

David

Yes, thanks for the update Dave. Your comment about the high-end sparkle with the K&K Progression preamp is interesting. That's a clear indication of a high quality tube-based preamp stage - the real good ones do just that, and they do so without being obnoxious about it. Of course, good solid state preamps provide plenty of good high end too, it's just that the tube stages do so a bit differently - by adding more second and fourth order harmonics to the sound.

Be forewarned though. As soon as you get a full rail voltage tube stage, it is obligatory for you to investigate, acquire and check out the numerous alternative 12AX7 tubes available, as they can alter the sonic signature.