Three New Blender/Preamps
by Teja Gerken

 

EMF's Entity

Raven Labs'
Master Blender

L.R. Baggs' Mix Pro

For many guitarists, the cable connecting their acoustic-electric with their amp is just about the only electronic accessory they care to bother with. Others don't mind going through some trouble to get the perfect sound: combining multiple pickups, preamps, EQs, effects, and other mysterious little black boxes. The easiest way to make the move into the multiple-source camp (aside from buying an acoustic-electric with on-board blending capabilities or using a full-fledged mixing board) is to use a compact, two-channel preamp designed specifically for this purpose. These units feature TRS stereo inputs (tip/ring/sleeve, which allow a single cable to handle two signals), the ability to EQ and process the sources separately, low-level phantom power to run mini-electret internal mics, and (in some cases) effects loops, notch filters, and the capability to be used as a DI box. For several years, this category included only a few units, all of which remain popular. Fishman was one of the pioneers in this field, offering a complete package with its compact and user-friendly Blender and Pocket Blender. Rane's AP-13 (as well as the discontinued MAP-33) offers more features than a Swiss army knife in a single rack space and enjoys a solid following. Pendulum's SPS-1 is often cited for its audiophile sound and flexible parametric EQ. Boss' AD-5 offers built-in digital effects, but it's limited by its lack of a single stereo input and phantom power.

Within the last year, three new contenders have arrived on the scene. L.R. Baggs' new MixPro ($189) answers the call for a super-small unit for basic blending duties (L.R. Baggs, [805] 929-3545, www.lrbaggs.com). EMF's Entity ($469.99) is the logical complement to the company's B-Band pickups and mics (EMF Acoustics Oy Ltd., www.b-band.com). And Raven Labs, a company that initially developed its Master Blender ($399) for fingerstyle guitarist Laurence Juber, went into full production earlier this year (Raven Labs, [818] 368-2400, www.raven-labs.com).

In testing these units, I used guitars equipped with an L.R. Baggs Dual Source system (set to stereo operation), a B-Band New2 Frontier, a Sunrise magnetic pickup, and a modified Radio Shack lavalier mic. I played the units through a Mackie 1202 mixer (using headphones) and an Ultrasound AG-50D amp. All three blenders performed well, and each had different strengths that would appeal to different kinds of players.

L.R. Baggs' MixPro is small enough to clip to your belt, but it offers the same circuitry found in the company's acclaimed Para DI. It features stereo in and mono out, master volume, a blend control, bass and treble controls for the mixed output signal, a trim control (a moveable 12dB octave filter for reigning in excessive bass), and a push-button for phase reversal. Inside the MixPro are a nine-volt battery, gain controls for each channel, dip switches for turning on the phantom power, and a low-cut trim pot and low-cut range switch for the mic channel. These controls eliminate the need for more external controls once you set them for your particular instrument. The unit can also be used in conjunction with Baggs' new Buffer Jack and a passive Ribbon Transducer to eliminate the need for on-board preamps and batteries.

The MixPro's greatest asset is its diminutive size. It fits into a guitar case, and if basic blending is all you need, you may not need to look any further. The external EQ could be more effective, but combined with the internal low-cut trim, it allows adequate shaping of the signals. As a preamp, the MixPro did well in fattening the signals of the whole range of pickups I played through it.

EMF's new Entity blender/preamp is slightly wider than a half rack. The front panel houses six knobs, a couple of jacks and switches, miniature trim pots (for adjusting the input gain of each channel), and a lone LED. Starting at the left of the panel is a stereo quarter-inch input, followed by Bottom (low EQ) and Edge (high EQ) controls for channel one (typically the pickup). Channel two (typically used for an internal mic) includes a switch for phase reversal, a high-pass filter, and level control. It also features a mute button (which is very handy for quiet tuning or instrument changes), a master volume control, headphone volume, an LED indicator for peak signals or low batteries, and a headphone jack (which can also serve as a tuner send). The back of the unit is home to a compartment for a nine-volt battery, an XLR output, a ground-lift switch, a quarter-inch output, effects sends and returns for each channel, a second stereo input (which can be used instead of the input on the front panel), and an on/off switch and DC input to accommodate an external power adapter (not included). Threads on the bottom of the Entity allow it to be mounted on a mic stand.

Under the hood we find two sets of dip switches, which can be tweaked for a variety of setups. The unit comes set up for use with the namesake B-Band Entity pickup, mic, and internal preamp combo. This is a hip setup that is essentially identical to the company's acclaimed Core system, but the pickup and mic can both be phantom-powered by the Entity mixer, eliminating the need for batteries in the guitar. When used with other mics and pickups, the dip switches can be used to turn phantom power on or off as well as to select several different input impedances for either channel, allowing the unit to work with active and passive electronics, piezo and magnetic pickups, and different internal mics. The second bank of switches allows for a variety of headphone monitor settings (post master, post effects loop, and mix control).

One of the coolest features of the Entity is its ability to be phantom-powered from a mixing board, eliminating the need for batteries or awkward power adapters. Because there is no level control for channel 1, the master volume control also adjusts the output level of this channel. Once the desired volume is reached, the signal from channel 2 is added via its own level control. Players who are accustomed to having individual controls for each channel may have to adapt to this layout, but ultimately it allows for quick changes to the overall volume. It would be nice if there were a way to have a single effects loop for both channels (in many situations you'll have to choose one or the other), and it would also be helpful to be able to control the level going to the send signal. Soundwise, the Entity shines with the various B-Band systems for which it was designed. The unit also sounded good with the other pickups, although it didn't give the passive Sunrise as much oomph as the other two blender/preamps did.

When it comes to Raven Labs' Master Blender, durability is the name of the game. If any piece of electronic equipment can survive the rigors of the road, this one can. Housed in a sturdy sheet-metal box, the unit features all-metal jacks, and a look inside reveals clean wiring with much attention to detail. The Master Blender's front panel houses one stereo and two quarter-inch mono inputs. There are also two rows of controls (one per channel) for gain, bass, mid, and treble as well as a push-button phase-reversal switch and nine-volt phantom power for channel 2. The effects and volume for both channels can be controlled by front-panel switches, and there's also a mute button and power switch. The back of the unit features a neat row of six quarter-inch jacks for line out, tuner send, effects send and return, and channel inserts (which require a TRS Y-cable) for each channel. Also present are an XLR out, a ground-lift switch, a jack for an AC adapter, and two compartments for nine-volt batteries.

The Raven Master Blender packs a lot of power into its small box. Most likely due to its 18-volt operation, I found that it offered excellent headroom, resulting in extremely clean sound. The three bands of EQ on each channel allowed me to dial in the optimum sound for each of the pickups/mics used. The Raven also had the best-sounding effects loop of any comparable unit I've tried. One problem I encountered is that the unit didn't work with the modified Radio Shack mic in one of my guitars (which works with the other two units reviewed, as well as with a Rane AP-13 and Fishman's Blender). Raven Lab's Steve Rabe suspects that the other units may supply slightly less than nine volts of phantom power, while the Master Blender supplies a full nine or even 12 volts (when used with a power adapter), possibly overpowering the mic. Rabe adds that the unit works successfully with more common mic choices—such as those made by Fishman/Crown, Joe Mills, and Highlander—and that the company could modify the unit to work with less common microphones.

Now that you've heard my take on these three new preamp/blenders, it's time to test them out for yourself and come on over to the camp of performing guitarists who enjoy the challenge of combining the right wires, jacks, and boxes to create the ultimate acoustic guitar sound on stage.

Excerpted from Acoustic Guitar magazine, December 2000, No. 96.

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