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February 2005
Posts: 56
Location: the Netherlands | I play Ovation for about 4 months now. And I wonder..: Is it normal that my pre-amp (OP-Pro) gives less output than my Yamaha APX with a Fishman pre-amp?I have a feeling that I have to give the OP-Pro a lot of power to get the wanted result…! But..much gain isn’t good for the natural sound.. I can use some info, folks! |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | This is a common complaint about the OP-Pro. I don't know the solution other than to use an additional gain/matching box like M-Audio Buddy or something similar. Dave |
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Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Wasn't the factory aware of this and making some changes? Anybody heard anything? |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | While I don't have any firsthand experience with it (OpPro's), I'd venture to say that it might be intentional . . .
The basic intent of the preamp is impedance matching and to provide a natural-sounding signal (with I suppose a slight degree of "boost") to your amp/PA (which is what SHOULD be doing all of the "work").
It might be an effort to minimize some of the "quackiness" that comes when you drive these things a bit too much (and is the main complaint by those who don't like/use piezoes . . . |
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Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | I was too slow to sound as smart as Cliff, so I'll just have toagree with him!
At our small church PA it is plenty loud. |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | . . . it won't be the FIRST time that someone had to be "slow" t'be as "smart" as me . . . . nor the last, I would presume . . . |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | I'm having similar experiences with my 6778LX w/OP-Pro. I instantly didn't like the piezo p/u so I changed to the K&K, but the guy at the board keeps telling me my channel is CRANKED. He and I are used to the output from my CL12 w/Optima where I used to run through the XLR. I was thinking of having the factory install the XLR componants in this guitar, hoping THAT would give me a little hotter signal to the board. That's my plan. |
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Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | Using the XLR jack on mine is way louder than the regular jack. Don't know why. Just is and I like it. |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | bauerhillboy - are you going straight into a 1/4" on a snake? In other words, high impedance all the way to the board? (how far is that, anyway?)
If so, you would probably see a marked improvment by running through a DI box to the board. High impedance lines are not really meant to carry instrument-level signals very far.
Kim is sending me the wiring harness to add XLR to my 6778LX. I'll let you know if it is louder.
When I gear myself up to drill the hole for it... |
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Posts: 10
Location: Hastings, Michigan | Just a wild guess from one with no experience, low power output; have you changed the battery? |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | Always have a fresh battery, and I have a 20' cord into a DI into about 25' XLR into the snake. It's not a bad setup, but I guess I was spoiled forever by the XLR in th CL. There is a VERY noticable drop in output compared to the XLR. Waskel---Kim told me the can had to be changed too. You doing that?? I would be pretty scared to drill that hole. Let me know how that goes for you. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | No, Kim didn't say anything about the can. The OPpro has a jack for the XLR-1/4" wiring harness - I don't see why the can would be involved at all. I suppose I'll find out in a couple days when it shows up. |
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December 2004
Posts: 1116
Location: Keller, TX | I was at the local shop the other day, trying out amps (bought a GB). The drop in volume from the XLR to the 1/4 inch on my C778LX was dramatic. XLR was much clearer and louder. Both cords were about 15'. |
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November 2003
Posts: 100
Location: Warren, OH | I haven't tried the 2005's 1/4" output into our PA at church...
But... For comparison, I was using a Dean Markley Pro-Mag in the sound hole of my Alvarez-Yairi 12-string, with the 1/4 output going into a Whirlwind passive DI box, and then a 20' XLR cable into the board. After I got the 2005, I took the 20' XLR cable (added a shell to ground jumper on the guitar end) and plugged it directly into the guitar. With the OP-Pro around the 9 o'clock position (eq flat) was plenty loud enough to be heard, and that was without changing the board settings from their previous positions. |
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January 2004
Posts: 1225
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | I have had the same experience with the OP-Pro. The signal is nowhere near as hot as my other Ovation pre-amps. I don't really find this to be a problem. In fact, I like the idea that the volume knob adjusts the level very gradually. The sliders on the OP-30 and OP-40 are way too sensitive for me. A slight move on the slider results in a huge (and often unintended) volume change. This is especially difficult when trying to make quick adjustments during as gig.
I'm personally very happy with the OP-pro overall. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Ok, I did it.
My still slightly stunned thanks to Kim Keller at the Mothership for the wiring harness.
After 45 minutes of praying, measuring, praying, checking, praying, marking, praying, then doing it all over again and again, I took my DeWalt cordless drill in hand and put a 7/8" hole in my 6778LX.
Someone was watching out for me. It wasn't my wife, because she refused to be in the same room, something about, "If you make a mistake and I'm in here, you'll blame me!!".
Anyway, the hole was perfect, the unit fit great, the harness plugged in (bauerhillboy - no problem with the can, although I did have to remove it to plug the harness in).
The signal is definitely hotter than the 1/4". Also cleaner, and I was pleased to hear how clean at church yesterday (I run through a 100' snake to the board). And yes you can run them both at the same time. Phantom power also worked great, using the correct (pin 1 to ground) XLR cable.
All in all I'm very happy with the install.
Thanks again to Kim K. :D You'll get that Diet Coke next month!
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Question:
Do you just need to attach a cable for XLR on the OP Pro or do you need to change out Preamp units if not equipped? |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Mike, on mine I had noticed an unused jack on the can (on the inside of the guitar) marked "XLR", so I didn't need to change out anything. There is only one jack on the actual preamp, everything is split out in the can. This may be why bauerhillboy was told he needed to replace the can, if he has one that for some reason does not have the XLR jack.
The wiring harness Kim sent me has a board with both an XLR and 1/4" jacks on it. (This is what made the 7/8" hole placement so nerve-racking - it has to align with the existing 1/4" hole...) A ribbon cable runs from the board, plugs into the can.
Sorry for the fuzzy picture - it didn't occur to me to take a picture of it until I had it in and strangely, autofocus don't work so well inside a guitar body... I'll try to get a picture of the can as well.
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | The "Send us a picture of your can" commercial comes to mind, but I'll leave it alone.
Thanks, I'll give Customer Service a jingle. |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by MWoody:
but I'll leave it alone.
Too late. |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | I asked Kim why he wanted me to send him my guitar instead of sending me the parts. I told him I'm pretty handy...I said I'm not as stupid as I look...he wouldn't hear it. So I'm sending it to him and he said I'll get it at the tour. Looks like it was a satisfying job for you. |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | You're probably better off letting them do it. It was a pretty nerve-wracking experience. I needed 2 cups of coffee and 4 chocolate chip cookies to calm down after.
Maybe I just write emails that sound more confident than yours.
... or maybe he cares more about your guitar than mine. |
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December 2004
Posts: 1116
Location: Keller, TX | I see one MAJOR problem!!!
Take a look at yours above.
Now look at my C778LX.
YOU PUT THE XLR ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE 1/4 PLUG!!!
OH THE AGONY! What are you going to do now that you messed that up? Can't blame your wife. Were your kids anywhere nearby??? :p |
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Location: closely held secret | Y'know, I wondered when someone was gonna say something about that.
The jacks are mounted on the board at a slight angle to each other. I looked at it for about 15 minutes, trying to determine which direction fit the angle best. Then I came to the exhilarating realization that I didn't really care.
But thanks for pointing it out.
Come to think of it, my wife had the TV on kinda loud. And my daughter was in the next room.
I guess now mine is youkneak. |
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June 2002
Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | I think the problem is that all them fancy type inlays are causing a strange "aura" around the electronics area. Dave |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Now that would have been a good excuse. Unfortunately mine is a Standard. Maybe they put tenns on backward?
AAhhg. Time to go to work. 4:40 am. I hate inventory time... |
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December 2004
Posts: 1116
Location: Keller, TX | You sayin' I'm backwardz? Is zat a crack at us Texans? Careful, we still hang people in these here parts. :D |
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Posts: 12755
Location: Boise, Idaho | The XLR on my 99 Collector's is like ttenn's. I wondered about Waskel's when I saw the pictures. I did spend a half hour today trying to find Colton, Oregon, though. I could see why Waskel was backwards. Next time I'm in Portland though, I'm going to try to hunt you down. |
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Location: closely held secret | Better bring Elmer with you. |
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| You're getting to be on a lot of wanted lists..... |
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Location: SoCal | Where in Texas is Keller? Next to Budney? |
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Posts: 1116
Location: Keller, TX | North east Ft. Worth. Just about 10 miles west of the airport. |
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OP-Pro question