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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 386
Location: nyc area | VIP Preamp features and benefits
Ovations new VIP (Virtual Image Preamp) is the future of acoustic guitar amplification!
Utilizing advanced imaging technology, the sound of your guitar as your would hear it in a state of the art recording studio with the finest microphones is built into the VIP!
Virtual Image technology compares an actual recording of your guitar to the output of the six piezo crystals in your pickup. Using spectrographic analysis, the pickup output is compared to the spectrograph of the recorded sound, Using about 1000 filters, the pickup sound is shaped exactly like the recorded sound.
The VIP controls:
Tune: This Button engages the VIP’s built in chromatic tuner, keeping the user in perfect tune and allowing quick changes for open tunings!
Battery indicator light shows when the battery is low. The large button on the left releases the preamp for quick battery changes.
Gain: The volume control for the preamp with plenty of gain to drive any acoustic amp or PA.
EQ: Center detented active boost or cut for low (bass), mid (midrange) and high (treble) the EQ controls the piezo output only. The image output uses a preset EQ.
Mix: The mix control allows the user to continuoslyblend between the pickup ootput (all the way down) and Virtual Image (all the way up. It is recommended that the user starts at 50 percent and adjusts to taste.
Image: The image control allows the user to select between five built in Images (pre recorded sounds. There are currently two versions of the VIP Images. Here are the Images used for th Ovation 1680 2006 Collectors series”
Image Microphone to Record Body Style Guitar Top Sound Hole Pattern
1 Large diaphram condensor Contour cutaway Figured Koa Multi Sound Hole, Elite style
2 Dynamic Contour cutaway Figured Koa Multi Sound Hole, Elite style
3 Large diaphram condensor Deep Cutaway Uni-directional composite graphite Multi Sound Hole, Elite style
4 Large diaphram condensor Deep Non-cutaway AAA Spruce Center Sound Hole, Legend Style
5 Dynamic Deep Non-cutaway AAA Spruce Center Sound Hole, Legend Style
For more information on Ovation Guitars visit www.Ovationguitars.com
For more information on Adamas Guitars visit www.Adamasguitars.com |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 651
Location: Australia | Is this the same technology as the Fishman Aura ?
I'm an Aura owner and am very pleased with the results.
I wish they would post a specific Adamas sound image though. |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | My next guitar...what ever it turns out to be, has got to have this.
Hey Matt....think you'll ever get back to Michigan again?? |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | No, It's not like the fishbone... They actually mic'd THE ACTUAL GUITAR it's in with high end mics and the EQ'd the $4it outa the signal coming straight from the Piezo until the output of the Pre-amp sounds just like the actual acoustic sound of the guitar. This is not "modeling". It's the actual sound of the actual guitar. If you put the VIP from the '06 Koallectors in Adamas 2080, it doesn't sound right. Wrong filters for the guitar. |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Braman, OK | Hmm, seems like they woulda started with the Adamas... guess not, though. |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Originally posted by mtnbikerfred:
No, It's not like the fishbone... They actually mic'd THE ACTUAL GUITAR Actually, that sounds just like the Fishman. With the Aura, you can download different maps representing different guitar/microphone combinations. And if they don't offer your guitar in their collection of maps, you can send it in and they will create one.
I really like the idea of the VIP. I guess what all these products (eg, VIP, Aura, Mama-Bear, etc) are telling us is that DSP technology is getting to the point where real-time modeling is affordable. That makes a lot of sense to me.
It seems better to put a simple piezo pickup in a guitar, and then digitally "perfect" the sound. My Taylor has the "Expression System", which sounds really good, but is almost a kludgy solution compared to something like the VIP. In the future, the only role of the pickup will be to give the signal modeler enough information to work with.
Jeff |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 651
Location: Australia | Yeah, sounds exactly like the Aura technology.
It not only gives you a more natural tone but the whole dynamics are improved. That piezo quacky brittleness is gone.
When I got mine, I downloaded the Ovation images from their site but they didn't have any Adamas images. I went through all the O patches until I found the one which sounds closest to my guitar played acoustically. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | But how do they know What kind of guitar YOU'RE playing? How can they EQ an unknown guitar to sound like a MAP? They Can't. that's why it's called "modeling". I Don't think they can faithfully reproduce the accoustic sound of YOUR guitar (any guitar) plugged in, unless they know what the "naked" signal sounds like. No offense (well maybe a little) to the Fishman system, but the VIP blows it away ,and it's only availbe on a couple of high-end Ovatation and Adamas models :p |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 651
Location: Australia | The Fishman Aura is NOT modelling. I'm not trying to make my Adamas sound like a Martin D45 or a Taylor 710.
The idea is to make your plugged in tone sound like a your guitar playing through a mic which is why the D45 owner or the 710 owner can download the sound image of his particular model of guitar to match the characteristics of his particular guitar.
I doubt it blows the Aura away. Martin are now using the Aura technology, it would appear that Ovation are too and that's a good thing. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 234
Location: Phoenix, AZ | So, it looks like the VIP is guitar specific. I'm guessing the Adamas VIP is different than the '06 Collectors VIP. Does that mean we have to wait until the Factory has a VIP available for the particular O we have in mind? Would the '06 Collectors VIP also work, say, in a Custom Elite contourback (even tho the Custom Elite has two sets of epaulets vs the Collectors' one)? Is there any chance the '06 Collectors VIP might work in a Custom Legend contourback? Does anyone know if the VIP is available in other O's yet? |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Originally posted by dmkozak:
Does anyone know if the VIP is available in other O's yet? I had Al inquire about a particular custom O that I was thinking about (which included the VIP), and we were told "not yet".
Jeff |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Originally posted by mtnbikerfred:
But how do they know What kind of guitar YOU'RE playing? How can they EQ an unknown guitar to sound like a MAP? They Can't. that's why it's called "modeling". I Don't think they can faithfully reproduce the accoustic sound of YOUR guitar (any guitar) plugged in, unless they know what the "naked" signal sounds like. You're missing something. They do know what guitar you are playing by virtue of what map (Fishman calls them 'images') you are using. Go to http://www.fishmanaura.com/code/img_inst.asp and you will see the list. You can pick your guitar, and even pick which microphone you want to sound like. Want an image for your Ovation 1777LX with a Soundelux E47 microphone mic'd close? They have it. Don't see the guitar/mic combination you want? No problem. Send your guitar to Fishman and for a fee they will create the image for you.
Jeff |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Braman, OK | So all I have to do is pop one o' these puppies into my $12 Okinawa nylon-stringer, and it'll sound like a Taylor? Wait, it already sounds pretty close :p |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 1421
Location: Orange County, California | Sorry. This is not the discussion I wanted to have about this. There is nothing "wrong" with the Fishman system. I just see it being mis-applied, and think it sounds fake sometimes. I EQ my U681T so I can barely tell the difference between the way it sounds, and what's coming out of the monitors....I guess I don't realy even need the VIP to do that :D |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | Hi Matt,
Thanks so much for this info. My "baby" (74 Legend, non-wired) is at the factory. I had been reluctant to go with the old pickup plus pream system because I have not been 100% happy with the Line Out sound (kind of OINKY on my Dimeola Signature).
Have you heard the sound of the guitar straight to the board out of the VIP? Do you recommend that I ask John Budny to wire my guitar or should I hold out for something else (Fishman, K&K)? Please advise...
Greg |
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VIP PREAMP
