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PARA
ACOUSTIC DI
USER’S GUIDE
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CONTROLS
A. LOW EQ BAND CONTROL (85HZ)
Very low bass, almost felt as much as heard.
B. NOTCH CONTROL AND TUNE KNOB
(98 TO 247HZ)
Designed primarily to help with feedback problems. For
example, if a particular string is starting to feedback or
produce a booming sound, you can use the notch to cut
out the problem frequency. The tune knob is marked
with four positions, each representing a note on the
scale, to help nd the problem frequency. Try boosting
the notch control (turn completely clockwise) and
sweeping the tune knob until the feedback is at it’s worst.
Then turn the notch control back towards “cut” (counterclockwise). Cut only enough to kill the feedback.
The notch control can also be used as an EQ knob. A
slight cut between D and B (around 200Hz) can clarify a
boomy or muddy tone, and slight boosts in this range
will give a thin-sounding guitar more body and acoustic
sound. (see also: Invert Switch)
C. MIDRANGE CONTROL (400HZ TO 1.6KHZ)
AND TUNE KNOB
Sweeps from the upper warmth frequencies to the nasal
range of sound. Boost at 400 for more warmth, cut at
.8k-1.6k for less nasal quality. Many acoustic guitars have
an excess 1kHz when amplied. A 3 to 6 dB cut is often
good here.
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D. PRESENCE CONTROL (5KHZ)
Aects “sss” sounds, cymbal sizzle, brightness. Cut here
to remove PA horn “glare” or boost to add life to a dull
speaker.
E. TREBLE CONTROL (10KHZ)
The very highest frequencies, “air” or “frosting”.
E
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F. BATTERY STATUS LED
Stays on when unit is on and then ashes when the
battery is low. The LED will start ashing when the
battery reaches 6 volts. When it reaches 5 volts, it will
stop ashing.
G. VOLUME CONTROL
Unlike gain, whose adjustment will aect the character
and personality of the sound, the volume simply
controls the amount of signal that gets out of the box.
The Para Acoustic DI will likely be the quietest thing in
your signal chain. So for the best system signal to noise
ratio, we recommend that you run the volume as high as
you can without causing the PA to distort.
H. EXTERNAL BATTERY ACCESS COMPARTMENT
For quick and easy battery changes.
I. BALANCED XLR OUTPUT
A standard, post EQ/eects, balanced low impedance
output. Plug it into the board with a microphone cable or
stage/studio snake. If your board provides 48V phantom
power on the XLR cable, the Para Acoustic DI will run on it
instead of the battery. It’s a good idea to keep a battery
in the unit as a backup even when using phantom power.
If phantom power drops, the preamp will automatically
switch to the battery and run without interruption.
J. PHANTOM POWER LED
Alerts you to the presence of 48V phantom power with
a green light.
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K. 1/4” OUTPUT
This is a regular unbalanced output for a standard mono
cable. The output signal is the same as on the XLR,
allowing you to use the 1/4” out and the XLR simultaneously for some creative signal routing.
L. INVERT SWITCH
Changes the polarity of the signal. When the button is
up, the output will be in phase with the input signal.
Phase aects the way that the guitar top is pressurized
by the loud speakers. When the two are out of phase
with each other, low end feedback will be minimized. If
inverting phase alone does not kill the feedback, use the
notch lter. Phase will also aect the way the guitar signal
mixes live and on tape (especially when overdubbing)
with other instruments.
M. EFFECTS LOOP
This jack provides a send-return on a stereo jack for
outboard eects that allow you to blend reverb, chorus
or other eects in with a dry signal. Use an insert cable
(stereo plug with a Y cable to two mono plugs) to
connect the eect. The tip is the “send” and goes to the
input of your eect. The ring is the “return” and comes
from the output of your eect, and the sleeve is the
ground. You may adjust the amount of eect in the
signal by using the controls of the outboard eect. The
send (tip) of this connector comes directly from the
pure class A discrete input stage of the Para DI, before
the EQ, volume control, invert switch and output driver.
(continued...)
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Therefore it can be used as an immaculate, unbalanced
direct output. It will not be aected by any of the panel
controls (with the exception of the gain control). Use a
regular mono cable. The eects loop interrupts the
signal path. Therefore, it may also be used as an insert
point for a compressor, volume pedal, or tuner if the
tuner has a bypass switch.
N. GAIN CONTROL
See section 2: Setting the Gain.
O. INSTRUMENT INPUT
When you plug in, the preamp turns on.
Note: If you plug or unplug your guitar with the power
amp on, you will hear a loud “pop” from the speakers.
Our proprietary “Soft Start” mute circuit reduces this,
but it is still wise to turn down the power amp when
plugging and unplugging.
SETTING THE GAIN
Setting the gain: For optimum performance it is
important to set the gain correctly to accommodate the
output of your pickup, mic or other device.
Gain is not volume. Gain is the amount of amplication
that is applied to an input signal to boost it to a useful
level. To accommodate a wide range of pickups, active
devices and such, the Para DI has adjustable gain. For
instance, if you are using a low-output passive pickup
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such as the Ribbon Transducer, and you fail to turn the
gain all the way up, you will need to turn the PA up so
loud to hear the pickup that there will be a signicant
amount of hiss.
Conversely, if you plug a high-output active pickup into
the Para DI and do not turn down the gain, you will hear
a great deal of distortion.
The key is to adjust the gain to nd a window between
hiss and distortion. The Para DI is so quiet that this
window is pretty wide, but there is a smaller “sweet
spot” within that window.
With your pickup or mic plugged into the Para DI, and
with the Para DI plugged into your PA or amp, play your
instrument very hard. Turn the gain trim up (clockwise)
slowly while playing until you begin to hear some
distortion, then back the gain o (counter-clockwise)
until the distortion just disappears. This setting will
provide both the richest and cleanest sound. Once you
have determined your preferred setting, we recommend
that you leave the gain control alone.
Do not use the gain control as a volume control. Using it
in this manner will vary the character of your sound as
you adjust it up and down.
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PRODUCT REGISTRATION
Register the Para DI online at:
lrbaggs.com/product-registration
LIMITED WARRANTY
L.R. Baggs warrants to the using purchaser that this
product shall be free of defects in workmanship and
materials under normal and proper use for a period of
one year. If you experience problems with the Para DI,
please contact your dealer.
To learn more about this product, please visit:
lrbaggs.com/para-di
483 N. Frontage Road, Nipomo, CA 93444
ph: 805.929.3545
lrbaggs.com
PRODUCT REGISTRATION
& WARRANTY INFORMATION
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