Fishman Spectrum Aura DI Review

AlanRatcliffe

I spoke about these a little while ago, but there was very little info beyond Fishman's own marketing. This review from the April edition of Acoustic Guitar: http://www.acguitar.com/article/default.aspx?articleid=25140

Looking very attractive, particularly for the soloist or home studio recordist who would rather not mic up, but still get a decent sound.

Still no idea how well it will work in my situation though... ☹

aja

What is your "situation" if I may ask?

Keira-WitherKay

hi alan ..they are available and i think music connection in jhb is the importer.......but not sure since when i spoke to em a while back they had and the first shipment had sold out was retailing for around 3.5/4K mark.... i too have not heard one yet .... except on you tube.... they sound impressive in the online tests ...... and yeah think if i recall you want to use it with you electrics under saddle piezo's .... i would think they would work on anything....... BUT THE AD DOES SAY IT DOES NOT COLOUR YOUR SOUND BUT ALLOWS YOUR ACOUSTIC TO SOUND LIKE YOUR ACOUSTIC UNPLUGGED WHEN PLAYING THRU PICKUP........ SO MAYBE IT WON'T WORK ON ELECTRIC ..... BUT INTERESTED TO SEE/HEAR RESULTS...... I'LL CALL EM ON TUES AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY DEMO MODELS IN YET .....ACTUALLY WANNA TRY MY IBEAM THRU IT

PeteM

Thanks for that Alan - very informative. Sounds like a good bet for a guy who is not that much of a natural-sound purist. Love the flexibility it offers on tonal range.

AlanRatcliffe

aja wrote: What is your "situation" if I may ask?

Dire? ?

As Keira noted, piezo equipped electric. I've been looking at amplification options for the piezo side lately and the option to make it sound more like a real acoustic sometimes would be nice (as well as if I ever use my real steel acoustic again ?).

When the first Aura systems came out, Fishman emphasised the point that it isn't a modelling system (although strictly speaking, it is...). The big difference is it isn't designed to make one guitar sound like another (e.g. the Line 6 Variax), but rather the emphasis is in making your own guitar sound like it would miked up when plugged in with an UST.

My reasoning has always been that if it can add an image of a miked acoustic sound to a piezo UST, it can add the same image to a piezo'd electric. Fishman weren't to forthcoming when I asked them directly.

@Keira - I'm not sure if the I-Beam will work as well. Fishman make a point of saying it works with USTs. But then again, the I-beam isn't a mic or a mag either.

Fingerpicker

Thanks Alan. DIs are getting like cellphones, do everything now..

Would be nice to have a footswitch to be able to click between instruments while on stage.

Might be time to sell my "Acoustic" Variax.

racman

@ Alan - have you looked at the D-Tar Mama Bear? I heard it was also quite good but don't know if it is still available.

AlanRatcliffe

racman wrote: @ Alan - have you looked at the D-Tar Mama Bear? I heard it was also quite good but don't know if it is still available.

I'm aware of it, and it does look good, but also not had a chance to try one out. Odd format though - neither pedal or rack unit, more like a sit on amp unit.

Also the Aura has EQ, compression, anti-feedback, tuner, FX loop and you can download and use any of the available 800 images (so far). If they just added a good reverb and chorus, it would be everything to everybody.

I was just looking at the smaller unit too: the Aura Sixteen, which is the same without the FX, just the imaging. I think for many of us, that would make more sense.

In a perfect world, we would be able to go into a shop somewhere and try out both the Fishman and the D-Tar units. ?

.

Fingerpicker

I went looking for these today.
TOMS are the importers, or their parent company is. They are expecting them in within a month. They have the Aura 16. Music Connection say they are further down the supply chain and will get them later.

Bob-Dubery

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: In a perfect world, we would be able to go into a shop somewhere and try out both the Fishman and the D-Tar units. ?

I think McGibbon's may have a D-Tar agency. They certainly have some D-Tar kit in the shop.

AlanRatcliffe

I just spoke to Gareth at Marshall Music CT as I remembered them having some D-Tar stuff in. Apparently they had a Mama Bear on consignment but sent it back recently. Not much Fishman stuff locally these days either. I'm definitely on the wrong end of the country for this stuff.