Takamine Digital DSP

The prampli on-board high-end home Takamine. It finds its place on all Takamines factories in Japan.
This is a transistor amp very special, one of the few (if not only) using digital technology. Here are its characteristics:

Volume, Bass (100Hz), acute (6 kHz) mdiums paramtrique (13 bands to choose from 220 12KHz) Rverbration (2 types to choose from), chromatic tuner, absorber feedback, 10 m Programmable moire and 10 factory memoirs, food by two 1.5V batteries.

The advantages are clear: the sound is very strictly related (see below) and rglages orders are via impulse instead of traditional knobs and sliders other which allows pr formidable precision and stable over time.

Impressive technical specifications but lacks a button "on / off" for conomiser batteries and be able to use the tuner without self jack adapter (sic)!
Price is very lev and when he dropped the report Features / 8/10 Price.

USE

Apart from this tuner history, everything is done very simply: there are 20 memoirs (10 factory + 10 user). Rglez the volume and play !!

Then you will need to sculpt the sound to your liking. It is very comprehensive prampli implying that the rglage can take a bit of time. But, rest assured, it is mmorisable, so once the effort rglage provided, it is mmoris forever !!

The prampli receives the sensor under the bridge signal. This analog signal is converted into a digital signal. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">All the treatments are numriquement.</span>

1 - the preset is selected (1 10, each pRSET equalizer with 5 fixed tapes)

2 - galisations "serious" and "Treble" are fixed and "plateau" while one can choose the frquence mdiums of work among 13 to choose from.

3 - is applied (or not) one of the two types of rverbration (Dark or Brigth: the names speak for themselves, one is very bright and the other more mate ) .dropoff window

4 - You can also use the absorber of feedback on a scene high volume or as a component of legalization !!!

5 - On the rgle Gnral output volume Manire desire not to overload the sound.

Once rglages jugs satisfactory, you can memorize them in one of 10 memoirs in two shots spoon pot!
(NB The 10 factory memoirs are not ditables but already very well done !!)

Then the signal is converted back into an analog signal to emphasize the prampli ...

SONORITS

The sound precisely. It is im-ppe-cable. Always clean should all situations with user memoirs. In a round, hollow sound for jazz a rich, full of folk through soft, warm sonorits for arpges or solos, this prampli knows everything and passes the one another in two seconds !!

With a little compression and branch in your guitar sound swallow the Caf-concerts, small rooms, weddings ... without complaining.
I could compare this system with many others (including B-band, Expression system, Yamaha ART, Godin ...), and clearly torque micro prampli Takamine is above the rest: report fiabilitprix-quality is amazing. The simplicity of use is to go, almost no feedback and above all it does not crash for a yes or a no.

PS: Small precision when I install it prampli, I quickly realized that the sound was saturated when that vigorously jattaquais guitar. In reality volume sensor was too lev which caused a digital saturation more unpleasant. Then you have to make nice or be a prode sound, the sound will remain shitty.
So I did ask a small knob which controls the gain of the upstream sensor prampli. And everything works even in very strong striker.



NOTICE GLOBAL

<span style="font-size: 8.5pt; color: black; font-family: Verdana;">The small change I had to make it a little bit down the overall score. Takamine would think this problem before. Overall an excellent system for live. For the studio go your way, vulgar sm57 done better work.

Reliable and efficient, only the autonomy and the on / off button are nonexistent a little stain.

No longer manufactured if you find one used, go for it!</span>

Digital preamplifier. It converts the analog signal from the sensor mark.
A single preamp (to my knowledge) which processes the signal digitally before converting it back to analog for output to the amplifier / the sound!

The settings are done from command pulse in place of traditional sliders or knobs. This allows to accurately reproduce its settings and store them via the 10 user memories that complement the 10 presets "factory".

The ten original presets offer each profile "pre-equalized" on which you can respond via a 3-band EQ: bass, treble, and a band semi parametric.
Save over this two reverb of choice and an absorber of feedback.

The possibilities are truly endless and reproducible. You can really carve 10 different sounds.

An on-board tuner (normal given the level of equipment). It can not however be used without the jack-_-'

Powered by 2 x 1.5V. Autonomy is announced at 8am. Some announce 2h ... I think instead of 5 to 6 hours of play

A preamp-out standards. A bit expensive (250 € brand new, 100 € for OCCAZ). The tuner that can turn on without the jack and the limited autonomy: 8 / 10



UTILIZATION

Usage is relatively simple.

As a first step: You connect, you choose your preset and adjust the volume. Here you play and it sounds!

Then you'll want to enjoy the features of your gem, you'll have to invest some time even though it is rather simple to do.

You select the preset to be edited. You work and adjust the EQ the reverb. You remember and you store your settings to life. In time well invested voila!

You can do this ten times for ten sounds as you play your Takamine solo in a cafe or on the intimate scene of a zenith with your rock band ...

Simple or complex. It is the user who chooses! 9 / 10


SOUNDS

The resulting sounds can not not suit your style. From mellow jazzy folk sound settings through highly crystalline while you can create.

The piezo Takamine offers a well-balanced and well articulated. The highs are present but too well the dynamics of play is respected. Passed through this preamp sound out very cleanly to a very decent volume.

Much more than this preamp is the possibility of memories and equalization of sound well above the average (and far!).
No negative point of view of sound. Your guitar will do you never lack. 10/10


OVERALL OPINION

I use it for several months.
I had problems because the digital sensor saturation attacked the preamp too strong. A small volume pot was added to the guitar and it's flawless!

I tried all the preamps of the mark. This offers an interesting solution.

Not really a fan of tube preamp that adds too much treble harmonic ..
More complete than the basic CT4B-II but more greedy ...

The only thing missing is the ability to mix a second source. In 2010 it is a real lack of taste!

A good preamp that is almost full marks, but its low autonomy, its tuner and its not practice high price bring down the overall score to 8 / 10