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Schertler Dyn-B Electromagnetic Pickup - Double Bass Pickup |
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Yes -the Dyn-B - does look somewhat like a micro-stethoscope. Basically it is a lightweight transducer-microphone that attaches directly onto the top of the instrument table by means of adhesive putty. A short fine connecting cable then relays the signal to a jack socket (XLR connector) which sits just above the top of the tailpiece between the A and D strings. The jack socket incorporates a knurled ring which when moved allows the player to change the sonic wavelength from a high pressure zone - which can have a tendency to interference and feedback - to a low pressure zone. The beauty of this "Phase-Reversion Switch" is that it means that you don't have to reposition yourself away from speakers or monitors. I hear that there are some amazing reviews on the Dyn-B Yes - this is the system that every string bass player has been waiting for - for it allows perfect amplification of the acoustic double bass. At the heart of the transducer is a patented coil which moves through a decoupled magnetic field to create a voltage differential. The action responds to the acoustic vibrations of the instrument's body and in turn delivers an exceptionally true acoustic response. The sound is close to that of a studio microphone, but without the on-stage problems of bleed or feedback. Until now this "natural" sound was though impossible to produce. In what situations can I use the Dyn-B? The Dyn-B can be used in a variety of applications, from home recording to live performances, encompassing all types of music and musical playing styles where the utmost in accurate acoustic reproduction is required. I've got a valuable instrument and have concerns that the contact putty may cause some damage to the varnish. When you get the Schertler Dyn-B you know for sure that what you've purchased is something very special indeed - for it comes in its own beautifully made wooden "black-box". Inside the box - along with the Dyn-B and user manual is a small cylindrical tub that contains a green coloured adhesive-putty. The putty is called "Lute" and is made from a special "inert" formula which will not harm even the finest of varnishes. The putty can be reused many times over and is the key to fixing the Transducer to the correct spot on your instrument. How do I apply the putty? The user manual provides simple step-by-step mounting instructions that should get you up and running within a few minutes. Here is a brief summary;
The recommended placement for the transducer is roughly the centre of the lower table - mid-way between the top of the tailpiece and the underside of the bridge. Although this is the recommended placement for the Transducer you may find that the optimal placement will vary from instrument to instrument due to the fact that each instrument is unique in its construction, quality of manufacture and playing characteristics. How do I find the "hot spot"? While you play your bass - get a friend to place the Transducer - without any putty - in different positions on the table until the desired result is obtained. You may find that even the slightest of changes can make an enormous difference to the final results. I'm ready to fit the Dyn-B. What do I do? Take the transducer and firmly press it onto the table of the instrument. While pressing slightly twist the transducer back and forth in order to allow any trapped air to escape. You will be aware that the transducer is fitted correctly when you feel that the centre spot is making contact with the instrument. With time and after a number of applications you will gain a certain amount of confidence and feeling allowing you to perform this operation in a few seconds. Can you tell me a bit more about how the Phase-Reversion Switch reduces feedback? Yes this ingenious innovation enables the player to partly compensate for tonal complications caused when sound waves from the loudspeaker arrive at your instrument and are re-amplified. Sound is a pressure wave with peaks and troughs. If the instrument is near a peak, feedback and colouration are likely. The Phase-Reversion Switch swaps the peaks and troughs. For the more technical of you - feedback frequency lies between 120 and 150 Hz depending on your particular instrument. In terms of distance - the measurement from a pressure-maximum wavelength to a pressure-minimum wavelength is about 3 meters. In order to avoid any influence on your instrument from the speakers your playing position should be in a pressure-minimum zone. By simply rotating the Phase-Reversion Switch the pressure-maximum areas can be shifted by half a wavelength - about 1.5 meters. In effect - this allows you to change your "playing-position" without actually moving. This is particularly helpful if you have to play with high volume or close to speakers or monitors. What else does the Dyn-B provide? The Dyn-B has both a very low impedance output (low resistance to an electric circuit or component to alternating current) and due to the XLR connector a well balanced signal uptake. In simple terms this means that the device can be connected - if desired - directly into a normal microphone input without the fear of signal degradation, line noise, humming or interference from such things as radio noise. Thanks also to the Transducer's high build quality, transducer noise is negligible. What is the most common method of connecting the Dyn-B? The most customary method is to connect directly into a mixing board or amplifier input equipped with balanced XLR-Inputs (Canon). In both studio recording and in live performances where you are playing directly into the in-house system or concert set-up this method guarantees the highest fidelity. The Dyn-B doesn’t need a Pre-amp but are there any advantages in using one? The Dyn-B transducer provides a very acoustic, microphone-like signal, which - unlike piezoelectric pickups - doesn’t require any additional "equaliser" improvement. However in order to fully maximize the potential of the Transducer with direct "line-in" amplification devices Schertler recommend the use of their latest generation acoustic pre-amp - the PRE-A111. The device not only provides a 20dB preamplified signal for connection to any power amp or active speaker it is musically and technically synchronized to the Dyn-B. Fine tuning equalisation has been pre-tuned to frequencies which Schertler deem the most appropriate to the bass and there are integrated bass, treble and resonance controls to provide a wide selection of tone settings and split outputs - one with equalisation, one dry - that allow flexibility in stage applications. Can I connect the Transducer to a bass amp? Yes - the Transducer can be connected to any bass amp (using
an adaptor or cable canon-jack) but because the sound of the acoustic
bass is much like a human voice the best amplifier or speaker system
to use is one suited to the piano or voice. Schertler offer the
perfect all-in-one solution with its compact and portable "Unico" however
if you are forced to use a bass amplifier a Schertler
PRE-A111 should be plugged into the "effects return" or "slave
in" of the amplifier to bypass the systems preamp. This will
enable you to manipulate an "electric sound" into one
with more acoustic qualities. Yes there are plenty of big name players who use and endorse the Dyn-B. Jazz supremeo Rufus Reid is pictured in a series
of quarter page adverts in the Double Bassist On the USA Schertler website Reid further endorses the product as follows; "The Schertler Dyn-B transducer sounds amazingly natural.... the pickup is simple to attach to the bass and it seems to be completely oblivious to sounds of other instruments in close proximity. When using the Dyn-B with the PUB 2/280 active loudspeaker system, my acoustic sound was incredibly duplicated". Another big name endorsee is Charlie Hayden. On the Schertler dot-com web site Haden endorses the Dyn-B as follows; "This Transducer reproduces the sound of my bass, strings and fingers, nothing else." That's a pretty complete review. How about a final summary? Although the Dyn-B does have a somewhat heavy weight price it really is the ultimate pickup for the player seeking a natural sound of studio-microphone like quality. Dynamics are smooth, notes that are attacked are met with an accurate response while problems of feedback can be sorted within seconds. We also like the fact that the pickup is made to
an extremely high standard of quality and workmanship, it is simple
to use, it does not require a pre-amp, it can be used safely on
even the most valuable of instruments and it can be moved easily
from instrument to instrument. All in all we boffins at The Contrabass
Shoppe reckon that the Dyn-B is the perfect solution for all orchestral
and jazz broadcast applications. Stats:
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Hey
- the Schertler Dyn-B Electromagnetic Pickup looks just like a
small stethoscope. What's it all about?
What is the recommended placement for the transducer?
