Fishman Platinum question

Dave Martin · #1 09-15-2006, 10:24 AM

Hi,
I auditioned the Fishman Platinum preamp on a gig the other day (David Gage Realist pickup on an early '60's Juzek), and while I liked the EQ and the tone, I fuond the compressor to be a complete waste.

Is it just me, or does anyone else dislike the compressor on this box?

Thanks,

clink · #2 09-15-2006, 11:33 AM

I bought one recently and I like it a lot. Due to an abundance of both ignorance and impatience, I got the acoustic version. Didn't know there was a difference.

Where the compressor knob is, I've got a knob labeled 'smooth'. It does seem to limit just a bit-takes the edge off. Compression on DB seems pointless unless maybe you're slapping it.
BTW, I considered taking it back and getting the bass unit, but this thing really sounds good. The bass center is at 60hz, instead of 30hz on the bass unit and the midrange is adjustable from 250 all the way to 5k.
The 'depth' knob is 'notch' on mine and the manual explains it similarly. Adjusting 'notch' seems to roll off the lower frequencies.

I'm keeping this thing.

hdiddy · #3 09-15-2006, 12:24 PM

It's ok. It can be useful I guess but I never fully got a handle on how to get it to sound good with the compression added. I have the compression barely one when I used it. It obviously tends to kill most of the nuance of play if you turn it up too much.

shwashwa · #4 09-15-2006, 04:26 PM

i love the unit, hate the compression. i keep it dialed completely off. with it on, it seems to take out some of the naturalness of the tone. leave it off... as an upright player, you want to be able to have subtle volume changes and accents. that how the bass sounds naturally. i love the eq, and i'm addicted to the high pass filter

rllefebv · #5 09-15-2006, 05:00 PM

I am a complete novice on the upright, (in fact, I think that this may be my first posting on the DB side

)... Had a Realist installed on my Shen last week and purchased the Fishman at the same time... While I don't have a 'true' upright amp, and have only dabbled with it through my various EB amps, I found that the compression was useful in evening out the 'whoomp' to a point. Much past 11 o'clock and I felt it became a bit heavy... I get more pleasing control using the 'Depth' knob and slider... But then again, what do I know...

-robert