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Aguilar ToneHammer Pedal DI out

#3
SadowskySi said:
Hi hi

Just wondering about TH pedal. Very simple and probably stupid question - does the 'Engage' turn the DI out on and off, so if I'm just using the pedal solely as a DI box, it acts as a killswitch?

Cheers
Si
Click to expand...

The DI is always on, whether engaged or disengaged.

If the DI is in "Pre" mode, then engaging/disengaging has no effect on the DI at all. It's a pristine active DI that is fantastic. You'll have to have batteries, AC/DC adapter, or phantom power to operate the DI in either mode. Siad simply, it needs power to operate in all modes, which is not a problem. The two 9v batteries seem to last forever, and it works great on phantom power as well. If you want to use a power supply, I'd recommend buying the one from Aguilar so that it won't be so noisey, or use a 3rd party isolated power supply.

In "Post-EQ mode", the Tone Hammer preamp signal is sent to the DI. In this mode, changes to any of the knobs effects the DI tone, as does engaging/disengaging the AGS circuit. It still sounds great, but you need to be aware that you are now sending the preamp signal so changes mid-show will effect your send to the house, including signal levels which can vary drastically if you cut/boost Gain, Level, EQ, or AGS. If you plan to make changes during the show in this mode, then you should really have a deep understanding of the preamp before you do so so that you can adjust the Level knob so that signal spikes aren't to drastic.

The Tone Hammer is an excellent piece of professional gear. I have been an ethusiastic user for years. Highly recommended because of it's versatility and first class performance in every respect.
 
#5
Sorry for going slightly off topic here.

@Eublet, have you ever used the Tone Hammer pedal connected to the fx-return of an amp, so that the amp works solely as a power amp and the TH pedal functions as the preamp?

I play the DB 750 and have been looking for something smaller, yet powerful, that gives me the Aggie tone (more or less). Hence, I'm thinking about the TH 500 or using the TH pedal in said way with my Puma 900.

Any experience you could possibly share?
 
#6
I used the TH in front of the Bergantino IP112 (extended with an HT112) and it sounded amazing. I also tried it with Epifani's UL-502 when I had a problem with its preamp stage and it sounded fantastic too.

So, I would try the TH with the Puma first before investing in the TH500. I am almost positive that you will love the combination.

Alper




caligula said:
Sorry for going slightly off topic here.

@Eublet, have you ever used the Tone Hammer pedal connected to the fx-return of an amp, so that the amp works solely as a power amp and the TH pedal functions as the preamp?

I play the DB 750 and have been looking for something smaller, yet powerful, that gives me the Aggie tone (more or less). Hence, I'm thinking about the TH 500 or using the TH pedal in said way with my Puma 900.

Any experience you could possibly share?
Click to expand...
 
#8
I've run mine into the fx return on a couple different amps with good results. One thing to keep in mind though is that even though you're bypassing the preamp, many amps have some special "stuff" going on with the power section. You may be getting something more then than just the TH tone.
For that reason, I have a Peavey IPR1600 that I use with the TH pedal.
Note: Jason (Eublet) has a great post on using the tone controls on the TH pedal. I still refer to it when I'm twirling the controls on the pedal looking for new sounds.
 
#11
TimboZ said:
I still cant get the hang of the AGS
Click to expand...
Turning on the AGS instantly narrows the voicing of the TH, removing a lot of top end and a bit of deep bottom. It's still pretty flat all inbetween however, so that's why I think a lot of people might be turned off to it initially, at least if they are afraid of twisting knobs! Most pedal manufacturers that release something that has a narrow voicing like this typically make them with a heavily contoured EQ also. Think about the VT Bass, Sansamp, MXR M80 (with that color button engaged), etc, etc. all VERY scooped in the mids, highly accentuated hi-mid peak, and a tight bottom with a lot of low mids. The TH doesn't just do that automatically when you engage the AGS.

The complaint of those other pedals I mentioned is usually that they suck out the mids and you can't get them back. The complaint of the TH is that it is too mid-heavy. IME it's much easier to remove the mids to get that contoured tone from the TH than it is to put mids back into the tone of those other pedals. YMMV, but just try twisting the knobs and see what you get.

Some things to try:
1) With the AGS on, try leaving the mids flat, and just boost bass and treble to create a natural scoop.
2) Leave bass and treble flat, and scoop mids. Choose a Mid Freq setting around 1 to 3 o'clock and see what you get.
3) Then try combinations of the two above. Just play with it until you find something you like. Remember that using the settings on a gig is the best test. I've loved some of those pedals above at home, and then fought them on a gig. I've been less "Wow'ed" by the TH at home, and then found that it slams on the gig. My ears aren't the only ones who have noticed this. Engineers have generally been more receptive to the TH than any other preamp/DI I've ever used, and I'm not just talking about the run-of-the-mill bar gigs, but professional use cases.
 
#12
caligula said:
Sorry for going slightly off topic here.

@Eublet, have you ever used the Tone Hammer pedal connected to the fx-return of an amp, so that the amp works solely as a power amp and the TH pedal functions as the preamp?

I play the DB 750 and have been looking for something smaller, yet powerful, that gives me the Aggie tone (more or less). Hence, I'm thinking about the TH 500 or using the TH pedal in said way with my Puma 900.

Any experience you could possibly share?
Click to expand...

I did this with a TH pedal and my GB Shuttle 6.0 head, running the pedal into the power amp in. I liked it so much, I promptly sold both pieces of gear and bought a TH350 head. So, yeah, it sounded pretty good. :)
 

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