Anthem Mix Control - Tru Mic Lacks High Frequencies

[jaymenon]

When using the 'mix' control on my Anthem, I find that when rolled towards the bridge (Element) I get a good quality UST sound.

As I roll the mix control towards the neck side, it starts to progressively lose high frequencies. In other words the Tru Mic sounds muffled and lacks treble / sparkle. Turning the Mic Level Control does not help at all..

Most grateful for advice / assistance...

[Caleb_Elling]

Hi Jay,
Since the mic is only carrying the mid and high frequencies of the Anthem system, the Mic Level controls those frequencies in the mix. If the Mic Level is set too low, then it should sound like you are loosing high frequencies when mixing towards the mic. If the Mic Level control is not having any effect on the tone of the signal at all (with the mix set towards the neck), then there might be a problem with the mic or with the preamp.

Have you been experiencing this issue since the system was installed? or is this a new issue?

[ejbsk8]

Lossing my Sparkle too!

I would like to preference my experience, comments, and questions below with this; my microphone is currently working. It just seems like it changed. I noticed the change in my pickup system about three months ago and began fiddling with the adjustments. The guitar would sound muffled unless I 100% engage the mic level adjustment controls or turn the mix controls fully towards the bridge pickup engaging the full-range element pickup. I also started experiencing a low frequency feedback and to counter act the feedback the sound technicians are using a high-pass filter on the mixer board. When I guitar to my local music shop to investigate they said my full range element pickup (the bridge pickup) was feeding back and recreated it low end frequency feedback sound and explained it was a sound mix problem at the mixer board, not the pickup. The problem was definitely not a microphone feedback at my amplifier. It was a low frequency feedback throughout the PA system causing a loud rumble. I tried to explain that something has changed in the pickup system, but the system is obviously working. Personally I thought the microphone pickup has less responsive almost dull. Testing it on a spectrum analyzer and by ear I can verify it appears to be working. The microphone is engaged and can pick up my voice, but it just is not the same. The True mic is not amplifying mid and high frequencies as strong as when I first purchased it in January of this year (2014). I am adjusting the microphone level control full (or near full) and doing the same to the mix control to pickup mid and high frequencies or just engaging the full-range max setting on the element pickup. At the moment engaging the full range element pickup is perceived by me as more dynamic and generally louder than the microphone on full. Again it is important to note that the microphone is working but it seem less powerful than when originally purchased.

Do the pickups settle in or become less responsive over time? Is there something actually wrong with my system or am I just fiddling with it too much?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Ed

[Caleb_Elling]

Hi Ed,
The Anthem shouldn't change in it's response in any given guitar, unless sometime in the guitar on in the signal chain has also changed. The first thing that I would recommend checking is the battery. If your battery is low, the mic may start to exhibit strange tonal changes. Low batteries do all kinds of strange things though.

Just so that I'm clear on the issue that you're experiencing, when you have the soundhole mix wheel set to the full mic side of the blend, the mic is not as "present" as it used to be, is that right? If that is the case, do you have to turn the Mic Trim control all the way up in order to get a more balanced tone? or is it still a little muddy sounding, even with the Mic Trim set at full?

Also, anything else that you can tell me about the guitar or what you are playing it through will help me get a better idea of what's going on. This is a pretty strange issue, so I'm very curious.

[ejbsk8]

Follow up on "lossing my sparkle too!"

Thank you for the reply.

I have a original Breedlove Atlas series guitar. Nothing special but it has a unique pleasant sound that people and myself like. It came with an LR Baggs element after market pickup and it was good sounding with a booming E string. I was looking to go with an I-mix combo with an LR Baggs M-1 or M-80 mixed with my element. The tech, who I have a decent relationship with, talked me into the Anthem and I like it even on my Breedlove guitar. I received a lot of complements on the system when I play at church. I found that I zero out all of my eq's on my effects. After the big rumble day at church I changed the battery and had to turn the mixing knob all the way to the element side (towards the saddle) to have the sound be clear sounding. I tried to fix the sound after the rumble day I realized I may have set the microphone adjustment to its lowest setting.

To engage the mic now I have to turn the mic adjustment to full. At full I can set the mixing knob to full mic and I can tell the mic is working with just a little bit of excessive string noise. To rid my self of the excess string noise I back off the mic adjustment screw a fraction. So it is working as it is supposed correct? Maybe so but the mixing knob has to be a full mic now to engage the mic along with the full or near full mix adjust screw. It just seems less powerful than it was when I originally purchased it. Today if I move the mixing knob all the way to engage the element pickup only, the element is louder with more mid and high frequency then the microphone.

Thus my original question. Does the mic settle in or become slightly less responsive over time. Either way I enjoy the pickup and my guitar.

Thank you for your consideration and time.

Ed

PS. To answer your question directly, yes, I do have to turn the mic adjustment screw all way up and give the mic all the mix. As describe above I back off the adjustment screw just enough to smooth out some string noise. It is not a "present" or another word could be "as hot" as it used to be.

[Caleb_Elling]

This is definitely an interesting situation. As I mentioned, the Anthem really doesn't change in it's tonal response over time, unless something else changes. If the Anthem sounds good, then it's difficult to point to any one part of the system as part of a problem.

On my Anthem I almost never change the blend away from the full mic side. The Element does naturally have a brighter and more "punchy" mid-range response compared to the mic, but that is completely normal. The mic is what gives you the smooth and natural tone, while the pickup provides the power. The mic might not sound as bright compared to the Element, but in my experience, when you set the mic trim correctly, the mic will sound smoother and more natural when it is mixed in. The contract between the two sources is what makes the system so versatile.

So I don't think that anything is wrong. It would be odd for the mic to change in tone though. The only thing that I can think that might cause that is the mic coming loose from the bridgeplate. That would cause other (bigger) issues though.

[ejbsk8]

Follow up on "losing my sparkle too!"

Thanks again for you reply. It helps a lot.

After the big "rumble" day I have been messing with the adjustments to try to prevent it from occurring again. I 've also been looking to confirm if there was something wrong with the pickup or is there something missing from my perception and understanding of the pickup. Based on what you just described above I will venture that my understanding and perception is off. I have messed with my effects eq's, the sound board, and my anthem since I've purchased it and it is like my perception is off as a result. You have describe quite perfectly the mixing adjustments I making to the system in recent days and the comparative sounds I am currently hearing and measuring. I can find my guitars smooth spot with my anthem. I just did not expect to find it with virtually full mic settings. Initially all adjustments were in the middle set by the shop. I believe I now understand the system better and can use it more effectively.

If something really is wrong, which I now no longer believe, then it will show up soon. But for now I will happily keep strumming along!

Thanks for listening and talking through my concerns.

Ed