Session + Venue

[Caleb_Elling]

Hi folks, I have an M1A and am looking to get better control over the signal before sending it to my acoustic amp. I have read about the 'Venue' and the 'Session' units but I am confused as to why there are two. I see you folks are discussing using both boxes so, the obvious question, is there not a single unit which does the job of both?

Cheers.

Hey ribaric,
The Venue and the Session are actually very different from each other, which is why they can be used separately or together.

The Session has Saturation to enhance the warmth and low end harmonics, and multi-band compression that acts like a dynamic equalizer. These features are not found in any traditional live gear for acoustic guitars.

The Venue DI is much more traditional in the sense that it uses EQ for tone shaping. So while this isn't anything new, the Venue does it very well. The built-in tuner and boost options are also very handy for certain players.

Choosing one over the other, like I've said many times before, is really a matter of what you need. If you need a bit more precise control over your signal, the Venue is fantastic. If you want a simpler unit that will still give you a balanced tone without flattened dynamics, the Session is the way to go.

I hope that helps.

[MPAII]

I found this thread because I was trying to choose between the Session and the Venue. I love the features of both and figured that after I bought one, I could compensate the features of the other with external pedals.

I'm intrigued by the idea of having both!

Perhaps I'm wrong, but wouldn't there be drawbacks to using both at once? As far as I know, these preamps both have circuits in them designed to improve the tonal quality of a DI guitar. Much of the tonal quality of these circuits are unrelated to the knobs on the unit. What I'm talking about is the color of the preamp. If I use a radial JDI I will get a slightly different sound to a dbx DB-10 DI, even though these are both high quality DI's. I assume these two preamps from L.R baggs also have their own tonal color, in addition to the tone you can dial in with the knobs.

If you run these units together, won't you be going through two similar circuits, so whatever the DI's are enhancing is being enhanced twice, which is potentially too much enhancing?

To use the EQ element of the circuit as an example - DI guitars generally sound gross around 500 Hz, so these preamps would remove say 4 dB of 500 Hz from your signal. With two of them, that becomes 8 dB (Not really because of how dB works, but you get my point) which might be taking away too much and make the guitar sound strange.

Why is this not the case? Am I missing something?
Thanks

[Bizybodi]

Session + Venue

MPAII,

I just ran across your post. I have been looking to add the session myself; but just went to GC yesterday & no joy. They "expect them in soon"......Y'know.

For a good answer check out this YouTube --> https://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_...?v=C7WPCcxAoIM

The units actually focus on differing aspects. Venue pretty much a straight up full featured DI with great ergonomics & footprint featuring a variable boost and excellent EQ. The Session does some of that but really features a Multi-Band compression algorithm & Harmonic Saturation (to my understanding).

My first thought when I bought it was why didn't they incorporate some compression in the Venue? Then I found out about the Session DI and watching the YouTubes see how they work together. Now I really want one.....Darn it! Once you know, you may also.

Check the URL above. There's more than just this one, & even one where Mr. Baggs describes the process that inspired him to create it to emulate some of the Post-Production Mastering Process.

To be sure: I have the Venue unit only right now & it sounds great. There are a lot of other posts from users that only have the Session DI & they say that sounds great too. So you probably can't go too wrong.

Hope that will help.

[Caleb_Elling]

too much enhancing?

Hey MPAII,
In my experience, that definitely comes down to personal taste. The preamp stage that is used in both the Session and the Venue is extremely even in it's response. I would say that something like our Para DI has more "color" to it, while the Venue and Session (no EQ or effects engaged) sound more neutral.

Some people might notice some little nuance that comes out of stacking the Venue and the Session, but I've never personally noticed any ill effect from doing so.

[MPAII]

MPAII,

I just ran across your post. I have been looking to add the session myself; but just went to GC yesterday & no joy. They "expect them in soon"......Y'know.

For a good answer check out this YouTube --> https://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_...?v=C7WPCcxAoIM

The units actually focus on differing aspects. Venue pretty much a straight up full featured DI with great ergonomics & footprint featuring a variable boost and excellent EQ. The Session does some of that but really features a Multi-Band compression algorithm & Harmonic Saturation (to my understanding).

My first thought when I bought it was why didn't they incorporate some compression in the Venue? Then I found out about the Session DI and watching the YouTubes see how they work together. Now I really want one.....Darn it! Once you know, you may also.

Check the URL above. There's more than just this one, & even one where Mr. Baggs describes the process that inspired him to create it to emulate some of the Post-Production Mastering Process.

To be sure: I have the Venue unit only right now & it sounds great. There are a lot of other posts from users that only have the Session DI & they say that sounds great too. So you probably can't go too wrong.

Hope that will help.

Yeah at this point I'm thinking I should get both. My friend has the session and it sounds great, just bought a venue yesterday.

I have seen that video actually, but I don't recall that they ever used them both together, which I thought was your point? Or did you just mean for me to hear the session? I've been searching for videos with both used in tandem but I'm unable to find any.

[MPAII]

In my experience, that definitely comes down to personal taste. The preamp stage that is used in both the Session and the Venue is extremely even in it's response. I would say that something like our Para DI has more "color" to it, while the Venue and Session (no EQ or effects engaged) sound more neutral.

Thanks for that! I feel a lot more comfortable knowing they are both transparent DIs. I didn't know that! Do you think the Session would work best before the Venue or in the effects loop?
Do you know if L.R baggs has anything coming out that combines these great preamps? I'd definitely fork out the big $$$ for it if they did. (Especially if the tuner on the venue was fixed, everyone seems to be complaining about it. :/

[Bizybodi]

Venue + Session DI

I've been searching for videos with both used in tandem but I'm unable to find any.

MPAII,

Heck, your right. That vid did not show them in use together. I actually saw only one instance, but can't locate it for you now having seen so many. [Sorry for that]. I must have seen several dozen now.

The one I did see had the Session DI in the chain preceding the Venue & seeing that prompted my original post about why it was not in the effects loop of the Venue.If I run across it again I will post a link.

Interesting consideration regarding the "tone stacking", but the Venue seems so 'transparent' to me. Maybe the 'coloration' happens in ways I find desirable. Anyway, it definitely is the acoustic preamp I have been waiting for. [Just went to my closet to count] 8 acoustic guitars, 1 acoustic Bass, 1 Mando, & 1 Banjo. 3 of the guitars have simple piezo under saddles while the rest have preamps. I tried the Venue on 4 of the guitars & the Mando. No regrets for sure

[plee822]

Hello, I found this thread super helpful.

If I have the Session Di *going into* the Venue Di, where should I set the volume of the session (given that the gain on the session is set to a level where it is consistently yellow)?

Thanks.

[Caleb_Elling]

Hello, I found this thread super helpful.

If I have the Session Di *going into* the Venue Di, where should I set the volume of the session (given that the gain on the session is set to a level where it is consistently yellow)?

Thanks.

I usually keep the volume around noon, but you can turn it up all the way if you want to minimize the noise-potential. Then you would just need to turn down the Venue's gain.

For what it's worth, I like to run the Session's gain so that it stays green most of the time and peaks in the yellow when playing hard. It doesn't sound as edgy or aggressive, which I like. It also allows me to push the Saturation harder before it sounds too "in your face".

[plee822]

Thank you Caleb. I will experiment with this.

[PaulM]

I already own a Venue DI, and am interested in adding the Session to my sound for the Saturation and CompEQ features.
There is a lot of talk of people using both the Venue and Session DI's in combination, but if I already use a Venue DI, is the Align Series Session pedal a more economical way of achieving essentially the same thing? (Rather than using 2 different DI's)

[Caleb_Elling]

I already own a Venue DI, and am interested in adding the Session to my sound for the Saturation and CompEQ features.
There is a lot of talk of people using both the Venue and Session DI's in combination, but if I already use a Venue DI, is the Align Series Session pedal a more economical way of achieving essentially the same thing? (Rather than using 2 different DI's)

Hey Paul,
That is exactly what the Align Session was designed for. If you already have the Venue DI, the Align Session can be easily added without the unnecessary addition of another DI output.