Align Session with a Para Acoustic DI

[Dadgadave]

I'm thinking of getting an Align Session compression pedal to link with my Para Acoustic DI, (which I dig a lot). I want something to serve as a tone and volume boost for fingerpicking solos. Could the Align Session work for this?

[Caleb_Elling]

Hey Dadgaddave,
Yeah, the Align Session should be perfect for that. I've always wanted to use the Session for that, but I always end up just running it "on" all the time. It should work great as a volume and tone boost.

[Dadgadave]

Thanks, Caleb. That's what I wanted to hear. Would the sequence be Session then Para DI, or the other way around?

[Caleb_Elling]

Thanks, Caleb. That's what I wanted to hear. Would the sequence be Session then Para DI, or the other way around?

Yep, that's how I would do it. Session into the Para DI, then into the amp or PA.

[Wilbur]

I recently got an Align Session and using the LR Baggs Para DI. I also have k&k pure minis in an old Alvarez Yairi with no preamp. I’ve read about the impedance issue from those pickups into the PADI, and assume it is why bass is excessive.
I was running the session, delay and volume pedal in the effects loop. But from the above should I run guitar to the Session first then to the PADI??

[Caleb_Elling]

Hey Wilbur,
Yeah, the Align Session has a lower input impedance that should be a little more friendly with the K&K. If you run the Session first, and then the delay, volume, and Para DI, that should work great! The Session has a good deal of gain available, so there shouldn't be any issues running that and your other pedals in front of the Para DI, rather than in the loop.

I hope this helps.

[Wilbur]

Wow I wasn’t expecting such a quick response! Placing the session first seems to help!
I always had my volume pedal in the effects loop. It seemed to work well there. It is an active pedal.
Do you know of any advantage of placing this and/or a delay before the Para DI vs. the effects loop?

[Caleb_Elling]

The Session is an active pedal, with a great preamp. Because the Session has a preamp, it's much easier to run it in front of the Para DI. If you were only running time-based effects like delay and reverb, then it might sound best with those in the loop. With the Session, you open up a lot more options for your signal chain.