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.

[Surf & Sound Events]

Semi-related question. I recently started using the VoicePrint DI and I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. Previously I had used the Session DI and I really appreciated the multi-band compressor. So I set up my pedalboard as Tuner > VoicePrint > VP FX Send > Align Session > Align Reverb > VP FX Return > VPDI. So far I'm finding 2 problems with the Align Session here. Firstly, I'm finding that the compressor tends to re-introduce some of the quack that the VP gets rid of. I assume the "multi-band" part of this compressor is actually working against me since the VP is cleaning up my signal so much. Ultimately I can get over not having a compressor, but I may end up trying a simpler compressor pedal in its place in the future if I really feel like I need it. The second, and more significant problem is that even with the Saturation and Compressor all the way off, the pedal colors my signal when engaged (and this is after setting the Gain as instructed and then setting the volume to match the unengaged signal). I am interested in just using the Align Session as a boost button as described above, but currently it both boosts and colors the signal even with saturation and compression turned off. So firstly, the nerd in me would like to understand as much as I can about what is going on with each of those situations (compressor re-introducing shrill/high-end quack, and why the session is coloring the sound with no effects on). Secondly, I'd be curious to the recommendations for what to do/try.

I suppose I can duplicate a VP Preset and raise the gain on the new preset and then the Next button will be my boost button, but because the VPDI doesn't have a "back" button this isn't ideal.

[Caleb_Elling]

The Session is a unique piece of gear. I personally go back and forth using it with my VPDI. Sometimes I feel like a subtle amount of compression and saturation are helpful, but other times I feel like they are fighting what the VPDI is already doing. So I completely understand what you're hearing.

The Session was initially designed to compress problem frequencies that occur in most acoustic pickups. With those frequencies being managed by the Voiceprint, the compression interacts with the signal a bit differently.

Even with the compression and saturation turned all the way down, those controls are never completely "off". They are still going to color the signal slightly, no matter what. In addition to that, the Session's gain stage is also going to add some more warmth when the gain is set as described in the manual. The Session is intended to add color and texture to the signal, and there's not really any way around that.

If you want to use the Session as a boost, I'd run the volume all the way up and the gain a little lower. This will still color the sound a little, but not nearly as much as running the gain higher and the volume at noon. The compression and saturation are directly affected by the gain, so a lower gain setting will also minimize the influence of those controls on the tone.

[Surf & Sound Events]

That is all incredibly helpful information. While I'll never get rid of my Session DI, I think the compliment to the Voiceprint is that i'll need to return my Align Session. Most pedals I see are "for electric guitar" and when I search for acoustic pedals there are slim pickings. I would like to have a simple compression pedal and a simple boost pedal. Do you have any recommendations? Are there any things to be aware of when shopping that would let me know that the pedal would not work well with an acoustic guitar?

[Caleb_Elling]

For boost and compression pedals, I like the TC Electronic Spark Mini and Xotic SP Compressor. They're both "electric" pedals, but they work just fine on acoustic, or they have for me. The blend knob on the SP Compressor is really helpful for retaining your dynamics and finding the right balance of compression.