Gigpro vs. PADI, flat tone comparison

[Fiddleback33]

Hi, first post here.

I've owned both the PADI and Gigpro for many years, having used both with my electric violins. Is it my imagination, or does the Gigpro edge out the PADI for pure tone, all things considered? I use digital processing, so eq is no concern for me. I chose the Gigpro because it has the full Class A input stage, and fits in my instrument case. Doing side by side comparison, I thought it sounded warmer, with less harshness, based on zero eq cut or boost and identical gain settings. Is it my imagination, or does the Gigpro have better components that contribute to this? I recommend this to other violinists, based on my own experience, but I want to make sure I'm not blowing smoke.

[Caleb_Elling]

Hey Fiddleback33,
The Gigpro's all Class-A circuitry definitely has an effect on the sound quality, but the Gigpro's EQ also plays a big part in the sound.

With all of the EQ's set to 12 o'clock on the Para DI, the signal should be flat. On the Gigpro, turning the bass and treble all the way down is actually flat. Setting the EQ's to the middle actually creates a mid-cut, with a warmer bass and more pronounced treble. On many acoustic pickups, a mid-cut tends to help a lot. So that is probably a lot of what you are hearing.

I am not sure why it was designed that way, but I've seen it on an oscilloscope many times.

[Fiddleback33]

Caleb, I'm going to set those flat, and re-tune my rig. Thanks for the information! How would you characterize the tone between the two units, with a true flat eq setting?

[Caleb_Elling]

Honestly, I've done a lot of direct comparisons with LR Baggs and other preamps, but I've never directly compared the Gigpro and the Para DI.

Based on my general experience with both preamps, I would say that the Para DI is slightly warmer sounding, while the Gigpro is a bit more neutral/pure. Now I'm curious to compare them directly.