There are a few other items you may need to round out your harp amplification system: the cables to connect the Dusty Harp Pickup or the Audio Technica microphone to your amplifier or PA system, and, in some instances, adapters or preamps. Since there can be a bit of a learning curve for those who have never used amplification before, we encourage you to call and ask questions about what will work best for you.
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| Microphone cable |
Microphone cables
If you are using the Audio Technica microphone, you’ll need a microphone cable to get the signal from the microphone to a PA system or amplifier. Microphone cables are Lo-Z (low impedance) and have XLR plugs on the ends. If you’re plugging into a guitar amplifier there may not be a Lo-Z input, in which case you will also need a Lo-Z to Hi-Z transformer (see below).
Price
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6 foot microphone cable: $18.25
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15 foot microphone cable: $21.50
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| Instrument cable |
Instrument cables
If you are using the Dusty Harp Pickup, you’ll need an instrument cable to connect the pickup to an amplifier. These cables are Hi-Z (high impedance) and have 1/4-inch plugs on the ends. If you are using a preamp (see below), you’ll need two instrument cables. If you are using a direct-in box (see below) and plugging into a PA system with Lo-Z inputs, you’ll need an instrument cable and a microphone cable.
Price
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6 foot instrument cable: $17.75
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15 foot instrument cable: $24.50
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| Impedance-matching transformer |
Impedance-matching transformer
This small device attaches to the end of a Lo-Z microphone cable with an XLR plug and converts it to a Hi-Z 1/4-inch plug. You will need this to plug the Harp Mic into many guitar amplifiers. Note: the amplifier we sell, the Schertler David, has Lo-Z microphone inputs and doesn’t need an impedance-matching transformer.
Price: $17.50
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| L. R. Baggs Gigpro preamp |
Preamp
While the Harp Pickup works great with no preamp, with some amplifiers it sounds better if you use one. The preamp will also provide volume and tone controls at your fingertips. We recommend the L.R. Baggs Gigpro preamp. It is small and sounds great. It provides volume, tone, and input gain controls, and comes with a belt clip. It has 1/4-inch input and output jacks for connection to any amplifier. Requires a 9-volt battery.
Price: $99.00
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| L. R. Baggs Para-Acoustic D.I. |
Direct-In Box
A direct-in box is useful for connecting a Hi-Z, 1/4-inch cable to a PA system, which will typically have Lo-Z, XLR inputs. You may want to use this item if you are using the Dusty Harp Pickup and regularly need to plug into a PA mixer instead of an amplifier. The LR Baggs Para Acoustic D.I. is both a direct-in box and a preamp. It will do everything the Gigpro preamp will do, and also has an output for a microphone cable. A variety of other bells and whistles allow you shape the sound more accurately and connect external effects processors to your system. Requires 9-volt battery or phantom power.
Price: $169.00
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| Audio Technica power supply |
Phantom Power Supply
If your amplifier doesn’t supply phantom power (this isn't a problem with the Schertler David amp) and you are using the Audio Technica Pro 35AX microphone, or if you want to add 48v phantom power functionality to the Para-Acoustic D.I., use the Audio Technica 8801 Phantom Power Supply. It plugs into the wall, and you'll need two microphone cables: one from the mike to the power supply, and one from the power supply to the amplifier or P.A. system.
Price: $80.00