Acoustic Direct Box & Preamp with 5-Band EQ Due to its studio quality performance, powerful tone shaping EQ and rock-solid reliability, the Para DI has become an indispensable stage tool for countless musicians around the world. This roadworthy box effortlessly tames the stage and enhances any acoustic pickup for a fuller, more complex sound. The Para DI features a 5-band EQ with a tunable midrange and notch, variable gain control for passive or active pickups and a high-quality DI output for a pristine signal to the board. Features Adjustable gain for both passive and active pickups 5 band EQ with tunable notch and midrange bands Phase inversion for best sound and feedback control XLR and 1/4" outputs Works with 9V battery or 48V phantom power Controls A. LOW EQ BAND CONTROL (85HZ) Very low bass, almost felt as much as heard. B. NOTCH CONTROL AND TUNE KNOB (98 TO 247HZ) Designed primarily to help with feedback problems. For example, if a particular string is starting to feedback or produce a booming sound, you can use the notch to cut out the problem frequency. The tune knob is marked with four positions, each representing a note on the scale, to help find the problem frequency. Try boosting the notch control (turn completely clockwise) and sweeping the tune knob until the feedback is at it’s worst. Then turn the notch control back towards “cut” (counterclockwise). Cut only enough to kill the feedback. The notch control can also be used as an EQ knob. A slight cut between D and B (around 200Hz) can clarify a boomy or muddy tone, and slight boosts in this range will give a thin-sounding guitar more body and acoustic sound. (see also: Invert Switch) C. MIDRANGE CONTROL (400HZ TO 1.6KHZ) AND TUNE KNOB Sweeps from the upper warmth frequencies to the nasal range of sound. Boost at 400 for more warmth, cut at .8k-1.6k for less nasal quality. Many acoustic guitars have an excess 1kHz when amplified. A 3 to 6 dB cut is often good here. D. PRESENCE CONTROL (5KHZ) Affects “sss” sounds, cymbal sizzle, brightness. Cut here to remove PA horn “glare” or boost to add life to a dull speaker. E. TREBLE CONTROL (10KHZ) The very highest frequencies, “air” or “frosting” F. BATTERY STATUS LED Stays on when unit is on and then flashes when the battery is low. The LED will start flashing when the battery reaches 6 volts. When it reaches 5 volts, it will stop flashing. G. VOLUME CONTROL Unlike gain, whose adjustment will affect the character and personality of the sound, the volume simply controls the amount of signal that gets out of the box. The Para Acoustic DI will likely be the quietest thing in your signal chain. So for the best system signal to noise ratio, we recommend that you run the volume as high as you can without causing the PA to distort. H. EXTERNAL BATTERY ACCESS COMPARTMENT For quick and easy battery changes. I. BALANCED XLR OUTPUT A standard, post EQ/effects, balanced low impedance output. Plug it into the board with a microphone cable or stage/studio snake. If your board provides 48V phantom power on the XLR cable, the Para Acoustic DI will run on it instead of the battery. It’s a good idea to keep a battery in the unit as a backup even when using phantom power. If phantom power drops, the preamp will automatically switch to the battery and run without interruption. J. PHANTOM POWER LED Alerts you to the presence of 48V phantom power with a green light. K. 1/4” OUTPUT This is a regular unbalanced output for a standard mono cable. The output signal is the same as on the XLR, allowing you to use the 1/4” out and the XLR simultaneously for some creative signal routing. L. INVERT SWITCH Changes the polarity of the signal. When the button is up, the output will be in phase with the input signal. Phase affects the way that the guitar top is pressurized by the loud speakers. When the two are out of phase with each other, low end feedback will be minimized. If inverting phase alone does not kill the feedback, use the notch filter. Phase will also affect the way the guitar signal mixes live and on tape (especially when overdubbing) with other instruments. M. EFFECTS LOOP This jack provides a send-return on a stereo jack for outboard effects that allow you to blend reverb, chorus or other effects in with a dry signal. Use an insert cable (stereo plug with a Y cable to two mono plugs) to connect the effect. The tip is the “send” and goes to the input of your effect. The ring is the “return” and comes from the output of your effect, and the sleeve is the ground. You may adjust the amount of effect in the signal by using the controls of the outboard effect. The send (tip) of this connector comes directly from the pure class A discrete input stage of the Para DI, before the EQ, volume control, invert switch and output driver. Therefore it can be used as an immaculate, unbalanced direct output. It will not be affected by any of the panel controls (with the exception of the gain control). Use a regular mono cable. The effects loop interrupts the signal path. Therefore, it may also be used as an insert point for a compressor, volume pedal, or tuner if the tuner has a bypass switch. N. GAIN CONTROL See section 2: Setting the Gain. O. INSTRUMENT INPUT When you plug in, the preamp turns on. Note: If you plug or unplug your guitar with the power amp on, you will hear a loud “pop” from the speakers. Our proprietary “Soft Start” mute circuit reduces this, but it is still wise to turn down the power amp when plugging and unplugging.
