Yamaha Pacifica PAC212VFM

CONTACT: Adam Hall PHONE: [phone] WEB: www.adamhall.com
CONTACT: Numark Alesis Europe PHONE: [phone] WEB: www.alesis.com
Summer 2010
Guitarist 125
QUICKTEST
MISCELLANEOUS
Quicktest
Welcome to Guitarist’s regular round-up of the best of the
rest of the gear that’s passed through our hands this issue
There are many instruments
that are recorded by direct
injection (DI) in a studio – that
is, plugged straight in rather
than using a microphone. Bass
guitars are commonly DI’d, as
are electro-acoustic guitars
(often alongside a mic signal),
and it’s not unknown to DI an
electric guitar for a clean
sound. A DI box will take the
Hi-Z signal from the guitar
and convert it to an output
level suitable for a mixing
desk’s mic input or a line input.
Now, while you can get DI
boxes at real budget prices, at
the other end of the scale you’ll
find the likes of this mains-
powered Palmer DI-box and
preamp, designed to get the
best possible signal from your
instrument.
In Use
The PDI-CTC’s circuitry
includes two valves, an
ECC83/12AX7 and an
ECC82/12AU7, and there are
four three-way switchable
bell-shaped filters (low, lo mid,
hi mid, high) to tweak your
sound. Each of these can add,
if needed, 4dB or 8dB in its
respective range – this allows
81 EQ combinations, all altering
the sound in a musical way.
With the PDI-CTC’s minimal
signal path your signal remains
pristine, enhanced by the
pleasant sonic characteristics of
valves alongside some subtle
tone shaping if needed.
Verdict
Like all of the beautifully
engineered Palmer gear we’ve
seen, the PDI-CTC Tube DI
doesn’t sell for peanuts. But it’s
a great way to get an excellent
clean signal from guitar to
mixer/recorder. [TC]
The Bottom Line
We like: Affordable; ease of
use; selectable mic set-ups
We dislike: No dedicated
guitar input
The Bottom Line
We like: Classy signal path
for direct sounds; musical EQ
options; mic and line outputs
We dislike: Expensive
GUITARIST RATING
GUITARIST RATING
Alesis is
known for its
affordable prices and the
PalmTrack portable stereo
digital recorder is no
exception, costing quite a bit
less than the current
competition. It’s a battery-
powered (mains adaptor
optional) unit that records
16 and 24 bit, 44.1 and
48kHz wav files or
64-320kbps mp3 to an SD or
SDHC card and features mic
and line inputs and,
unusually, four onboard
mics. This array lets you
choose to record in standard
stereo with two mics, or to
make all four active in omni
mode and capture the sound
from all around. Other
features include a tuner and
the ability to loop audio.
In Use
Light and definitely palm-
sized, the PalmTrack is easily
held in the hand, placed on a flat
surface or attached to a camera
tripod (there’s an optional
adaptor for a mic stand). With
a simple set of controls it’s very
easy to operate and you can be
recording within seconds of
turning the power on. You can
quickly choose two or four mics
from the menu, with good-
quality sound being recorded in
both modes – perhaps stereo for
recording gigs, omni for
sticking the PalmTrack in the
middle of a rehearsal room to
capture the full sound of
practices. Transfer of audio
files to computer is swiftly
carried out via USB.
Verdict
If you’re looking for a portable
stereo recorder that’s quick
and easy to use that doesn’t
cost a fortune, the PalmTrack
is worth checking out. [TC]
Palmer PDI-CTC
£453
Alesis
PalmTrack
£119
An affordable hand-held recorder
Upmarket DI box with valves
GIT332.rev_quick 125 7/16/10 3:29:36 PM