Boss ad-5 processor

**John Flynn** · Jul-27-2007, 11:52am

I have a Boss AD-5 Acoustic Instrument Processor that I bought a long time ago. It is billed as being both a preamp and a direct box and while it is not a "high-end" unit, it was not cheap either, about twice what a Baggs Para DI goes for. I have used it between my Rigel A+ and a sound board and it worked OK. But now now I am looking for ways to improve my sound going from the Rigel into an amp. I have a Crate CA-30 which has plenty of power for what I do. I never get the volume over "5."

My problem is that I can't hear that much positive difference between going direct from the Rigel into that amp than using the AD-5. It would seem to me it should noticeably improve the sound, but I have messed with it extensively and I'm not hearing it. Whether direct or preamped, the sound is just sort of a middling pizeo sound, not bad or "quacky" or anything, just kind of unimpressive. I played the Rigel through a Schertler "David" at a store and the difference was dramtic. It sounded like my ear was right next to the sound hole. But I don't want to spend that much right now. The store guy said a preamp would make a huge difference with my amp. So I went home and dug out the AD-5, but no huge difference.

Is it the AD-5? Is it just not a good box? Or have I just not found the magic setting? Is it the amp, that it is not good enough to "tell the difference" between a preamped signal and a non-preamped one? I don't want to spend a lot to improve this set-up and it would be really good if I could improve things with the stuff I have. I would really be interested in hearing from anyone who has played a mando through an AD-5 and gotten a sound they liked out of it, but all opinions are welcome. Thanks in advance.

**Milan Christi** · Jul-27-2007, 1:00pm

I've used the AD-5 for a lot of years in conjunction with my Guild F65-CE acoustic-electric guitar. The tonal variations are dramatically different-especially when I use the "body" and "mic distance" controls. I've only plugged my mandolin in one time to experiment with the sound and once again the variations were boundless. I've even tried plugging my Ashbory bass into it with limited good effect.

Interestingly the reason I use it is to reduce the piezo sound of the Guild/Fishman setup - it's pretty awful sounding unless you're looking for an Ovation-like, Adrian Legg tone.

I obviously can't say what the issue would be with your unit but I can tell you it's one piece of gear I've used a lot for the past 10 or so years.

**John Flynn** · Jul-27-2007, 2:14pm

MC:

Thanks. At least that is a hopeful sign that will get me to have another go at it.

**steve V. johnson** · Jul-28-2007, 10:08am

Milan,

Are you going into a combo amplifier from the Boss unit, or into a PA or...?

I've had the experience of 'mic simulation' devices that have a lot more effect when used in the studio or into a PA mixer than when run thru a combo amplifier. # Sometimes a player has to reduce a lot of the settings when moving from sending the signal to an amp to sending it to a PA or studio gear.

Amps can be a little ... thick.. that way.

stv

**Milan Christi** · Jul-28-2007, 10:42am

Good point, Steve - I've done both but more often I was running through the PA than my amp. I only used my amp on solo gigs. Nonetheless the Boss unit did its job - I always ran my amp as flat as I could and let the processor shape the tone. That guitar pickup needs a lot of assistance.

But overall I think you're right that the response was not as dramatic through the amp. But it was still very present and noticeable.

But again - we're talking apples and oranges since I haven't really used it with my mandolin. I think the guitar has a lot more range to affect and the overall usefulness for a mandolin may be minimal.

**mando.player** · Jul-28-2007, 11:45am

It may be that your amp is not capable of reproducing the nuances of the sound that the AD-5 outputs. Whey you tested the "David" did oyu use you pedal, a schertler preamp or go direct into the amp?

**John Flynn** · Jul-28-2007, 2:47pm

Originally Posted by

Whey you tested the "David" did oyu use you pedal, a schertler preamp or go direct into the amp?

It was directly into the amp.

**Bruce Clausen** · Jul-28-2007, 4:16pm

You're plugging into the main instrument input on the Crate? I wonder if you'd do better plugging the AD-5 into your line in jack (your amp has a stereo "insert" jack that gives you line-out and line-in), instead of going through the amp's built-in preamp. Guitar amp built-in preamps tend to be very specialised for a certain kind of sound, and that isn't the sound you're after. So if your Crate works like mine, you can plug into the line-in and this bypasses all the panel controls on the Crate-- so start with zero gain on your AD-5, then adjust carefully. (I believe you could use a mono patch cord for this. Crate says the line-in is tip, line-out is ring. Can anyone comment?) I don't know the AD-5, but I use a mini-mixer this way with my AKG C411 contact mic.

Should give a more neutral sound that you can control on the AD-5. Hope this helps.

BC

**John Flynn** · Jul-28-2007, 9:13pm

Bruce:

I just tried going in through the Insert jack, but the problem is I can't get enough volume. Even with the AD-5 volume all the way up and the Pizeo control all the way up, the volume is half what I need.

I did tinker around and find something that seems to work, but it strikes me as odd. I ran the AD-5 into the the regular Input jack on the amp (versus the Insert). Then I used the Effects Bypass on the AD-5. That means I still have to control volume and EQ on the amp, because the AD-5's volume and EQ is bypassed. But it sounds better than the instrument directly into the amp. And it sounds better than the instrument into the AD-5 with the effects on and any EQ setting I can come up with. The AD-5 effects seem to impart a "metallic" sound that I can't get rid of, whereas with the bypass on, it sounds clean.

I know it sounds crazy, but that is the best I can do so far. Any other suggestions would be welcome. Maybe all I need is a simple preamp, like a Pickup the World Line Driver, that has volume, but no effects.

**Bruce Clausen** · Jul-28-2007, 10:17pm

Johnny: Two thoughts. It sounds like the AD-5 output is not really at line level, but needs further preamplification; makes sense if the unit is designed for use with guitar amps. As far as the Effects Bypass goes, you seem to be using the AD-5 now only to set an appropriate input level (see diagram in manual), which then goes through your Crate preamp circuitry. I don't know anything about piezo gear (or electronics, for that matter), but probably there is another product that would give you more control and better sound.

Bruce

**John Flynn** · Jul-28-2007, 10:39pm

Bruce:

Well, the AD-5 seems to be doing more than just setting the input level. It seems to also be cleaning up the signal significantly. It sounds noticeable better, like warmer and clearer, than putting the Rigel directly into the the amp and I am adjusting to get the same final volume for comparison. So it is an improvement, perhaps the improvement I was looking for. It just seems a shame that all those effects are wasted and this $300 device is now just a passthrough direct box, nothing more. I do think you are right that my needs would be better served by a simpler device. I am thinking a Baggs Gigpro or PUTW Line Driver. They are in the range I was thinking of spending. I am open to suggestions from anyone on this.

**Milan Christi** · Jul-29-2007, 12:13am

If you'd like to rule out the possibility of a faulty unit, I'd have no problem with sending mine to you so you can do an A-B comparison. (No one has been banging my door down for a gig

lately.) I have an APO address so postage fees are regular, US rates. I think my email address is on my member page info.

**John Flynn** · Jul-29-2007, 9:13am

MC:

Thanks so much for the generous offer. I was tempted, but then I thought, what would could I do with what I might learn from such a comparison? If it's not faulty, I still don't like the sound. If it is faulty, it's gonna stay that way, since it is out of warranty and I am not going to sink more money in it by paying to have it fixed. I would rather spend my money on a more up to date unit. The purpose of this thread was just to see if I was missing something on the settings.

I hope APO has improved, though! In my day, no matter how well they were packed, cookies were guaranteed to be crumbs by the time APO delivered them. I can only imagine what they would do to electronics! Thanks again.

**Perry** · Jul-29-2007, 10:05am

Sorry haven't read the entire thread but....

If the Crate has an effects loop try going from your Boss to the effects return this way you by-pass the Crate's pre-amp. I think it gets too messy when you have mulitple stages of gain and EQ.

The Baggs Gig pro is a nice warm sounding unit though it lacks the EQ necessary for a mandolin I think. The only pre-amp I've found that I like (I've owned/tried many) is the mucho bucks Pendulun SPS-1

Three bands of parametric EQ to makes the mando sound like a mando. Plus loads of other features and uses.

**John Flynn** · Jul-29-2007, 12:19pm

Perry:

Thanks. Like I said earlier, I tried the effects return, but then I could not get much volume out of the amp, even with the AD-5 turned all the way up. I am not so worried about the lack of EQ on the Gigpro. The Crate amp does have a decent 4-band EQ that seems to work reasonably well. It just can't do the whole job with the input signal it's getting. What learned experimenting with the AD-5 is all I seem to need is someing to input match, and also clean up and boost the signal a bit. I am hoping the Gigpro will do that. My idea was to run the Gigpro into the regular input with its EQ flat and the volume on about half, then use the amp's EQ and volume to get the sound I want. Then I can use the Gigpro's EQ and volume just to "tweak" when I am playing. Seems worth a try.