Baggs Para-Acoustic DI question

[mrmando]

Looking at the specs for the Baggs Para, I see that it has both an XLR and a 1/4" output, if I'm reading correctly. Is it possible to use the 1/4" output as a headphone or monitor jack, for situations where there isn't enough of your mandolin in the stage monitors? Anyone ever tried it?

[Treblemaker]

I own 2 of these.
The PADI can be used to feed the PA your signal or you can split your signal and send it to a PA (via XLR ouput) and to an amp (via the 1/4 inch ouput). The PADI allows you to EQ your tone and notch out feedback.

I do not know if the level of the output would work for headphones, but I suppose it's worth trying.

I play Mandolin, Guitar and Bass and the PADI is useful for all three - but I alway prefer to play into a mic.

My Upright Bass into the PADI and then into a PA sounds very decent for bluegrass.

The LR Baggs Venue DI is even more flexible and sounds great - but costs more.

YMMV

[mrmando]

Thanks. I use the Rane MAP33, which will do all that and cook your breakfast, but is expensive and nearly impossible to find. I am just curious about the capabilities of more affordable/popular units.

[Folkmusician.com]

You would need a separate headphone amp for use with headphones... You can pick up an inexpensive one. Many of these will take dual inputs, or you can put the mando on the left/rest of the mix on the right and adjust your own headphone levels. You would need to tap into the monitor mix, but once you get everything worked out, it should be a nice setup and fairly cheap.

The 1/4" out is ideal to run to a monitor if it is powered.

[EdSherry]

The PADI does not have power to the 1/4" jack (it's a line-level signal), so as I understand it it won't double as a headphone amp (though I confess I've not tried to use it that way).

[Mike Bunting]

http://www.tonebone.com/tb-pzpre.htm
You might check this out if you are interested. They look like they will do every thing but play your axe. They come highly recommended.

[mrmando]

Thanks guys ... yeah, I'm impressed with the ToneBone. I sat in on a blues gig with Spider Murphy (great tenor guitar player from Colorado). Spider kept breaking strings on his Stella tenor so I loaned him my National Triolian. He plugged it into a ToneBone and it sounded just gorgeous. I don't need a new pre for myself, just doing some research.

Radial also makes something called a Pro DI, which is just a direct box but looks like it does have a powered 1/4" output.

Anyway, I've been having monitor problems in live situations, and finally came up with something that works for me. I bought a Miccus BluBridge, which is a little Bluetooth transmitter designed to be plugged into a stereo for use with wireless headphones. Then I paired it with a spare Bluetooth cell phone receiver. I plug the BluBridge into the headphone jack on my Rane pre, and wear the Bluetooth receiver in my right ear. Now I have a truly wireless in-ear monitor, no little white cables or cumbersome belt packs, for under $50, and I can actually hear what my Aceto electric fiddle and Rigel mandolin sound like out in the house.

[mandroid]

RollsPM 50, is made to tap off a signal to a headphone amp, and send the
Original signal onward, XLR, to the rest of the chain.

[Ben Milne]

Hey Martin, does the Rane make Canadian pancakes? if so, thats a keeper. You're right the Tonebone sounds great, it's a quality piece of kit.
The 1/4"on the ProDI is just a thru, used for continuing the signal onto and amp etc.
A Whirlwind MD-1 would do the job, it has a built in headphone amp, powered by 2x9v batteries.

[Tim2723]

I can't do the test, but I would have thought the ParaDI could at least power a set of earbuds. I assumed it would be like my iPod which doesn't have the oomph to run my full-sized phones, but only buds. Thoughts on that?

[Ben Milne]

I can't do the test, but I would have thought the ParaDI could at least power a set of earbuds. I assumed it would be like my iPod which doesn't have the oomph to run my full-sized phones, but only buds. Thoughts on that?

There is no headphone amp in the unit... It might work for Martin's Bluetooth setup, but any changes to the volume on the unit would affect the both XLR and 1/4"outputs. The 1/4" output is unbalanced.