Pod Go as an Acoustic Preamp

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Hello all,

 

I am trying to get a good acoustic sound on the pod go, but I do not currently own a preamp. I am running an LR Baggs M1A active acoustic pickup straight into the pod go and don't want to have to crank the pickup's volume to the max. Every preamp I've tried so far on the pod go distorts the sound at the volume I want. Is there any way to get a clean sound, or do I have to get an acoustic preamp?

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Since I posted this topic, I've gathered more information that may help:

• None of the global settings changed anything
• Tried using Aux Input, no difference
• Tried using a Gain block, made a slight difference.
• Looper block is very quiet, which leads me to believe that the signal is too quiet before the chain and amplified at the end.
• Tested this by setting pickup volume to the max, which worked, but the loop was still quieter than I was hoping.
• The output impedance of my pickup is 800 ohms, compared to Pod Go's input impedance of "1 Meg Ohm."

At this point I might just go in for a preamp and see what happens.

[Sqawk]

Just curious, where are you hearing the distortion? PA system, guitar amp, Headphones, etc?

[patoalf]

I use several acoustic guitars plugged directly into the PODGO. A 12-string Ibanez, a 6-string acoustic with a direct piezo pickup, and a classical guitar also with a direct piezo pickup. I haven't had that problem.

The preset I use on the PODGO has a Studio Tube Pre with the Gain at 8.1 and the Level at 4.7, and the Sensitivity set to Line. Then comes a Deluxe Comp with the Mix at 60% and the Level at +1.2dB, followed by a reverb.

I don't use a speaker, and the effects go after the preamp. This works with all of them. When I use the nylon-string guitar, I adjust the EQ a bit with a SimpleEQ before the reverb.

I hope this is helpful.