Preamp Unit that contains a four band parametric equalizer and a stereo effects interface, and a dual foot
switch. By combining these components into an integrated system, we've created a preamp/processor that is
versatile, easy to use, and most importantly, unmatched in sound quality. When used with the current
generation of high impedance transducers, magnetic pickups and/or mini-mics, the HZ-10SE Preamp System
makes it possible to get clean, natural, balanced sound from your instrument - sound you thought could only be
obtained in the studio. And since the system is modular, it can easily be adapted to any type of pickup system
you'd like to use, simply by changing Preamp Modules. Whether your instrument is equipped with a piezo
transducer, mini-mic, magnetic pickup or a combination of two pickups, there's a Preamp Module designed for it.
Why We Designed the HZ-10SE
Over the years, acoustic instrument pickups have gotten mixed reviews. Some of the criticism of course
is justified. The first generation of piezoelectric transducers, although capable of more natural sound than their
predecessors, left a lot to be desired; they were prone to hum pickup because of insufficient electromagnetic
shielding, and quite often their size or placement geometry prevented them from giving a good representation of
the harmonic balance of the instrument. And since they have a very high impedance output, connecting them
through a few feet of shielded cable readily degraded their sound. Even though the problem is less severe for
magnetic pickups, their clarity can also be compromised with improper impedance matching. One solution to
these problems was to use a battery-operated preamp put on the floor, held on a belt-clip, or somehow
implanted into the instrument. However, these units were often designed primarily for long battery life rather
than high performance. But in spite of all this, piezo transducers and magnetic pickups were convenient for live
performance, so acoustic players put up with these limitations. Often, these limitations forced performers to go
back to using stand-mounted microphones, and putting up with leakage and feedback headaches.
Piezo and Magnetic Pickups
With the current generation of pickups however, most of the shielding, placement, and other problems
have been addressed. In fact, a number of well-known recording artists, producers and engineers have discovered
that in the studio is possible to get natural, high quality sound from these pickups - sound that some actually
prefer to that obtained from a condenser microphone. The key to getting studio-quality sound is in the way the
signal from the pickup is handled, and in this regard, the conventional preamp technology has not kept pace
with the advances in pickup design.
At Pendulum, we decided to improve on the conventional 'low fidelity' approach. We designed our
Preamp Module
to handle high impedance pickups the way one would handle a low level, high impedance
source in the studio (such as the capsule of a condenser microphone, for example). To do this, we:
•
Put the 'front-end' Preamp Module at the instrument
: this avoids the loss of fidelity that occurs when the
high impedance signal is run through a long instrument cable. The Preamp Module is available in a
number of configurations, so the system is compatible with all acoustic instruments.
•
Made the Preamp Module phantom-powered
: Aside from the obvious convenience, this has other
advantages over battery powered units, such as being able to operate with greater headroom and dynamic
range, and not being limited to using less than ideal circuitry chosen for low battery consumption rather
than high fidelity.
• Designed it for a
balanced line output:
With a low impedance, balanced line signal, you are able to run a
very long signal cable to the Main Preamp Unit without degrading your sound.
• Optimized the circuitry for
extremely low noise operation
at high impedances. The module is so quiet in
fact, that the pickup's self-noise contributes more to the total noise than the preamp itself!