Instructions |
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| Application Notes Basic Principles The Accusound Transducer is suitable for all musical instruments that have a sound-board. It is attached to the sound-board using the double-sided tape provided. The device works on the piezo electric principle and therefore has a very high source impedance. But as it produces voltages typically in the region of 100mV, it can be connected directly to the high impedance input of most amplifiers without the use of a pre-amplifier. Although the transducer has a built-in electromagnetic and electrostatic shield, its output is not balanced, and for use with professional sound equipment an active DI box is recommended. Attachment Most modern sound-board instruments are finished with polyurethane varnish which will not be affected by Sellotape double-sided tape which is available from any stationers. All surfaces should be carefully tested, however, and the tape provided should be applied to the transducer first, removing the backing paper then exposes a low tack side for attachment to the sound-board. Rolls of this special tape are available from Accusound or from a dealer. Other adhesive tapes are not recommended because of possible deleterious effects on the transducer. It is advisable to use a fresh piece of tape each time the transducer is used and double-sided tape should not be left on either the transducer or the instrument. The moulding between the transducer element and its lead is fitted with a resilient adhesive pad and care should be taken that this does not come in contact with the sound-board which is why it is covered with PVC. The transducer should not be removed by pulling on its lead but by lifting the free end remote from the lead attachment. Connections The Accusound Transducer is provided with a tail terminated with a standard in-line jack. Included in the packing is a clip which will enable the jack to be conveniently attached to the tail piece/end pin of a guitar or mandolin and which may be adapted to other instruments thus relieving direct cable strain on the transducer termination. Any good quality guitar cord can be used to connect to the amplifier input, but leads longer than 3 metres may result in attenuation of higher frequencies and microphony. Alternatively, the transducer can be ordered with a longer attached lead if this would be more convenient for certain applications. Placement All instrumentalists have a unique conception of what their instrument should sound like and diagrams are therefore provided to illustrate several possible positions for the transducer and for a variety of instruments. All these have been successful for an individual musician on a particular instrument. It is however recommended that every user should experiment with his or her own instrument and when the opportunity arises, why not listen to your own instrument being played by someone else over a PA system? Although the transducer is uniformly sensitive over the full audio frequency range, the end result is heavily influenced by the positioning and certain instruments, e.g. piano, harp, hammer dulcimer, etc. can benefit from the use of two transducers fed through two separate amplification channels, thus enabling bass-treble balance to be optimised. Separation & Howlround (feedback) Because the transducer is closely coupled to the source of excitation, excellent separation between a number of instruments in a group is obtained. For the same reason, sound levels in both monitor and main PA loudspeakers can be very much higher than with conventional microphones. There comes a point however when the sound-board of the instrument (or the skin in the case of a banjo or drum) behaves like a large microphone diaphragm and howlround, due to feedback, will occur. In some cases this can be minimised by mounting the transducer inside the instrument or on the frame instead of on the sound-board, although this will usually involve some sacrifice in tonal quality. Howlround and colouration is also influenced by a dominant resonant frequency which is a feature of any particular instrument and its construction. This can be optimised by the use of graphic and/or parametric equalisation. User Support Any Accusound Transducer user is invited to contact the manufacturer in the event of any difficulty or for further advice or application guidance. Original purchasers who register with Accusound are offered a replacement free up to one year from date of purchase, if the failure is due to faulty manufacture or materials.Please use the enclosed reply slip, which will also ensure receipt of any further developments. Accusound cannot accept responsibility for any damage which may occur during use and reserves the right to modify the product without notice. The transducer should not be subjected to extremes of temperature or mechanical shock. |
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