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Post subject: Passport Pro 150 - Does it need a pre-amp?
Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:29 pm
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Folks,

I just purchased a brand new Passport Pro 150.

I am trying to understand why this unit is not loud enough with electric guitar as the input source.

When I plugin my iPod and turn the volume knob to high, the sound is loud enough for a reasonably large room.

However, when I plugin my electric guitar, enough though the volume is set to max, both on the guitar as well as Passport Pro, the sound is not that loud at all. In fact, my 15W Fender Guitar Amp sounds louder.

I am wondering if this is a defective unit or if I need something else to amplify volume before sending it to Passport Pro.

Note that iPod input goes to channel 3 as it supports stereo input. I have tried my guitar on channel 1 as well as channel 2. These two channels support mono input.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Best regards,
Peter

PS: I have noticed a similar problem when I plug in a microphone. However, I have been told that I need to buy a microphone cable for XLR connection.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:56 am
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Location: Scottsdale
Hi Peter,

The 1/4" inputs on the Passport Pro's are line level inputs, however your electric guitar is not. The output signal of an electric guitar is lower than line level, that's why you can't get much volume out of the Passport channels. You would need a pre-amp to convert your high impedance electric guitar signal to line level signal. You may also find an active DI box with gain (you will need gain!) that can be used. An acoustic guitar with a pre-amp, active bass for example would work with the line level inputs.

The same goes for plugging a microphone into the line level inputs. You will need to plug the microphone into the XLR microphone input, not the 1/4" line level input. Micorphones are very low in output signal that's why you will need to use the mic inputs. For your microphone an XLR to XLR cable will do the trick, there's almost 60 dB of gain on the mic input channel.

Hope this clarifies things for you. Your Passport 150 Pro seems to function as it should.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks,
Ken

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Ken Porter
Director, Audio Electronics R&D
Research & Development
Fender Musical Instruments Corp.
www.fender.com

Proud to be a Fender band member since 1997
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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:05 pm
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Hi Ken,

Thank you for your help.

Do you recommend any specific pre-amp?

Regards,
Peter


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Post subject: Passport pro 150
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 7:51 am
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I am looking for a pa system to play the stereo output of the GDEC 3 thirty through. I have looked at the 150 and am wondering if it is up to the task. Mostly it will be used for play in a 20 X 20 room for practice, no live performances.

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Post subject:
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 12:36 pm
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Hi Plaveway,

It really depends on how loud you practice. If it were me I would probably go with the 300 Pro in your case to make sure that "quiet" practice is covered as well as driving the neighbors crazy! ;)

@PeterTaps, sorry I completely missed your question. It's hard for me to keep up with these posts sometimes since I am doing this strictly on the side.

Anyway, I can't give you specific brand names of course, but you could either simply use a cheap DI box for your electric guitar or there are some guitar amps out there that have modeling etc. with a line out.

Thanks,
Ken

_________________
_______________________________________
Ken Porter
Director, Audio Electronics R&D
Research & Development
Fender Musical Instruments Corp.
www.fender.com

Proud to be a Fender band member since 1997
_______________________________________


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 5:08 pm
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thanks Ken,

I saw Gary Hoey at the local shop and he was using the 500 but that seemed a little too much for what I am looking to do. The store owner and I were looking at both the 150 and the 300. He suggested the 300 for the extra control and not being sure if the 150 would be up to the task.

Thanks again for the help!

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American Deluxe Telecaster
Tim Armstrong Hellcat Accoustic
Vibrolux Reverb
GDEC 3 Thirty


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 9:52 pm
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Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:39 pm
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Location: Scottsdale
Good to hear you saw Gary Hoey's demo, he's a pretty amazing guitar player!

Yeah, I think you'd be happy with the 300 Pro. At NAMM we were demoing the GDEC with a 500 Pro as well, but it was so loud at the show that it was needed. I am glad to see you have a new GDEC too! :) And yes, use the line outs (best balanced 1/4" TRS to TRS cable) of the GDEC.

As you've probably seen in the Passport forum and which seems to have been a little confusing so some people please do not go directly into the line inputs of the Passports with an electric guitar since an electric guitar is low level and high impedance and will not be loud enough for a line input.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Thanks,
Ken

_________________
_______________________________________
Ken Porter
Director, Audio Electronics R&D
Research & Development
Fender Musical Instruments Corp.
www.fender.com

Proud to be a Fender band member since 1997
_______________________________________


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