guitar world acoustic 95Photographs by LORINDA SULLIVAN

While UltraSoundamplifiers arehighly regardedfor their superiorclarity and repro-

duction, many serious acousticplayers find lugging an amparound to be impractical and cer-tainly undesirable. Furthermore,until now, even the finest directboxes could not produce thekind of sound that would satisfytone-conscious players.

I’m happy to report that theengineers at UltraSound havecome up with an answer forthese discerning individuals: theUltra PDI. Combining crystal-clear signal delivery with thesame full-featured preamp foundin UltraSound’s AG Series ampli-fiers, the new Ultra PDI repre-sents nothing less than the futureof direct boxes.

I used my favorite Ovation totest the unit, first adjusting theUltra PDI’s input gain so that thehottest possible signal hit thepreamp without distortion; thisis recommended to attain the

best signal-to-noise ratio. ThePDI’s active bass and treble con-trols allowed me to tailor thecore EQ , while a mid-scooping“shape” circuit provided anextremely open dreadnought-style tone and added elasticity tothe guitar’s feel. I didn’t experi-ence any feedback problems dur-ing my test, but, in the event Idid, the Ultra features a notch fil-ter with a single frequency con-trol designed to pinpoint andannihilate offending wave bugsbetween 100 and 350hz.

Providing connection optionsfor any situation are a single XLRbalanced output and an unbal-anced line leveloutput. Thesecan be usedtogether or sepa-rately and fea-ture individuallevel controls.While I chose tojuice the unit via the board’s 48-volt phantom power and XLRconnection, standard poweroptions include a nine-volt bat-

tery or regulated nine-volt Boss-type adaptor.

With a Boss tuner in the par-allel input and my Maxon chorusin the Ultra PDI’s superb effectsloop, I had a complete rig at myfeet. I put the direct box upagainst the best acoustic amps atmy disposal and preferred theUltraSound’s sonic quality and

ease of operationin almost everysituation.

Sure, thereare situationswhere a specifictone can beachieved only by

traditional means. But after try-ing the versatile and transparentUltra PDI, I can’t imagine anyneed for an acoustic amplifier. �

When the AphexAcoustic Xciterdoes its job, theonly thing youhear is your

amplified acoustic guitar sound-ing as natural as can be. LikeAphex’s rackmount AuralExciter products, the AcousticXciter expands the bass tones ofa signal, giving it a bigger andwarmer sound.

But this unit is far more thanjust an EQ. The Xciter combinesadjustable high- and low-passfilters with frequency-dependent phase shifters,a harmonics generatorand a peak limiter to makehigh frequencies soundsnappier and lower fre-quencies punchier, increas-ing the overall definitionand clarity of your sound.

I tested the AcousticXciter with the help of my

Martin D1, which I playedthrough an amplifier andrecorded direct. Since the unithas both 1/4-inch and XLR out-puts, it functions asa direct box for thestage or studio andcan also work as apassive DI withoutthe effects.

The first thing Inoticed whenemploying the Xciter was a boostin low frequencies. Cranking upthe Lo Tune and Lo Blend knobs

added distortion. Once I foundthe right settings, however, theXciter delivered a noticeable andpleasant bump in the low end

that made bass notesstand out (especiallywhile fingerpicking)and gave the overallsound a nice boostof low midrange.Adjusting the HiTune and Hi Blend

had a similar impact on the tre-ble. Used in moderation, theygave the sound a nice balance.

The Acoustic Xciter may notbe as fun to experiment with asa pedal or rack unit that givesyou a zillion effects at a time,but it is far more practical: Itaccentuates, without too muchfuss and bother, the elements ofyour guitar tone that are mostdifficult to capture through anamplifier or while recording.And that’s damn Xciting. �

The Sound of SilenceA P H E X ACO U S T I C XC I T E R BY J E F F CO LC H A M I R O

mahogany back and mahoganysides. The body is full-size (15 3/4” x 20” x 3 1/2”) yet isdesigned to be feedback resist-ant in amplified applications.The mahogany neck sports an unbound rosewood finger-board.

Acoustically, the AEF1812-NT sounds smooth andchimey, with a nice balancebetween low and high tones. I found tuning the guitar to be a relatively painless affair—getting a 12-string just rightcan drive even the calmestman to drink—and, moreimportantly, it remained intune for a good long while.

The AEF1812-NT is also noslouch electronically. Its com-bination of a FishmanSonicore pickup mated to anIbanez AEQ-SS Shape-ShifterEQ delivers a wide range ofnatural sounds. The preamp’sShape control is a powerfuland quick way to dial up thetone you want.

It was this 12-string’splayability, however, thatimpressed me most of all—itfelt like butter. Strummers,shredders and fingerstylistsalike will swoon over theIbanez’s low, buzz-free action.

THE BOTTOM LINEBoth of these guitars are

clearly built with the giggingmusician in mind. They’reaffordable, playable andattractive instruments, butmost important, they soundoutstanding when plugged in.If you’re looking for a work-horse that won’t cost you anarm and a leg, these Ibanezacoustic-electrics belong onyour short list. �

Box Top U LT R A S O U N D

U LT R A P D I D I R E C T B OXBY E R I C K I R K L A N D

APHEX ACOUSTICXCITER ($199)Aphex Systems, 11068

Randall St., Sun Valley,

CA 91352; 818-767-

2929; www.aphex.com

ULTRASOUND ULTRAPDI DIRECT BOX ($125 )UltraSound Amplifiers, 5110

Park Ave., Des Moines, IA

50321; 888-308-1557;

www.ultrasoundamps.com