Taylor ES acoustic and FX8

P

poeticprizm

Member
Hey folks, has anyone used the FX8 with the Taylor acoustic ES system?
Specifically, I'm looking for answers to the following:

- Will I need a preamp of some sort? Does the preamp go between the OUT-PRE and the IN-POST?
- Is a DI box advisable? This will be for a live show, and the OUT-POST will eventually go to a mixer.

Thanks!
 
I haven't used my acoustics with the fx8 yet, but I'll plug the guitar straight into the input and then put all the effects I want to be pre, then take a line from the pre out and into a di box that runs to the PA. I'll be doing shows where the FoH monitors are my guitar monitor but you could take a separate output to an acoustic amp etc by using the L/R split.
 
Thanks, John P. Supposedly the Taylor ES actually can put out a balanced signal. Their recommendation is to plug it direct into a mixer/PA with a TRS->XLR cable. That would work, except that I actually want to use my FX8 effects.

What caught my eye was the "POST-IN" input on FX8 - the specs say it's a balanced input. That left me wondering, perhaps I could plug my Taylor into the POST-IN via a TRS->TRS cable and put all my effects in the post section. The POST-OUT is still unbalanced, so likely I'll need a DI box regardless. Any advantage to doing this at all, as opposed to just using the approach of putting everything in the FX8 pre?

Impatiently waiting for my guitar to arrive so I can try out all these things myself.. :)
 
This might depend on which Expression System you have. I've run my 914CE, which has the ES2 system, direct into a regular 1/4" non-balanced connection and it sounded great. I imagine it could go into any normal guitar input and sound very nice. This from Taylor:

Connections

The Expression System 2 is designed to be plugged-in using a standard quarter-inch guitar cable, which will work in every circumstance: with an acoustic guitar amplifier, a standard direct box, or any other guitar-ready application.

Note: The ES2 is designed with different circuitry than previous versions of the ES and will not work with a balanced TRS jack. You’ll want to plug into a DI (Direct Input) box to convert to a balanced signal for long runs to a mixer or snake.

If you have one of the older ES systems, it can be connected via XLR direct. The 814CE is used to have sounded good that way. I'd suggest you try each avenue and see what sounds best to you. I don't have an FX8, but can try a few options for you on the AX8 if it'll help.
 
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