Introducing the LR Baggs HiFi Duet | High-Fidelity Pickup + Microphone Mixing System

[@oracleboix]

sounds great i just wished there were more strumming demo.

[@11KT11]

Yeah me too. Hopefully they'll make some more vids

[@isaacseelwa]

Wow! Sound incredible. Brilliant Work, guys!

[@steveirwin7163]

How about some strumming? No one ever shows that because that’s the true test if the pickup is good or not due to the quantity of notes and the sound pressure.

[@shred5]

In the past, I never liked LR Baggs pickups that much - they always sounded the most unnatural, and I have nice sounding guitars so my goal is to get the most natural sound possible. The HiFi impressed me, seems to hold its own and maybe a slight edge to the K&K Pure mini which has been my safe bet. This sounds pretty good too. Keep up the good work!

[@RyanChenMusic]

The real test is going to be this vs the Anthem. How’s the feedback resistance? Can it cut through a mix like a UST in the Anthem? Main difference in the demo I heard is the Duet sounds mid scooped.

[@edreynolds3745]

Sounds way more natural than the U 67 to me. I don't think of it as "scooped", I call it "clear". One can always add midrange in the mix, after all

[@grayson84111]

You have never played a K&K? The undersaddle here is the same technology, and in 2 guitars with K&K I've never had feedback.

[@threestreamsworship]

Nice. Would love to see some development and upgrades on the Para DI and Venue DI.

[@Clrwatrtom]

I am looking forward to this product. I just took delivery of a Brazilian rosewood triple O sized cutaway Augustino steel string flattop last week. Its soundhole is smaller that a standard dreadnaught or jumbo and the M-80 I chose for it interferes with my picking style. Im not a great player but i like excellence. I have a fishman prefix stereo blender in my 1990 Augustino koa bodied custom that works very well and i think the Brazilian rosewood guitar will be even better, so it deserves a great system. Ill be calling you today to make arrangements to obtain one and offer my instrument as a guinea pig to try one out.

[@derpepsch9292]

Will you be able to use the pick up on the live stage, or will you have to expect feedback nightmares?

[@sargentppeper]

Amazing job guys!

[@longtalljay]

Kudos, Dr. Baggs! Would love to have a counterpart for oval hole mandolin.

[@jdwhiteedit]

The Duet sounds great. I just wish the mic placement had been far better for the Neumann. Just like placement of the pickups on the bridge inside the guitar, external mic placement is of the utmost importance. I don't feel this is a far comparison, with the Neumann so high and far away. It should be lower, just above being level with the sound hole, pointed down (at least you got that right), and pointed between the sound hold and the 14th fret. That far back cuts the bass, and pointed directly at the soundboard is not at all desirable.

[@charlespeck886]

I love my LR Baggs Hi Fi, wish I had waited for this with the Mic! LOL!

[@MaurysMusic]

Sounds really nice on my iPad Pro. Looking forward to listening on real speakers and (of course) in-person. Great vid!

[@poptheelder]

Very exciting. Thanks, LRB. Wonderful sound guitar, too. Maury, which model is that?

[@MaurysMusic]

@@poptheelder looks like a BR-263 or 163

[@DIRT2021]

Id like to see a head to head with the Lyric. I never get feedback when i use a soundhole cover.

[@jaguarsunburst1570]

Amazing Video 🎸🎶🎸

[@mintyswirljoy]

It sounds great, but you did a disservice with this recording by NOT using a drop D tuning (or even E tuning) with no capo. Here he's always using the capo and the real question is, how well balanced across a full range guitar is the pickup?

[@jackpaulin6488]

I absolutly need it !

[@NewCovenantPsalter]

looking forward to this, sounds incredible!

[@timcox6796]

I love your pickups but I can only use the "Anthem" on a couple of my acoustics because the control unit will not clear the bracing around the sound hole. I wish that would be a consideration in your designs. Looks like the control unit on this iteration may pose the same problem.

[@markkoons8457]

Will we be able to retrofit the mic into existing LR Baggs hi-fi installations?

[@waynejohnson4819]

If only the 'Silo' microphone is 'on' in the Duet system and the mic level control is used to adjust the mics level is the low mid crossover frequency still operative? I would like to know what the 'Silo' microphone's specifications are i.e. Polar Pattern and Frequency Response. The Neumann U67 has a large diaphragm and a better sound would be achieved if this microphone was position at the guitar body neck joint approximately 300mm from the guitar. In the video demonstration the U67 is position in front of the sound hole and this is not ideally as this will colour the low and mid low frequencies. I do like the HiFi Duet | High -Fidelity Pickup + Microphone System. The design layout is simple and appears to be very functional for an acoustic guitar.

[@jordankingworship]

For those saying they made the mic sound worse.. the Mic is just a flatter EQ. The pickup is made for the guitar.

[@higheststandards3344]

It’s not the mic but that placement. They could have made that guitar sound like butter with that mic with it just being closer, even putting it on the 14th fret and such. You’re having a mic capture it bouncing off the walls at that point, vs the pick up catching basically everything in it. You’d think they’d give it a fair chance…

[@dm976]

Just installed the Hifi and I really like the non-invasive installation and the natural sound. When clicked at this I thought YES!! Give me that!, but my gosh, why did you kill the EQ/Tone-Control? Add it before shipping, PLEASE! I don't care if I have to reach for it in the guitar like that little black wheel. For my Hifi it is set and forget most of the time anyway, but we need this... Vote up the comment!

[@ShawnBrockMusic]

I’m wondering if this all will fit on many smaller bridge plates. I’m a big fan of LR Baggs products, and a big fan of Neumann (I always use KM184s on my videos), and while a U67 can be very useful on guitar, unfortunately it wasn’t in this video. It would be interesting to know how this new set up does with feedback, especially in comparison to the former Hifi? LR Baggs has always been as good as it gets in my opinion, but this video doesn’t convince me to spend more than twice the price of the regular Hifi at this point.

[@virtuososo]

I love the Anthem, but I can still hear some ping with it when playing aggressively - even when the mix is maxed toward mic (UST only used below 250 Hz.). I always wished the lows could come from somthing other than a UST. Now that seems to be realized. I tried the Duet at NAMM last week, and I did some of the aggressive moves to see if I could replicate that Anthem ping, and I could not. I didn't get to play it very long, but I thought it sounded great with zero ping. I'm excited about installing it in something this year.

[@PaulHillGuitarist]

Sounds great. I would love to try the system when it is available locally. 👍

[@edreynolds3745]

I work on guitars for a lot of famous, and very tone-discerning pros. I heard this demo, and ordered 2.

[@PaulHillGuitarist]

@@edreynolds3745 The system does look pretty awesome. Have you received and tried it yet?

[@jpcampos]

With the mix knob will I be able to get just the silo mic or will it be similar to the anthem’s mix knob? (Adding the mic over 150hz with the crossover)

[@JoeTaylormusic]

When available? it sounds insanely good

[@EricHansenGuitarist]

Sounds good. However, a demonstration of it with a live band in a loud situation would be a helpful video. It would be nice to know if you could use the system in a loud situation without having to dial the life out of he guitar to avoid feedback. The design does not give me a lot of confidence it can do that. Also, how would it work with a nylon string guitar?

[@johnmadrigal5659]

If I buy the HiFi right now could I buy the microphone later or should I just wait on the duet?

[@WorldPeace-pi1uq]

The U67 is a tube mic of the highest order - I've got a M49 clone from Advanced Audio, and not even the Silo mic capsule can outperform them, but this is damn close! And the convenient for live gigs is outstanding. I'm a mechanical engineer as well as an audio engineer and performer, so easy ways to sound great are what I value. I've got a pile of tubes on my desk that are too noisy, so you never want to deal with that in at a show. The sounds are very close, but the U67 has bit more overtones and bass boost. And a bit more string note separation. But heck those can be EQ'd IF you can hear the difference. Any feedback issues you had to deal with using notch filters? Great job L.R. Baggs! Now, how about one for my acoustic bass guitar? Oops I just bought a Stage Pro Element before I heard this demo! - The Jazz Whistler www.youtube.com/@user-francescob

[@thetexasbeachbum9929]

When is going to be available?

[@tiwanaku9582]

Beautiful sound, would be nice to compare with the Anthem and how it handles feedback. Anyways with no UST I can see an immediate advantage as not having to do a new setup after an install, this may be the pu for me!… (meanwhile still loving my M1A).

[@johnmadrigal5659]

Would you recommend this for a J45 60’s model with an adjustable saddle

[@Clrwatrtom]

Why would you want an adjustable saddle? Those gibsons with adjustable saddles are terrible. I've never ever heard one worth owning.

[@johnmadrigal5659]

@@ClrwatrtomI love mine, no issues with mine whatsoever

[@TheSamShow20]

Will the Silo get a solo release?

[@PastorShayne]

Wow,if this is legit not through a 20k pre-amp, this would be amazing

[@nathancoregan]

Can I say first that obviously the playing is beautiful on this video so no disrespect to Bob Minner when I say this - but every single product video released by a company for a pickup misses the biggest thing any professional musician is worried about. It's all well and good to shoot these stunning performances in an impeccable studio, but anyone who was actually wanting to capture a performance like this in a pristine studio would just use a microphone. If you want to impress us all, stick it into a beat up old Takamine and put the guitar player up on a loud stage with a band in a busy bar on a Saturday night with a monitor blaring at the soundhole while somebody screams "Free Bird" at them the whole night. Because that's far closer to the real environment that a pickup will be used for than this (or anything like this) video. Ages ago I stuck an Anthem into a beautiful old Taylor 712 I have and the first gig I took it to, (which was a pretty laid back, background music sort of a gig on a weeknight) it ended up back in it's case after 2 songs. The mics on these things are always, in a real world gigging environment, practically un-usable because of feedback. Stop sticking microphones into your guitar, every sound engineer will end up telling you just to use the straight pickup anyway. Yes it sounds killer when you're sitting at home plugged into your DAW, but that's not really what it's for. Also, Joe Pisapia, all of your microphones need to be serviced by the sounds of it.

[@jessehudson7113]

Completely agree if its not Freebird there hollering its hey god- damnt thats my olLady…

[@BS-zz7iy]

Does it work that good on classical?

[@davidstanley9726]

The preamp/control portion is shaped significantly different than the Anthem, I wonder if this will fit in Taylors V Bracing. I have an Anthem in my 1994 Taylor 815, and the Anthem SL in my new Taylor 417. The SL is not nearly as good as the full Anthem in my opinion. I wish they would redesign the Anthem to fit new Taylors.

[@JeremyLeech]

Sounds great!

[@antonioduarte1335]

WOW!!!!!

[@johnmazlish4923]

My hunch is that it's gonna be great, but... One, the Neumann mic placement is poor, if the goal is to showcase the full sound, warmth and character of the guitar. Two, listening to a guitar plugged in direct is completely different from listening to a guitar amplified through an amp or P.A. Most musicians use an acoustic electric guitar for live performance, so I'd prefer to hear the sound amplified in a live setting.

[@EricHansenGuitarist]

Well said.

[@nicolasheinz8414]

I just gave it a quick lessons in my phone. The Neumann Mic sounds so bad? I dont know about that! My rode NT1A doesn't sound bad and Neumann Mics are usually on a whole nother level...

[@AnthonyQuails]

Sounds fantastic and really transparent! What will the price point be?

[@christianjonesmusician]

$449 on Sweetwater….

[@stanyoung453]

Sounds good. Unfortunately, you can't buy one and you don't know what it will cost once you can. That said, again it sounds good. It doesn't sound like the U67 which is a large condenser placed well away from the guitar (perhaps too far), with quite a bit of room sound coming in. The HiFi Duet sounds more like a good, small condenser, close mic'ed in a pretty dead studio, perhaps with the mic placed a bit too close to the hole for my taste. As the video says, there is no EQ or post-processing, so while to me they both sound like mic'ed guitars they don't match too well. I uploaded the video into my DAW and rolled some lows off and got it just where I like it. I have a Lyric that I like and I have used it in direct recording, but it's never a substitute for a well mic'ed guitar. This might be. I may give it a try if they price it reasonably.

[@stanyoung453]

As of late August 2024, it is still on Pre-Order, so you still can't get one. It will not be "Summer 2024" much longer. It may be a brilliant piece of gear, but if you hype the hell out of it and can't ship it within a reasonable amount of time, you have made a marketing mistake. And then there's the price... which they did manage to roll out the door.

[@scotpetri7630]

I'm definitely getting this for my Eastman. Not a big fan of fishman piezos

[@Mikec80]

Nice im gonna do this to my Eastman Archback as well

[@jihwanjeong6060]

Good 👍

[@ivanreiss]

What song is he playing?

[@williamk5561]

Would like to know that too.

[@williamk5561]

Ever find out what song Bob Minner was playing? Contacted Bob Minner through Minner's website and asked about the song. If there is a response will post it here.

[@Mike-fc5vp]

nothing ,is better !

[@adamstewart247]

They should have compared it to a set of stereo paired Neumann KMS 184's (the GOAT pickups for acoustic guitar IMHO) and also to the previous Anthem and the K&K Trinity and the Rare Earth to really see how it compares to the best mics for acoustic and best existing pickups with condenser mics. The U67 is an amazing mic but personally would use it more for vocals. Cmon Internet! Make this video!

[@robbiejguitarist]

An almost completely pointless demo- are you seriously trying to make us believe that a Neumann U67 sounds that bad? The cynic in me suggests that you deliberately made that guitar sound that awful from the Neumann in order to make the pickup sound better.

[@Roy_1]

I think you can ignore the comparison to the mic, mostly, the pickup mic combo sounds good, but they should be comparing it to just the pickups and other pickup/mic combos.

[@dennisjames2838]

It's more than just the sound of the 67 ... the nature of the Baggs system is such that it would've been more on point to select a crisp, sdc with a similar transient response to the Baggs. The nature of the 67 is completely different.

[@GabeGibitz]

😂

[@tbobbyelectric]

The 67 looks to be angled way off. Ha! Who knows though. I’m sure that the marketing video must be the most accurate thing around! Who doesn’t trust marketing, especially from the guys who made it!? I’m so surprised that the guys who made the thing, they just love it so much!

[@johandrylopezluzardo]

No solo que no viste bien el truco esta en que la pastilla si esta actualizada......y por cierto con reberb

[@dosty3]

That studio mic shouldn’t sound that bad. Neumann makes the best mics. Not a great comparison.

[@cliffwise]

The Baggs system sounds muffled. I’ll take the Neumann. Sorry.

[@77guitarts22]

Interesting... But this is not a novelty... Many systems use a combination of transducers and mic blend... Wasn't it just as good using your Lyric mic and add the transducers on the sides? It's a lot of marketing IMO...

[@blindcanseemusic]

pick up better than the mic! better bass

[@turkmusik]

Sounds good, but that is one weird demo. Capo, pick, cowboy chord shapes. No strumming, no fingerpicking, no non-capoed guitar, no chords above the fourth fret. Just weird.

[@theID2]

good sound, but it does take away some of the brilliance of the natural sound.

[@mikeryan2454]

Sketchy…

[@cfire99]

Retail is $449…. I’m out!

[@shakespeariancopy3053]

Why so afraid of strumming 🤔

[@pjmuck]

Well, I'll be the odd man out here and say that I don't think it sounds great. Too crisp and tinny compared to the Neumann, and completely changes the character and tonality of the guitar. Perhaps if we heard the preamp employed and EQ'ed, I might be convinced that it's capable of offering the best of both worlds - clarity and body with a tonal character similar to the Neumann.

[@brianfulda]

Huh? The Neumann sounds much tinnier and thin compared to the Duet. Were you listening on phone speakers maybe?