Radial’s Powerful Updated Acoustic Preamp-Plus

Recorded direct with a Cordoba Acero through a Focusrite Scarlet 2i4 interface into Logic.

I plugged in my Cordoba Acero and fed it to a Fishman SA330 PA system. The PZ-Pro's preamps are top notch and gave me plenty of clarity and headroom for nearly any amplified situation. The real magic was the PZ-Pro's versatility. Immediately, I thought of how using an external mic in channel 2 (bonus: it has phantom power!) along with a direct line could give FOH plenty of sonic material to work with. And if you're a utility player who needs to cover mando, acoustic, banjo, dobro, or any combination thereof, setting up individual EQ levels and roping in a few external stomps is a breeze. Plus, the added blend knob ensures that your external effects won't overpower your fundamental tone. That's an often-requested feature for acoustic pickers. One minor quibble is I wish each channel had its own XLR output and the pre/post EQ was a switchable feature.

Kudos to Radial for not overloading a unit like this with flashy, unnecessary bells and whistles and focusing more on real-world applications. The PZ-Pro is exactly that: a pro-level tool that puts more weight and thought behind the essential elements of acoustic amplification.

Test Gear

Cordoba Acero & Fishman SA330