Exciting MiSi Developments

Just put one of these in my MP tenor.
Very easy to install. When I first tried it there was a little feedback from the "C" string.
A little adjustment on the amp and all is good.
would love to her a recording , and what amp are you using? Maybe all hope is not lost?
 
Just put one of these in my MP tenor.
Very easy to install. When I first tried it there was a little feedback from the "C" string.
A little adjustment on the amp and all is good.
so have their been any other UU'ers who have tried one. this is one of the few + posts.
 
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I put one of these in a friend's tenor. Within a couple of feet of a Loudbox Mini there was some feedback but after he backed away a bit it sounded pretty good. He played for just a few minutes and I didn't get a chance to evaluate it against any other pickups but the first impression was positive.
 
I put one of these in a friend's tenor. Within a couple of feet of a Loudbox Mini there was some feedback but after he backed away a bit it sounded pretty good. He played for just a few minutes and I didn't get a chance to evaluate it against any other pickups but the first impression was positive.
feedback seems to be the issue, which is understandable since it is a microphone
 
feedback seems to be the issue, which is understandable since it is a microphone

I wonder if a soundhole cover would kill or reduce the feedback of the Mi-Si Air.. I've been looking for one of these pre-made for UKULELE (and NOT guitar) all over the internet, but have found none. However, I wonder if a test to cover the soundhole with some blue painter's tape would verify if a soundhole cover would help. If so, I have a few plastic lids I could cut down to size if/when I were to get one of the Mi-Si Air pickup/mic units.

FYI: feedback is usually caused by the mic 'hearing' the sound speaker, and over and over again, and the sound waves cause that howling sound, which is in fact an oscillation of the sound going from the mic, out to the speaker, and then back into the mic, and out to the speaker ad infinitum.

A soundhole cover will BREAK the cycle both physically and acoustically by interrupting the actual sound WAVES and stopping them from going back in to the mic at an amplitude (volume) that can be heard and re-amplified.

The other option to mitigate feedback is to use a form of EQ, called a NOTCH filter, and tune it to the offending oscillating frequency and reduce the amplitude of that frequency as far as possible, and usually lowering of -12 to -24 db is enough. Remember that the decibel (db) units are LOGARITHMIC (Base-10)and not LINEAR, which means a change of -1db is actually a 10-fold decrease in amplitude, so it does not take much gain reduction in NUMBERS to cut the volume of the howling feedback.

Also, using a mic, you want to put the speakers of the PA or amplifier in FRONT of you, pointing AWAY from you and INTO the CROWD, and NOT behind you.

If the speaker or amp is BEHIND you, you will get feedback all day long, as well as if you are FACING the speaker (just watch any old Jimi Hendrix video and you will see :))...
 
Thank you for the replies. I have a LrBaggs acoustic DI to dial down feedback. Installation seems less invasive which I like. Considering the Air, the Misi trio or Fishman under saddle passive. The Misi's are about the same price so that's not an issue...
 
SOLUTION

I have figured out what the "buzz" was on my first recording using the MiSi Air. I listened through headphones and realised I had heard it before. It is simply the buttons on my waistcoat (vest) rattling on the back of the instrument. It happens with all pickups, including undersaddle ones, when I move about too much. Solution: take the waistcoat off.

Feedback is another issue.


Hi Ken -

I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your videos (Mi-Si and others too) and contributing to this thread. You are one of the first people to be able to use one of these new pickups AND also post a video demo, and as such are both a maverick and a true gentleman.

Mahalo,

Booli :music:
 
I just installed one of these in a Kamaka H-3 running through a LoudBox Artist and no amount of adjusting can result in performance volume levels without feedback. I'll try it through my effects pedals tomorrow, but I think this is a bust. The feedback frequencies are all over the map so a single notch filter like found on the LoudBox won't help. I have a Sabine FBX-2400 dynamic notch filter but don't want another box to fiddle with.

Aside from the feedback there is some clipping even though the clipping light on the amp never lights up. I believe that to be the on-board preamp.

The installation is the simplest possible. Drill a hole, set the inner nut/washer set for correct wall thickness, assemble. Don't even have to remove the strings. I use a 1/4" fiberglass rod about 14" long that I got at a hardware store. They're normally seen in garden supply areas of big box hardware stores. Nice friction fit in the jack and rigid. As a fall-back I have a "Jack the Gripper" made by Frank Ford for Stewmac that holds the jack while tightening the nut.

I'll try using my Acoustacsonic amp and pedals, one of which is a passive volume control and maybe the Mi-Si add-on volume/tone control but that is pretty cheesey. First impression is this is a pretty bad product.
 
The noise on my first recording using the MiSi Air was hard to track down. I think it may have been the cable. It was either faulty or not properly inserted into the jack. I have not been able to replicate the distortion/noise again and it does not appear to be present on any of the other recordings I made in Reno or San Francisco recently. I feel sure that it is not a fault on the unit itself.

My thought was it was either something scratching the body like a button or seam threads.
(EDIT-Well now that I read through I see I was correct!) That videos are wonderful Ken, great playing!
 
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Any further developments on this thread? I was considering purchasing one of the Mi-Si Air's for my resonator guitar. Have they resolved the feedback issues or is it a dead product now?
 
Any further developments on this thread? I was considering purchasing one of the Mi-Si Air's for my resonator guitar. Have they resolved the feedback issues or is it a dead product now?


Why would you assume it a dead product?

I see it still for sale on Elderly and a few other sites.

FYI: There is nobody from Mi-Si, officially or otherwise on this thread, and likely not here on UU either. We are all just end-users.

You might only get true answers direct from Mi-Si as to what development has been done, and maybe point them to this thread with a link in your message to them at either http://mi-si.com/contact-us/ or via email: info@mi-si.com.

Sorry that I do not personally have any more information.
 
Perhaps I jumped too big of a gap when I asked if it's a dead product. but obviously if it has bad feedback issues per the reports, then I would think the manufacturer would try to resolve it. I have a Mi-Si Simple jack on order for my Kala Ubass since mine was made before they put in Shadow preamps in them.
 
Perhaps I jumped too big of a gap when I asked if it's a dead product.

Many months have passed now, and I don't even see the Air Uke listed on the MiSi website. Anyone know whether it has actually been withdrawn from the market?
 
Many months have passed now, and I don't even see the Air Uke listed on the MiSi website. Anyone know whether it has actually been withdrawn from the market?

I've noticed that too, i.e., the removal from the web site, but other than that, I've got no new info, and no 'inside info', as I am just consumer.

My guess is they pulled it from distribution and anywhere it is still 'in stock' is old inventory from the vendors that ordered based upon the NAMM show previews.
 
Many months have passed now, and I don't even see the Air Uke listed on the MiSi website. Anyone know whether it has actually been withdrawn from the market?

I wrote to MiSi and asked the question. I got this reply:

"Thank you for your interest in our products, and especially in AIR UKE! After conflicting reports from our customers, we have placed both AIR and AIR UKE on indefinite hold. Having said that, we have Acoustic Trio Air available (also for ukes) - please see attached manual.

Should you have any questions - just write to us!

Best,
Yevgeny"​
 
I wrote to MiSi and asked the question. I got this reply:
"Thank you for your interest in our products, and especially in AIR UKE! After conflicting reports from our customers, we have placed both AIR and AIR UKE on indefinite hold. Having said that, we have Acoustic Trio Air available (also for ukes) - please see attached manual.

Should you have any questions - just write to us!

Best,
Yevgeny"​

Aloha brother Clay -

Thanks for the update.

Mahalo \m/
 
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