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Musiccord Pro Power Distributor
Six Ways To Sound Your Best
Michael Griffin of Essential Sound
Products believes that a properly engineered
power cord will have a major impact
on improving the performance of audio
equipment, and he convinced us when
we reviewed his MusicCord Pro cord (see
“Toolshed” January 2009). Now with the
MusicCord Pro Power Distributor, users can
benefit from the ESP advantage on up to six
separate components at once.
The heart of all Essential Sound’s products
lies in their ability to deliver a consistent
and abundant power flow, thus eliminating the
tonal coloration that occurs when using an inexpensive
“stock” power cord. According to
Griffin, the power distributor is less expensive
than purchasing individual power cords
and will give you most of the same benefits.
“It is great for setups involving multiple components
and for use with devices containing
hardwired cords such as vintage amps or consumer
audio gear,” he said.
David Gage realist
Soundclip for cello
Clean Amplifcation
David Gage Stringed Instruments has designed
a Realist SoundClip pickup for
cello that shares the same design characteristics
as the Realist SoundClip for bass.
Machined from solid brass, the Realist
SoundClip attaches to the cello bridge without
any marring and is easily removed. The cable
fits vertically into the jack, which was just a
little snug for my taste. Two weights, one 25g
and the other 50g, can be screwed separately
or together onto the pickup to suppress wolf
tones from the cello. Additionally, there is a
volume knob on the pickup within easy reach
of the player.
I tested the Realist SoundClip through a
variety of amplifiers and direct into a PA system.
I was consistently impressed with the
clarity and warmth of sound that this pick-
The power distributor is built like a tank.
The unit features six isolated hospital-grade
outlets with bronze contacts housed in a fully
shielded aluminum chassis filled with a proprietary
damping material to reduce the occurrence
of any anomalies caused by vibration.
To protect your gear, the distributor has
both mode-1 surge protection plus an internal
ceramic fuse, and it all comes together with
a 2-meter, 12-gauge MusicCord Pro cable to
power the unit.
The new power distributor has the majority
of the benefits that you get from using the
regular MusicCord Pro, even when connecting
to it via a standard power cable. I ran two
tube amplifiers through the distributor, and in
both cases there was a definite improvement
in clarity, particularly noticeable at higher volumes.
Those who demand the best performance
from their equipment will find it well
worth the $499 price tag. —Keith Baumann
ordering info: essentialsound.com
up produces. The pickup gets a great sound
with the EQ set flat. However, boosting the
bass yields incredibly clean bottom end power,
with no boominess. The treble is surprisingly
usable as well, with warmth throughout
its range. During all my tests, I was able to attain
a wonderfully natural sound without the
use of a pre-amp.
The jack is integral to the pickup, with no
external wiring and no need for additional
mounting—a huge plus. —Erica Lessie
ordering info: davidgage.com
D’Addario Strings
Enhanced Acoustic,
Electric &
Flamenco Sets
Continuing in its efforts to answer the growing
needs of the market, D’Addario has
released several new guitar string sets that
feature enhanced materials for better tone,
and custom gauges
that provide a more
balanced tension and
sound across your
instrument.
First up are two
new sets for flamenco
players, EJ25B
and EJ25C, which
utilize D’Addario’s
multi-filament stranded
core material
wound in silver-plate.
Compared to traditional
nylon cores,
these strings offer increased
lifespan and
improved intonation.
The sets are available
in two options, with
black nylon on the
EJ25B set and clear
nylon on the EJ25C.
For jazz guitarists,
D’Addario now
offers its Jazz Medium XL set in pure nickel.
In contrast to the standard nickel-plated steel
used in the standard XL jazz sets, the EPN22
strings are made entirely from pure nickel reminiscent
of the 1950s, when it was the industry
standard. With slightly lower magnetic properties,
these strings produce a warmer tone that
is not as bright as steel, offering players a nice
alternative.
The new EXL111 electric and EJ24 acoustic
sets are what D’Addario calls “balanced tension”
sets. The string gauges have been modified
to result in a more equal tension across all
six strings. In a standard set, the tension of the
G, D and A strings can be significantly higher
than that of the other three strings. By using
slightly lighter gauges on these strings and evening
out the tension, a more balanced tone can
be achieved. Players also benefit from the ability
to use a more consistent attack across the
neck. The EJ24’s True Medium set is phosphor
bronze for acoustic players, and the EXL111
Balanced Light Gauge is nickel-plated steel for
electric guitarists. —Keith Baumann
ordering info: daddario.com
JULY 2011 DOWNBEAT 75