DAEDALUS CABINETS

by J. Arif Verner

For the performing musician, a great instrument and a spellbinding gig are only part of the picture. The other factor is the amplification system. What’s the best way to amplify your acoustic instruments? How should you interface with a PA system? And what role does the luthier play in the process? Lou Hinkley, owner of Daedalus Cabinets, addresses some of these key issues.

Q. What’s your background?
A. I’ve been a guitarist and woodworker for about 30 years. And I’ve been building speaker systems almost as long.

Q. What were your reasons for starting Daedalus?
A. Originally, it was my own personal frustration. I couldn’t find an acoustic amplification system that I liked and wanted to use for myself. So I felt that creating a combo unit would be the answer. A combo unit is a combination of different components that work together in a rack mount system. Each component is usually made by a different manufacturer.

Q. Why do you like the idea of component designed systems?
A. Well, there is no one company who makes the best of everything. The other factor is one of flexibility. Each player’s needs are a little different. They can select different parts for the amplification system which are best suited for them. They don’t need to stick with one company for all the parts.

Q. Initially, did you talk to luthiers about their thoughts regarding the amplification process?
A. Yes, their main desire is to hear their instrument the way it really is. They don’t want any coloration in their guitars when amplified. They want each part of the amplification system to be true to their instrument.

Q. Could you go over the different parts in the amplification system?
A. There are four basic components. The first part is the preamplifier. This stage processes the signal from the instrument and also includes equalization. EQ handles the frequency range such as highs, low and mids. However, it’s best to use as little EQ as possible. The preamp stage also adds the initial gain to the instrument. From there the signal goes to an effects units. For acoustic players, this is usually just a reverb. And then it goes to the power amp which is the muscle of the system. The amp adds the final overall volume. Lastly, the signal goes to the speaker system.

Q. But isn’t this the same kind of signal chain as an electric guitar amp? What’s the difference?
A. Yes, it’s the same. But the electric guitar amp is designed to create a specific tone or sound. So each part of the system is designed to work together for that end result. It’s very subjective. With the acoustic amp, it’s not as subjective. The idea is to make the system sound like the original guitar - only louder. The acoustic amp should stay out of the way of the guitar. It shouldn’t color the sound the way an electric guitar system does.

The most important part in the signal chain is the acoustic guitar. The better the component system, the more revealing it is of the guitar. I feel that the guitar, speaker and pickup/mic are the three most important components - in that order. The instrument is the source and the speaker is what you hear. And the pickup/mic does the translation from one to the other. The pickup or microphone can often be a weak link in the chain. Especially a pickup - it’s far from a perfect signal source. In fact, pickups add more coloration than a good mic. Pickups don’t get the whole picture in a perfectly balanced way. Unfortunately, a perfectly flat responding amplification system can accentuate some of these shortcomings. So there are a lot of factors to consider.

Q. OK, let’s get specific. What kind of components are you using in the Daedalus systems?
A. For pickups, I like Highlander. They pick up sound in 360 degrees for the length of the pickup. Ribbon style pickups are also very good, like Baggs and Fishman. For preamps, I use Pendulum and Rane. For reverb I use the Lexicon Alex. As for amps, I like Stewart. They’re very clean and light weight. I usually recommend a power supply of 200 watts into 4 ohms.

This brings us to the speakers. These are custom made for me and are not available off-the-shelf. The basic setup is a two way system. An eight inch woofer handles the bass and a five inch handles the mid range and high frequencies. Each speaker is in a separate chamber which is optimized for its own frequencies. The woofer chamber has a tuned open port in the front. The port balances the low end. Whereas the five inch is in a sealed, air-tight chamber within the top of the cabinet. The design also uses an angled baffle to circulate the sound properly. Realize that speaker design is a combination of science, experience and luck - with a lot of intuition thrown in.

Since each speaker handles different frequencies, you need an electronic component to direct which frequencies go to which speaker - kind of like a traffic light. That’s called the crossover. It’s a combination of inductors, capacitors and resistors. So to sum it up, the amp provides an electrical signal which goes to the crossover system and then splits the signal to each of the speakers. The Daedalus speaker system uses a fairly sophisticated crossover design.

We also use audio file components like oxygen free copper and poly caps. While these are more expensive, they conduct electricity better. What we’re talking about is conducting electrical signal into sound. So we want everything to be as efficient as possible - which translates to better sound quality. All of these system components fit into a rack. One of my lines uses a solid hardwood cabinet with dove tail joints. The other is built into a road case.

Q. What construction designs are luthiers using to make guitars more suitable for amplification?
A. Often, a heavier top can help. The top not only acts as a sound board for the strings, but also as a diaphragm for the sound - much like a microphone. Radial bracing for the top of the instrument works well too. Also a smaller size box creates less overtones. Since there is less resonance bouncing around, there is less feedback. There are also manufacturers making instruments without sound holes - only vents. This helps contain the sound.

Q. Are there any other problems which enter into the picture?
A. Yes, there are many other factors to deal with. For example, the size of the hall, the type of sound system, the engineer, the equipment available, etc. And are you talking about 25 people in a coffee house or 25,000 people at a festival? There are so many issues to consider.

Q. So why should a player be concerned with their own amp system if they can just plug into the house PA?
A. To have control over their own sound - so they know what they are getting. When you plug into a PA, you have no idea what’s going to come out. You’re stuck with the house equipment and it’s much more difficult to get the tone you want - if you can get it at all. The best setup is to have your own amp and mic it into the PA. In this way, it should stay pretty close to the original source. It also makes it easier for the board engineer.

Q. Do luthiers have a need for an acoustic amp like the Daedalus?
A. Yes. Most of the guitar shops are installing pickups in their instruments. And it’s important to accurately hear what their instrument sounds like when amplified. Plugging into a small electric guitar amp just doesn’t cut it. They need a system which can act as an accurate reference for them.

Q. How do you see your position within the acoustic instrument industry?
A. This is my fifth year in business. And the more I become involved with the industry, the more I want to keep it at a very human scale. I find this to be a common ethic in the acoustic instrument business. The personal contact and support is very important. We’re not just making boxes to make money. It’s all about music which is art. There have been a lot of major advances in the last 10 years with instrument construction and amplification. Also, the audience is much more sophisticated. They expect to hear quality in live sound.

Q. How are you marketing your product?
A. Primarily with direct sales through magazine advertising and word of mouth. I also have a select number of stores which I wholesale to. I’m very particular about who I work with. Overall, the people in this industry are just great. It’s a real pleasure to work with these folks.

Q. One last question - where did you get the name Daedalus?
A. It’s from Greek mythology. Daedalus was the father of Icarus. He was a master sculptor, inventor and artisan. The myth stated that his sculptures were so realistic they came alive. This image came to me in a dream when I started the company.

Lou Hinkley can be reached at Daedalus Cabinets, 18 Irish Hill Rd., Box 124, Newfield,
NY 14867 (607) 564-0000.