Mi-Si Air Trio User manual

You can plug your instrument into ANY input of ANY system or amplier regardless
of input impedance. In the same manner, you can use ANY type of shielded MONO
cable - regardless of its capacitance. Your sound will not be altered. You can enjoy
the benets of an active amplied system without worrying about batteries.
Using the Power Charger to power up your preamp is truly remarkable. But what if
you forgot or lost your Power Charger? Don’t worry! Although we don’t promote the
use of batteries, in this case all you need to power up your system is any stereo cord
and a common 9V battery.
Plug the stereo cord into your instrument. Hold the 9V battery
so that the positive terminal is touching the Ring of the stereo
plug and the negative terminal is touching the Ground. Hold
it like this for 60 seconds and you are ready to play for 8 hours.
The system will not be damaged by accidentally connecting
the battery in the wrong direction.
Note: For optimum pickup performance, the bridge slot must have a clean, at
surface free of any debris or over-spray from the nish.The slot must be a minimum
of .125” (1/8”) deep, but we suggest a depth of at least .187” (3/16”) to avoid
excessive saddle tilt.
The commonly-known 50/50 rule applies: The amount of saddle visible above
the bridge surface (with pickup installed) should be no greater than the amount of
saddle in the slot beneath the bridge surface; otherwise the balance and output of
the pickup may suer.
Inspect the inside of the guitar and note the position of the braces and the pickup in
relation to the saddle slot. Drill at either end of the slot on the side that will enable
you to avoid all braces as you penetrate the top, as shown in gure 4. Blow out the
slot with compressed air and check for remaining debris.
Important: Round the inside of the hole where it meets the bottom of the slot
with a small, sharp knife or small le to avoid pinching the pickup as the saddle lies
on it.
Feed the pickup into the slot from inside the guitar with the BLACK DOT on the end
of the pickup FACING UP toward the saddle. Inserting a toothpick or similar object
through the hole from the outside is helpful in nding the location of the hole on
the inside of the guitar.
Important: The t of the saddle in the slot is the single most important factor in
this installation. It is crucial that the bottom of the slot and the lower surface of the
saddle be at to make even contact with the pickup. The saddle should t loosely
enough in the slot that it can be pulled out with your ngertips. It will then have
a slight forward lean when the strings are under tension. It is absolutely necessary
to compensate for this slight lean by sanding a tilt in the bottom of the saddle so it
still sits at on the pickup when the strings are at tension (see gure 5). If the saddle
is too tight, binds at all or is too loose, this will have a negative eect on the string
balance and output. Set the saddle in the slot, noting how much material must be
removed to compensate for the thickness of the pickup. Sand the bottom surface of
Mi-Si Electronics Design, Inc.
Battery-Free Technology for Acoustic Amplification
178 Crescent Road Needham, MA 02494 •office/fax [phone] •e-mail [email protected]
www.mi-si.com
The Mi-Si Air Trio is an active, battery-free MEMS microphone & Element under-
saddle pickup system for acoustic guitar. Simply powering up for 60 seconds using
the Mi-Si Power Charger will provide you with up to 8 hours of performance time.
CAUTION: WE RECOMMEND PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION OF THIS SYSTEM.
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD BE STUDIED CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING.
MISI ELECTRONICS DESIGN, INC. WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO
THE INSTRUMENT OR PERSONAL INJURY RESULTING FROM INSTALLATION, IMPROPER
INSTALLATION OR ANY MISUSE OFTHE PRODUCT.
USE ONLY THE POWER CHARGER PROVIDED IN THIS PACKAGE TO POWER
UP YOUR PRODUCT! UTILIZATION OF ANY OTHER POWER SUPPLY OR
MODIFICATION TO AN EXISTING ONE MAY CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO
THE SYSTEM AND WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY!
To charge the Air Trio system, plug the Power Charger into a 120/220 V AC outlet.
Then plug in the Power Charger 1/4” stereo plug into the Air Trio system’s endpin
jack and wait 60 seconds. Now your system is ready for 8 hours of performance time
(actual playing time may vary depending on playing style). For best performance,
increase the charging time up to 120 seconds for the initial 2-3 charging cycles.
OVERVIEW
Mi-Si Air Trio
Battery-Free MEMS
Microphone System for
Acoustic Guitar
• Battery-Free Endpin-Mounted Preamp
with Independent Volume Controls
• Element Under-Saddle Pickup
• Power Charger
INSTALLATION GUIDE
CONTENTS
9V
+
-
GroundRing
INSTALLATION
CHARGING AND PLUGGING IN
USEFUL TIP

Mi-Si Electronics Design, Inc.
Battery-Free Technology for Acoustic Amplification
178 Crescent Road Needham, MA 02494 •office/fax [phone] •e-mail [email protected]
www.mi-si.com
the saddle on a belt sander until the scribe line is just above the bridge top. Finish
sanding the bottom by hand. It is best to do this against a machined at surface with
ne sandpaper. Use a straightedge with a strong light source to inspect the atness
of your saddle.
Insert the pickup all the way into the slot, place the saddle on top of it, and
temporarily secure it with a piece of tape. Secure the wire with a wire clip as close to
the exit hole as is practical, with a one- to two-inch service loop.
Failure to secure the wire may produce boominess and feedback. Now restring the
guitar, and plug into your amp or PA. Conrm that the EQ controls are at their default
positions and test the Element, paying careful attention to string balance. If the
sound is satisfactory, proceed to the next section. If not, read on.
Stringbalanceproblemsarealmostalwaystheresultofan uneveninterfacebetween
the bottom of the saddle and the saddle slot. If the string balance is uneven, check
these surfaces to ensure that they are both completely at.
Tip: A segmented packaging knife blade is a useful tool in determining the atness
of the saddle slot. Break o enough blade segments so as much of the blade ts into
the slot as possible. Briey use a back-and-forth scraping motion to see if the slot
bottom scrapes evenly. Any high or low spots will be readily apparent. A minor low
spot in the slot may be compensated for by shims under the pickup; however, for
gaps over .005”or multiple gaps, we recommend rerouting the slot.
The endpin jack can be permanently mounted as shown.
The Mi-Si Air Trio comes equipped with independent
volumecontrolsfor the onboardmicrophoneandunder-
saddle pickup. Simply mount the module behind the
soundhole of your guitar with the included adhesive-
backed velcro pads - either above the low E or below the
high E - wherever you prefer. This will allow you not only
to control your overall output level, but also the balance
between the microphone and pickup signals.
The warranty period is one (1) year from the date of purchase. During this time, Mi-Si Electronics
Design, Inc. will replace a faulty unit at their discretion. This warranty does not cover any
consequential damages or damage to the unit due to misuse, accident or neglect. Mi-Si Electronics
Design, Inc. retains the right to make such determination based on results of inspection performed
at the factory. Products returned to Mi-Si Electronics Design, Inc. for repair or replacement must be
shipped in accordance to Return Policy, as follows:
Return Policy
Mi-Si Electronics Design, Inc. will accept returns for products purchased within 30 days from
receiving the goods. To return products to Mi-Si Electronics Design, Inc. you must do the following:
Email Mi-Si Electronics Design, Inc. at [email protected] describing the reason for the return.1.
Enclose a copy of the original Bill of Sale with the product in its original undamaged2.
packaging. The package must be returned in damage resistant packaging stued with
appropriate amounts of cushion.
Warranty repairs or replacements will be sent automatically free of charge.3.
The customer will not be refunded shipping or insurance costs. Additionally, return shipping4.
charges, including insurance, are the sole responsibility of the customer unless the return or
replacement is determined to be the fault of a Mi-Si Electronics Design, Inc.
LIMITED WARRANTY
Extension
Normal saddle:
drill oor
Short saddle:
drill side wall
Jeweler’s screwdriverDrill bit
Proper saddle-pickup contact
(saddle lean exaggerated)
This view depicts the bridge at an angle that is level with the guitar
top and perpendicular to the saddle slot. Note the rounded edge
where the hole has been drilled.
Slot
Bridge
Drill bit
Guitar top
Brace
Figure 1
Figure 2 Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Guitar BodyPreamp
Mount the Endpin Jack
VOLUME CONTROLS
MicPickup