SKYINBOW PURE ACOUSTIC INTRODUCES NEW CHARGING OPTIONS
FOR SKYINBOW POWER SERIES ACTIVE TRANSDUCER PICKUP SYSTEMS
October 2024
At Skyinbow we have always endeavoured to reduce our environmental impact by ensuring not only that our electronic products are fully recyclable and that the wood that we use comes from sustainable sources, but also that the we reuse the packaging that comes into us from our suppliers, and that any packaging that we do buy is either made from recycled materials, or is fully recyclable. More recently we have been working on providing our customers with new charging solutions for our rechargeable pickup systems, both current and legacy.
As with all Skyinbow Active Transducer Systems, the Duo-Power IIB features a proprietary on-board power source which incorporates a rechargeable supercapacitor. This supercapacitor not only provides power to the system’s preamplifier but also eliminates the need for conventional disposable onboard batteries, thereby helping to reduce waste and environmental damage.
The power sensing technology and power management techniques embedded in Skyinbow Power Series Active Transducer Systems were first developed for the computer industry. That heritage has now enabled us to take advantage of the low-cost, high-power USB mobile phone chargers, power banks and step-up converter cables that have recently been developed to charge and power the new generations of tablets, mobile phones, modems, network routers etc.
We are delighted to announce the introduction of our new USBSRC USB System Recharge Cable. The USBSRC allows any Skyinbow Power Series Active Transducer System or Power Series preamplifier to be charged from a 5V mobile phone or tablet USB charger or power bank rated at 2A or above. If you own a relatively recent mobile device, you probably already have a compatible charger. If you do not, low-cost 5V/2A USB phone chargers are easily and cheaply available online or from your local mobile phone shop. The USBSRC is available now as an option with any Skyinbow Power Series pickup or preamplifier. It can also be purchased separately as an accessory.
We are also delighted to announce the arrival of our new 9VPSRC System Recharge Cable, which is based on a 240V UK 9V power supply. The 9VPSRC can be used to charge any Skyinbow Power Series Active Transducer System or Power Series preamplifier. The 9VPSRC is available now as an option with any Skyinbow Power Series pickup system or preamplifier. It can also be purchased separately as an accessory.
These new charging solutions are backwards compatible with all Skyinbow Power Series Active Transducer Systems. Existing owners of Duo-Power, Duo-Power II and Tri-Power Active Transducer Systems and Power Series preamplifiers can purchase the USBSRC and 9VPSRC for use with their existing systems at a 20% discount. To take advantage of this discount please get in touch with us via our Contact page.
Owners of earlier (non-Power Series) Skyinbow pickup systems should note that modifications to the USBSRC and 9VPSRC may be required for your system. If you own an older Skyinbow system, before placing your order please get in touch via our Contact page to check if these modifications are required.
Should you wish to use our original 9V battery-based BATTSRC System Recharge Cable either as a primary or backup charging solution for your Skyinbow Power Series Active Transducer System, we have updated it to incorporate a one-piece moulded 9V battery connector and cable. The BATTSRC is available now as an option with any Skyinbow Power Series pickup system or preamplifier. It can also be purchased separately as an accessory.
Owners of earlier (non-Power Series) Skyinbow pickup systems should note that modifications to the BATTSRC may be required for your system. If you own an older Skyinbow system, before placing your order please get in touch via our Contact page to check if these modifications are required.
In Case Of Emergency
We regularly get telephone calls and emails from customers who have mislaid (or left behind) their system recharge cables and who need a replacement yesterday. If, as a Skyinbow Duo-Power Power Series owner, you ever find yourself in a situation where your Power Series system recharge cable is not available, any Skyinbow Duo-Power Series pickup system or preamplifier can be recharged by plugging a standard guitar jack-to-jack cable into it and then holding the positive (small) terminal of a 9V PP3 battery against the tip of the free jackplug and the negative (large) terminal against its sleeve for one to two minutes for a full charge.
Please note that this technique does not work on earlier, non-Power Series Skyinbow systems. For those, you’ll need to use a stereo (TRS to TRS) jack to jack cable, and hold the 9V battery against the ring and sleeve contacts to charge the system.
SKYINBOW DUO-POWER IIB POWER SERIES BALANCED ACTIVE TRANSDUCER SYSTEMS FOR VIOLIN, VIOLA, CELLO AND DOUBLE BASS
A Chinrest-mounted Skyinbow DUO-POWER IIB Power Series Balanced Active Transducer System
Skyinbow Duo-Power IIB Power Series Balanced Active Transducer Systems For Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass are easy-to-install, rechargeable, piezo-based pickup systems that feature electronically-balanced signal paths that run from their handcrafted Skyinbow bridge-sensing transducers to the output of their miniature Pure Acoustic Duo-Power IIB Power Series preamplifiers.
The Skyinbow Duo-Power IIB’s fully-balanced internal signal path is designed to help prevent noise generated by external electrical and electromagnetic fields from interfering with the system's audio output. The combination of this noise rejection within the signal path and our signature Direct To Ground approach to system shielding ensures that the Skyinbow Duo-Power IIB delivers a strong, clean and clear sound quality that further enhances the microphone-like sonic accuracy and tonal fidelity that Skyinbow Active Transducer Systems are renowned for.
The Duo-Power IIB can be powered either by its onboard rechargeable power source, or by 48V phantom power from a mixing console, audio interface, acoustic instrument amplifier etc.
The new Skyinbow Duo-Power IIB Power Series Balanced Active Transducer Systems For Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass are, we believe, the finest-sounding piezo-based pickup systems available for bowed string instruments.
Skyinbow Duo-Power IIB Power Series Balanced Active Transducer Systems for Violin and Viola are priced from £239.99 Including UK VAT and Shipping. Full details of these and other system components can be found on the Violin and Viola page on this website.
Skyinbow Duo-Power IIB Power Series Balanced Active Transducer Systems for Cello and Double Bass are priced at £249.99 including UK VAT and Shipping. Full details of these and other system components can be found on the Cello and Double Bass pages on this website.
SKYINBOW HANDCRAFTED TRANSDUCERS AND POWER SERIES PREAMPLIFIERS
A Skyinbow Handcrafted Transducer Mounted In A Carpenter-Style Clamp Jack
Power Series Preamplifiers
If you play violin, viola, cello or double bass and already own a pickup made by another manufacturer, you can now buy Skyinbow Duo-Power IIB Power Series balanced preamplifiers separately and take advantage of the sonic and tonal benefits of their balanced circuits. Duo-Power IIB preamplifiers are available either in a small guitar pedal format metal enclosure or (for violinists and violists only) built into our custom Guarnerius-style chinrest.
If you own more than one instrument, buying a single guitar pedal format Duo-Power IIB preamplifier together with a separate Skyinbow handcrafted transducer for each of your instruments might - depending on your own requirements - be a cost-effective alternative to fitting a full Duo-Power IIB Active transducer System to each instrument.
Skyinbow Handcrafted Transducers
A handcrafted, balanced piezo transducer is a rare sight. The manufacturing process is labour intensive and time-consuming. However, when you connect our balanced transducer to a piezo preamplifier with a balanced input and output (such as the Power Series DUO-POWER IIB), you will be rewarded with a strong, clear and accurate sound quality and you’ll understand why we go this extra mile.
You can buy Skyinbow handcrafted transducers for violinists and violists mounted in our custom Guarnerius-style chinrests or Carpenter-style clamp jacks, both with output jackplugs. For cellists and double bassists, the transducers are available with tailpiece mounted output jackplugs or XLR connectors. All our transducer outputs are wired for balanced or unbalanced operation.
If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about our products, we'd be delighted to hear from you via our ”Contact Us” page. Please visit the Skyinbow and Pure Acoustic Facebook pages for all the latest news - and please don't forget to like and follow us while you're there.
