The Lehle Sunday Driver XLR is a compact-format high-end preamp for all types of electrical and acoustic instruments - a preamp that enables electric guitars and basses, acoustic guitars, and also other stringed instruments (such as violins, cellos and double basses) to realize all of their musical potential. The XLR variant adds a symmetrical XLR output and a ground-lift switch to the classical Lehle Sunday Driver spec. On stage, it can be used as a compact DI box, and as a line-driver for long cable distances. In studio use, its broad output range of 20 to 100,000 Hz makes it ideal as a recording preamp or as a DI box, whether as a battery-operated stand-alone unit, or integrated into existing setups.
The Lehle Sunday Driver XLR, with its high-quality JFET technology, provides two modes, which are selected using a switch with gold-plated contacts. In mode D (= Driver), the input signal is amplified with absolutely no modification. This eliminates the signal losses that long cable routings and/or impedance matching errors with high-impedance signals from passive pick-ups can cause. The signal remains powerful and clear, retaining its dynamics and brilliance. Mode S (= Sunday) multiplies input impedance by four, bringing out previously inaudible details. As gain increases on the Lehle Sunday Driver XLR, the sound takes on an unmistakable and characteristic warmth. There is no distortion at any stage, and the signal remains clean at all times, even at the maximum gain setting of 15 dB. To exploit the dynamics to the full, the input voltage is rectified from the power supply socket, filtered, stabilized and then doubled to 18V. The Lehle Sunday Driver XLR is totally free of background noise, thanks to its studio-standard signal-to-noise ratio of better than -100 dB.

Q: What is the effect of an impedance converter?
A: The sound will be freshened up and signal loss through long cable runs will be compensated.

Q: What is the benefit of a buffer/impedance converter before my effects chain?
I heard about the SD, but I am uncertain how this works and whether I need this for my pedal board.
A: A high impedance / HiZ signal can be weakened by an increasing number of fx-pedals, even true bypass effects. The difference can be felt by connecting your instrument with a short cable directly to your amplifier and focus on the details in sound and dynamics.

Q: How can I compensate the signal loss on my effects board?
A: By using an impedance converter, which provides a high impedance input socket for the instrument signal and a low impedance output signal that is more resistent against loss.

Q: My doublebass pickup delivers a weak signal, can I increase the level without any coloration or distortion?
A: The Sunday Driver can increase the signal gain up to 15dB without any loss or alteration of your original signal.

Q: When does it make sense to use the Sunday Driver XLR instead of the ¼ inch version?
A: Cable runs up to 20 m are no problem for unbalanced signals coming from the Sunday Driver / Sunday Driver SW, for longer cable runs we recommend to use the Sunday Driver XLR.

Q: What’s the difference between the Lehle Julian and the Lehle Sunday Driver?
A: The EQ section makes the difference! The Lehle Julian offers additional controls like the parametric mids and treble which allow individual sound shaping.
The S-Mode: The Lehle Julian does not have an S (= Sunday) Mode whith a higher input impedance.
SW as in Switcher: The Lehle Julian has an On /Off footswitch included as a standard, which comes along with the big LED showing its status. Besides the classical Lehle Sunday Driver without switch there is a switchable version, the Lehle Sunday Driver SW.

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