I have to say that for my taste the 1st sample sounds better.
Could you make another sample with only the IR ( no amp or eq after ).
I think that the 2nd sample went a bit far on the low mids but maybe that is just me.
Cheers
I’m glad I could help! Using an IR is of course not as good as using a good mic, but it allows for a much easier incorporation of effects into the signal, and it can really breathe some air into the standard piezo quack.
Besides, this is not really an either/or kinda thing. The vast majority of pro acoustic players - including titans like Tommy Emmanuel - use the pickup. Mic-ing up a guitar on stage is a pipe dream. Granted, high-end acoustic pickups with a mic blend can sound really good these days, but the vast majority can benefit from a good IR.
I have a Maton with a piezo/mic combo pickup incoming. Love that sound!
Playing plugged in is my prefered way of playing anyway; the Dwarf will be my reverb/delay and vocal machine for acoustic solo gigs