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Post by levon on Aug 1, 2015 4:52:02 GMT -6
Following up on the RNDI thread, I looked at a bunch of options for a useful DI box. I already use the Radial X-Amp for re-amping duty, so I looked at Radial options. I also have the Lehle Split II, which is also advertised as a passive DI box ,but plugging a guitar (Les Paul) or bass (Rickenbacker) into it and then going directly to my AD, I get a very low level. This made me think, do I need a passiv or an active DI for those kind of instruments? I asked a couple of guitarists/bassists I know, but they had no clue either. Any advice?
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Post by jcoutu1 on Aug 1, 2015 6:04:56 GMT -6
Following up on the RNDI thread, I looked at a bunch of options for a useful DI box. I already use the Radial X-Amp for re-amping duty, so I looked at Radial options. I also have the Lehle Split II, which is also advertised as a passive DI box ,but plugging a guitar (Les Paul) or bass (Rickenbacker) into it and then going directly to my AD, I get a very low level. This made me think, do I need a passiv or an active DI for those kind of instruments? I asked a couple of guitarists/bassists I know, but they had no clue either. Any advice? You should be going from the DI into a mic pre before hitting your AD. A DI box converts instrument level into mic level to be used with preamps. I normally use a Whirlwind IMP passive DI with passive basses and a Radial JDI with active basses or keyboards. The active unit has a 15dB pad which is handy when some instruments have hot outputs. |
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Post by levon on Aug 1, 2015 6:18:08 GMT -6
That's what I did in the past, go through a mic pre, but without a DI box, guitar straight into the HI-Z input of the pre. What I wanted to try now was bypass the pre to get an uncolored DI signal...
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Post by mulmany on Aug 1, 2015 6:30:15 GMT -6
Even an active DI is not going to give you proper level to your A/D.
The "Active" just means that there are additional components that require power to impedance match and balance the input.
Passive is usually just a transformer doing all the work.
They both require a preamp though.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Aug 1, 2015 6:43:14 GMT -6
That's what I did in the past, go through a mic pre, but without a DI box, guitar straight into the HI-Z input of the pre. What I wanted to try now was bypass the pre to get an uncolored DI signal... Passive DI into a Grace or a Millennia or other clean preamp is the cleanest you'll get. |
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Post by Ward on Aug 1, 2015 7:20:40 GMT -6
My favorite two are the Avalon U5 and Countryman FET 85. Both active. Passive DI's are tone suckers. LOL
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 14,976 
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Post by ericn on Aug 1, 2015 11:04:09 GMT -6
It's not an either or its finding the DI that works for you!
Lots of used KT, BSS and Countryman out their for very little money.
The half rack summit isn't bad , but not wow!
My old favorite is the ADL tube DI !
Radial, Jensen, and other top tier transformer based have their own tone, but be carefully not to generalize, those who grew up with Cheap DOD and other generic Transformer based boxes tend to hate passive DIscthen they use a good Radial and learn you do get what you pay for.
Some ores have great DIs others it's all about winning the feature wars!
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Post by jimwilliams on Aug 1, 2015 14:02:20 GMT -6
Active for passive, passive for active. I like an active DI or line input for a passive bass or electric guitar. Passive transformers are limited to about 180k input impedance, too low. You need a 1~2.2 meg input impedance to avoid loading down the pickup's top end. Any mic pre or 500 module with that type of 1/4" jack will do fine without the gain loss/make up of a regular DI into a mic preamp front end.
For active guitars or keyboards, I do like the Jensen DI transformer. Those tend to make insect keyboards sound a little more 'human'. They are also good for active basses as long as you like the small amount of low frequency THD they have.
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Post by Guitar on Aug 1, 2015 14:10:11 GMT -6
I think it would be hard to go wrong with a Radial JDI and a Radial J48 combo. Seems like you'd always get what you need. Of course it's better to have 10 of everything and pick favorites. Lately I've just been using the Apollo Hi-Z input on the front of the unit and it sounds great. Oh, and Sans Amps are the dog's bollocks. Not quite a direct box, not quite an amp simulator or EQ, but something greater than all those things. You've got to at least try one once. The U5 seems like a similar concept with the tone switch. But for a bare-bones DI the Radial line is my favorite so far. Active vs. Passive is sort of a taste thing more than anything, very subjective. Although there are some functional differences regarding headroom, input impedance and output levels.
If you are attempting to bypass the mic preamp altogether and go straight to the recorder, it would probably be best to use a line amp rather than a direct box. Something like the line input on a mixer channel that has a level control of some sort, or some old Neve module or something. EDIT: Whoops sorry Jim Williams just said that, I think.
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Post by levon on Aug 1, 2015 14:11:38 GMT -6
Lots of good tips here, guys, thanks a lot. That will help with my search.
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Post by junior on Aug 2, 2015 0:28:12 GMT -6
Active for passive, passive for active. This is an easy rule of thumb I was taught a long time ago...  |
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