Anyone had experience of a DI in various places in your signal chain?

[cd_david]

I want to run my signal chain pre DI but none of the units have the option anyone know if this is possible (I presume it is as all line inputs should take easily 0dbv?)

My Rig is as follows

DBX 160x

[b]INTO[/b]

TC Electronic 1140

[b]INTO[/b]

BBE 411

[b]INTO[/b] [i][u]I want to put DI Here[/u][/i]

Carver PM1500 amp


Any thoughts/experiences?

Edited November 22, 2010 by cd_david

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

For one gig I ran my rig as follows

Tobias Toby Pro 4 bass -> Wireless -> DI box out to the 2 splits
Split 1: Ashdown distortion pedal -> Kirk Hammet Wah pedal - > Trace Elliot GP12 amp
Split 2: sound desk -> my on stage monitors

Reason for the split just after the bass was I really wanted just the pure bass tone coming through my monitor so I could make it out clearer but let the crowd have the Wah and Distortion. Sounded really good, I went for a walk mid-song (thanks to my wireless, and just in case you're wondering, the song was "For Whom The Bell Tolls" by Metallica) and I loved the tone the crowd were getting from my rig. Just personal preference to only have the pure bass tone in my monitors

Edited November 22, 2010 by StevieD_FenderP2009

[BassBod]

That will be fine provided the DI can take a real line level signal. My experience is that many active DI's will clip, even though the specs look ok. I do the same thing but with a passive DI box, (and "hot" output from Alembic or SWR preamps) and it works fine.

The other option is look for a line out or link jack out of the power amp - that may have a lower output level?

[cd_david]

[quote name='BassBod' post='1032860' date='Nov 22 2010, 04:47 PM']That will be fine provided the DI can take a real line level signal. My experience is that many active DI's will clip, even though the specs look ok. I do the same thing but with a passive DI box, (and "hot" output from Alembic or SWR preamps) and it works fine.

The other option is look for a line out or link jack out of the power amp - that may have a lower output level?[/quote]

What passive DI do you use, I had considered a passive one over active, there is a radial one in the for sale section i was looking at.
Cheers

David

[BassBod]

I use a cheaper Radial, the ProI (green box, cheaper transformer) but it sounds fine to me. Main thing is its simple and tough, and will be forgiving if it gets a wallop along the signal chain. The one for sale here is better, by reputation, and looks like a good deal. The only way to know, of course is to hear them!

I think my experiences with active DI's have all been running on battery or phantom power - mains powered units are probably more tolerant? But the sound of a DI running out of headroom through a big PA is not pleasant..or something I want an audience to hear, again!