Passive DI box

[Dan Dare]

Having re-read the OP, a standard DI box will not substitute for a speaker. It doesn't contain a dummy load, so if you're using a valve amp, you must connect one of those or a speaker to avoid destroying the output transformer. Some solid state amps are OK without a load (although they can get a bit hot - probably best to use one).

[xgsjx]

Cheers all.

Sounds like the DI between the amp & cab is going to be fine. I've no idea how many watts the amp can put out, but I doubt it's much more than 100.

Still torn between this & a Preamp DI pedal
It'll not be until after I come back from holiday at the end of July that I get one, so plenty of time to decide.

[quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1493068437' post='3285422']
Having re-read the OP, a standard DI box will not substitute for a speaker. It doesn't contain a dummy load, so if you're using a valve amp, you must connect one of those or a speaker to avoid destroying the output transformer. Some solid state amps are OK without a load (although they can get a bit hot - probably best to use one).
[/quote]
I didn't put it in my first post, but the amp & cab will always be used together.

[hamfist]

I have used both the Behringer Ultra GI-100 (which is the same as the DI-100 but with a guitar speaker cab sim built in) and the Palmer PDI-09 for 50W guitar valve amp use between amp and cab for live work. Both worked great, although I preferred the cab sim on the Behringer (which is incidentally still working just fine about 10 years later).

If you absolutely love the sound of your valve amp, then I think you are definitely on the right track, but you will still be lugging a huge amount of heavy gear around. If it were me I would also look at the other option of getting a dedicated pre-amp with EQ & cab sims etc and literally going straight to the board, and then have an active monitor for your own use. You will be giving a spectacularly good signal to FOH if you a good ear for tweaking.

I recently borrowed a LIne6 HD500X for a few weeks, added the HD bass amp model pack (£30) and it really was superb for bass - played through an active monitor (also amazing on guitar). These latest generation of sub-£500 modellers are getting very, very good and pretty much indistinguishable from the real thing IMO.

[Prime_BASS]

I have a Palmer passive di and it's fabulous and they actually work by connecting to a speaker out from an amplifier (as I understand that is)
However I believe valve amps or at least most of them need an actual speaker load so they don't break.

I really rate my Palmer di, very sweet kn the treble side, I use it as a regular DI, either straight in from my pedal board or from the effect send on my amp

[Dan Dare]

If you want to splash out on a preamp/DI, have a look at the Basswitch in addition to Sansamp and others. Expensive but good.