AJ567 Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 I'm looking for a device that will take an unbalanced instrument signal, boost it to line level with balanced output, with a master level control. Ideally a simple box with just the two jacks and a volume knob. The purpose of this is driving a power amp or powered monitor right off the pedal board. I don't need any eq or tone enhancing fairy dust. Just 20db of gain (or thereabouts) and line balancing. Seems straightforward and useful for many applications but I cant can't seem to find anything like this on the market! Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 (edited) TC Spark? 26dB of boost and some tone shaping thrown in for free. Btw - the Spark mini version doesn't have the same tone shaping options and is a smaller footprint, but the full fat one is currently on offer for less than the mini. Edited June 20, 2020 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinB Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 A Spark or similar clean boost takes care of the gain, but if you want a balanced signal you'd have to put something like this afterwards: https://www.neutrik.com/en/product/na2m-j-tx Are you sure you need a balanced signal though? My understanding is that the kind of interference that might cause an issue for instrument/mic-level signals isn't really noticeable at line level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonse Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 Sounds like a job for the Wren and Cuff Phat Phuk B. Not that easy to get a hold of but they crop up on eBay every now and again. Internal gain pot to control the amount of gain. Not incredibly helpful I know but worth a read. https://www.wrenandcuff.com/pedals/phat-phuk-b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 (edited) Mooer? http://www.mooeraudio.co.uk/p/mooer-micro-di Edited June 20, 2020 by ezbass 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonse Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 17 minutes ago, ezbass said: Mooer? http://www.mooeraudio.co.uk/p/mooer-micro-di That looks decent 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 https://www.jimdunlop.com/mxr-cae-boost-line-driver/ Good bit of kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 31 minutes ago, Jonse said: That looks decent 👍 I’m thinking of getting one myself, as I’m probably removing my preamp/DI pedal from my board to make room for an incoming compressor, but I still want a pedalboard DI option. From a brief search our own @Dood has/had one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, ezbass said: Mooer? http://www.mooeraudio.co.uk/p/mooer-micro-di Seems to tick all the boxes the OP was looking for! And being a Mooer, it won't break the bank! Edited June 20, 2020 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 I have the mooer Di. Great piece of kit. the speaker sim is decent too. there are clones around on eBay. I picked up a spare from a company called tomsline. Exactly the same and cost something around £20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 7 minutes ago, dudewheresmybass said: I have the mooer Di. Great piece of kit. the speaker sim is decent too. there are clones around on eBay. I picked up a spare from a company called tomsline. Exactly the same and cost something around £20. There's definitely something ironic about Mooer pedals being cloned! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 Definitely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) - Edited March 5, 2022 by Jus Lukin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigguy2017 Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 You want a bass DI box... Radial do a few, passive and active https://www.radialeng.com/product_category/direct-box https://www.radialeng.com/product/jdi There are cheaper options http://www.samsontech.com/samson/products/processors/s-max/mda1/ https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/di-box/samson-mda1-active-di-box on offer £29.00 !! https://www.gearank.com/guides/di-box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 A DI box does output a balanced signal, but its output is mic level, which won't drive a power amp. I think that's why he looking for 20dB or so of gain. MartinB already raised the good question about why the signal needs to be balanced in this scenario ("The purpose of this is driving a power amp or powered monitor right off the pedal board.") 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigguy2017 Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Mackie MDB DI boxes say they have line level balanced outputs. See page 9 of the manual. Seems more likely on the active models? Specs don't actually state the output level. ;-( https://mackie.com/sites/default/files/PRODUCT RESOURCES/MANUALS/Owners_Manuals/MDB Series Direct Boxes_OM.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) - Edited March 5, 2022 by Jus Lukin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ567 Posted June 22, 2020 Author Share Posted June 22, 2020 Many thanks for the responses all! That Mooer active DI is almost perfect but lacking a volume knob. For the TC Spark and MXR line driver - does anyone know first hand whether the level knobs on these pedals control "boost level" or "master level"? I.e. is all the way "off" muted or unity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 I’d also suggest the mxr micro amp. Clean boost all the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinB Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 The Level knob on the Spark goes below unity (because it also has a Gain knob). I don't know about the Spark Mini. If you want a solution in a single box, it might be worth getting in touch with a UK pedal builder. I'm no electronics expert, but a single-knob clean boost with a balanced output doesn't sound like it should be all that complicated. Off the top of my head: Bright Onion (https://www.brightonion.co.uk/) Orchid Electronics (http://orchid-electronics.co.uk/index.htm) RayGun FX (http://fuzzboxes.co.uk/) I'm sure there's plenty of others. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Just a thought on the Mooer - as you have a volume knob on your bass, will you actually need another on the pedal? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 5 minutes ago, Al Krow said: Just a thought on the Mooer - as you have a volume knob on your bass, will you actually need another on the pedal? The behaviour of some pedals (e.g. compression, overdrive) is a function of the input level. E.g. if you turn the bass volume down, you'll get less overdrive. Maybe in other situation that's exactly what you want - but in this case if you want the exact same tone but just louder/quieter, you need to adjust further downstream than the bass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 (edited) - Edited March 5, 2022 by Jus Lukin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ567 Posted June 22, 2020 Author Share Posted June 22, 2020 3 hours ago, Jus Lukin said: I don't have either, but hunting about it looks as though the CAE/MXR Line Driver and Spark Mini go from 0 to +20db on the dial, and the Spark Booster does much the same, but fully anticlockwise is slightly attenuated, so at a complete guess, something like -6db to +20, perhaps to help out when using the gain control up high. Looks like a booster followed by the neutrik gadget you mentioned earlier might be the way to go - many thanks. So... Now taking suggestions for a quality clean boost with 20db of gain and a master level control (i.e. signal is muted when knob is fully CCW). Looks like the keeley katana is an option... any others? @MartinB a custom build could be an option, thanks. Might even be simple enough to DIY... @alkrow fair question but I do need volume control for my purposes. The signal will need to be full strength for effects earlier in the chain (as @jrixn1points out) and a separate stereo DI for FOH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Ok, in which case I'm still at just how many volume controls you need in your signal chain? I'm guessing that in addition to the bass, each of the effects in your chain will also all have individual volume controls. So if you want to go with something as simple as the Mooer, it should still be an option? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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