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Suggestions for a DI Box


Kurt
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I play through an ABM500 in a pub and club covers band. I absolutely love this amp but I always have in the back of my mind that they have a rep for being slightly unreliable. Having said that I've had this for several years without problems, but in case that day arises I've decided to get a DI box. However, what I know about them could fit on a pin head with room to spare, and there seems to be such a variation in price. I don't want to spend alot of cash on something I hope I never have to use, but by the same token there may be a feature laden DI box in my future that I could never do without and I just don't know it yet. I don't think I want to go with a SABBDI or other tube emulation device as I have a tube pre in my head. I could probably build a passive DI if I could find a schematic but I've googled and found nothing. So tell me what you use, and what you think of it.

TIA

EDIT// Just found this.
[url="http://musicwonderland.co.uk/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=7&products_id=159&osCsid=577888213207d0e31ca01ea9025ec866"]http://musicwonderland.co.uk/product_info....ca01ea9025ec866[/url]

Edited by Kurt
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If you don't want the DI box to be part of your sound but simply as a means of connecting your bass/amp to the PA, don't get an active DI. A good passive transformer design will serve you well. I personally like [url="http://www.studiospares.com/pd_402950_EMO%20DIBOX%20SINGLE.htm"]Emo[/url] as they accept instrument, line and speaker level signals with pass-throughs.

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Solid gold connectors hand fashioned by the Sultan Of Brunei himself. They make your direct signal sound better.

Personally I'd go for the Radial JDI - good brand name with a good reputation and reliable as your local waste collection service!

Edited by acidbass
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[quote name='Sugden' post='4897' date='May 23 2007, 02:24 AM']What would you gain by using a £1200 DI? Over a say £30 DI?[/quote]

I know that it is lame to answer a question witha question but: What do you gain by buying a £1200 bass over a £120 bass?

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[quote name='Toasted' post='5021' date='May 23 2007, 11:55 AM']I know that it is lame to answer a question witha question but: What do you gain by buying a £1200 bass over a £120 bass?[/quote]

Not lame at all its a fair point. Sorry didnt mean to come across as a confrontational. Well in a nut shell sound, quality, playability.

I can see where your coming from and I can also understand paying a huge amount of money to get your sound out front to as high a level as possible. Id be more pushed in a recording situation but you are then hoping live that their PA system and cables are as high a level as your £1200 DI. I wouldnt have thought the actual improovment was worth the extra money when you pay that much. Its like paying £60 for a Hi-fi cable and £600 unless you have the most sensitive ears you can't realy tell the difference; except what you tell your self you can hear simply because you feel like you should for spending so much on such a shiney thing.

Where as with my bass it improoves things for me personaly by a much greater amount and I know any half decent kit will let it sound as good as it is. I spose its where my prefrences lie.

How about, what do you think is the best DI for a good balance of cost to quality?

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Just a thought, you say you dont want a coloured DI cos youve got your head. Fair enough but isnt this a backup in case your head goes down?

The Countryman Type 85 is indestructible and sounds great, industry standard. Mid-priced to expensive at about £150 in the UK. My fave 'cheap' DI is the Presonus TubePre at about £70. Look around, GAK, KMR audio and the like all have catalogues you can browse and when you see something that tickles your fancy you can ask something more specific.

Think about application. Id love something like the Millennia Td1, but in my pop/rock band in a small pub with a cheapo PA system whats the point? All that clarity and fantastic tone wasted, along with my money. Similarly, if you want a pure, uncoloured sound then stay away from the Sansamp, MXR half preamp/half DI camp.

HTH, Jack.

Edited by Jack
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[quote name='Sugden' post='5080' date='May 23 2007, 12:07 PM']Sorry didnt mean to come across as a confrontational.[/quote]

Suggy, Suggy - I didn't mean to either. Sorry if I did :)

The Radial JDI is fantastic value for money under £100. IMO the next step-up is *probably* the Avalon U5 at about £200 second hand.

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The Avalon and Countryman are highly respected and not a ridiculous amount of money.

I have my EBS MicroBass II for a bunch of reasons but it's a fair DI. I also have an Ampeg SVT-DI - it's a fair valve DI. It sounds lovely for some bass guitars but maybe not all.

I use the DI out of my Aguilar DB680 live and in the studio. The others are there live in case something goes wrong.

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[quote name='Jack' post='6029' date='May 24 2007, 08:46 PM']Just a thought, you say you dont want a coloured DI cos youve got your head. Fair enough but isnt this a backup in case your head goes down?[/quote]

Hmmm, nothing like somebody stating the blatantly obvious to make you realise that the premise behind the thread you started was nowhere near as well thought out as you thought, eh! :)

Thanks :huh:

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[quote name='Kurt' post='7795' date='May 27 2007, 08:27 PM']Hmmm, nothing like somebody stating the blatantly obvious to make you realise that the premise behind the thread you started was nowhere near as well thought out as you thought, eh! :huh:

Thanks :huh:[/quote]

Happens to the best of us, and the worst :)

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