DI boxes for bass

[JapanAxe]

I have been using the speaker emulated XLR output on my Origin Effects BassRig into the PA on some of my dep gigs but I’m finding I want more top end in my signal. I want a balanced output so I’ve been trying the BassRig’s non-emulated jack output via a DI box. The two I have available are (1) a cheap-as-chips Thomann passive transformer unit, (2) an active transformerless Whirlwind Mic Eliminator with 2 tone settings. I’ll probably end up using the Thomann one, but what DI boxes have people found to be particularly good at on bass? Budget would be up to £100-ish.

[BigRedX]

If all it is doing is turning an unbalanced line-level signal into a balanced line or mic level signal it really shouldn't matter what you choose as I would expect them all to be as transparent as the transformers or circuitry will allow.

 

If you want the minimum of fuss I would choose something passive with separate inputs for the different levels of attenuation required. I've been using EMO DI boxes for the last 35 years. They are completely reliable and bomb-proof, and I've only ever had to replace one in all the time I've been using them, and that is because it got "lost" at a gig. 

[JapanAxe]

Yes I’m favouring passive. I don’t want to lose anything from the bass’s frequency range but plenty of people who reviewed the Thomann DI used it on bass and were happy.

 

I know the EMO DI boxes, they used to be made not far from where I lived in County Durham!

Edited August 13, 2023 by JapanAxe

[Supernaut]

Radial ProDI secondhand is a good shout. 

[JapanAxe]

1 minute ago, Supernaut said:

Radial ProDI secondhand is a good shout. 

Yes , I noticed the one in the classifieds...

[walshy]

11 hours ago, JapanAxe said:

Yes , I noticed the one in the classifieds...

They are class. Used one for years and again indestructible 

[Dan Dare]

For passive boxes, I find Palmer to be decent for relatively little money. I'm sure a Radial or similar would be better, but whether I'd notice the difference I don't know. Orchid make good reasonably priced active boxes.

[JapanAxe]

21 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

For passive boxes, I find Palmer to be decent for relatively little money. I'm sure a Radial or similar would be better, but whether I'd notice the difference I don't know. Orchid make good reasonably priced active boxes.

Yes I have a Palmer PDI-09 (speaker emulated) which I use  with my guitar rig.

 

I’ve plumped for a used Radial Pro DI. Although the Thomann unit works fine, it is larger than it needs to be (contains mostly air) and the transformer is simply glued in place! A jolt could easily dislodge it, which doesn’t bode well for reliability!

[nilebodgers]

For passive boxes the EMO ones are absolutely bulletproof and last for ever. Some of the radial ones can damage the transformers when dropped, but are good boxes otherwise. (I think it was the stereo one that had this problem)

 

The BSS AR133 active boxes are pretty much the universal choice in uk pro audio, they are just a bit bulky IMO.

[itu]

Type 85 from Countryman is literally indestructible. Found one years ago used and yes, the cover had dings and dongs, but works as planned. It is now something like +30 years old.

[JapanAxe]

6 hours ago, itu said:

Type 85 from Countryman is literally indestructible. Found one years ago used and yes, the cover had dings and dongs, but works as planned. It is now something like +30 years old.

A guy I play with uses some kind of Countryman gadget on his Dobro.

[Owen]

I recorded 5 DI boxes I owned (no, I don't know either). One was the BSS we all know and love, one was the Behringer we see everywhere. To all intents and purposes I could hear no difference between those two. There was an old, knackered cheap one in the mox which turned out to be not nice, but otherwise they were much of a muchness.  

[JapanAxe]

The Radial Pro DI has arrived. Either its substantial weight is testament to its quality or there’s a lump of depleted Uranium in there. And of course it works just as expected.

[Chienmortbb]

Orchid Electronics Classic DI. It is Active but runs on battery or Phantom power. I have two and they have never let me down.

Having investigated audio transformers at some length, a good one is really expensive. The cheaper they are the lower the saturation point.

[itu]

Quality audio transformer and cheap are contradictory terms. Lars Lundahl is a good one.

[peteb]

I've always got a Radial StageBug SB-2 in my gigbag for the odd occasion when I need it. It's small, lightweight, seems to work pretty well and costs £85 from Bass Direct. 

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by peteb

[Matt P]

I bought a Radial Pro for my church board and was very happy with it, swapped it out for an SB-2 for space reasons and couldn't tell the difference, the pro is kept as a backup.

 

I have opened up both of them and the quality inside was impressive, some of that weight is the internal components but the solid steel casing is not light on it's own, i think bulletproof might be an exaggeration but it's not far off.

 

Matt

[nilebodgers]

7 hours ago, Owen said:

I recorded 5 DI boxes I owned (no, I don't know either). One was the BSS we all know and love, one was the Behringer we see everywhere. To all intents and purposes I could hear no difference between those two. There was an old, knackered cheap one in the mox which turned out to be not nice, but otherwise they were much of a muchness.  

The bss di has a mu-metal screening can on the di transformer, the behringer copy doesn’t so can’t be anywhere near a mains transformer without picking up loads of hum.

[Chienmortbb]

3 hours ago, nilebodgers said:

The bss di has a mu-metal screening can on the di transformer, the behringer copy doesn’t so can’t be anywhere near a mains transformer without picking up loads of hum.

A problem you do not have with an active DI. 

[nilebodgers]

14 hours ago, Chienmortbb said:

A problem you do not have with an active DI. 

The bss Di is active, but it has a transformer so it can provide true galvanic isolation. (As does the KT DN active Di)

 

Active DIs without a transformer cannot provide real isolation or break some ground loops so they can’t be relied on in all situations.

[BigRedX]

38 minutes ago, nilebodgers said:

The bss Di is active, but it has a transformer so it can provide true galvanic isolation. (As does the KT DN active Di)

 

Active DIs without a transformer cannot provide real isolation or break some ground loops so they can’t be relied on in all situations.

 

When I was using an Etherwave Theremin at gigs we always had a problem with the Behringer active DI boxes in that they simply didn't work, whereas the passive EMO box that I used to take was always 100% reliable. IIRC we worked out that there was a mis-match between how the Theremin and Behringer DI box were earthed that meant the signal from the Theremin was essentially being shorted out when connected to the Behringer.

[pn_day]

EMO for passive with a transformer - but they do slightly colour the sound (lose a touch of high end).

Orchid for good value for money active.

 

 

[Chienmortbb]

22 hours ago, nilebodgers said:

The bss Di is active, but it has a transformer so it can provide true galvanic isolation. (As does the KT DN active Di)

 

Active DIs without a transformer cannot provide real isolation or break some ground loops so they can’t be relied on in all situations.

I know the theory. A good transformer is eye wateringly expensive, and will still colour the sound. I have never had a  problem with the Orchid in over 200 gigs. A good active DI will not colour the audio and most mixers will use a similar output topology. My good friend @Passinwinddoes favour a transformer to couple preamps to power amps to add a little warmth to the sound, but do we need warmth in a signal from a DI?

[BigRedX]

The possible slight loss of top end from my passive EMO DI boxes is completely and utterly outweighed by the fact that they have for the past 30+ years been totally reliable and have worked in many situations where for one reason or another the DI box supplied for my use by the PA did not.

Edited August 18, 2023 by BigRedX

[Chienmortbb]

On 18/08/2023 at 15:33, BigRedX said:

The possible slight loss of top end from my passive EMO DI boxes is completely and utterly outweighed by the fact that they have for the past 30+ years been totally reliable and have worked in many situations where for one reason or another the DI box supplied for my use by the PA did not.

I have only been using the Orchids for about 10 years but have never had a problem with it. If I had used the EMO, like you, for years I would be the same. Of course EMO were a quality manufacturer. The transformers used would not have been a cheap and cheerful one and that would have been reflected in the price.