a question regarding DI

[otobianki74]

last night I was recording a band and was having trouble routing the bass DI from the live room into my converters via my bay.

my question is two part I suppose (or two and a half).

1) the DI I was using is an avalon U5 instrument DI. if I was sending this signal from live room to tie lines to converter via my patch bay, am I supposed to go out mic level or line level?

2) for some reason, I couldn't get the signal working, so ended up going from the U5 into a great river mp-500nv mic pre. I think it was going out mic level into the great river. is that ok to go from instrument pre to mic pre? I would assume it would be better to use a passive DI box as opposed to the U5 (which I assume is active). correct me if I'm wrong.

however, with that being said, the signal sounded AWESOME!

thanks.

oto

[SonicAlbert]

If it sounded awesome then use it!

That sure sounds like a great signal path to me. My understanding is that the U5 is an active DI, not a preamp. Therefore, you used the equipment exactly the way it was designed to be used. DI into preamp.

Seriously, that must have sounded great.

[otobianki74]

right on, I hear ya.

but I just get confused as I most definitely have used it without a pre... maybe that's just the diff of line level vs. mic level.

oto

[Farview]

Your converters are looking for a line level signal.

So you Need to:
A. Come line out of the Avalon
OR
B. Come mic out of the Avalon and run it into a mic preamp to bring it up to line level

[SonicAlbert]

Originally Posted by otobianki74

right on, I hear ya.

but I just get confused as I most definitely have used it without a pre... maybe that's just the diff of line level vs. mic level.

oto

It's also possible that when you used it before without the GR, they were preamping it at the board.