M
mofat
New member
Thinking of hooking up my keyboard via trs cable or ts cable to my interface which already has hi-z input. Would it sound better this way or getting a DI box and run the xlr output via mic level?
Except that the DI will attenuate the keyboard on the way to the interface, so you'll have to make it up somewhere along the line which could add noise.There really shouldn't be any difference, unless the cable length is really long.
May we know the make and model of the incoming keyboard please! (why, FFS do we ALWAYS have to ask?) Then there is a chance I might find a level spec for the stereo outputs?
There is really no point in searching, all these companies make keyboard ampa, you plug your keyboard in from the quarter inch outputs. It is always a HZ instrument out. That they feel no need to further document what that level is even as they have mislabeled them as line outputs is merely their assumption that everybody is going to understand that it is an instrument, therefore the outputs are at instrument level. What has happened in the keyboard market especially is a division between "pro" gear and home-intended products that have only a headphone output. Case in point was the Privia line from Casio, the early models were priced far below the competition in terms of their sound engine, but had a headphone jack as their only output. And I believe if memory serves it was an eight inch plug to boot. I sold some to pro users, advising them to get a stereo to two mono "Y" cord so as not to apply a dead short across on side of the headphone amp, Casio eventually realized that the unit was showing up at performance applications and belatedly outfitted them with instrument level outs, by that time other companies had lowered the price on weighted piano offerings, these outfits move slowly, they think they understand their market but that is clearly not always the case. You can safely make the assumption that if it is an instrument, and has outputs that are 1/4 inch phone plug, it is HZ instrument level no matter what is printed on the output.
If you are wondering why they would mislabel them as line outputs, it is because the average user needs to understand that even as a traditional headphone with quarter inch plugs will fit in the jack, it won't work. To their mind your average user is a monkey, best not confuse them with operating levels......
I mean, you completely don't need it for this particular task, but...This is my first DI box so don't know if it's all that or just wasted money.
Is it me or the hi-z has a much hotter signal than the DI Box. I tried both ways. The cables are kept very short...5 ft and 3 ft.
A passive DI takes a line level signal and makes it a mic level signal. It relies on the mic preamp to get the gain.Is it me or the hi-z has a much hotter signal than the DI Box. I tried both ways. The cables are kept very short...5 ft and 3 ft.