db pad question

P

pointfive

New member
This is potentially a dumb question, and I think I know the answer, but I know most people here know it for sure, so...

I have a Yamaha Subkick. This mic puts out a very hot signal--it sometimes distorts even with the gain on my mic pre all the way down. This is mentioned in the documentation that came with the mic. That documentation goes on to mention that a -20 db pad may be needed in such cases.

My question is this: I have a DI box (http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--BEHDI100) which has 2 attenuation switches (-20 db each, if I'm not mistaken). Could I run the Subkick through this, using the attenuator(s) to lower the signal? (My instincts tell me this probably won't work--the DI box will boost the mic signal even more before attenuating it, right? This is where I'm unsure.)

Or do I need to get something like this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...s&Q=&sku=351406&is=REG&addedTroughType=search ?

I've been meaning to experiment with the Subkick through the DI box, but haven't had the time yet.
 
do you have a pad on your mixer or wherever you plug the mic into?
a DI box is made to accept a high impedance source, like a guitar. For example, your DI box has an input load of 250kOhms and your mic output load is only 9ohms....which will probably degrade your signal even worse. Generally you want the input load you're plugging into to be 10x the mic out load. You need to plug it into something that accepts low impedance.

maybe someone else here can speak more about the "electrical engineering" terms, but 9ohms for a mic is rather low. Average output impedance for a dynamic ranges from 150-600 ohms.
 
pointfive said:
--the DI box will boost the mic signal even more before attenuating it, right? This is where I'm unsure.)
Click to expand...

DI boxes cut, not boost. At best they are unity gain, unless they have some kind of boost built in. When you plug a DI into a mixer, it only seems like the signal is boosted because you plug into a more sensitive input. Really, you are just avoiding the pad on the line inputs.

Get the Whirlwind pad or something like it, and be done with the issue.
 
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