DI Boxes?

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inmyheartx

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I was just curious if someone could suggest to me a good entry-level DI box for recording distortion guitars? Any help is greatly appreciated. =)

Take care,
Adam.
 
A DI box is meant to convert a line level signal to mic level. You probably want something different, like a POD or a Sans Amp or a V-Amp.
 
Well, where are you going to get the distortion? If you're looking for a box that does that itself, you should look into a modeler like a POD or a Behringer V-Amp or something like that rather than a DI box. If you're going to use plug-in distortion or a stomp box or something that's a different matter...
 
Well, I wanted to run a cable from my head, to the DI Box, to the Mic Preamp on my Firepod. While doing this, also have my cab mic'd, this way I can get sharp sound from the DI Box, but a nice warmth from the mic. I don't know much about this, but this is what I was reading was a good technique. Anything on this?

Take care,
Adam.
 
just about any DI box will do it. Passive ones start out for around $30 list and go up from there.


BTW, Di boxes, in general, only match impedance, they don't change the level. They convert from high impedance unbalanced to low impeadance balanced.
 
Farview said:
just about any DI box will do it. Passive ones start out for around $30 list and go up from there.


BTW, Di boxes, in general, only match impedance, they don't change the level. They convert from high impedance unbalanced to low impeadance balanced.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by the second part? I'm still new too a lot of this, so if you could elaborate that would be awesome. Also, what would you suggest for a DI box, just a $30 one, or maybe fork over a few extra bucks and get a little bit better one?

Take care,
Adam.
 
The main job of a direct box is to take an unbalanced, high impedance signal (like an instrument signal, or line out) and turn it into a low impedance balanced signal. This makes it so you can run your cables longer without interference or degredation.

It is a myth that direct boxes turn line level into mic level. It doesn't match levels at all.

A $30 direct box will be fine. You would have to spend 5 times as much to get a big enough boost in quality for you to notice.
 
A Firepod has instrument and line level inputs, as well as the mic preamps. Why would you need a direct box?
 
irishfolker said:
A Firepod has instrument and line level inputs, as well as the mic preamps. Why would you need a direct box?
Click to expand...
That's a good point.
 
irishfolker said:
A Firepod has instrument and line level inputs, as well as the mic preamps. Why would you need a direct box?
Click to expand...

I wasn't aware that they were the same thing, like I said i'm new to all of this. Thank you for pointing this out, i'll have to try this later. So run a cable from my Amp Head Speaker output to an Instrument input on my Firepod, or the Line input of my Firepod?

Take care,
Adam.
 
NO!!!!!


You can't plug the speaker output into anything but a speaker.
You will smoke the firepod and the amp.

You would need to take the line output.
 
If your amp head has a line out, you would run that into a line input (channel 3-8) on your Firepod. A speaker out would overpower your inputs on the Firepod and might blow it out. If you want to run your guitar directly into the Firepod (which you probably don't but I'll describe it anyway for completeness' sake), you would run it into channel 1 or 2 of the Firepod. I don't think there's anywhere you can run from a speaker output to go directly in through the Firepod. Can you mic the cabinet?
 
Farview said:
just about any DI box will do it. Passive ones start out for around $30 list and go up from there.


BTW, Di boxes, in general, only match impedance, they don't change the level. They convert from high impedance unbalanced to low impeadance balanced.
Click to expand...
I stand corrected. Well, really I'm sitting.
 
Farview said:
It is a myth that direct boxes turn line level into mic level. It doesn't match levels at all.
Click to expand...

It doesn't match, but the average level change through a passive DI box is about -20db. The effect is the same. A line-level in will come out at about mic level. It's really a necessity, as a line-level signal would overload a mic pre very easily. Actives don't use transformers, and can be zero loss. But they usually pad the output as well, for the same reason.
 
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Farview said:
Nope. All of my cheap passive direct boxes are made with 1 to1 transformers. They have pad switches, but 0db of attenuation is an option. I have just measued the signal going through a DOD 265 and a Wirlwind Imp, what goes in comes out.
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How did you measure it?

If it's a 1:1 transformer, how does it change the impedance? That's a function of the turns ratio as well.

Here is the spec on the imp, the 133:1 impedance ratio indicating a turns ratio of about 12:1, and a level drop of 20db.

Impedance Ratio (input to output): 133:1
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz ±1dB
Level Change: (input to output): -20dB




ps- passive DI pads are on the input, not the output.
 
I am such a fucking idiot! It's been so long since I did anything with electronics, I didn't even have the meter set right. It all makes sense now.

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!



I can't edit my initail post.
 
Farview said:
It's been so long since I did anything with electronics, I didn't even have the meter set right.
Click to expand...

LOL. I deal with them every day, and still mess it up. I just bought myself $600 worth of speakers. After telling a customer his were blown, turns out I had my meter set on volts not ohms when I checked them originally. I may be able to return them, but for the moment I'm out the cash. :rolleyes:
 
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