direct box

[alittlecrowded]

okay, I'm a little new at this. I need a direct box to start recording w/, but I don't have a lot of $$ because I'm buying everything @ once, so any suggestions would be appreciated. My bass is an old rickenbacker if that helps @ all.

 

[fazil]

hi
those berry DI's do the job for a few bucks..
40€ around here, probably cheaper on the other side of the sea...
Do you know how to use it or what it does ?

greetz, fazil

 

[Thorguitarist]

I don't! (know how to use it) and by the way check on eBay

 

[Adam P]

Save up a little extra money and try to pick up an used SansAmp Bass Driver DI on eBay. I know...why spend at least $100 on that when you can pick up a passive DI box for $30? Well, the difference in sound between the two is night and day. A passive DI might sound OK going to a soundboard to be pumped through 1000 watts of FOH sound, but it sounds like shit recorded. Buy the SansAmp and you won't be disappointed.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=22669&item=3728473948&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41411&item=3728854911&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41411&item=3727787126&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

 

[alittlecrowded]

I'm pretty sure it just allows me to record w/o an amp. That's what I was thinking, but maybe it's a little more complicated. Thanks for the input though.

 

[Taylor_214]

Hi,

Newbie here...are these "direct boxes", do they do the same thing as when i plug my bass directly into the "Instrument" input of my Focusrite Trakmaster preamp which then goes into my sound card? Is this the same purpose device or it does more than this?

thx

 

[Adam P]

A DI box, to the best of my knowledge, is just a transformer that balances a signal and brings it from instrument level to mic level. A passive DI will do this without altering the sound. An active DI, like the SansAmp I suggested, is actually a preamp. It allows you to adjust the sound of the signal, making it infinitely more useful than a passive DI for recording.

Someone more in the know than I am can correct me if I'm wrong.

Edit: I believe that using the Instrument input on the Focusrite pre would be the same as using a DI. However, the Focusrite is like an active DI in that it allows you to shape the sound.

 

[Richard Monroe]

That's correct, Taylor, the instrument input is an active DI, which may be good, bad, or in between.
Yo crowded!- You might consider Behringer Bass VAMP, $140 at 8th street. Guitar Center sold me mine for $115. It's a bass amp modeler that functions as a DI and generates bizzillions of editable bass sounds. If you set it for "tube preamp" and put all the EQ flat, disable all FX, it's a straightforward DI. It is also a whole lot more.-Richie

 

[alittlecrowded]

Thanx everyone. I may consider that Behringer, becuase I have a Behringer Blue Devil guitar amp, which while not the best amp in the world, I've been pretty satisfied w/ all the effects, and it would be nice to have some options.

 

[fazil]

I was talking about the Behringer's active DI box those SansAmp Bass Driver DI are probably nice aswell. Active DI boxes may alter your sound very little, mostly has a (or 2) pad's, some (like berry's) can transform your amp's output to a mic signal (never tried though) and it works on phantom asswell. Passive DI's don't need dc power (duh :-D) but they cut off a lot off frequencies. I've noticed that active DI boxes (in the same price range) work best for bass guitar.
DI's in common transform a hi Z signal (bass/guitar) to a low Z (mikes). You mostly have an unbalanced input (instrument) and a balanced output (mike).
Another reason dor using DI boxes is: protecting your instruments from DC voltages (mostly 48v) that you're using for condensor mics.

hope this helps
greetz

 

[Ed Dixon]

Behringer also makes a dual control DI box that sells for less than their single version. I have one and it works great. It can support a stereo signal or two separate inputs.

http://www.behringer.com/DI20/index.cfm?lang=ENG



Ed