Do I need a DI box?

[domvac]

This may sound silly but I'm not sure if using a DI box for bass recording would have any advantage for me. I have always plugged the bass into my mixer and recorded from there. I don't use a bass amp because I don't have one. My impression has been that a DI is used so the player can use his amp as usual and the box is merely a method of recording the bass without having to mic the amp with all its low end booming to deal with. Anybody here have anything to contribute in this regard?

 

[Farview]

It depends. If you have an active bass, probably not. If you have a passive bass, you might want to get an active DI because the line input of your mixer could be loading down your pickups, making them sound muddier than they should.

A DI box is really there to take your unbalanced, instrument level signal and turn it into a balanced, mic level signal to feed the mic preamp on your mixer or interface. It also isolates the bass from the mic preamp so you don't get any ground loops.

The reason the answer to your question isn't always clear is because there are too many variables. Some mixers have instrument inputs, which means you don't need a DI
Some basses have active circuitry which essentially puts out a line level signal, so you don't need a DI
But plugging a passive bass into a line level input will be really weak in both level and tone, a DI box will fix that.

Is there something you don't like about the sound you are getting? If not, just keep doing what you are doing.

 

[Ethan Winer]

Some mixers have instrument inputs, which means you don't need a DI
Some basses have active circuitry which essentially puts out a line level signal, so you don't need a DI
But plugging a passive bass into a line level input will be really weak in both level and tone, a DI box will fix that.

Exactly.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Even some so-called "instrument' inputs don't load some pickups properly. If that's the case with your bass then you'll want a good active DI.

 

[domvac]

It depends. If you have an active bass, probably not. If you have a passive bass, you might want to get an active DI because the line input of your mixer could be loading down your pickups, making them sound muddier than they should.

A DI box is really there to take your unbalanced, instrument level signal and turn it into a balanced, mic level signal to feed the mic preamp on your mixer or interface. It also isolates the bass from the mic preamp so you don't get any ground loops.

The reason the answer to your question isn't always clear is because there are too many variables. Some mixers have instrument inputs, which means you don't need a DI
Some basses have active circuitry which essentially puts out a line level signal, so you don't need a DI
But plugging a passive bass into a line level input will be really weak in both level and tone, a DI box will fix that.

Is there something you don't like about the sound you are getting? If not, just keep doing what you are doing.

Ah...You hit the nail on the head. I have an old 70's Jap bass that I installed a "Duncan Jazz" passive pickup into. I find that I have a hard time getting a clean sound. My mixer has 1/4" line inputs with the normal e.q.'s and I have to fight to get a clean bass track. Muddy seems to be the operative word. I use my modest studio for song writing mostly but I would like to get a better quality recording out of it. I have been successful at getting a decent bass track but it seems that I have to work too hard and get to creative to get it. I'm sure there are better and easier ways to do this. Thanks for the input (pun intended). DI boxes aren't that expensive and I will invest in one.

Just for your opinion, here is a sample of what I'm doing. There are no vocal tracks yet but it will give you an idea of what I'm getting, so far.

 

[Wish]

I know everybody hates Behringer, but their BDI21 pedal, basically a clone of the Samsamp, is a helluva bang for the buck. Less than 40 bucks and it gives you a whole lot of tone options for bass.

Check it out.

Seriously.

Two thumbs up for the price.

Behringer BDI21 V-Tone Bass Modeler Preamp Pedal at zZounds

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[Farview]

With passive pickups, you will want an active Di box. Some passive pickups play nicely with some passive Di boxes, but the safest thing to buy would be an active Di.

That pedal might not be a bad way to go. That company also makes an active Di That isn't bad for cheap.

You could also get away with an effects pedal you have laying around, as long as it doesn't add too much noise and sounds good bypassed.

 

[GuitarLegend]

Ah...You hit the nail on the head. I have an old 70's Jap bass that I installed a "Duncan Jazz" passive pickup into. I find that I have a hard time getting a clean sound. My mixer has 1/4" line inputs with the normal e.q.'s and I have to fight to get a clean bass track. Muddy seems to be the operative word. I use my modest studio for song writing mostly but I would like to get a better quality recording out of it. I have been successful at getting a decent bass track but it seems that I have to work too hard and get to creative to get it. I'm sure there are better and easier ways to do this. Thanks for the input (pun intended). DI boxes aren't that expensive and I will invest in one.

Just for your opinion, here is a sample of what I'm doing. There are no vocal tracks yet but it will give you an idea of what I'm getting, so far.

Nice work. Can I ask what brand and model of guitar? Sounds like you recorded direct from the piezo pickups but it sounds pretty nice for that.

 

[domvac]

Hey, Legend. We talked about this before. The acoustic is my '81 Ovation large body Balledere with piezo and the electric is my Squier CV tele. Here, I'm trying to sort out the muddy bass that I've been fighting with. Thanks for the compliment.

 

[GuitarLegend]

Hey, Legend. We talked about this before. The acoustic is my '81 Ovation large body Balledere with piezo and the electric is my Squier CV tele. Here, I'm trying to sort out the muddy bass that I've been fighting with. Thanks for the compliment.

Ah... I didnt catch the brand before. Sounds nice man. I hear the bass, I get something similar myself. Trying to boost some of the highs to give it more definition.

 

[domvac]

Yeah, I'd like to get a nice warm, defined sound with the bass. If I boost the highs, then I get a buzz with it. I think there's a ground loop problem but I haven't been able to find it. I find that I have to hold the bass in a certain position or the buzz will get worse. Seriously, facing east works best. I have a very old house with very old wiring and although I have wired in a separate circuit for my studio, the grounding is still less than ideal. I'm going to try running a ground off the copper water service to my power source to see if that helps. There's always something.

 

[GuitarLegend]

Yeah, I'd like to get a nice warm, defined sound with the bass. If I boost the highs, then I get a buzz with it. I think there's a ground loop problem but I haven't been able to find it. I find that I have to hold the bass in a certain position or the buzz will get worse. Seriously, facing east works best. I have a very old house with very old wiring and although I have wired in a separate circuit for my studio, the grounding is still less than ideal. I'm going to try running a ground off the copper water service to my power source to see if that helps. There's always something.

That explains a little more of the problem. Facing east works best? Maybe your bass should change religions Sorry I don't have any answers that you haven't thought of for fixing the buzz. I changed pickups in my Stratocaster to address that issue but it still turns up with other peoples' guitars. Post-processing the buzz is always a pain in the fundamental but may be the only quick fix.

 

[Farview]

A Di box will isolate the bass from the mixer, which might solve that hum problem.

 

[richardosim78]

With passive pickups, you will want an active Di box. Some passive pickups play nicely with some passive Di boxes, but the safest thing to buy would be an active Di.

That pedal might not be a bad way to go. That company also makes an active Di That isn't bad for cheap.

You could also get away with an effects pedal you have laying around, as long as it doesn't add too much noise and sounds good bypassed.

!!! so any guitar fx pedal boosts the instrument level signal to a line level or mic level????????????
acts like a some sort of converter/preamp/DI?? then u bypass it or whatever..i never thought about that!!! damn...interesting..
thanks..

 

[bouldersoundguy]

!!! so any guitar fx pedal boosts the instrument level signal to a line level or mic level????????????
acts like a some sort of converter/preamp/DI?? then u bypass it or whatever..i never thought about that!!! damn...interesting..
thanks..

It's an impedance thing, not a level thing.

 

[richardosim78]

It's an impedance thing, not a level thing.

but many pedals can be used as level boosters etc.. for ex: boss line selector pedal can be used passively as a booster for even 2 output lines..

so what kind of signal do pedals outputing?? and tell me more about that impedance thing pls.

whats gonna happen if i use any fx pedal to that passive bass?? it will act as a active DI?? whats the output? can i connect it to a line inputs on a mixer or souncard? or to a hiZ input on a souncard??
thank u.

 

[miroslav]

!!! so any guitar fx pedal boosts the instrument level signal to a line level or mic level????????????

I wouldn't really look at it like that....like Jay said, you might enough level, and also a lot of noise with it.
There are also impedances to consider and the whole unbalanced/balanced thing.

You can find a lot of ways to connect audio devices to "pass signal"...but they won't all be useable or the optimal way go.

There's a reason DI boxes exist and are used.

 

[richardosim78]

I wouldn't really look at it like that....like Jay said, you might enough level, and also a lot of noise with it.
There are also impedances to consider and the whole unbalanced/balanced thing.

You can find a lot of ways to connect audio devices to "pass signal"...but they won't all be useable or the optimal way go.

There's a reason DI boxes exist and are used.

ok, but what if i want to add a little of a sweet boss HM2 distortion to my bass, and then output the pedal directly to a mixer or soundcard's line inputs, or maybe soundcard's hiZ input...??

what kind of signal the pedal gonna output?? what specs???
danke

 

[miroslav]

Well...if the soundcard has Hi Z/instrument inputs....just go straight in.
If you're going into a Mic/Line input....you may want to use a DI or some type of level/impedance conversion box/

AFA what kind of signal the pedal outputs....dude...why don't you research this shit based on the poedals you own or want to use?
You keep asking everyone esle to do your leg-work for you.
Just go to the manufacturer's website and get the specs you need....or call them directly.

 

[richardosim78]

Well...if the soundcard has Hi Z/instrument inputs....just go straight in.
If you're going into a Mic/Line input....you may want to use a DI or some type of level/impedance conversion box/

AFA what kind of signal the pedal outputs....dude...why don't you research this shit based on the poedals you own or want to use?
You keep asking everyone esle to do your leg-work for you.
Just go to the manufacturer's website and get the specs you need....or call them directly.

thats the fucking mystery, dude!!!! i only now found that these pedals output a bit different signals..
and i wanna find how different can they be and how to learn to read and understand the specs!!!what to look for..
i dont need u to do a work for me. if u dont know answers, just go smoke your cigar!.. thanks