Do you need a DI box if plugging into a mixer?

  • Thread starter Thread starter e_rock
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e_rock

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Hey there. If I want to record an electric guitar direct, do I need a DI box if I am plugging straight into the mixer? Does the preamp boost the signal enough? My thoughts are that if I get a DI box, then the signal would be that much hotter before hitting the preamp and give a better sound. Am I correct in that? Thanks!
 
A direct box will take a line level signal (loud) and turn it into a mic level signal (not so loud). The reason you use a direct box in this instance is so the impedance mismatch doesn't load the pickups down and make them sound like crap. This would only be the case if you were using an active direct box. If you have a passive direct box, you would be better off plugging straight into the line input of your mixer.
 
I don't have a DI box right now, active or passive. I live in an apartment complex, so most times I have to record direct. Mostly I am just trying to capture ideas but I'd still like them to sound as good as possible. I have a cheap mixer, Behringer UB802, that I am plugging my Strat into. So an active DI would help me get a better sound? Many thanks.
 
You would be better off getting a Pod or a v-amp. A direct strat ( or any other guitar) will not ever sound all that great.
 
You make a good point and I figured that I'd need to get a pod or something down the road. What I was trying to do was get the best direct guitar sound I could and then work with some of the simultors like reValver or amplitude. Do the v-amp or Pod offer better sounds?

How do folks record the signal when they decide to reamp?

What about a bass? Need a DI box for a bass when going into the board?

Thanks!
 
Get an active direct box, that will do. I have worked with the pod and it was good, I have not used any other simulators.
 
I have a VAMP2, I decided over it then the pod becuase there is no difference in sound quality. I like it. If I had more money I would do something else though. It has good tone, but I have to compensate with bass to get a heavy sound.
 
Cool. I figure that the DI will be a good piece of equipment to have anyway. Any recommendations on an active direct box?
 
Farview said:
A direct strat ( or any other guitar) will not ever sound all that great.
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you say that but i know that on couple of tracks on BloodSugarSexMagik (the red hot chli peppers), john frusciante plugged straight into the board (the only one im certain of is the solo for suck my kiss)

but yeah i know wot u mean it generally sounds like a hippo wipin its ass
 
that had to be re-amped or something

re:blood shugar sex magic

i've never heard a guitar sound on that album that was even remotely like a direct signal

who recorded/mixed that?
i'm sure they were better than me but still, it's hard to make a direct git sound even kinda good
 
giraffe said:
that had to be re-amped or something

re:blood shugar sex magic

i've never heard a guitar sound on that album that was even remotely like a direct signal

who recorded/mixed that?
i'm sure they were better than me but still, it's hard to make a direct git sound even kinda good
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i dont think hardly any of it was recorded direct, but someone in the guitar/basses forum said recently that the whole album was. now that cant be true because on the funky monks video u see him in a room with 4 marshall heads (and if he did record direct then someone should slap him cos what idiot would have 4 marshall heads and record direct) but john said in an interview about the californication album that the solo for suck my kiss was straight into the board.
 
If it was a direct sound, I'll bet the board wasn't a behringer or a mackie.
 
John!

Finally some frusciante talk! you have know idea who much he means to me! On the funky monks dvd, somthing ive noticed is that there a no visible close mics on the cabs, but there are some mics around the room, but i get the fealing these arent in use. John has said how he only ever wants a 57 on his cabs, and nothing ealse has ever bettered it for him. But this interview was well after the bssm days.
 
yeah i noticed there were no mics on them. great guitar sound on the whole album though. does anyone else agree with me that humbuckers and funk do not go together? i was having an argument with a guy in a music shop about it today.
 
olfunk said:
yeah i noticed there were no mics on them. great guitar sound on the whole album though. does anyone else agree with me that humbuckers and funk do not go together? i was having an argument with a guy in a music shop about it today.
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i meant to say as well that he used single coil guitars for it, and you couldn't have recreated it with a humbucker, before the sentence of 'does anyone else agree with me....'
 
Farview said:
If it was a direct sound, I'll bet the board wasn't a behringer or a mackie.
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And if it was the RHCPeppers, I bet it wasn't a Behringer or a Mackie, either!
 
active DI box

e_rock, if you're looking for a decent-sounding inexpensive DI box, try the Behringer Ultra-DI or Ultra-G (same but with the 4x12 emulator). I have a Ultra-DI and it works really well for recording bass, it or the Ultra-G should do as well for direct guitar.

To say that the Ultra DI sounds like a world class mic pre/DI box is ridiculous, it doesn't, but... they're both totally worth the $35-40 at GC or Musicians Friend.
 
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