Passive DI in Reverse for Re-amping

[andyhix]

I've seen reference to this here and a few other places as well. I've also seen a few people claim this to be an inadequate approach to re-amping. I can get a Passive DI for $20 here (which I could probably afford). But the cheapest proper re-amp device I can find is about $100 (which I can't really afford). Would it really be misguided to use the DI box for re-amping? I'm out of my element with the technical electronic stuff.

 

[ikijapan]

Yeah, I don't know what the truth of the matter is, but from the searching I've done on this forum, and my experience of having a passive DI box, I don't think you can do it. I mean, there's not really an obvious way of "putting the DI box in reverse". There is only an input and an output, and I tried plugging the output of the recorded signal into the input blah blah, it didn't work.

I'd be curious of this too though.

 

[mshilarious]

A truly passive DI is a transformer, and it should work in reverse. However, you don't want to put the recorder out into the DI input, you'd put it into the output and the DI input to the amp.

The problem with that approach is it won't match the impedance that your instrument originally had, which would be between 5K and 25K ohms. The DI's input needs to ideally be higher than that, so in reverse you would have a higher output impedance feeding the amp when reamping. But all that really depends on the particular transformer in the DI.

The other problem is that cheap passive DIs have cheap transformers, and two trips through them might not be the best tonal idea . . .

 

[metalhead28]

...I don't think you can do it. I mean, there's not really an obvious way of "putting the DI box in reverse". There is only an input and an output, and I tried plugging the output of the recorded signal into the input blah blah, it didn't work.

What is not obvious about it if you think about it? Normally, you plug your signal into the input, you need to plug your signal into the output.

Using this method will get you there, it will work alot beter than trying to feed line level into an amp, but it won't be as nice as one of the dedicated reamping units.

 

[ikijapan]

What is not obvious about it if you think about it? Normally, you plug your signal into the input, you need to plug your signal into the output.

Using this method will get you there, it will work alot beter than trying to feed line level into an amp, but it won't be as nice as one of the dedicated reamping units.

Well, maybe I'm saying it's not obvious cuz it didn't work right when I did it. Clearly, there's only 2 ways to do it. Either the same as you DI'd to start with, or the opposite. The first didn't work at all, and the second (in reverse) sounded awful. Just by having it plugged into the amp it had the amp all loud and noisy before any playback even started. It did WORK, but completely unusably...the amp sounded like it was amplifying an AM radio recording or something.

However, when I rented a REAMP (brand name) box, it worked like a charm with the same tracks. Don't see how else I could have done it, like I said, there's only 2 possible ways to hook the thing up.

 

[mshilarious]

Well, maybe I'm saying it's not obvious cuz it didn't work right when I did it. Clearly, there's only 2 ways to do it. Either the same as you DI'd to start with, or the opposite. The first didn't work at all, and the second (in reverse) sounded awful. Just by having it plugged into the amp it had the amp all loud and noisy before any playback even started. It did WORK, but completely unusably...the amp sounded like it was amplifying an AM radio recording or something

Are you 100% that was a passive DI? Sounds like the way an active box would behave.

 

[ikijapan]

Are you 100% that was a passive DI? Sounds like the way an active box would behave.

Yeah, I still have it and use it for DI

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/JDI/

 

[andyhix]

Thanks for the info guys. Of course, I still don't know if it's worth it or not. I'm using a firepod, which has an instrument input (which I could just plug my ugitar directly into, right?), so going this method would still only involve one trip through the DI (in reverse).

Maybe I'll just wait till my birthday (in October ) and get a real reamp box. I've just recently come to realize how awesome it would be to be able to do 1000 takes of a song direct - I wouldn't need headphones, and I wouldn't need to worry about the furnace being off, the TV upstairs being quiet, whether or not a truck rumbles by in the middle of a perfect take, etc., nor would I be blasting the house full of noise for hours on end, while my wife and daughter try to sleep, watch TV, etc.

 

[boingoman]

Hey andy,

Have you tried just plugging in? You only need a DI or special reamping gear if you have noise issues.

 

[andyhix]

Hey andy,

Have you tried just plugging in? You only need a DI or special reamping gear if you have noise issues.

No. I suppose that would be the logical first thing to try. Thanks for suggesting the obvious - I'll give it a try sometime soon. I just assumed, being line level, it would sound like ass. But it's certainly worth a quick trial. Thanks!