transparent DI racks...looking for a chameleon of sorts..

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RedFroDevil

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Howdy again, here comes post #2....

So here is my situation...

I am an individual focusing mostly on Drum n' Bass, Dub, and Hip Hop with my production, but I will be branching off into other musical genres as I go....

I'm a nut for dirty sounds usually, but I'm running into an issue right now--I want to purchase DI boxes for my keyboards (all analog or analog modeling synths) to run through, but dont neccessarilly want to be glued to DI's that only sound good with keyboards (in case i want to be cheap and bring them with me to a guitar/bass gig at some point...)

So what im asking is, what is a good rackmount DI that is going to be as transparent as possible that will work with more than just keyboard sounds, but for guitar and bass as well? Are there specific DI's that work for specific kinds of situations like mine? AND, are there better options than getting a rackmounted version (like a 4-in-1 1 space unit)?

I have seen a few options, and for obvious reasons (since i havent started crapping money yet) I would like to keep things as cheap as possible...

Thanks in advance for your advice... I am anxiously awaiting the homerec.bbs gurus opinions....


Mike the Redfrodevil
 
BSS makes a 4 channel single rack space DI (i don't remember the model number) that sounds like it is just what you are looking for. It should also cost the same (more likely less) than a single channel of manley. The BSS will do a great job of getting your signal thorugh nice and clean and with the full frequency spectrum still in tact. A lot of cheaper DI's always feel like they are rolling off frequencies and result in a "dull" sort of sound. The Manley is a good choice if you want to use the DI to actually shape your sound. I am also not so sure how "roadworthy" the Manley is, although I suspect it will travel pretty well. There are certainly "better" options out there, but none that will cost as little as the BSS and also be as durable as well. I am imagining the 4 Channel BSS probably goes for about $450 or so. I believe Radial is also making a 4 channel box now as well. If so that is one (based on other Radial DI experiences) that I would rank right up there with the BSS.
 
xstatic--

I think I found the Radial DI solution...

http://www.radialeng.com/di-j-rak.htm

this looks alot like what I may be in the market for, seeing as I want something asap but cant aford all 8 at once... Any thoughts on the Radial J Rak? It states that it is just a housing for the DI's, and that you can choose from the DI's to mount in the rack.... It lists the model numbers J48 and JDI as the DI boxes I can mount in it.... So the J48 is an active phantom powered box, and the JDI as a passive box... which do you guys suppose would be better suited for my situation?

Thanks again for all of your input...

Mike the Redfrodevil
 
In general I would go with an active DI. Just make sure you are using it with a console that supplies stable phantom power. However, there have been occasions where gear just does not seem to be happy with an active box, but a passive fits just fine. It looks like the whole radial rack design is a pretty cool concept since it allows you to convert boxes back and forth. My guess though is that this will be a little more expensive than buying a rack solution that was already fitted (and designed from the get go to be that way). If the pricing was the same I might be tempted to go with the Radial just because I could mix and match (for me I would want 6 channels of Active and 2 channels of passive), and could add on as i could afford it. However, if the BSS comes out to be more than 15% cheaper on a per channel cost I would just wait and go the BSS route. Plus, you could split the location up of 2 single space 4 channel racks if it needed to be that way. But then again with the radial, if one channel goes out you don't have to send a 4 space unit back for repairs (cutting 3 of your channels temporarily well the one was being fixed). I can really see reasons for both. Both DI's will sound great. My personal preference is for the BSS, but that is also based on a lot of experiences with BSS equipment, including DI's, and is admittedly a little biased towards BSS. My gut says both solutions are awesome and maybe make the decision based on budget in this issue.
 
Oh, and another thing---

I found the 6 DI channel JD6, which states it is 6 of the JDI boxes in one... anything i should be aware of about this box? pros and cons in relation to the J Rak?

thanks guys, you rock as usual.

Mike the Redfrodevil
 
thanks for the info--i think im going to stick with your advice and go with the bbs... pricing on the radial unit is getting a bit steap at 179 bucks for each DI x 8 = no money for food for the month ;)

I'll let you know how it all turns out...

Mike the Redfrodevil
 
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