The best DI box for bass

[SteveC]

I've tried to like the BDDI but I just don't get a sound I like.

Love the Avalon but just hate the thought of dragging it around.

The REDDI is certainly a favorite around here but it, too, is large and expensive.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by SteveC

I've tried to like the BDDI but I just don't get a sound I like.

Love the Avalon but just hate the thought of dragging it around.

The REDDI is certainly a favorite around here but it, too, is large and expensive.

True. And really, it's all about you and how you play, not the gear you use. But in the grand scheme of things, it's not so bad lugging around a big DI. Now lugging a big DI, an SVT, an 810, and an upright...

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

But in the grand scheme of things, it's not so bad lugging around a big DI.

This is true. I am a bit obsessed about keeping my load in/out as small, light and one trip-able as possible but I suppose I shouldn't do it to the detriment of my sound.

Then again, will anyone really hear the difference between an Avalon U5 and a Radial JDI at church or when I'm doing background jazz at some restaurant?

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by SteveC

This is true. I am a bit obsessed about keeping my load in/out as small, light and one trip-able as possible but I suppose I shouldn't do it to the detriment of my sound.

Then again, will anyone really hear the difference between an Avalon U5 and a Radial JDI at church or when I'm doing background jazz at some restaurant?

They might. People certainly notice the difference between a $500 stereo and the sound in the control room at Abbey Road Never been one for playing to the lowest common denominator at my gigs.

[Swipter]

Never heard of most of these until this thead. I use an Eden WTDI. I used to lug my Eden 405 and just used the DI with no cabs. Got old. I like Eden sound so I went with it and got their DI pedal. I also like the compressor and eq on the pedal. All sounds real good through the church system.

[Jerry Ziarko]

Originally Posted by SteveC

Then again, will anyone really hear the difference between an Avalon U5 and a Radial JDI at church or when I'm doing background jazz at some restaurant?

Honestly, probably not. When I hear something live, I know if the bass sounds good to me or not. As a player, I'm interested how they got there. The average listener on the other hand, most likely could care less. I've heard my bass out front with several different DI's over the years. Most of them sounded quite good, with few exceptions. I've also heard them all through IEM's. EVERYTHING else is a distant second compared to the REDDI in this context. (IEM) I've had compliments on my sound FOH. Would anyone think it was much less with a different DI, my guess is no. But I do believe with it, it's about the best it can be.

[Konigstiger22]

Paradriver or Countryman 85 for me

[Highpost]

Originally Posted by Konigstiger22

Paradriver or Countryman 85 for me

I still want a para driver .

[georgestrings]

Originally Posted by Konigstiger22

Paradriver or Countryman 85 for me

I have the Countryman, and think the Paradriver is "pretty good", but if I wanted a "preamp type" of DI, I would pick the Tonehammer or Microbass II before the Paradriver...


- georgestrings

[svtb15]

+1..
I did try the Evil Twin too.. A buddy of mine has a studio with his Evil Twin and the REDDI... I also brought my REDDI along..
The two REDDI's sounded identical..
The Evil Twin was also Very good... BUT we wound up using the REDDI.. Less Knobs, less tweaking and fiddling around... The REDDI just has great tone right out of the box.. No knob twisting ect.
He also has two SVTs and an old B15... ( one of the old svts were mine)

We mic'd the B15 with a Neuman 87and RE20.. I still dont understand the REDDI = B15 thing that people talk about..It sounds different to me.. But , that's OK...

I found the REDDI adds low end heft without boominess or harsh glassiness and yet retains upper high end clarity/ transparency and urgency that others i have tried dont have..
Im not saying that the others are not any good. Because i am not. Im just saying that the REDDI is what I like...and its easy peasy 123. no tricks and knobs and impedance matching dials or roll off buttons EQ curve switches etc. as in some boxes .. Just play and go...

Originally Posted by Jerry Ziarko

Try a REDDI with IEM's, a mic'd b15 is exactly what comes to mind. Also, I couldn't agree more with Jimmy about the higher notes. I've used a Countryman, a JDI, a Cable Factory, (my favorite passive DI ever) and none of them sound as thick as the REDDI with IEM's. The notes are not boomy, but instead have a slight girth to them which sound like a well mic'd 15.

[hopeless_opus]

Happy BDDI user here. I can see how it's not for everyone, but it's a big part of my sound.

The nicest DI I've tracked through was the Evil Twin, GREAT tube DI, not sure if they still make them though. The Avalon and Little Labs Multi-Z are very cool as well. I haven't had a chance to try the REDDI yet.

Of the usual "stage" suspects, the Countryman is hard to beat.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by svtb15

+1..
I did try the Evil Twin too.. A buddy of mine has a studio with his Evil Twin and the REDDI... I also brought my REDDI along..
The two REDDI's sounded identical..
The Evil Twin was also Very good... BUT we wound up using the REDDI.. Less Knobs, less tweaking and fiddling around... The REDDI just has great tone right out of the box.. No knob twisting ect.
He also has two SVTs and an old B15... ( one of the old svts were mine)

We mic'd the B15 with a Neuman 87and RE20.. I still dont understand the REDDI = B15 thing that people talk about..It sounds different to me.. But , that's OK...

It's a lot more apparent when you speaker level DI the B-15 and run it dead clean instead of running it through a 15" that cuts sub lows and everything past 4k. If you took a B-15 and set it with the REDDI's EQ and run it direct into the board, I think you'd totally hear the similarity. The REDDI's a little quieter than my B-15, but other than that, I'd be hard pressed to tell the difference if both are set equal.

[RobbieNuke]

I have an ART Levelar (tube compressor) in my set-up. Although it has both a Hi-Z (1/4") and Lo-Z (XLR) output, I cannot use both outputs simultaneously despite the owners manual statement that they can... doing so creates a very noisy output signal for some reason. I originally wanted to use it at the end of my FX chain; one signal to my amp, the other as a DI to the PA. Instead, I have to use my MXR M-80 as the last device... using both Lo and Hi-Z outputs simultaneously from this unit is noiseless.

[valipe]

I'm using Radials (JDI, Bassbone And J48). Simple And good sounding boxes.

[srxplayer]

I use my Sansamp B.D.D.I. but most professional sound people prefer to take a clean signal so I also have Radial J48 with me in my gear just in case. I second the suggestion on the Radials. Countryman D.I. boxes are something I would also recommend. The Radials and Countryman boxes are the industry standard and you won't get that concerned look from the sound crew when you point at your Sansamp or other Preamp/DI box.

However, a lot depends on the sound crew and the type of gear they run. The real pros will usually have a concern and will have their own D.I. that they want you to use. Small clubs and churches usually don't have a clue or don't care what you use because they don't have a budget to support high end gear. As long as it's a DI box and they can plug an XLR cable into it you're Gold.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by srxplayer

I use my Sansamp B.D.D.I. but most professional sound people prefer to take a clean signal so I also have Radial J48 with me in my gear just in case. I second the suggestion on the Radials. Countryman D.I. boxes are something I would also recommend. The Radials and Countryman boxes are the industry standard and you won't get that concerned look from the sound crew when you point at your Sansamp or other Preamp/DI box.

What the soundman wants for my sound is pretty low on my priority list. I want MY sound, and I can't say the soundman's opinion enters into it. But I can't say I ever got any resistance from a soundman for wanting to use a Sansamp back when I was using one, and I've done quite a few things that have gotten resistance from soundmen.

[Tommaso]

I love Avalon U5! I've been using it for almost 10 years at church and records, always have a great sound!

[bassfootballguy]

I have used Radial, Countryman, Sansamp, and Sadowsky's preamplifier/DI pedal. I like the Sadowsky best because the DI is clean and you can get great tonality adjustment.

[Chef]

I pretty much always use the DI on my Mesa or GK heads.
I always send the post eq feed; but, I don't do anything very dramatic with my eq; I typically cut lowest bass a bit, boost mids a tad, treble upper treble a hair.

I do carry a passive radial JDI for sound guys that really, really, really don't want the signal from the amp, pre or post........

Those have been few and far between; if I ask nice and bat my eyes just right, I generally get waht I want.

[Handyman]

Originally Posted by Chef

Those have been few and far between; if I ask nice and bat my eyes just right, I generally get waht I want.

Well, some of us don't have your good looks for charming the sound guy.