Best direct box for $200 or Less?

[CLMSHQ]

I am in the market for a good direct box. For the better part of 7 months I have been playing through my direct in the back of my Fender Bassman 300T...Problem is with the Tube Power of this amp and no ground, most soundmen say I come in too HOT, and usually want to give me a direct box which I do not have total control over.
I had a Sansamp about 7years ago and it was not bad but I have been looking at others to purchase instead.....Any Suggestions?
I have been looking at: MXR M-80, BBE, SD Paranormal, Radials.....If it matters- I use Fender Passive Basses with Flats.

[BadB]

Radial makes a really good one. Several, in fact. Just match your budget.

[RickenBoogie]

Everyone will have a favorite, you should just research some and go with what sounds good. I don't think there's one particular DI that's significantly better than all the rest, but there are alot of different features. I like the MXR M80 because of the eq and distortion channel, and the fact the distortion has a blend. Alot of people hate that distortion, so see, it's a personal taste thing. You gotta go check some out for yourself.

[bongomania]

If you use the "Google Talkbass" search function (not the regular search) and search on "DI" over in the Amps and Effects forums you'll find a boatload of good info.

Couple of points:
1) The "tube power" of your amp has exactly nothing to do with the line out on the amp. It's just a hot line-level circuit, designed that way. The fact that it's not grounded is what tells me it's probably an unbalanced line-level signal, not a mic-level signal which is what a normal DI puts out.
2) DI's can be simple balancing devices or they can have a ton of tone-shaping features. You'll need to decide whether you do or don't want tone-shaping which would feed the PA, maybe interfering with the soundman's idea of EQ; as well as possibly feeding your regular amp, which could add noise and EQ complication to your onstage rig. Once you've decided what tone-shaping features you do or don't want, that will narrow things down and make your purchasing decision a lot easier.

[BadB]

What he said.

[coolrunner989]

Originally Posted by BadB

What he said.

for some reason I find this extremely funny. Maybe it's because there's so many "+1"'s around here lol.

Anywho - I'm very happy with my sansamp, maybe you should pick one up again and see if your memory serves you correct in how you remembered disliking it.

goodluck and happy hunting

[Jim Carr]

Originally Posted by bongomania

...DI's can be simple balancing devices or they can have a ton of tone-shaping features. You'll need to decide whether you do or don't want tone-shaping which would feed the PA, maybe interfering with the soundman's idea of EQ...

+1

I would add this: IME, only about 1 in 3 soundmen will tolerate a DI that does anything except passively balance. You will be handed a Radial JDI or a Countryman type 85 DI. Period.

Then, as you have realized, no EQ from anything other than the pots on your bass (and fingers) goes to the soundboard. However, what comes out to FOH might STILL be great.

The use of a DI in that kind of situation does not harm your onstage amp sound, per se, except if the rest of the stage is totally dependent on monitors other than your amp--which actually is common on large stages in front of noisy crowds (not a problem I often have).


Moral of story: Get a good passive DI like a Countryman type 85 (~$170) AND become independent of any major EQ on your amp.

[zombywoof5050]

Originally Posted by Jim Carr

Moral of story: Get a good passive DI like a Countryman type 85 (~$170) AND become independent of any major EQ on your amp.

Isn't the Countryman type 85 active?

[allexcosta]

Originally Posted by coolrunner989

for some reason I find this extremely funny. Maybe it's because there's so many "+1"'s around here lol

+1

[Jim Carr]

Originally Posted by zombywoof5050

Isn't the Countryman type 85 active?

oops, right! You can use phantom or 9v power.

Power Requirements:
+48V at 0.4mA on microphone line or 1.5mA
from a 9V battery (300 HourLife)


It is passive in the more generic sense of not offering any pre-amp/EQ like a SansAmp Para DI.

[nastyn8c]

+1 to the Radial suggestion. I use a Bassbone and it kills.

[Blues Bass 2]

Countrymans are really great,I used to have one before I got a Sans Amp BDDI.The Sansamp is a good DI too and you can switch the output from EQed to straight from the bass so it satisfies most sound men.

[Kelly Lee]

Another vote for the Countryman Type 85 DI. It's an excellent box.

[vicenzajay]

Originally Posted by CLMSHQ

I am in the market for a good direct box. For the better part of 7 months I have been playing through my direct in the back of my Fender Bassman 300T...Problem is with the Tube Power of this amp and no ground, most soundmen say I come in too HOT, and usually want to give me a direct box which I do not have total control over.
I had a Sansamp about 7years ago and it was not bad but I have been looking at others to purchase instead.....Any Suggestions?
I have been looking at: MXR M-80, BBE, SD Paranormal, Radials.....If it matters- I use Fender Passive Basses with Flats.

To save up the money for the DI....Jon at naiant.com does a very nifty inline attenuator that plugs directly into your line-out XLR. You can choose from -10/-20/-40 db attenuators - they are extremely high quality and they cost about 20 bucks or so. If you like the sound of your amp's line level XLR output, and the only gripe is that it is "hot" - that would be a simple, inexpensive, and reliable solution to get the level of the signal down to a mic-level signal.

For DI's - the countryman type-85 mentioned by everyone else is great. Another fantastic DI that really sounds almost exactly like a U-5 is the Simon Systems DB-1A. While it's over $200 new, I bought one used here on TB for quite a bit less than your budget. Wow - it is pristine and opening the case shows a VERY high quality, hand-soldered and wired circuit with no expense spared on the components. It is transformerless and can actually go direct to tape with the +6db option selected. It's headroom is unreal.

Anyway - just thought I'd throw out a couple more options.

Jay

[dancehallclasher]

Originally Posted by Jim Carr

+1

I would add this: IME, only about 1 in 3 soundmen will tolerate a DI that does anything except passively balance. You will be handed a Radial JDI or a Countryman type 85 DI. Period.

Uh, are you kidding? Do these soundmen also forbid you to use effects?

[BellBottomBlues]

Originally Posted by dancehallclasher

Uh, are you kidding? Do these soundmen also forbid you to use effects?

Surprisingly a lot of soundmen do.

I use a Countryman Type 85, I just haven't really found anything else thats tickled my fancy.

As for the OP I play through a similar setup. Fender Bassman 300 tube head and a pair of ampeg SVTE cabs. I usually play P's strung with flats of some sort (usually LaBella's or Roto flats)

The Countryman might be what you're looking for.

PS I don't use many effects aside from the occasional distortion or loop station. I ask the soundman for preference but I like putting my DI post EQ.

[dancehallclasher]

Originally Posted by BellBottomBlues

Surprisingly a lot of soundmen do.

I'm glad I haven't met any yet. That would REALLY piss me off. I don't know about anyone else but my band would leave and tell the venue to shove it.

[BellBottomBlues]

Most boards can add effects, the soundman usually wants to use his junk. Not my rule but some soundmen are ghey

[Seattle_BassMan]

I play a lot of widely diverse venues and I've yet to find a sound man that wouldn't let me run whatever eq, etc that I want. Quite often I'll send the DI out of my Aguilar DB680 POST EQ. I figure if the other musicians can run post eq & effects, then I'm going to send out the sound that I want the FOH to have from me. They can then tweek that to their hearts content. I also use a Radial Bassbone from time to time and really love that DI. I could pretty much show up with my Sadowsky & the Bassbone and be ready for any gig :-)