DI for my pedal board?

[complexprocess]

I'm looking for a DI to have on hand in case one isn't available when I'm playing at a club. Here's the sitch:

I play through a programmable sansamp BDDI which has a decent direct out on it. However, I usually run a compressor and some effects after the sansamp, and I want those to get to the board as well. My amp has a decent DI, but I've found that some soundmen are resistant to using an amp's DI. So like I said, I want something simple and small to have on hand so I can just drop down my pedalboard, plug the through into my amp and the out into the club's cable snake if needed. It's only for live applications and I'm rarely in a room where sound quality is critical, but of course I'd rather not sound awful.

Is something like the IMP2 good enough for this, or should I go up to the radial ProDI? Maybe I need an active DI instead? I just don't know. Any advice?

[coolrunner989]

I assume your signal path is going bass -> sansamp -> comp/pedals -> amp

if so, just put your sansamp after your pedals and call it a day, or convince the sound guy(s) to use the amps DI. This is how I run it and it sounds great.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by coolrunner989

just put your sansamp after your pedals and call it a day

+1, especially since the Sansamp is sort of an amp modeler.

[complexprocess]

Thanks for the quick responses guys. I always wrestle with that option, but that means I'll be running some compression or limiting before the sansamp. One of the things I like about the sansamp is that it's somewhat responsive to my playing. I can get a bit more grit by digging in, which I like to take advantage of. I'm concerned that by compressing up front I'll lose some of that. I'll try that out next time I'm playing through my whole rig, but in the meantime any more info about direct boxes would be great.

Maybe I should run Bass > 3 channel sansamp > comp > effects > single channel sansamp > board and amp. I happen to have an extra sansamp kicking around. Anyone know if the DI still functions properly on a sansamp when the eq/emulation are bypassed?

[complexprocess]

Just wanted to update everyone on where I ended up on this. I took CoolRunner's advice and just stuck the SansAmp at the end of the chain. I dialed the limiter down to so that digging in doesn't trigger it but unexpected spikes do, and it's been working pretty well with the way I've been playing lately. Played a show this weekend and was happy to plug my pedalboard directly into the PA and have it just work. I still have my amp's full range of adjustments available for personal monitoring without having to worry about messing with the house mix. Thanks for the great suggestion (and it meant I didn't have to buy anything new, which is always bittersweet for me )

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by complexprocess

...it meant I didn't have to buy anything new, which is always bittersweet for me

We can all relate to that!

[D.Don]

Originally Posted by complexprocess

I'm looking for a DI to have on hand in case one isn't available when I'm playing at a club. Here's the sitch:

I play through a programmable sansamp BDDI which has a decent direct out on it. However, I usually run a compressor and some effects after the sansamp, and I want those to get to the board as well. My amp has a decent DI, but I've found that some soundmen are resistant to using an amp's DI. So like I said, I want something simple and small to have on hand so I can just drop down my pedalboard, plug the through into my amp and the out into the club's cable snake if needed. It's only for live applications and I'm rarely in a room where sound quality is critical, but of course I'd rather not sound awful.

Is something like the IMP2 good enough for this, or should I go up to the radial ProDI? Maybe I need an active DI instead? I just don't know. Any advice?

The choir usually sings Radial JDI or Countryman, I have ordered a JDI for home recording, haven't received it yet though.

D.Don

[SteveC]

Some peopl ehave had problems with low output on th eRadial JDI. I had one and didn't have a problem. They are nice. However, I used an IMP at church last week and it sounded fine.

[excane]

+1 to putting the sansamp at the end of the chain.

If you want to try something new, the MXR Bass DI is a nice piece.