passive/active DI suggestions

Ozonbass · #1 08-11-2010, 06:05 PM

I'm looking for a DI that will work with passive and active basses...tried a fruitless search but I'm sure I was using wrong terms and strange abbreviations

bongomania · #2 08-11-2010, 06:16 PM

All DI's will work fine with either passive or active basses. The only caveats are:
--A passive DI drops the level of your signal, so they are not recommended for low-output basses.
--Some active DI's can be prone to clipping if you feed them a very hot input, so you'll want to check that out if you have a very high-output bass.

Ozonbass · #3 08-11-2010, 06:24 PM

Thanks for that clarification...so, I typically use a Birdsong and a DB-with a Realist...I should go with an active DI...would a Radial J48 do it? I use a loooper for the basses so probably don't need a two channel DI.

Chasarms · #4 08-11-2010, 06:26 PM

I use an LR Baggs para-acoustic DI with my DB (with a full circle) I get a very natural tone. It's active, runs off phantom. Has a nice little EQ. I love it.

RickenBoogie · #5 08-11-2010, 06:26 PM

An "active" DI, like the MXR Bass DI+ has the advantage of some eq control, and not too many basses, even 18volt active basses, have a "too hot" output. These are broad generalizations, but maybe useful.

Ozonbass · #6 08-11-2010, 06:39 PM

Thanks for the info....I don't have a chance to have PA support too often, but am working on a project that it would be great not to have to schlep anything big.

vin*tone · #7 08-24-2010, 06:43 PM

I've got a Baggs on loan here and it's great on both DB and BG. Seriously - I don't understand why more people don't use this for BG??

It's got a really powerful EQ: 3 way shelving and 2 sweepable parametrics, Pre level, output level, FX loop.... I even plugged a set of headphones into it last night for giggles and gave a decent level cranked (needs a mono-stereo adaptor), top quality DI.... all in a tiny package.

Seriously - with a few minor tweaks - (eq points perhaps and relabelling "presence" and "notch" to something more BG appropriate), change the phase switch to pre/post, add an EQ bypass switch, paint the thing blue, write "BASS" on the front and they've got a product which kills most other bass pre pedals on the market.