BAE VGDI: Anybody tried/got one?

[blastbass]

I'm v curious especially since it's not ridiculously priced (I think) and would appreciate any feedback:

 

[silky smoove]

A quality DI (based on the manufacturer's reputation) with specs very similar to a Radial JDI (unless I missed it and this is an active box), but with the very odd inclusion of a hard wired 1/4"...? If you're going to hard wire an output cable to the box, why would you use a 1/4" rather than an XLR?

For my purposes I would just get a Radial JDI and call it a day. The hard wired cable thing would really bug me.

 

[blastbass]

Thanks @silky smoove , I use a J48. I think this one's made more for studios. But yeah, still, a detachable cable works better. It is passive.

 

[silky smoove]

I wouldn't sweat anything being "made for studios" as you put it. A J48 will work just fine in the studio or on a live stage. I highly doubt you would see any benefit, or likely much of a difference at all between the VGDI and your J48, especially once you got it into the mix. When it comes to DIs, as long as you've got a quality, well-built, transformer isolated product (your J48 meets all of those requirements), you're basically good to go. The caveat to that is when you get into heavily colored DIs that provide a very specific "thing" to your sound. The infamous REDDI immediately comes to mind. They're wonderful, but they're really a different thing than a neutral DI like a J48, a JDI, a Type 85, or this VGDI (I'm making an assumption with the VGDI as I've never actually used one).

 

[blastbass]

I wouldn't sweat anything being "made for studios" as you put it. A J48 will work just fine in the studio or on a live stage. I highly doubt you would see any benefit, or likely much of a difference at all between the VGDI and your J48, especially once you got it into the mix. When it comes to DIs, as long as you've got a quality, well-built, transformer isolated product (your J48 meets all of those requirements), you're basically good to go. The caveat to that is when you get into heavily colored DIs that provide a very specific "thing" to your sound. The infamous REDDI immediately comes to mind. They're wonderful, but they're really a different thing than a neutral DI like a J48, a JDI, a Type 85, or this VGDI (I'm making an assumption with the VGDI as I've never actually used one).

Yes, I have used the J48 in both situations and it usually works fine. I tried the reddi and personally didn't like it much. If I wanted colour I'd go for the two notes tordedo and use the cab sims etc. Thanks again, I wanted to know exactly that, how it would compare to the J48 etc. There are a lot of DI's in the market these days and sometimes some of the decently priced stuff turns out to be really good (like some of the peavey stuff )

 

[silky smoove]

For my money, in the world of clean DIs all that matters is input impedance, sufficient headroom, and signal to noise ratio. Everything beyond that is marketing fluff, or elements that get into the world of DIs that provide color. If I want it clean, neutral, transparent, etc. give me a Radial JDI/J48, or a Countryman 85 and I'll smile. For color give me a REDDI, P-15, Monique, etc. or any channel strip.

 

[svtb15]

I use a REDDI. I was in session last Thursday doing bass tracks for an upcoming record. Bass Player Billy Sheehan was also working on teh same record.. He is doing the crazy stuff and Im doing the semi normal stuff. He uses a BAE DMP.. But he used my REDDI.. it sounded great

But there is no reason that a Countryman wouldn't be teh perfect thing