Bass head D.I. out into mixer connection

[DirkP]

Most answers are - sorry - plain wrong. With this exception:

I don't see the problem. XLR from the amp DI output into XLR on the mixer. Then use the mic channel input gain to set the correct gain into the channel. You may need to turn the gain down quite a bit, but that's why the control is there.

The purpose of a DI is to change instrument level to mic-level, the reason is that mic-level signals don't degrade in quality even over very long cable-lenghts (up to a mile and more). So if you want to connect the DI out of an amp or a dedicated DI-box to a mixer, you have to use the mic-input and in this case the XLR-in. It is nonsense to connect the output of a DI to the line-in - in this case TRS - of a mixer.
Mic-ins don't have to be XLR and line-ins don't have to be TRS, but in most cases they are.

 

[bassalien]

Most answers are - sorry - plain wrong. With this exception:


The purpose of a DI is to change instrument level to mic-level, the reason is that mic-level signals don't degrade in quality even over very long cable-lengths (up to a mile and more). So if you want to connect the DI out of an amp or a dedicated DI-box to a mixer, you have to use the mic-input and in this case the XLR-in. It is nonsense to connect the output of a DI to the line-in - in this case TRS - of a mixer.
Mic-ins don't have to be XLR and line-ins don't have to be TRS, but in most cases they are.

Actually the purpose of a DI is to carry the signal over a balanced signal with 2 signals that are 180 degrees out of phase and a shielded ground, so that interference can be cancelled out by delivering only the delta signal, known as "differential signaling".

This can be done at mic level or at line level, and actually balanced line-level can travel even further than balanced mic-level. I mentioned earlier to only connect the XLR output to a line-level input, but in reality it depends. I just figured it's safer than blowing out a mic level input.

You should read your equipment manuals to know what signal is being output, as DI XLR out can be either.
Ampeg amps list theirs as line level. From their manuals:
The DI XLR out is "TRANSFORMER XLR LINE OUTPUT".

Others are listed as mic level.
Either way it's safe to start with the gain on the input all the way down and raise it slowly before clipping occurs.

Also, as I mentioned before, if you want to completely bypass the mic preamp circuitry on most computer sound interfaces, you have to use a 1/4" input (though it can usually be TRS) adapter from the XLR output of the DI or preamp.

Mic preamps don't usually color the sound too much except near clipping levels, so it's best to try either one and see if you can detect or prefer one over the other. Some prefer the warm tone a mic preamp imparts on signals near clipping.

 

[DirkP]

Actually the purpose of a DI is to carry the signal over a balanced signal with 2 signals that are 180 degrees out of phase and a shielded ground, so that interference can be cancelled out by delivering only the delta signal, known as "differential signaling".

This can be done at mic level or at line level, and actually balanced line-level can travel even further than balanced mic-level. I mentioned earlier to only connect the XLR output to a line-level input, but in reality it depends. I just figured it's safer than blowing out a mic level input.

You should read your equipment manuals to know what signal is being output, as DI XLR out can be either.
Ampeg amps list theirs as line level. From their manuals:
The DI XLR out is "TRANSFORMER XLR LINE OUTPUT".

Others are listed as mic level.
Either way it's safe to start with the gain on the input all the way down and raise it slowly before clipping occurs.

Also, as I mentioned before, if you want to completely bypass the mic preamp circuitry on most computer sound interfaces, you have to use a 1/4" input (though it can usually be TRS) adapter from the XLR output of the DI or preamp.

Mic preamps don't usually color the sound too much except near clipping levels, so it's best to try either one and see if you can detect or prefer one over the other. Some prefer the warm tone a mic preamp imparts on signals near clipping.

People like me, who start a message with bold words, should be cautious to give accurate information
You're correct, a DI isn't defined by having a mic-level out as I presumed, but by having a symmetric, balanced out.
But to my defense: in the real world, most DI-outs of amps and most outputs of the standard DI-boxes have an output signal at mic-level.
I guess the reason is that most live boards had / have a mic-input on every channel.