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Best DI to Play Live WITHOUT Amp?

#62
I'll re-bump my recommendation for the Tone Hammer DI. I seriously no of no better DI for a bass player to use, period. I can run off phantom bower or 18v batteries. If you use it "disengaged", then it is a pristine active DI with zero coloration. If you engage the DI with EQ flat and AGS off, then it offers a very subtle curve (that Aguilar sound) that makes basses sit so well in a live mix. The extreme highs are reduced slightly and the boomy lows are curtailed, combined with a very slight bump in the low mids. It's instant "nice-bass" tone. Of course then you can use the EQ to sculpt your tone. As if that weren't enough, then you can engage the AGS circuit which is essentially like turning on a vintage speaker simulator. It tightens the bass further while rolling off the top end even further, but it also adds a 2.5khz peak into the tone which accentuates the clarity and gives that vintage glassy bass tone. You can then EQ that tone further, and use the Gain knob set at the lowest for a clean vintage tone, or dial it up from some grit to full on overdrive. Overdrive is always a subject thing, but the vintage sound of the Tone Hammer pedal is darn near perfect, without all the scoop baked in as with the Sansamp and VT pedals. If you want it scooped, well that's what the mid controls are for. Scoop it where you want it, as much as you want it.

It's just a killer product that never really took off like it should have largely because people expected to be able to use the AGS circuit like as an on/off overdrive toggle which it is not meant to do.

My Tone Hammer pedal is always in my gig bag. It replaced a JDI and J48 that I previously carried around "just in case". The Tone Hammer does what those two DI's did and does it even better thanks to the flexibility. Like the fantastic Radial DI's, the Tone Hammer has never once failed me.
 
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#63
JimmyM said:
a couple weeks ago, i'd have totally agreed and i still do to a certain extent. but this new jule amps monique preamp is like a reddi with the b-15 treble cut, and you can send it through the xlr out AND the 1/4" out, which i've always considered a major design flaw in the reddi. not cheap at $1300, but man o manoshevitz!
Click to expand...
Spoke out of school on this one a little bit...the Monique I later found out has a separate tube-powered circuit for plugging into a power amp for your rig that doesn't go through the output transformer like the XLR signal. Certainly not going to bag on the Monique at all since Jule is a pal and it's a fantastic preamp regardless. But apparently there is a reason that the REDDI and Monique don't pass the sound to the rig from the OT. I don't know what the reason is, not being a tech, but there you go.

Apologies for the previous misinfo.
 
#64
Eublet said:
I'll re-bump my recommendation for the Tone Hammer DI. I seriously no of no better DI for a bass player to use, period. I can run off phantom bower or 18v batteries. If you use it "disengaged", then it is a pristine active DI with zero coloration. If you engage the DI with EQ flat and AGS off, then it offers a very subtle curve (that Aguilar sound) that makes basses sit so well in a live mix. The extreme highs are reduced slightly and the boomy lows are curtailed, combined with a very slight bump in the low mids. It's instant "nice-bass" tone. Of course then you can use the EQ to sculpt your tone. As if that weren't enough, then you can engage the AGS circuit which is essentially like turning on a vintage speaker simulator. It tightens the bass further while rolling off the top end even further, but it also adds a 2.5khz peak into the tone which accentuates the clarity and gives that vintage glassy bass tone. You can then EQ that tone further, and use the Gain knob set at the lowest for a clean vintage tone, or dial it up from some grit to full on overdrive. Overdrive is always a subject thing, but the vintage sound of the Tone Hammer pedal is darn near perfect, without all the scoop baked in as with the Sansamp and VT pedals. If you want it scooped, well that's what the mid controls are for. Scoop it where you want it, as much as you want it.

It's just a killer product that never really took off like it should have largely because people expected to be able to use the AGS circuit like as an on/off overdrive toggle which it is not meant to do.

My Tone Hammer pedal is always in my gig bag. It replaced a JDI and J48 that I previously carried around "just in case". The Tone Hammer does what those two DI's did and does it even better thanks to the flexibility. Like the fantastic Radial DI's, the Tone Hammer has never once failed me.
Click to expand...
This is what I call a well-argued review
 
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#65
franksapene said:
This is what I call a well-argued review
Click to expand...

Definitely. And I have to agree. (Except I do wish it was possible to set both the clean and AGS tones on the pedal to match. IMO, etc etc etc.) I find it hard not to always use my TH. It's sooooo freakin' easy to use. Which is a big plus for us walnut sized brain people.

I'm going to use @Eublet's Reddi setting today. I've do something very similar with the only diff being I set the mid level at 11:30 for a slight cut in the low mids. Good stuff!
 
#66
TonyP- said:
I have used the Radial JDV without an amp but that was for small venues with good monitoring.
Click to expand...
Since I posted this almost 5 years ago I have since started using the RMI Basswitch and the JDV for the most part for reamping in the studio.

Link Removed

I have never seen a more useful tool for bass players live.
 
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#67
TonyP- said:
Since I posted this almost 5 years ago I have since started using the RMI Basswitch and the JDV for the most part for reamping in the studio.

Link Removed

I have never seen a more useful tool for bass players live.
Click to expand...


Always wanted to try one. Almost hit one a few months back but decided on the Grace Felix. The Felix is more money but has features I want/use often.

This thread is still relevant today, even more so, what with the proliferation of IEM's and old backs not wanting to schlep gear. We're lucky to have so many quality choices at our disposal, no?

BTW, @TonyP- , you ever use the Sonic Spark? Curious about those.
 
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#69
Turn Em Loose said:
Always wanted to try one. Almost hit one a few months back but decided on the Grace Felix. The Felix is more money but has features I want/use often.

This thread is still relevant today, even more so, what with the proliferation of IEM's and old backs not wanting to schlep gear. We're lucky to have so many quality choices at our disposal, no?

BTW, @TonyP- , you ever use the Sonic Spark? Curious about those.
Click to expand...
I have, but not in a formal setting...I loved what I heard though.
Nice for someone looking for another 'tone' but not another outright effect in an instant.
I don't own one but I see that changing in the future (when I build my next board...).
 
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#70
Turn Em Loose said:
I'm going to use @Eublet's Reddi setting today. I've do something very similar with the only diff being I set the mid level at 11:30 for a slight cut in the low mids. Good stuff!
Click to expand...
Share Your result with this...
I absolutely love the REDDI and to me its the FULLEST sounding DI I have ever heard. Mine has primarily only been used in the studio though.
 
#71
I was using the Avalon U5 and/or RMI BassWitch. I tried the Reddi, sold the U5 and couldn't be happier. The Reddi just sits so well in the mix regardless of passive or active basses. I did keep the RMI though, it's like a safety net that I take everywhere.
 
#73
I'm happy with my Two Notes audio engineering "LeBass" preamp, it also has a built in Cab sim (Ampeg 810 sounding), the preamp itself reminds me of a Mesa but with fender style tone stack on the clean channel.
If you really want to dial in your sound, add a torpedo CAB pedal have have the LeBass control the other cab sim via midi. It's designed specifically for "no amp" guitarists/bassists.
 
#75
TonyP- said:
Share Your result with this...
I absolutely love the REDDI and to me its the FULLEST sounding DI I have ever heard. Mine has primarily only been used in the studio though.
Click to expand...

Well....Like I said, I can't compare to the Reddi. But the setting sounds quite fabulous! Send me your Reddi and I'll A/B them. :)

And I'll add that the TH sounds great with upright, too!
 
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