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Can a DI box replace an amp?

#22
In terms of importance, My D.I. (Radial JDI) has already replaced my rig. The rig still remains vital as a stage monitor, though. I always work with a P.A. so that's how it turned out for me. I'm even scaling down the rig some more now. If I'm playing clubs (which is 99% of the time) there's generally not gonna be that much stage space anyway. But back to the point. These days, I can't live without a good D.I., but I can live without a massive rig.
 
#23
I talked to my teacher about this and het got the following points

-Most good Amps also have a good DI
-monitors don't always give enogh bass
-The PA systems in the venues I will play in (as a begginner) will most likely not be very good, and those with a good PA will most likely also have good DI boxes
-and last but not least, who can trust a soundman for his sound :P

And the pro's for a preamp/DI box is that they are relatively cheap and they are no trouble to take with you.

So it basicly seems like a matter of trust and self-convenience...
damn, I guess I'll be heading to the bass store soon to test some stuff...
thanks for all your replies


Just one thing, I thinks I read somewhere around here about owning or even making your own monitor, will it be appreciate by a soundguy/gal if you take your own, and does this give enough monitoring power for your band mates in comparison to bringing a rig?
 
#24
My perspective is that my amp and cab are there for my benefit; in other words, it's just there for on stage monitoring. Of course, this is the case when there is a PA.

If there were good sound guys in the clubs that I normally play I would much prefer to haul around a DI. Unfortunately, I can't count on having a decent sound guy so I usually have them mic my cab and run off the DI on my amp.
 
#25
8mmOD said:
I use a Sansamp BDDI > PA whenever possible. I have found that on the biggest stages, pretty much all of playback is heard through only the monitors anyway... unless I am standing right in front of my bass cab.
Click to expand...

You might want to try a Schroeder 210212L. When you do you will hear your bass clearly... everywhere! The presence is really quite remarkable. To experience omni-present bass tone on huge stages for me is it's own reward. It's worth the effort of transporting one 72# cabinet and a head to me. It allows me to be musical from the inside out. It is what my band is all about... creating music from the inside out, immersed in it, right up to our receding hairlines.


:hiding:

Funk.....................out!
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/images/smilies/peepwall.gif
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/images/smilies/peepwall.gif
 
#26
Dr Funk said:
You might want to try a Schroeder 210212L. When you do you will hear your bass clearly... everywhere! The presence is really quite remarkable. To experience omni-present bass tone on huge stages for me is it's own reward. It's worth the effort of transporting one 72# cabinet and a head to me. It allows me to be musical from the inside out. It is what my band is all about... creating music from the inside out, immersed in it, right up to our receding hairlines.
Click to expand...

I appreciate that. About a year or so back, I played through the entire collection of Jorg's cabs over at his house and was duely impressed. But stage monitors suit me fine. As long as I can hear what I am playing & it sounds good in the FOH, I am set. :bassist:
 
#27
man, lots of thoughts, lemme see if i can pin mine down:

i run extensively just thru a DI. if you're happy with hearing your bass tones thru the monitors then be my guest. i'm happy and dandy with it, tho sometimes my bandmates/bandleaders are not.

laptop wise, max is a great program and one i'd love to have myself. for my electronica gigs, i run my laptop w/ Native Instruments Guitar Rig 2. the bass patches are terrific, latency is very low, and the ease of use is ridiculously simple. GR2 actually has an output on the included footboard itself, which sounds good and might actually have lower latency, but i usually send my output to an Echo Indigo PCMCIA card, cause i just happen to need more outputs to send to my DJ'ing partner.

from there, i still have to run from my laptop into a DI to interface w/ the PA, so having the sadowsky DI might be a good thing to have regardless.

i personally like the warmth and fatness tubes give me, so usually, i'll pull out my Demeter tube DI, or these days my Summit TD-`100, which give me a fatter, more analog like sound altogether.

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#29
Fretloos said:
any words on bringing your own bass friendly monitor?
Click to expand...

I've heard of people doing this, bringing something like a powered Meyer Sound powered 12" wedge, but then if you share a mix, you have to splice into the wedge-chain somewhere, causing more than likely a nightmare for the sound techs.
If it's your own gig/band deal, probably would be a lot better.
 
#31
bringing your own monitor and a D.I. is really no different than bringing an amp. An amp is a preamp a power amp and a speaker. A d.i. is a preamp, if you are going to have a power amp and a speaker(monitor) you might as well just use a bass amp, unless you really like the sound you get with the monitor. Which brings me to my second point. Don't rely on gear magazines and advice to make your decision, rely on your ear, if you like the idea of a sansamp, take your bass to the store and play a sansamp. If you want to be extremely dirt simple try using a tube preamp, not a bass one, just a mic one. If you like your basses basic sound this may suffice.
 
#33
peter G said:
why don't you spend your money on the best:
good sounding/quaility-lightweight combo you can afford. Either use it's DI or if you feel the need add another DI/pedalboard to get your sound.Then you'll have stage monitor/pratice amp,about all you need to start with.
Click to expand...

That's what I did. I always have a PA so I just need a practice/monitor amp and a combo fits the bill. I use a Radial JDI which sounds great. Total cost, less than $600. I wish I would have figured this out years ago.
 
#34
SteveC said:
That's what I did. I always have a PA so I just need a practice/monitor amp and a combo fits the bill. I use a Radial JDI which sounds great. Total cost, less than $600. I wish I would have figured this out years ago.
Click to expand...

I like my Avalon, but the JDI would be my second choice if I needed to free up some cash.
 
#35
XtraLongScale said:
In terms of importance, My D.I. (Radial JDI) has already replaced my rig. The rig still remains vital as a stage monitor, though. I always work with a P.A. so that's how it turned out for me. I'm even scaling down the rig some more now. If I'm playing clubs (which is 99% of the time) there's generally not gonna be that much stage space anyway. But back to the point. These days, I can't live without a good D.I., but I can live without a massive rig.
Click to expand...

I agree. 100%
 
#39
I dunno the idea of just completely NOT using an amp ...

Now I admit the whole amp thing has its camps I hear on TB about all the guys using great old skool rigs SVTs Sunns and such, and I must admit that's where my heart is ... and from that to nothing giving it all up to the sound guy.

I can't give it up, well not totally anyway... we played a room recently with a huge system, could have easily just done the DI thing. Something about having an amp though ... locking with the drummer, having stage presence etc: ... So I about always bring mine, it's small about the size of a Fender Deluxe and you can hear it all over the stage, so even when you have 8 foot tall and 16 foot wide speaker banks driven by mega watts I still use it ... It's a GK 1001RB driving a Euphonic Audio VL-208.


:smug: ... That nite the sound guy both miked and used a DI on it woof!
 

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