Countryman Type 85 DI Box

[gregmon79]

Not exactly, no.

The Countryman is a VERY clean DI. It doesn't affect the incoming signal in any way. That means if you plug it into the speaker output of your head, the tone coming out of your amp will be sent directly to the board. It will be a very good representation of your tone before it gets to the speaker cab. It will not sound like a mic on a speaker.

If you want a DI that can be plugged in between head and cab and does sound like a mic on a speaker, you want the Radial JDI or JDX.

Ok, thanks for the clarification. I was looking at the JDX a while back and thought that was the one for me. Then the RNDI came out and I forgot about the JDX.

Maybe the JDX + and LPF would be the ticket......

 

[gregmon79]

You can't use the Omnicabsim as a speaker level DI. You would have to use it as a pedal, then go into your amp, and then you'd need to put another DI that does do speaker level in between head and cab.

Yes yes, I got that. I was thinking either or, not both. Sorry if I was confusing you guys.


At this point, I'm thinking maybe a JDX for the DI so I can run it between my amp and cab. Then the LPF like you have Jimmy to get rid of the highs above 5K. This may be the way I need to go.

 

[NKBassman]

Ok, thanks for the clarification. I was looking at the JDX a while back and thought that was the one for me. Then the RNDI came out and I forgot about the JDX.

Maybe the JDX + and LPF would be the ticket......

If you run with the JDX, you don't need a separate LPF unless you want it to affect your signal going into the amp.
The JDX has the EQ filtering built in. That's the whole point of the JDX.

 

[gregmon79]

If you run with the JDX, you don't need a separate LPF unless you want it to affect your signal going into the amp.
The JDX has the EQ filtering built in. That's the whole point of the JDX.

Even better. I guess I have found my answer then! Thanks dude.

 

[NKBassman]

Even better. I guess I have found my answer then! Thanks dude.

Just to confuse you even more, the JDI actually has similar EQ filtering built in as well, but only when you engage the "Speaker Mode" switch. When not in speaker mode it is also a very clean DI. With the JDX, its baked in and can't be turned off. So if you want a DI with a little more versatility, consider the JDI as well.

Also note that the JDI is passive and doesn't require any power. The new JDX48 can run off phantom power, but the older model had an external power supply.

I actually own a JDI, JDX48, and a Countryman. I've tried them all at speaker level with my Verellen Meatsmoke. The JDI and JDX both sounded fantastic, and the soundguys agreed. I've never compared them side by side to see if one sounds better than the other, though.

 

[JimmyM]

Always was curious about the JDX...Radial says it works on bass too, and they supply a graph that looks like it could work fine on bass. But I felt so burned by the Red Box that I'm very leery of those cab sim DI's.

 

[NKBassman]

Always was curious about the JDX...Radial says it works on bass too, and they supply a graph that looks like it could work fine on bass. But I felt so burned by the Red Box that I'm very leery of those cab sim DI's.

The H&K Red Box sounds like hot garbage by comparison to the Radial products. It didn't even sound good for guitar. Honestly the Behringer Ultra-G speaker sim DI units sound better than the Red Box, at least on guitar anyway. I've never tried the Behringer speaker DIs on bass.

 

[gregmon79]

Just to confuse you even more, the JDI actually has similar EQ filtering built in as well, but only when you engage the "Speaker Mode" switch. When not in speaker mode it is also a very clean DI. With the JDX, its baked in and can't be turned off. So if you want a DI with a little more versatility, consider the JDI as well.

Also note that the JDI is passive and doesn't require any power. The new JDX48 can run off phantom power, but the older model had an external power supply.

I actually own a JDI, JDX48, and a Countryman. I've tried them all at speaker level with my Verellen Meatsmoke. The JDI and JDX both sounded fantastic, and the soundguys agreed. I've never compared them side by side to see if one sounds better than the other, though.

Heck yeah! Then I may want to look at that JDI then too. The less stuff I have to power the better. Or the JDX48. Does the JDI also run between you amp and cab or is it of the more traditional variety? I'm going to go look now too.

 

[NKBassman]

Heck yeah! Then I may want to look at that JDI then too. The less stuff I have to power the better. Or the JDX48. Does the JDI also run between you amp and cab or is it of the more traditional variety? I'm going to go look now too.

The JDI works either way.

It is a great "normal" DI, very clean, built like a tank, and highly respected all around.
When you engage the "Speaker Mode" switch, it pads the signal level enough to plug it in between head and cab, and engages some EQ filtering to make it sound more like a mic on a speaker.

Like I said, I don't know how the JDI speaker tone directly compares to the JDX because I've never sat down and A/B'd them, but using them live they have both sounded good, even with some pretty grindy OD on my Meatsmoke. Soundguys I trust have been very pleased with both.

I was curious about the JDX for years but was turned off by the external power supply. When they released the JDX48 that could run off phantom power I bought it right away.

 

[gregmon79]

The JDI works either way.

It is a great "normal" DI, very clean, built like a tank, and highly respected all around.
When you engage the "Speaker Mode" switch, it pads the signal level enough to plug it in between head and cab, and engages some EQ filtering to make it sound more like a mic on a speaker.

Like I said, I don't know how the JDI speaker tone directly compares to the JDX because I've never sat down and A/B'd them, but using them live they have both sounded good, even with some pretty grindy OD on my Meatsmoke. Soundguys I trust have been very pleased with both.

I was curious about the JDX for years but was turned off by the external power supply. When they released the JDX48 that could run off phantom power I bought it right away.

I think I'm gonna go with the JDI for it's versatility and the fact that it can be used either way. I like that. The JDX48 sounds good too but I'm not sure what I can afford when I can. So we'll see. Thanks for all the input! This really helped. I think I'd be happy with the JDI.

 

[NKBassman]

I think I'm gonna go with the JDI for it's versatility and the fact that it can be used either way. I like that. The JDX48 sounds good too but I'm not sure what I can afford when I can. So we'll see. Thanks for all the input! This really helped. I think I'd be happy with the JDI.

I think you will too. And if you don't you shouldn't have any trouble unloading it in the Classifieds.
But really, every gigging bass player should have a bulletproof DI option in their gig bag.

I've had my JDI in my bag for studio sessions too, and have often heard "Oh, that's better than what I was going to use! Lets use that instead!"

 

[gregmon79]

I think you will too. And if you don't you shouldn't have any trouble unloading it in the Classifieds.
But really, every gigging bass player should have a bulletproof DI option in their gig bag.

I've had my JDI in my bag for studio sessions too, and have often heard "Oh, that's better than what I was going to use! Lets use that instead!"

This was what I always felt too. But I almost always put my money towards "more important stuff". Yet every gig I'd start setting up at, I would almost always think to myself, "damn I really need my own solid DI as opposed to depending on the house to provide me one" (which is a lot of the time some lower level DI. Which is better than nothing but if I dont have to use it, why should I leave my sound in their hands?!). So this is something I need to make a priority already. It's something I've been meaning to do since I went to the all tube head with no DI out. This is great stuff @NKBassman, thanks!!

 

[gregmon79]

Also, @NKBassman, to tame the shrillness of my dirty tone to the house, with the JDI, I want to use that speaker button right??

And if I were to hook it up between my amp and cab, how would I set it (the buttons on the DI I mean)?

 

[NKBassman]

Also, @NKBassman, to tame the shrillness of my dirty tone to the house, with the JDI, I want to use that speaker button right??

And if I were to hook it up between my amp and cab, how would I set it (the buttons on the DI I mean)?

Yes, without the "Speaker" button it has no EQ and is totally clean.

Also, without the "Speaker" button you'd probably overload the input by putting it between head and cab.

I just re-skimmed the manual to make sure I wasnt leading you astray... To use it at speaker level, plug your head into your cab like normal.
Take a second speaker cable from the parallel out on your cab and plug it into the JDI input. Press the "Pad" and "Speaker" buttons in, and you should be good to go.

 

[gregmon79]

Yes, without the "Speaker" button it has no EQ and is totally clean.

Also, without the "Speaker" button you'd probably overload the input by putting it between head and cab.

I just re-skimmed the manual to make sure I wasnt leading you astray... To use it at speaker level, plug your head into your cab like normal.
Take a second speaker cable from the parallel out on your cab and plug it into the JDI input. Press the "Pad" and "Speaker" buttons in, and you should be good to go.

Hell yes. This is pretty much the answer I was ultimately searching for. It may not be PERFECT, but it is damn close. And I will be getting a JDI in the near future. Again, thank you so much for the direction and experience. Pretty excited about this now

 

[NKBassman]

The Radial manuals and quick reference guides are all really well written, easy to understand, and can be quite helpful and educational. Spend some time poking around their website, and you just might learn a thing or two.

Be sure to let us know how this works out for you!

 

[NKBassman]

And no, for the record, I do not work for Radial! Just a fanboy nerd who appreciates good Canadian-made products.

 

[bassboysam]

I've tried the JDI and JDX and heard the palmer. in my opinion they all sound like bass being played through a guitar cab. very boxy sounding with no real bottom.

you're better off getting a good mic since you're going to have to have a cab anyway. the AKG P2 is awesome for $99 it will sound better than any speaker DI and closer to your stage tone.

 

[sunbeast]

To add some more food for thought, a TB'er in this thread made recordings comparing the Palmer PDI-09 as a speaker-level DI (on all three speaker-sim modes) off his Orange head vs a miced speaker. Granted this will also depend on your particular speaker cab and mic choice, but I think is a pretty good representation of the limits of a DI vs a mic. At least one other person in the thread speculated it was superior to the speaker sim of the JDI, but no direct comparisons made...
Palmer PDI-09 vs. Heil PR40 - (AUDIO)

 

[Climax]

I use VT Bass V2 before my Radial ProD2. Works great.