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DI Boxes with Speaker Input.

P

P.Niggz

Apr 12, 2009
109
1
38
Leeds
#1
So the bands been taking time off from gigging. In fact its been about 2 years now, where does the time go?

Now that we're getting close to having the set perfected I've been thinking about my bass sound live. Last time we gigged I'd just got my Hiwatt rig, man was I acting like I was king.

Problem was every sound engineer I ever had just stuck a DI box in and I threw a massive tantrum every time, rarely getting a positive result in my cabs being mic'd.

This time round I've been thinking maybe I should concentrate more on getting the right sound I want for a DI signal.

The downside to the Hiwatt is that there is no effects loop or Pre out and Power Amp In. My thoughts are to get my Hiwatt modded so I can add a parametric EQ, Compressor and Possibly a Sonic Maximiser (don't yell at me) in the chain. Then go back into the Hiwatt.

I suppose my question is how good do DI's with speaker level input sound and will they retain the warmth of the Hiwatt when going to the desk?

Also what DI's would you recommend for this. I'm looking at a U5 at the moment, I'm sure there are more out there though.

Thanks for taking the time to read this essay!

- Paul
 
#2
There are several options; the big 3 are the U5, the Radial JDI, and the Countryman. The biggest thing to note is that a tweeterless speaker cab will round off the top end of your sound, making the distortion from the amp sound quite nice; while the signal through the DI won't have that high-end rolloff, so it will sound harsh, treble-y, and brittle. Easily fixed by using EQ; but then the EQ is one more item of gear in your signal chain.
 
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#3
bongomania said:
There are several options; the big 3 are the U5, the Radial JDI, and the Countryman. The biggest thing to note is that a tweeterless speaker cab will round off the top end of your sound, making the distortion from the amp sound quite nice; while the signal through the DI won't have that high-end rolloff, so it will sound harsh, treble-y, and brittle. Easily fixed by using EQ; but then the EQ is one more item of gear in your signal chain.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I already thought of rolling off the high end a little as the cab I currently use has a tweeter and does sound harsh quite often. I don't mind sticking an EQ in my chain at all.

I'm hoping that by working on my DI signal and being happy with it it will a) stop engineers complaining that "they only DI" and b) means I won't have to carry my larger cab(s) up and down flights of stairs for every gig, just those special ones.

I will check out those other DI boxes. I know the U5 has Selectable EQs. I'm not sure which of them are useful but I'm presuming that one of them is probably good for me to use.
 
#4
bongomania said:
There are several options; the big 3 are the U5, the Radial JDI, and the Countryman. The biggest thing to note is that a tweeterless speaker cab will round off the top end of your sound, making the distortion from the amp sound quite nice; while the signal through the DI won't have that high-end rolloff, so it will sound harsh, treble-y, and brittle. Easily fixed by using EQ; but then the EQ is one more item of gear in your signal chain.
Click to expand...

The DBX active box has a rolloff switch just for that very purpose. I've directly compared it to the Radial J48 and the Countryman 85 several times and actually like it at least as well. The price is quite a bit lower too, or it least it was when I bought mine.
 
#5
Passinwind said:
The DBX active box has a rolloff switch just for that very purpose. I've directly compared it to the Radial J48 and the Countryman 85 several times and actually like it at least as well. The price is quite a bit lower too, or it least it was when I bought mine.
Click to expand...

I've checked the DBX out before. I like the idea of getting a DI with the high roll off plainly because it means I can't be constantly messing with my EQ which I will do. The only thing about the DBX (and i know its just a DI box) is that it doesn't seem to be made out of the sturdiest of stuff. I want a DI box to be in a rack secured as I'll be touring quite a lot.
 
#7
TrevorOfDoom said:
I have and love the Radial JDI. it's perfect (IMO) for what you want to do.
Also, i've found that if you bring your own mic and stand, soundguys are less likely to complain or insist on DI'ing and more likely to actually use the mic.
I use an SM7b, fyi.
Click to expand...

I used to take a RE-20 round with me everywhere but for some reason the engineers would just complain, maybe its because they don't like spill (not that theres that much) or maybe its just cause none of them like death metal (yeah... I know... not much to like). I will be bringing my mic round with me for those bigger venues or those gigs that are a little special. I'll have a proper look at the JDI. I'm presuming that isn't rack-mountable is it?
 
#8
P.Niggz said:
I've checked the DBX out before. I like the idea of getting a DI with the high roll off plainly because it means I can't be constantly messing with my EQ which I will do. The only thing about the DBX (and i know its just a DI box) is that it doesn't seem to be made out of the sturdiest of stuff. I want a DI box to be in a rack secured as I'll be touring quite a lot.
Click to expand...

In the promo video they run it over with a truck and run it through a washing machine...at which point it does look a little ugly. ;)

Dunno really, mine doesn't have a scratch on it, and the only times I used it much was when I needed as replacement for a broken J48, which had thousands of show on it, to be fair. The case is cast metal, and the switches could well be a vulnerability. Seems like it'd be fine in a rack though. In any case, definitely cheap enough to take a flyer on and see if it makes it in your world.

I love the U5, but absolutely would not want to take one on the road.
 
#11
bongomania said:
There are several options; the big 3 are the U5, the Radial JDI, and the Countryman. The biggest thing to note is that a tweeterless speaker cab will round off the top end of your sound, making the distortion from the amp sound quite nice; while the signal through the DI won't have that high-end rolloff, so it will sound harsh, treble-y, and brittle. Easily fixed by using EQ; but then the EQ is one more item of gear in your signal chain.
Click to expand...


IIRC, the speaker setting of the JDI already has a hi-end roll off built in... I used one for a speaker level DI send a few times, and it worked quite well that way...


- georgestrings
 
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#13
I've been bringing a cab mic and stand to my gigs and by and large I use them and nobody hassles me, but it's not a given that you're not going to get hassled. I've been hassled many times over it, and this is on gigs where we're supposed to have some degree of control over the sound. I don't get why many soundmen don't like to use cab mics, but it's a DI world for bassists, especially on shows where there are multiple bands, and that isn't likely to change. You're best to come up with some alternate plan for when that happens, because it will. Speaker DI from a tube amp is great, so's a nice high end tube DI like a REDDI. Some of the emulators and modelers are quite good as well, although there's a certain dimensionality that tubes and transformers bring to the table that you don't get with emulation. But it sure beats having to plug into whatever crappy DI the soundman happens to have at the bottom of a milk crate full of crappy DI's ;)
 

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