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I think I need a D.I. Recommendations?

Evil Undead

Evil Undead

Oct 31, 2009
3,844
587
#1
I'm looking for a DI but don't know which one to get.

I have an active bass so am I right in thinking that I would need a passive D.I.?

I'd like to go without an amp at some bigger gigs, and also have a backup plan in case my amp breaks before or during a gig.

A massive bonus would be to have an MP3 in and headphone out, so I could use it to play along quietly late at night.

I'd like to also run my Boss ME-50B in to it as well.

Any suggestions?
 
#2
While there are some individual cases where a person might prefer a passive DI with their active bass, generally it's not a rule to follow. You can use either active or passive.

Most DI's are not practice tools, and do not have the in/outputs for that purpose. In fact the only ones I can think of are full-featured preamps with a ton of functions; so they are not really DI's per se, though they may have a DI output. For instance, look at the DHA VT1-EQ. Generally though, a practice tool is one thing and a DI is a completely different thing.

In either case, there's no problem with using your effects box. You just run it in series between the bass and the preamp/DI, like any other pedal.

Read here for DI suggestions: [This invalid link has been removed]
 
#4
The aux in and the headphone jack is only optional really. I have my iRig if I want silent practice.

My main concern is that if my amp goes down mid-gig I've got no backup. That concerns me a little.
 
#6
How about the Tone Hammer? Looks good.

I don't really understand what happens. The bass goes in to the input I guess, and then there's a DI and an Out - what's the difference and which one should I use to go to the mixer?

Would that be a normal instrument cable, or an XLR, or a Speakon?

Sorry for all the questions. Massive noob.
 
#7
alembicguy said:
I use a Radial J48 with my passive basses and a Radial JDI with my active basses, and love them both.
Click to expand...

+1 0n the JDI, a great piece of kit.

If you want the ultimate gigbag backup, take a look at the G-K MB200.

DI, MP3 input, headphone amp, great-sounding preamp/EQ, and a 200w power amp, all in one 2lb box the size of a delay pedal. And no batteries or wall warts...
 
#8
I have an MXR M-80 direct box. It has 3 band eq, and distortion, as well as a gate (not the greatest gate). I typically use it only as a direct box, which splits my signal and gives me 1/4" out to the amp, and xlr out to the PA. What I like about the distortion is that it's blendable with the original signal, which is a great feature in distortion for bass, but the distortion sound itself isn't spectacular in my opinion. Just as a direct box it works great, and the other features are a bonus. I also frequently use Behringer DI boxes, the Ultra DI 100 specifically with great results. No color or unwanted noise, and durable as hell. Can be powered by a 9v battery or phantom power from the board, also has 2 pads and a ground lift, which is nice to eliminate buzz in some situations. Lastly, if you're willing to spend the coin, the best box out there in my opinion is Countryman. Made in the US and TOUGH as nails. The innards are encased in silicone so they're super shock resistant. As a sound guy I love the type 85s ($400 or so) because it's stereo, has RCA inputs and a pad and is just crazy versatile in a studio or live sound situation. But the straight Type 85 (no s as in not stereo) is quite a bit cheaper than that, like $240.

However, you may not need a direct box at all. Most PA's have instrument level inputs on the board, so if that's your main concern, having no DI is just one less thing in your chain to muddle things up. For practicing I have an Alesis Jam Dock which my iPod fits into nicely, with headphone and stereo 1/4" outputs so you can jam with your tunes and the phones, or output to any kind of external amp, recorder or other device.
 
#10
Evil Undead said:
How about the Tone Hammer? Looks good.

I don't really understand what happens. The bass goes in to the input I guess, and then there's a DI and an Out - what's the difference and which one should I use to go to the mixer?

Would that be a normal instrument cable, or an XLR, or a Speakon?

Sorry for all the questions. Massive noob.
Click to expand...

+1 on Radial.Cables would be XLR to mixer/board,1/4 instrument cable out to amp.
 
#15
Been using the Tonehammer as a DI and EQ/tone unit for roughly a day now (just bought it) and suffice to say, I like what it's done for my sound.

The DI out is XLR, because it also can run off of phantom power (which is nice) in that mode. As other cats informed me (also total noob here), you have to place the Tonehammer at the end of your signal chain to use it as a DI. The 1/4 can be to your amp or place it in the beginning of the chain to the next effect pedal on your board to shape your tone, or wherever else you want it to "color". I have yet to try it that way, however.
 
#16
For an active bass in a live situation I would recommend a good passive DI. The reason is that there are simply fewer things to go wrong with it. The JDI is considered about the best passive DI for stage use. Countryman is another very good one. Radial, who makes the JDI, also makes which is ProDI, which many people say sounds as good as the JDI, but does not have as many features.
 
#17
For a DI, the Radial J48. For a DI with the features you want, look for a used Raven Labs PHA-1. It has an input for your mp3 player, two headphone outputs, 3-band EQ, and it's a DI (quarter-inch output). I use mine all the time for practice at home late at night. The circuitry is premium. The newer ones have a power supply input, but the batteries last a long time.

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