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Is a tube di with the $?

wolfkeller

wolfkeller

Supporting Member
Aug 11, 2013
5,716
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detroit
#1
Lately I have been feeling like I need a change in my live rig. I run a loud and gritty sound and I always had FOH take a di off my ampeg svt4. Well, I run an od pedal infront of it and have the gain high. Last few shows I noticed it sounded way too clanky abd thin out front. I want a bigger, thicker and warmer sound out there. Even if I go pre eq I'd still get the drive right? So I was thinking of adding a DI before any of that stuff but after the tuner so I can mute. I have several sansamp bddis and an ampeg scrdi I could use but I question if those will get what I want. MAYBE an RBI? I've been looking at the svt di and Khan. Will those give me more of that warmer sound, like my svt cl? Will those produce any grit?
 
#3
el murdoque said:
First question is: How do you know you sounded clanky and thin out front?
Did you actually stand in front of the FOH system (where the crowd is supposed to be) or did it sound clanky and weak on stage?

How is your FOH situation? Do you mix yourself or have a person for that or are you at the mercy of the in house FOH people wherever you play?
Click to expand...
As usual, im always at fOh mercy. Seems like they could eq it better but...I went out front last few shows. Stage sounds good for me. I figured if I send a clean or cleaner signal I'd be better off because we both know it'll be an up hill battle with them otherwise
 
#4
I had to play through headphones the other day [subbing on a theater show] and my bass sounded like a lizard farting. I'm pretty darn sure that had nothing to do with the signal I was sending them. (Things sounded OK the previous time.)
If it were "my" show, I might have a chat with the sound engineer about some thickness parameters for my FOH sound. (All I could do the other night was eventually get a few more dB in my own phones...)
I will follow this thread because I have been curious about investing in a tube DI for quite a while.
But I already know that's just part of the equation; I could use a tube mic on a vintage B-18 and the wrong sound crew could find a way to make it thin.
 
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#5
I know the there are all kinds of different things in the equation equation and I know that if they don't care it's gonna sound like c*** no matter what but I feel like if I sent them a cleaner warmer signal at least it wouldn't have all that harshness that I but I was hearing I'm OK with it sounding like that out front prawn cause I don't hear it anyways that's right meaning warmer and cleaner Cause that's not the kind of sound I have on stage but out front I can definitely live with it compared to what I was hearing. Trying to work with these sound guys 9 out of 10 times is a Of time and most of the time I don't have time to do all that stuff anyways I'm too busy with all the menu details of our stage show I'd like to think that they knew what the h*** they were doing cause they sure act like they do lol and sometimes it sounds killer but to me one bad night is 1 too many
 
#6
I've been chasing tone for a long time and have swung from a warm solid state sound to a tube one, being budget constrained has led me to really study up. There are so many options that are certain to be wonderful but honestly out of bounds to me - luckily @Sushi Box FX does tube well and affordable. I have paired his pre amps with his tube DI with excellent results; Particle Accelerator, Underground Accelerator and the Finally Tube DI. You might be more interested in pairing his SBVT with the Finally or using one of the pre amps you already have with the Finally.

Finally – Sushi Box FX

https://www.sushiboxfx.com/product/sbvt/
 
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#7
There's a reason the REDDI is popular... I've never used one, so I have no first-hand experience.
The Radial FireFly also gets good reviews. I've been looking at them but, like the REDDI, they're pricey...

I'd speculate that what you need is not so much tube DI, but something like a CabSim.
There's an IR-based cabsim in the DI/Drive pedal I use and I've always liked the result.
(DarkGlass Vintage Ultra V2.)
 
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#8
I have the REDDI and just bought the Khan...both definitely add warmth and richness to your tone. After having both, I think I slightly prefer the Khan and how it interacts with my signal chain, but both are fantastic. Some folks ears pick it up pretty easy, other it's not as noticeable. The first time I used the REDDI, the guitar player play was like, "whoa, what did you do...that sounds great!"
 
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#10
I’m waiting on a PF50T that has a transformer out. Supposed to be a really good Line out.

Kind of spendy to use it just for that , but I haven’t played out and not have sound. Haven’t had to rely on just an amp and cab. Everything I have/had doesn’t get turned up past 1 -2 , gonna try this lower wattage option that is supposed to have a terrific line out.
 
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#11
Man, I'd try the Sansamp before you go spending a bunch of $ chasing a tube DI for live use.
I used to use a REDDI, sounded great but I stopped taking it to gigs--too cumbersome, and when things are moving fast and you're being shuffled on and of stage quickly it's an expensive piece to worry about. Mine actually crapped out on me at a session totally unexpectedly, probably from getting knocked around on tour. These days for live use I'm all about some kinda OD pedal and a bombproof DI like a JDI. Easy and more affordable then to try out many different flavors of pedal-provided drive, it doesn't matter what the amp is, etc.
 
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#14
wolfkeller said:
Lately I have been feeling like I need a change in my live rig. I run a loud and gritty sound and I always had FOH take a di off my ampeg svt4. Well, I run an od pedal infront of it and have the gain high. Last few shows I noticed it sounded way too clanky abd thin out front. I want a bigger, thicker and warmer sound out there. Even if I go pre eq I'd still get the drive right? So I was thinking of adding a DI before any of that stuff but after the tuner so I can mute. I have several sansamp bddis and an ampeg scrdi I could use but I question if those will get what I want. MAYBE an RBI? I've been looking at the svt di and Khan. Will those give me more of that warmer sound, like my svt cl? Will those produce any grit?
Click to expand...

You need to have a conversation with your sound engineer. If you are thin and tinny in the house, your engineer should have tools to resolve it.

As you said, you are loud and you like to be thick and boomy. Just maybe what you noticed was your sound engineer is forced to produce the opposite of what your are doing sound wise for balance.

Seriously, before you go nuts spending a bunch of money, have a polite two way conversation with your sound guy first and work it out.
 
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#15
From my experience a not so good FOH engineer will ruin your sound no matter what you send him, a good one will make you sound great with any halfway decent DI. In my opinion investments into high end DIs like the REDDI for live performances are only worth it if your sound guy knows the sound you are striving for and understands how to get you there.
 
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#16
Is there anyone else here (besides me) that actually works with FOH people they trust?

I hear a lot of griping about sound guys wrecking your sound, which is completely foreign to me.

My rig routes a signal from my pedalboard to FOH and to a small mixer for my in ears - what I hear of my signal in my ears has nothing to do with what gets done at FOH to fit me into the mix. I’ve played through a Reddi dozens of times, but have no idea what one sounds like - What I hear comes off my signal chain before my signal hits the Reddi.

As I’m on stage, behind the PA, and have in ears in my ears, I’m completely isolated from what it sounds like in the house - from my vantage point, I have no data to even form an opinion about the sound at the venue. I do get to hear what ends up on YouTube, but that is separated in time and space from the actual event.

Am I the only one on here that has this vantage point?
 
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#17
micguy said:
Is there anyone else here (besides me) that actually works with FOH people they trust?

I hear a lot of griping about sound guys wrecking your sound, which is completely foreign to me.

My rig routes a signal from my pedalboard to FOH and to a small mixer for my in ears - what I hear of my signal in my ears has nothing to do with what gets done at FOH to fit me into the mix. I’ve played through a Reddi dozens of times, but have no idea what one sounds like - What I hear comes off my signal chain before my signal hits the Reddi.

As I’m on stage, behind the PA, and have in ears in my ears, I’m completely isolated from what it sounds like in the house - from my vantage point, I have no data to even form an opinion about the sound at the venue. I do get to hear what ends up on YouTube, but that is separated in time and space from the actual event.

Am I the only one on here that has this vantage point?
Click to expand...
I am running an HX Stomp to a Khan and then through a Rolls before sending to FOH. I tap the Rolls for my IEMs so I get to enjoy the tube-ness that the Khan adds to my tone.
 
#19
micguy said:
Is there anyone else here (besides me) that actually works with FOH people they trust?

I hear a lot of griping about sound guys wrecking your sound, which is completely foreign to me.
Click to expand...
The disdain for FOH sound people on TB is comical to me. Mostly I expect it's from folks who aren't that experienced playing/touring in a variety of venues and situations, with a different sound guy every night, or a dedicated tour sound guy that you just have to trust because you don't have time to dick around - it's gotta be plug n play. Heck, I can't recall many times when I actually heard what I sounded like out front. The FOH guy is always an easy culprit for folks who don't understand how to manage stage volume and/or send a quality, workable, hassle-free signal to FOH.
 
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#20
bass12 said:
I’ve thought about how nice it would be to have a REDDI or ZOD on my in-ear gigs, but that’s for my own monitoring desires, not FOH. In the end, however, the cost plus the hassle of the size puts me off the idea (so I stick with my trusty J48).
Click to expand...

In my situation, there are a couple of places I play that have Reddi’s - I didn’t spend a penny on them, or ever have to move one.
 
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