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REDDI - Really Worth It?

#41
Zoomie said:
Interesting conversation.

First, crappy roadhouse gig or no, I want to sound the very best that I can based on my perception of tone and my disposable income or lack thereof.

The other thing that caught my eye was that Jimmy M is hauling one around on a plane to gigs. I have a number of friends that fly in and out to gigs. In all cases, they are freaks about taking only what is absolutely necessary. Point being is that I suspect that Jimmy (or any other bass player carting one of these around) would happily move to something much smaller if they felt that could get the same tone out of the smaller box.
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Not sure how you came to that conclusion...oh yeah, must've been this:

"...and I won't do a gig without it, even if I'm flying, and I HATE bringing stuff on fly dates that I don't need."

:D

Yep, not only is it a 10 lb. hassle in my suitcase, but going through security takes longer now because I have to pull it out and put it in a bin just like a laptop, then explain to the TSA agent who red flags it what it is while they swab it for explosive residue. But once I get to the gig, I forget all that.

We all have our idiosyncracies in what we belive is important to tone. The gentleman absolve is playing a couple of Roscoes but is uncomfortable paying 800.00 for a DI. I play pretty expensive basses or expensive to me at least, and I refuse to pay 100.00 for a flippin cord, because I can't hear a difference.
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Same here. If I'm going to spend money on something, it's going to make a tremendous difference, not a subtle one.
 
#45
JimmyM said:
I'm sure it has a good sound, but without the big iron output transformer, it's just not quite the same.
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No, its not quite the same, but the Streamliner does have the most tubey-sounding DI I've found built into a modern amp.

It may not satisfy the purist, but its at least replaced my VT Deluxe as my go to method of getting a DI signal.

The Reddi really is a great piece of gear. I sure wouldn't turn one down if it were to show up on my front porch.
 
#47
I almost bought one. I had it in my shipping cart on Sweetwater. I got so excited to read all the information about it here on Talkbass. Right before I clicked the place order button, I refrained. I am not a professional, I rarely do recordings and I primarily play in a church gig once a week. When I put in perspective, I realized I in no way need an $800 tube direct box.

Most of the guys on here that sing its praises earn their living by playing bass. If I was in that situation, I would probably own one. However, I do not earn my living playing bass. I am a hack/hobbyist at best that loves bass gear. I am raising 2 kids on a single salary. It's ridiculous for me to spend that kind of money on a direct box when the difference between it and a $200 Countryman is in my estimation negligible, especially in a live setting.

So I think you need to ask yourself if you really need it. For me I don't need it at all. I would like to have it because I love gear but at the end of the day, spending that kind of money on a direct box when all I do is play for free at a church once a week is stupid. If I had unlimited funds and could blow money on whatever I wanted then yes I would get one then.
 
#49
kirkm24 said:
Most of the guys on here that sing its praises earn their living by playing bass. If I was in that situation, I would probably own one. However, I do not earn my living playing bass. I am raising 2 kids. It's ridiculous for me to spend that kind of money on a direct box when the difference between it and a $200 Countryman is in my estimation negligible, especially in a live setting.

For me I don't need it at all. I would like to have it because I love gear but at the end of the day, spending that kind of money on a direct box when all I do is play for free at a church once a week is stupid.
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I am in your exact situation. I use a JDI.
 
#52
#53
faulknersj said:
Thank you for posting this! For me...I just can't judge a bass or anything in the signal chain unless how can hear how it sounds set in the mix against the other elements of a band. Are there any comparisons like this set in the context of the mix?
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Yeah I agree in some ways a mix would be better but that's a lot more work to produce and the variables it would introduce might not represent every player's needs.

I was floored by some of the differences but also by some of the similarities. Before the REDDI I used a JDI for several years and while I love the clarity and voice of the REDDI with something bordering on passion the JDI is still a great sounding box I'd never be embarrassed to show up with.
 
#55
From a practical perspective, it's hard to discuss "worth" unless one already has the dollars at disposal to make a purchase. On the other hand, I'm sure there are many musicians who could give up pot or drinking for 4 or 5 months and easily come up with the scratch for a used REDDI. Sometimes it's a matter of prioritizing where the money goes. How much is fabulous tone worth to you? Those who really want it will figure out a way to get there.
 
#56
jeffbonny said:
Too true. Let YOUR ears be the judge.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6kx71g7wtrckujg/lF9PfeGh5P
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Thanks for posting those!

The REDDI sounds like a more polite SVTDI, less growl, more fatness. The REDDI sounds really really warm- I like that. Definitely reminiscent of a B-15. The JDI sounds good too, just a bit more sterile.

I ran these through a spectrum analyzer and there's not really a ton of visible difference in their frequency content but I can hear a difference between the 3 I listened to (SVT/RED/JDI). Still, it's not a difference I would expect most people to be able to pick out right away.

It's been on my list of things for a while but it's a "someday" kinda thing. If I start doing more studio work, I'm definitely making the investment.
 
#57
paganjack said:
The REDDI sounds like a more polite SVTDI, less growl, more fatness. The REDDI sounds really really warm- I like that. Definitely reminiscent of a B-15.
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Jimmy and a few others could tell you more but somewhere back in the REDDI megathread there was a pretty lively discussion about rolling tubes in the REDDI for some fairly significant changes. Personally I dig the stock B-15 thing way too much to want to **** with it.
 
#60
>>They really need to make a rackmount version of the REDDI...<<

8442.jpg
 
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