Running two DIs?

[knowles]

Apologies if this has been covered a hundred times - our search function is limited to words longer than "two" & "DI". And "Stereo" didn't have a direct answer for me....

I'm just getting back to playing shows with a new band & a new rig. I'm using a stereo setup with one channel mostly clean & one gritty as hell, each into 1x12 with time-based effects before the split and a couple afterward.
I may as well just take the time to clarify it all....

- Dingwall (mono signal)
- Aphex 1402
- Boss ME-50B
- Boss SL-20 ------ Ampeg SVP-PRO ------ Power amp A
- Sansamp BDDI
- Boss CEB-3
- Zoom 708 --- Symetrix 501 --- Avalon U5 --- Power amp B

It's probably too much gear for the amount of time I'm actually using effects but it can sound pretty unreal in person, so buttons, I dig it!
The plan is to use one DI from the Ampeg, one from the Avalon & they'll have to be recombined to mono at the board anyway, so my question is how often will a sound tech accommodate an even blend of two DI signals? It's a dead simple request as far as I can see but am I somehow asking for trouble here? Any experiences?

 

[bongomania]

I would forget the Avalon and get a small mixer instead. That way you can take either a balanced or unbalanced output from both the Ampeg pre and the Symetrix 501, and combine them yourself into one balanced XLR output to feed to the house PA.

The very best choice would be a mixer that has a phase-reversal switch, in case there is any interference between the two audio channels. Some stereo mic preamps can act as a two-channel mixer and they will have that phase switch.

 

[MNAirHead]

You could also Aby box with do after

 

[MNAirHead]

Sorry auto correct

Di after aby

 

[knowles]

That's a first! Forget the Avalon, eh Bongo.
Honestly, it doesn't make a huge difference with the OD storming up one channel but I've also had engineers actually thank me for using it. Would you have any recommendations for a simple mixer/DI? I've looked at the PreSonus Blue-something for about $150 - it has the polarity switch but as far as I can tell, it doesn't have a sum output option. Was the whole idea just to find something with a polarity switch, regardless of output quantity?

I've had one sound tech lend an opinion about blending two signals evenly at the board.
Any more of you good folks able to tell me if that's asking too much?

 

[bongomania]

The polarity switch is nice to have, but IMO it would only be worth having if you are the one doing the summing. The wave cancellation that could occur (not for sure going to happen, just a possibility) would be heard as a thinness or loss of low end. So if you left it to the random soundman, he might not hear it; or he might hear it, grumble that your fancy two-channel system sounded like crap, and just turn up your lows with the EQ. Whereas if you did the summing yourself and had tested it at home first, you'd be able to apply any needed corrections so the soundman receives a signal that needs no monkeying on his part.