The best single pedal sized DI

[dreamadream99]

The best DI I have ever used is a countryman type 85. But I think you are actually asking about a preamp with a DI, in which case I have always been enamored with the Sansamp

 

[Zbysek]

Another for the Dim Stick. It smaller than a single pedal as well as smaller price at $70.
edit: using the same transformer from SushiBox.
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That's the same layout as Broughton Proto DI...-very pedalboard-friendly...

 

[Lo-E]

The best DI I have ever used is a countryman type 85.

In over 40 years of use, using literally hundreds of these back in my festival sound days, I have never - ever - seen one fail.

All the boutique suggestions are great but if you only want a DI to do the job of a DI, The Countryman Type 85 is transparent and 100% reliable. That’s why it’s been a standard for 50 years.

FWIW, the Whirlwind HotBox is a knockoff that is practically identical.

 

[Zbysek]

FWIW, the Whirlwind HotBox is a knockoff that is practically identical.

What is the source of this information?

After skimming through manuals for either DI box,, I can see that Whirlwind has 1Mohm input impedance while Type 85 has 10MOhm...which is important for players with piezzo pickups...

There are other differences. For example frequency response (20Hz-20kHz) is +- 1db for Type 85, and +- 3db for Hotbox...

 

[Lo-E]

What is the source of this information?

After skimming through manuals for either DI box,, I can see that Whirlwind has 1Mohm input impedance while Type 85 has 10MOhm...which is important for players with piezzo pickups...

There are other differences. For example frequency response (20Hz-20kHz) is +- 1db for Type 85, and +- 3db for Hotbox...

No, they’re not identical but, in use, there’s very little difference between these two boxes. They’re both very transparent and reliable.

After decades of real-world use I’ve never encountered a situation where the input impedance was an issue. Players who use piezo pickups are far more likely to use a preamp than to plug directly into a DI and the frequency response being +/- 1dB vs 3dB has never been a consideration for me in the studio or live. Both boxes are extremely clean and flat.

Are the specs better on the Countryman? Yes, they are. I offered the Whirlwind as a less expensive alternative that performs practically as well. It would only be in very specific situations that the differences would matter. For the OP, who only needs to send the end of his pedal chain to the console, the differences would not be discernible. I’m not saying that the Whirlwind, at half the price, is the same device.

 

[Zbysek]

No, they’re not identical but, in use, there’s very little difference between these two boxes. They’re both very transparent and reliable.

After decades of real-world use I’ve never encountered a situation where the input impedance was an issue. Players who use piezo pickups are far more likely to use a preamp than to plug directly into a DI and the frequency response being +/- 1dB vs 3dB has never been a consideration for me in the studio or live. Both boxes are extremely clean and flat.

Are the specs better on the Countryman? Yes, they are. I offered the Whirlwind as a less expensive alternative that performs practically as well. It would only be in very specific situations that the differences would matter. For the OP, who only needs to send the end of his pedal chain to the console, the differences would not be discernible. I’m not saying that the Whirlwind, at half the price, is the same device.

THX for the clarification

 

[Parzival]

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[smatanovic]

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2x on Sushibox. Very happy Finally user here (v2, but still), on my home-based pedal board.

 

[Geri O]

In over 40 years of use, using literally hundreds of these back in my festival sound days, I have never - ever - seen one fail.

I’ll have to counter that just slightly with 32 years of use with 24 Type 85s, now down to, oh, 12 or 13 because they grow tiny little legs, doncha know… and they were replaced with various Radials.

I did see 4 or 5 Type 85s stop working, but the important part of this is that Countryman repaired all off them free of charge, no questions asked and covered return shipping. Service one can love.

Similar treatment with a couple of headset mics as well.

 

[chiphaleonbass]

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I've got two out of three; they work really well!

 

[joel the bass player]

Keep it in the family.