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U5 or Radial

burk48237

burk48237

Supporting Member
Nov 22, 2004
9,850
3,568
68
Oak Park, MI
#1
Has anyone ever used both the Avalon U5 and the Radial active Di? I'm considering selling my U5. I love it but it's not a great package. I'd like something I could stick in my gig bag. I would love to know how they've compare. I'd ecspecially like to hear frm Radial users.
 
#5
StreamerDavid said:
I recommend the Universal Audio Solo 610 which blows both of these away and doesn't cost much more.
Click to expand...

How do you figure it doesn't cost "much more"? It's running 799 at sweetwater. The U5 which I already own is 539, the Radial is 170 or so street price. I'm considering selling my U5, it is a GREAT direct box but it's almost as big as my Eden 550. The reason I'm looking at the Radial is I can put it in my gig bag. I'm woundering if the performance is comprable.
 
#6
The Radial is "just" a DI box. Nothing more. Comparing it to a UA 610 is not even sensible.

No one said if the Avalon has any gain. (I think it does.)

If you want something to just throw in a gig bag knowing that there will be a PA preamp with a mic input to patch into, then yeah the Radial is the simplest and least expensive way to go. And you'll have as good a DI as can be had.
 
#7
the Radial J48 is a great di as well.

I am actually not a huge fan of the U5 (it is a very good preamp/di but a tad bit overpriced imo--you could get a nice tube di for that price--i.e. Aguilar DB900, Demeter VTDB-1, or my personal favorite A Designs REDDI, but tube direct boxes are a whole other entity than the U5) but I have preferred a few direct boxes more comparable to the U5 (the Radial JDI, J48, and JDV, the BSS Audio AR116 and BSS AR133, and the Raven Labs APD-1). Due to size issues (for live usage), I would recommend the Radial JDI or J48 and the BSS stuff.

For recording I prefer tube direct boxes over all of these, but there is something to be said for having a high quality di that fits in your gig bag.
 
#9
I have both the U5 and a Radial JDI. I prefer the U5 over the radial just about all the time. The U5 stays in my live rack and I use the radial when I don't take the big rig. If you sell the U5 you might end up regretting it later so a similar solution might work for you.
 
#10
Radial JDI or JDV (both excellent w/pros & cons) kill anything including the Avalon U5 in two areas: 1) Sound accuracy ie less distortion, truer phase, and frequency response linearity. 2) Durability. I drove my truck over mine. Kiddin - but they are REALLY tough - tough like a Countryman but without the phase distortion.
 
#11
slombovia said:
Radial JDI or JDV (both excellent w/pros & cons) kill anything including the Avalon U5 in two areas: 1) Sound accuracy ie less distortion, truer phase, and frequency response linearity. 2) Durability. I drove my truck over mine. Kiddin - but they are REALLY tough - tough like a Countryman but without the phase distortion.
Click to expand...

The Radials also have many more features than the Countryman.
 

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