Weird direct box issue

[HammerTime]

I have a Fender Urge II MIM and when I plug it straight into an amp it plays. When I plug it into a direct box, the signal doesnt seem to go through, but if I hit the strings i can hear a pop just as if the bass is plugged straight into the amp. The direct box is a SansAmp Bass DI and it works fine with my cheapo, passive bass.

Is my Urge broken?

 

[Pilgrim]

No, but the SansAmp may be.

 

[HammerTime]

I checked my bass with another direct box. Same thing. Both direct boxes work with my cheapo bass.

 

[bassman1185]

The Urge doesn't have a stereo output or anything odd like that, does it? That's about the only thing I can think of that would be causing something like that.

 

[jdb]

if you plug the guitar into an amp and it plays, it's not broken. things to check on di are, battery, make sure you are using correct input and output, make sure volume AND gain, blend and eq levels are appropriate (on sans amp)... the power issue is most important, you may need to issue phantom power or get an external power supply if it works with the passive and not with the active bass.

 

[HammerTime]

I used an external power supply on it and same deal. New battery in the bass. Checked the levels, gain, every know on the DI and on the bass itself. Still no.

 

[jdb]

here's some research i did on the issue. i was curious too.
from the sansamp site "For studio and live applications, SansAmp Bass Driver DI is engineered with three outputs: an effected XLR, and effected 1/4", and a parallel, uneffected 1/4". The footswitch activates the Tube Amplifier Emulation circuitry. Disengaging the circuitry enables you to use SansAmp Bass Driver DI as a standard active transparent direct box."
here is something from another site...
"I recently bought a sansamp bass driver and they certainly are nice. It will boost the level of you bass a lot and allow you to eq it. It also ads its own particular sound. In live situations, you can dial in a tone that you like and then take that around with you wherever you go. It depends what you intend using it for really. A couple things worth noting... if you are using an active bass and sending it thru the sansamp and into an audio interface (e.g. for recording), you may well end up with a signal that is too hot! If you plug a budget bass into the sansamp, it can really enhance the sound. But if you are already getting a decent bass sound/level, this pedal may not bring you anything you cant already get with a little hardware/sofware eq."
so if i read those two together, it seems that an active di + an active bass = too hot of a signal. have you tried a passive d.i. with your urge?

 

[HammerTime]

Yeah, I've tried two DI boxes. Both had the same issue. The other DI was totally passive and no string buzzing got through. However, with both DI's if I just bang on the string, you can hear a muffled *whump* as if there were no problem.
Any way to circumvent active bass? Would taking the battery out work?

 

[TimmyP]

Make sure that you are not using a TRS cable from the bass to the DI.