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What is a DI

#2
It's an output that sends a balanced signal to the soundboard or recording console. Many have pre/post switches on them, so the signal can be sent pre or post eq. Sound guys tend to like them so they don't have to hassle with miking the cab.
 
#3
a normal 1/4 cable has to wires in it--hot (signal) and ground. A balanced signal has three wires--one ground and two signals, which are out of phase with each other. The result is less noise--you can have a long cable run without picking up noise. A Di box converts your bass's unbalanced signal to a balanced signal, which is much much better for the PA system. A Di box will also change the high impedance of your signal to match the PA's low impedance (mic) input.

The better the DI box, the better signal the PA sees

It's mostly useful if you're using a PA--although some people,like me, use a DI box as a preamp. i run a good di into a power amp and either to a cab (on small gigs) or a PA (on big gigs)
 
#4
PB+J said:
a normal 1/4 cable has to wires in it--hot (signal) and ground. A balanced signal has three wires--one ground and two signals, which are out of phase with each other. The result is less noise--you can have a long cable run without picking up noise. A Di box converts your bass's unbalanced signal to a balanced signal, which is much much better for the PA system. A Di box will also change the high impedance of your signal to match the PA's low impedance (mic) input.
Click to expand...

So this is what the XLR out on my MXR DI+ does?
 
#6
A high impedance unbalanced instrument level signal

through a DI becomes;

a low impedance balanced microphone level signal.


Useful for long cable runs and interfacing to mixers and other processing equipment.

For bassist they invariably result in a better sound to front of house. Mic'ing bass cabinets in a live situation is wrought with phase and low frequency feedback issues making it difficult at best.
 
#7
If I use a Sansamp BDDI, should I warn the sound guy at the gig to bypass his own DI?
When playing with the Sansamp BDDI, where should I go into in the Hartke amp. Passive, Active, or one of the effects send/return things in the back?
thanks
 
#8
as far as i know you should connect it to the end of signal chain to be effective, so you should connect the Sansamp BDDI to the output of your Hartke, and send the signal to the PA through the DI...correct me please if I'm wrong...

edit: so the order should be bass ==> hartke (send) ===> processors ====>Hartke (return) ====>Hartke (output) ====> Sansamp BDDI =====>Mixing Desk....
 
#9
adil said:
If I use a Sansamp BDDI, should I warn the sound guy at the gig to bypass his own DI?
Click to expand...
If the sound guy has his own DI then you will probably connect your 1/4" out to his DI and split the signal from there to the board and to your amp. Or just to the board if you are going through the monitors.

That is if 'your sound' incorporates the BDDI. Otherwise 19 times out of 20 you will just use his DI.


When playing with the Sansamp BDDI, where should I go into in the Hartke amp. Passive, Active, or one of the effects send/return things in the back?
thanks
Click to expand...
If you want to bypass the Hartke preamp then try going into the 'FX return' or the 'power in', whichever you have.

Or, if you want to use the Hartke preamp, go into the active in. This will allow you a little more signal level 'fudge' room.

:D

Joe.
 
#10
Timecrash said:
as far as i know you should connect it to the end of signal chain to be effective, so you should connect the Sansamp BDDI to the output of your Hartke, and send the signal to the PA through the DI...correct me please if I'm wrong...

edit: so the order should be bass ==> hartke (send) ===> processors ====>Hartke (return) ====>Hartke (output) ====> Sansamp BDDI =====>Mixing Desk....
Click to expand...
Crash,

are you trying to explode his BDDI?

:eyebrow:

What Hartke output should go into the BDDI?

:D

Joe.
 
#11
Lowtonejoe said:
Crash,

are you trying to explode his BDDI?

:eyebrow:

What Hartke output should go into the BDDI?

:D

Joe.
Click to expand...

well I've never used a DI live with an amp, I just connect my pre amp XLR to the mixing desk. thats why I asked someone to correct me if Iwas wrong ;)
well but if you connect the DI to the amplifier, then wouldn't the amplifier send unbalanced signals again? I mean, yes if we use the DI before the amp, we send the amp a balanced signal, but won't the amp convert it to unbalanced, while sending to the PA?
a bit confused here :help:
 
#13
A board means a mixing board?
I don't think I ever go into one of those both on stage and in practice. I just play through amp/cabinet.
I don't think I have a way to monitor as well. The amp is right there on the stage, and that's how I hear the bass. The rest of the band are in the monitors, at least the vocals and the guitars.

Yea I'm short of know-how but it didn't sound like a good idea to put my Hartke output into my Sansamp. I always thought it should be the other way around :p

I don't know about splitting the sound guy's DI signal. I usually just see that he has a DI and it goes into an amp head. Splitting is too complicated for me.

So after all, I think I'll just have my Sansamp in the effects chain and go through his DI if he so wants. I will probably have the sansamp on the whole time as it makes the Squier sound much better. Last gig, I didn't bring the sansamp, but I had the zoom B2 on all the time with one of its amp modelers. It really beefed up the Squier.
 
#14
Timecrash said:
well I've never used a DI live with an amp, I just connect my pre amp XLR to the mixing desk. thats why I asked someone to correct me if Iwas wrong ;)
well but if you connect the DI to the amplifier, then wouldn't the amplifier send unbalanced signals again? I mean, yes if we use the DI before the amp, we send the amp a balanced signal, but won't the amp convert it to unbalanced, while sending to the PA?
a bit confused here :help:
Click to expand...

Well,

I need to know exactly which connections you are making where to really understand what you are saying.

Balanced signals typically should go to the mixer. The unbalanced signals (which can also go to the mixer depending on cable run length and noise) are typically used to make connections for the instruments and amps.

And concerning your home recordings, Why are you even using a Behringer DI? The BDDI IS a DI!

:eyebrow:

Joe.
 
#15
adil said:
A board means a mixing board?
I don't think I ever go into one of those both on stage and in practice. I just play through amp/cabinet.
I don't think I have a way to monitor as well. The amp is right there on the stage, and that's how I hear the bass. The rest of the band are in the monitors, at least the vocals and the guitars.

Yea I'm short of know-how but it didn't sound like a good idea to put my Hartke output into my Sansamp. I always thought it should be the other way around :p

I don't know about splitting the sound guy's DI signal. I usually just see that he has a DI and it goes into an amp head. Splitting is too complicated for me.

So after all, I think I'll just have my Sansamp in the effects chain and go through his DI if he so wants. I will probably have the sansamp on the whole time as it makes the Squier sound much better. Last gig, I didn't bring the sansamp, but I had the zoom B2 on all the time with one of its amp modelers. It really beefed up the Squier.
Click to expand...

If you are not going into the mixer/board tell the sound guy to leave your stuff alone and go away.

If you are not going into the mixer/board then don't bother with the XLR (balanced) out. Just use the 1/4" out and go either into the input of the amp or into your FX loop.

If you are not going into the mixer/board why is the sound guy messing with your stuff???

:eyebrow:

Joe.
 
#16
Well, they don't really mess with my stuff and I've never brought the Sansamp to a gig (hence these questions, I am getting ready to.). But at first I didn't understand what a DI was and why they keep one when there's an amp head. So I would ignore the DI and plug my bass straight into the amp on stage. Then the sound guy would notice and ask me to go through the DI, and the sound would increase in volume, or have more beef somehow. My experience is that some sound guys are good at what they're doing but others are just like me. They have not much clue what they're doing.
Now that I see for myself at home with my Sansamp what the DI does a bit, I just had the question what would happen if I brought the sansamp to a gig but the sound guy still asked me to put the output through another DI.
That's all.
 
#17
The soundman wants to split your signal through the DI. The DI has a "throughput" that goes into your amp rig, and the soundman takes the XLR out into his mixing board so he can run you through the PA. You then have the "throughput" signal into your bass amp so you can use your bass amp on stage to hear yourself.
The soundman can also send your bass through the monitors if you ask, though most are reluctant to since low frequencies+cheap monitors=blown speaker.

If the BDDI is part of your tone, then run the signal out of it into the soundman's DI. The soundman wants to use his DI because he's familiar with it, knows its quirks, and can be sure that it won't do something funky to his mixing board.
 
#18
Ahhhhhh, that's awesome. Now I see it:hyper:
I never thought I was going into the PA. But what you say makes sense. I think I'll ask the sound guy at the next show why he's putting me through the DI to make sure. I never thought the bass amp was the monitor. Haha, I'm so naive...
thanks so much!
 
#20
Lowtonejoe said:
Well,

I need to know exactly which connections you are making where to really understand what you are saying.

Balanced signals typically should go to the mixer. The unbalanced signals (which can also go to the mixer depending on cable run length and noise) are typically used to make connections for the instruments and amps.

And concerning your home recordings, Why are you even using a Behringer DI? The BDDI IS a DI!

:eyebrow:

Joe.
Click to expand...

ll right joe, here is my conection chart :) I'm kinda obsessed with this DI thing now, so I'll try till I get the picture :)

bass --> Sansamp RBI input ---> Send --->EQ ---> compressor --->chorus ---> return ----> Sansamp RBI Output ---> (this is where we ara discussing about:) ) ---> DI ---> Mixing Desk

and the reason I'm using a Behringer Dı is that my guitarist own that, I don't have a DI, I usually just have an XLR output from my preamp without a DI, it works just fine though :bassist:

well waiting for the answer :)
 

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