DI Boxes Part 4: Stompbox/Pedal DIs
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- Опубликовано: 19 мар 2015
- The fourth video in the DI box series, looking at stompboxes/pedals which also feature balanced outputs. These are effectively effects units and DI boxes in one package - the question is, can they be used as standard DI boxes if necessary?
This video examines how to manage the feature set on these types of DIs, using two good examples of the type: the Boss AD-3 acoustic instrument processor and the Tech 21 Sansamp Bass Diver DI. We also discuss how to connect these to a mixer and how to set gain, on both the pedal (if applicable) and on the mixer.
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Full review and user guide of the Boss AD-3: • Boss AD-3 acoustic ins...
DI boxes part 1: • DI boxes part 1: What ...
DI boxes part 2: • DI boxes part 2: Activ...
DI boxes part 3: • DI boxes part 3: Ampli...
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Thank you Bruno. You speak very clearly and in a calm pace. Very didactic. Excelent for non-native english speakers.
Glad to be of service!
I am the last person on earth to enjoy 'tecchie' videos, but I have been rivetted to your clear and informative presentations. Rather than showboating about how much YOU know, you concentrate on boosting what WE need to know. I'm astounded and grateful in equal measure. I now run my mic through a DI box into a mixer. Sooooo much better! Thank you.
You're welcome Chris. If you're running your microphone through a DI box it must have an unbalanced 1/4" output, yes? All professional mics with XLR connectors on the back have balanced, low impedance outputs and do not require a DI box.
GLB Productions Yes, I generally use my SM58 with an XLR to XLR, but I do love to wander and by running an XLR to jack into the DI box I have greater freedom to roam! But really, after watching your excellent videos, I just wanted to see how well it worked! 🙂
Haha if you're using an SM58 there's absolutely no need to connect it to a DI box - just buy a longer mic cable :D
GLB Productions Yes,, a longer cable is a pain in the posterior, as well as expensive. I also use thebox to split a monitor signal off to a foldback by my feet
Excellent four videos - so very clear and in depth. Superb!
Thanks for watching, glad the videos were helpful!
Thanks for this awesome series of videos!
+Alain Gonzalez You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Best video so far on Di box. I mean all ur other videos. Thanks Bruno.
Yan Reazon You're welcome, thanks for watching and commenting :)
Very educational, thank you for your video.
I understood myself! You used xlr cables in case if you need to stretch them longer, if the mixer is far away, which you wouldn't be able to do with a jack-jack cable. Either way thanks for these amazing videos! Learn't lots! :)
THANK YOU! YOU ARE EXTREMELY HELPFUL!
You're welcome :)
Very helpful. Everything i must change start from now.. thank you
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for another valuable tech lesson.
You're welcome 😊
So helpful! Thanks!!
+Lorena Del Mar You're most welcome, thanks for watching!
Thank you for such teaching
You're welcome :)
I always wondered if I could bypass the SansAmp´s features in order to use it only as an active DI for my electric guitar. Very informative video, thanks!
You're welcome, thanks for watching! The Sansamp BDDI is not the best active DI in my opinion - if you don't need the amp modelling it's best to go with something like a Radial J48 which is a more modern design.
ser, your vedio is educational , i learn a lot from you think,s for shareng your knowlage
You're welcome, thanks for watching :)
thanks... my favorite DI preamp is Radial Bassbone
Oh yes, expensive but fantastic sounding!
Great video! But i didn't understand why you didn't use jack-jack cable, it even would've reduced peaking if put in line input of the mixer. + No need for converted cables. I'm asking this because i want to make a stereo setup myself for my boss giga delay pedal. So would it be good to use jack-jack cables? Thanks! :)
Hi!Distinguished. .I want to know if this equipment work well together : Seismic Audio - 16 Channel XLR SNAKE CABLE 100' long - 16 XLR se..., Crown XLS 2502 Amplifier 2-Channel, 775W Power Amp, JBL JRX212 12' Passive Two-Way Stage Monitor Speaker Pair PA Pac..., Mackie ProFX16v2 16-Channel 4-Bus FX Mixer with USB. If does work? what low budget monitor can I use and how to conect to the power amplifier. ..God bless you! !!
But i have another question. I have an bass amp which has a jack connector named '' sfx send'' which we use to connect to mixer, but it's very low volume, but it doesn't have a DI send. If i use it with an DI box will it be active or passive and is there any need for doing so? Thanks! :)
Hello, great video! I've been looking at these DI vids to try and get an answer to this: I have a strat (SSS) and it's quite noisy. I connect it to a Line 6 Pod XT directly and then to my audio interface, though it's still noisy. Should a DI work to remove the noise if I place it between the eguitar and the multiFX? If so, should it be an active DI or a passive one? Thanks!
If the noise is coming from the pickups in the Strat the answer is no. The way to determine this is to connect the Strat directly to your audio interface - if it's still noisy, then a DI box won't help.
Excellent video. I learned a lot with this DI series videos. I have a question. I have a Line6 HELIX LT . Do I need a passive DI box to connect it to mixer console ? Or just connect it with XLR or TRS stereo outputs ... ? My fear is basically to Phantom Power...I don't want any damage to my unit from a mixing console. Thnx
Hi Luis, on that unit just connect directly using the XLR outputs. If you are concerned about phantom power write to Line 6 and check with them whether the unit can be damaged by phantom power - they will be able to give you a clear answer.
your videos were awesome .God Bless!..just to sum up what I’ve learnt…..
sometimes when I only have a only MIC XLR connection available ( basically I detach the mic and use it for my Taylor Acoustic Guitar ) .. I would need a passive DI right?
My Taylor uses the expression system (battery required)
Additionally I also run my Taylor into fx pedals Delay + Reverb + reverb2
On a different note I notice of lot of players using active Guitars into actives DI’s , not consistent with your note e.g LR Baggs?
+Clive Luis Correct, a passive DI will give a mic level input so you should be able to swap between mic and guitar with no trouble. Just be sure that phantom power is off on that channel or you will get a big bang when you unplug!
Active guitar into active DI is fine as long as you do not overload the mic preamp on your mixer. But in my opinion it is simpler and more consistent to use a passive DI for active sources.
Hello GLB Productions, I've been watching your direct box video series and find them very helpful. I have a home recording set-up doing amateur projects and am wondering if I need to use a direct box for level matching of acoustic guitars / microphones when I intend to route them through outboard pre-amp - compressor - EQ and connecting them to my audio interface's microphone input? If yes, do I connect the direct box after the outboard gear chain somewhat similar to your Takamini guitar example? Thanks for the help.
It depends on whether the outboard gear has an instrument level input, usually indicated by a guitar symbol or the wording "Hi-Z". If it does, you can connect the guitar directly, no DI box needed. If it doesn't, then you would connect to a DI box first and then connect to the pre-amp's microphone input.
@@GLBProductions thanks.
Hi awesome information thank you.Can we add a bass equalizer GEB-7 to the Sans Amp bass driver DI.If so can you demo one please.
Sure, you can add whatever pedals you want 😊 Just remember that if you want them to be in the DI output you need to add them in front of the Sansamp, between it and your bass.
Hi Thank you for the tutorials however I have a qn, if I am a DJ, do i really need a DI box, and how do i connect it? is it between the mixer and the amp? or there is another way of connecting it.
Chris Muwulya.
Please watch the first video in the series it will answer your questions :) The short answer is no, unless you are having issues with noise.
Hi mate, I've got question for ya. If you have 2 other pedals where do you place the di box? Do I assume it correctly it should be after the pedals? I mean live performance, I need to hear in my amp what I am sending to the PA. Please let me know ;) Cheers!
Correct - after the DI boxes and immediately before your amp. Bear in mind that if you use the amp drive or reverb it will not be captured by the DI.
Hello! I resolved problems with my privacy settings, just noticed the message from you, thanks! :)
Ronalds Svarups Great :) Now what was your original question?
I asked that i have a stagg bass amp and it has sfx send, but when i send it to mixer it's really quiet, but that should be active right? or it's not. So i have a quiestion, do i need a di box for it, or not? Thanks! :)
Ronalds Svarups Yes, it's active but because it's designed to connect to effects pedals has been padded down to instrument level. You will need a DI box, but you'll need to experiment to see which type works best. I have found that with effects sends an active DI box is often best.
Ok, thanks! :)
thanks!
+Alex “Tolerey” Joannou You're welcome!
really good explanation i just want to know one thing, if you run out of inputs in the mixer or recorder is it possible to connect the xlr output from the sansamp with a xlr-trs cable and plug it in a line input, cause the output of the pedal is balanced and the trs is balanced too is it possible to do this way or it will not work?
It should work fine, as long as you have enough gain on the mixer or recorder channel.
@@GLBProductions ok thank you very much keep going with the great work
Hey man, great videos! I just finished watching your series on DI boxes. It got me thinking about something. I run my Godin hollowbody (passive)>Boss bluesdriver bd2> GT "The Brick" tube pre-amp> Mackie CFX 20 mixer. I run from my balanced out on the pre-amp to the line in on the mackie. My gain is perfect at just a hair below 12 o'clock. I love the sound i get from it. The other day, i played a gig with the same setup, but on a different mixer/similar pa, and running in to their XLR port. The sound guy told me i should run through an amp, and then mic it to get better sound. Personally i like the sound through my pa better then through my amp (its a cheap little marshall MG 15 as opposed to my Yorkville pa). Do you think maybe the problem was with line level? Like i said, i run into my line in on my setup, but was running into their XLR , on their setup... Or would i have been better off to mic up my amp?
Hello Kyle, thanks for getting in touch. Guitar sound is a very subjective thing, and if you like the direct sound you're getting by all means stick with it. Going direct is much cleaner and more consistent from gig to gig because there is no mic to get knocked around/change position and a direct signal doesn't pick up spill from other instruments on stage.
Many people still think you need to mic up an amp in order to get the best live sound - this is now outdated advice, with many national and world tours getting their guitar sound direct using gear like the Radial JDX48.
There can be an issue with running a line level signal into an XLR input - it depends on how hot the output from your preamp is. I recommend carrying an XLR to TRS adapter with you so that you can run into the mixer's line input if your signal is overloading the XLR input.
+GLB Productions thanks for the reply! I have been watching quite a few of your videos about sound setup, and such, and have been applying it to my setup. This has been making a huge difference in my sound! Way less white noise. I have also realized that my XLR to TRS cables have not been built properly, as my TRS ends dont have the rings, just the sleeves. I cannot explain how much help your videos have been, as i am trying to get set up for recording, and have been dealing with "dirty" power/white noise, etc...
+GLB Productions i have one more question. Would it work to run my tube preamp through the external efx loop so that i can give a little warmth to any channel i wish with just a twist of a knob? The theory of it aounds good to me
Great to hear the videos have been helpful! Getting rid of noise is of great importance to all PA systems.
Yes you can run your tube preamp through the effects loop of the mixer - just be careful not to overload the input of the preamp, as the output of the mixer will be a lot hotter than that coming from your Boss pedal.
If you would like to support the channel please consider signing up to become a patron at www.patreon.com/glbproductions?ty=h Every little bit helps!
So Amp is a kind of concept that Di with EQ right? ( also Speaker connected)
some people say Electric Guitar Through only DI is bad but after your lecture
i understand it is problem of how DI matches to the electric guitar ( IF guitar is PASSIVE, DI should be ACTIVE in such)
and EQ with BOOST thing.
1. Guitar - Pedal - Amp - Mic- Mixer - PA Speaker
2. Guitar - Pedal - Right DI - (Mixer) - PA Speaker
once i saw a musician playing on live stage where i could not find amp or mic, and it sound very clear and depth
No.2 is better than no.1 i think.
+Sihoon Kim There are many techniques available today for capturing the sound of electric guitar. The musician that you saw may have been playing through an amp located offstage in an isolation box with a microphone inside. Alternatively there are many amp simulators and DIs with built in amp simulation available today. The most important thing is that the sound is good - if it sounds good it doesn't really matter how you got there :)
Hi Bruno!hope you're well!
While I'm waiting to find some time to watch your latest video...can I ask you one more question about DIs?
-If I want to connect an headphones output from a guitar amp like the Roland cube 30 to a DI (Ada gcs3)...I have to use an unbalanced mono guitar cable or a balanced one?
Because usually all amps are mono...so from the headphones output the signal should be identical for the 2 channels...but when it comes to connect to a mono input what happens to the signal?
+Cris Valk Sure no problem Chris :) What are you connecting the headphone output to? You're right that the amp itself is mono but the effects may well be in stereo.
+GLB Productions Thanks!how can you tell if the output is stereo? I want to connect it to the DI box (an ADA gcs3) and connecting this last one to the Mixer. ..so in order
: headphones output-->DI->mixer.
+Cris Valk You'll need to listen and see :) Headphone outputs are by definition stereo, but whether it is really stereo or dual mono is something that has to be determined by listening, or by recording the output and comparing the waveforms of the left and right channels.
The GCS3 is a single-channel DI box so you'll need to use a minijack to 2x1/4" cable and connect one side at a time. Ideally you would have two of them and then be able to connect both sides.
+GLB Productions You're right...I've never thought of the null test!
Sorry but there's something strange...the rec out/phones of the amp and the DI itself are both 1/4 plugs...why should I use a minijack?
Am I missing something?
+Cris Valk Ah yes in that case you would use a TRS to 2xTS cable. Some amps these days have minijack headphone outputs :)
I have a sansamp and a Traynor 500H microhead amphead. Would I connect that through to return effects input?. The amp head also has passive and active inputs and was also wondering if I can put it through there too?
You can actually connect to any of these inputs - experiment and see which one works best for you. You could also run the sansamp in the effects loop of the amp (with your bass plugged into the amp itself) and see how that sounds.
@GLBProductions very interesting I'll experiment around. When you mention running the sansamp through the effects loop, do you mean running a cable from input to the send slot and the output to the return slot?
That's right. Effects loops on amps are typically used for time-based effects but it's always good to experiment.
hello there mister, i once tried to play my bass directly using sansamp bddi (although it seems that mine is a newer model) through a mixer, but at that time it sounds bad,... and i suspect maybe i got the settings wrong (neither me or the crew is expert in this kind of thing), could you tell me what settings for proper bass direct injection?,.... do i need to use the mixer eq?, or what button should be turn on and what button should be left off, thanks,....
Hello Andri, what exactly do you mean by 'it sounded bad'? Thanks.
What i meant by sounds bad is the result which came from the pa system/monitor is different (and a lot worse)from when i put the sansamp bddi to my bass amp, as if my sansamp bddi preamp shaping functions were nullified,... recently i have a suspicion that it because i didn't mute the mixer's eq,...so maybe your thought?,...
This is quite a common experience, and it is often due to the fact that monitor speakers are often not able to reproduce the very lowest frequencies of the bass guitar, especially below 80Hz or so. I usually recommend still retaining a bass amp on stage and NOT sending the bass through the monitor system - the bass amp becomes the monitor for the stage, and the PA system distributes the bass through the house. Make sure that your mixer's EQ is set flat to begin with, ie all knobs at 12 o'clock.
Thanks. I like the speed/pace and clarity of your voice. Slow enough for me to absorb the information you are giving. Many video's of others speak too fast. I think my Amp has both Pre DI out and DI out. What are the red and white connecter connected too?
You're welcome Paul! The RCA connectors are connected to the video camera :)
@@GLBProductions Yes, realized later about the connecters after watching the full series on the DI. You are slowly putting the puzzle of all this equipment and how it interacts together for me. I will probably given time go back and watch again many of your videos.
Feel free to get in touch with any questions.
Very interesting Bruno!There will be even a part 5? :)
As usual I have a question!With a preamplified acoustic guitar (like the one you're using,I assume),and active instruments like the Keyboards and Electronic Drums... isn't it better a Passive DI?
***** Hello Chris, thanks for your question :)
Yes, passive DI with active instrument is preferable for better control of gain structure but unfortunately there is no such thing as a passive Sansamp bass driver DI... Virtually all of these pedal DIs are active so you need to work around the gain structure issue, either by using a pad on the mixer input or by running the signal into the line level input by using an XLR to TRS adapter.
This reminds me of my French teacher, who liked to tell the class regarding French grammar - "There are exceptions to every rule, and it is an exception to have no exceptions!" :D
Ok got it!but even impedance changes between the two of them right?so maybe running directly the DI out to the mic pre isn't the right choice sometimes...
Plus using a PAD usually decrease the S/N Ratio...
This according to my recent studies in home recording/project studio recording field...
But your French teacher was absolutely right! :D
Hi Bruno!this vid for sure,(or this series of vids) is the one that I watch the most...!Unfortunately,the more I watch them...the more doubts come to me...I mean,in the electric guitar world,if I want to connect my passive pickup guitar to my pedals or pedalboard ,instead of using those include in the daw,...(the only ecxception is the speaker simulator,which is of vital importance in this case),directly to the input on the audio interface...Should I enter through the HI or Lo impedance input?(according to the majority of the pedals around,their Input is always High and the output is always Low...but I don't know why...)Or do you have to use a passive o active DI as well?Ps have you thought anything about bank donations?beause I wanna really help you out...but please don't tell me to get a credit card...I hate them...
+Cris Valk Glad to hear you are revisiting these videos, I had hoped that they would become a reference that people could check back with.
In terms of which input to use, I suggest experimenting with both and choosing the one that sounds better. A low impedance input will sometimes give a darker tone than a high impedance one, depending on the exact pedal you are using and also whether it has a true bypass or is buffered.
Yes I agree with you - I hate credit cards too! You could send me a donation via Paypal, all you need is an email address and some form of internet banking. Other subscribers have done this instead of signing up for Patreon.
+GLB Productions Thanks!Ok I've signed up for Paypal,but to send money,it tells me that it takes the email or the phone number of the recipient...that means you right?
+Cris Valk Yes that's right - do you have my email address? If not send me a personal message :)
+GLB Productions
Ok now I'll do it ;)
Hello if purchased the AD-3 for my acoustic for live performance , could I patch in say a few stomp pedals like a delay and a tremolo ? And the best way to hook these in the signal chain , pre ad3 or post ad3 ? Thank you kindly
If you want to use the DI function in the AD-3 those pedals have to come before the AD-3.
+GLB Productions I'd like to use the ad3 just like you demo it in this video. Using the chorus and reverb. but to add other effects pedals. so I assume you mean patch them in before the guitar input ? Thanks.
Correct, between your guitar and the AD-3.
+GLB Productions thank you
***** You're welcome :)
Gutes Video! Now, how could one solve the noise when connecting the Sansamp to the mixer?
What sort of noise are you having? Hiss/white noise or hum/buzz?
It's more lie a hum I think. Possibly a ground loop? All the equipment is connected to the same wall socket.
After watching your 4 videos about DI box I'm still a little confused. I have a Yamaha Motif XF6 keyboard and not sure if I need a active or passive DI Box. Help please!
I would suggest a passive DI :)
Thanks Sir
carnell butler You're welcome!
if motif outputs a balanced signal (like kronos, fantom or kurzweil pc3/4) you don't need a DI but simply trs cables, if snake has XLR inputs you need adaptors or trs-xlr male cables.
(some keyboards/stage pianos have xlr outputs directly on rear panel, whereas synths usually have balanced TRS jacks, other stuff like nord keyboards have unbalanced outputs, so they need a DI)
on stage usually an active DI is more efficent keeping signal correct on long distances, but it could tend to color signal slightly (uninfluent on stage) so in studio, where distances are pointless, a passive DI would be a better option...however this must be evaluated case by case, a high quality passive DI could perform better than a crappy 20$ DI on long distances...
hi bruno,,,,,please review for Korg g2 acoustic processor, thks
Gunawan Wahyudi Thanks for the suggestion, will look out for one of those.
Wht di do you reccomend for my set up.. guitar - headrush multieffect amp modeller - straight to pa.. i mean active di or will passive di do fine..??
Doesn't that unit have XLR outputs? If it does no DI is needed - it's already built in.
@@GLBProductions no it doent have xlr out put..
What sort of DI box should I use if I was using an electric guitar with a few pedals ?
Passive :)
Thank you Bruno. Could you help me to arrange my set up to record my Acoustic.
I have an acoustic amp with a DI out socket - A DigiTech Modeling guitar Processor for effects and a mixer with the recording software.
Could you tell me in what order to set this up.
Thank you.
Hmm, I would say acoustic -> Digitech -> amplifier -> mixer.
I have a really smart dummy question; If the Sansamp is a "bass" pedal, does it not care what instrument you use if you cut all features and use it purely as a DI box? I know that one really should not plug a bass guitar into a guitar amp since the amp is "tuned" for different frequencies, would the same apply with "multifunction" pedal/Di Box. Would it cut out the pedals own "sold for this instrument only specs" and turn it into a whatever the heck instruments DI box? Do DI Boxes when being used as such ever really care what instrument with its corresponding signal is being fed to them??
+TheIcelander The manual for the Sansamp actually states that it can be used as a standard transparent active DI box if the modelling is turned off. DI boxes are generally universal use - the only thing that really matters is correct matching to active/passive instruments for input impedance.
+GLB Productions Ok great, thats what I sort of figured from watching your 4 part DI Box series, great job. I know that I learned something when I scratch my head in wonder afterwards and tell myself, I think I got it? :o)
Yeah, when things have to sink in over a period of time is usually the time that you are actually gaining knowledge so thank you for being thorough on this and also for answering my question. I am a musician actually and sometimes my brain just goes overboard when the discussion is based on being a learned electrician, just like how some people are bad with math but I am bridging the gap in pro home/live studio recording knowledge vs musician, thanks to you. So again, thank you ;o)
+TheIcelander You're most welcome, feel free to get in touch any time if you have more questions :) If you would like to support the channel please consider signing up to become a patron at www.patreon.com/glbproductions?ty=h Every little bit helps!
Hi,
can i use Guitar-> Pedal(Wah, Distorion, etc..) -> DI(whirlwild IMP 2 DI) -> audio interface(Focusrite 2i4) -> computer(BiasFX & Reaper) ?
Thanks
Sure, in fact you don't even need a DI box - just connect the last pedal directly to the audio interface.
+GLB Productions ohh i see, but does it sound good? especially the distortion? thanks
Francisco Apuado There should be no change in the sound - just be sure to set your input level correctly.
Thank you so much! or is it better if i use Guitar -> Focusrite2i4 + FCB1010 -> Computer?
Francisco Apuado Experiment and see which sounds better :)
Thanks Bruno you are too much
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Does DI box help your PA system not to easily get destroyed? Thank you
Not really 😄
Is there any problem if I use an active bass with a direct box? Thank you.
No problem at all.
@@GLBProductions Thank you! Talking about electricity, if I record a guitar/bass amp wtih a condenser mic. Should I pad the signal on the interface? Thanks again!
You're welcome. You only need to use the pad if the signal is clipping with the gain control turned all the way down.
Can I plug dynamic microphone on di box
Why would you need to do that?
Awesome video. 2 TRS cables just to get 2 balanced signals. Does not sound interesting to me. I really appreciate that you always emphasizes the user guides. RTFM, right? lol. ;-)
Good stuff!
Fabio Kasper Exactly! Companies provide user guides for a reason...
BTW the use of TRS connectors for balanced signals is very common in pro audio - most compact mixers have all of their outputs except for the main LR on TRS connectors to save space and some very successful models, notably the Mackie 1604s, don't have any XLR outputs at all.
GLB Productions Yep. I guess this is the issue of being a newbie. After writing the comment above I went to my Focusrite interface and finally figured out that the balanced output jacks are actually asking for TRS cables. I recall purchasing a TRS male -> 2 mono males adapter and testing in my active speaker. So I was having unbalanced signal back in that scenario.
In my country we have a saying: "living and learning". Not to mention again: RTFM!! lol. :-)
Thx man!
Fabio Kasper You're welcome, get in touch any time you have questions!
can you show how to combine different 2 amps and output to soundbox
Sorry I don't understand your question.
@@GLBProductions i mean can i combin 1800 Wt amp and 2200 Wt amp with line?
Not into the same speaker.
@@GLBProductions Thanks
What if i don't want any hiss? :/
I'm afraid that no DI will help you with that if your signal is noisy to begin with...
Can u DI Box an electric guitar ???
+Xkid Billie Yes you can, as long as you position the DI box after your effects and not before.
I shall pay tribute to you one day
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