Direct Boxes

noonansky · 29th March 2008, 05:33 PM

theres a lot of question about direct boxes on my mind, for i have been working with pods for a long time and i really want to start moving away from them.
what would be a good direct box to invest in? i have a $150 budget. would prefer not to max it out completely, but if thats the price of quality, it will be done.

ddp · 29th March 2008, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noonansky

theres a lot of question about direct boxes on my mind, for i have been working with pods for a long time and i really want to start moving away from them.
what would be a good direct box to invest in? i have a $150 budget. would prefer not to max it out completely, but if thats the price of quality, it will be done.

Is this for Bass or guitar or something else?

For bass the Art Tube MP preamp is a great value and it works great at a di box.

Sensual Ears · 29th March 2008, 06:05 PM

anything from Radial, the JDI, J48, or Pro48... or a Little Labs REDEYE which is also a nice re-amp box.

noonansky · 29th March 2008, 07:04 PM

probably at this point primarily guitar because my akg d 112 does a pretty good job for bass so that will do for now i will check them out though

noonansky · 29th March 2008, 07:06 PM

unfortunatly, those toneboxes are breaking the budget =/
but if they are worth the extra money ill invest it

Kawriver · 29th March 2008, 07:06 PM

If you want to buy and forget. (in other words never have to replace it or think about replacing it again) then get a Countryman DI 85 about 165.00 is what I've seen them for retail, but ebay you should be able to get it down around 100. Perfect and awesome and indestructable.

noonansky · 29th March 2008, 07:09 PM

holy crap actually found one for 65 dollars!
ill do some research but this sounds like its the one
thank you :]

ddp · 29th March 2008, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noonansky

probably at this point primarily guitar because my akg d 112 does a pretty good job for bass so that will do for now i will check them out though

I would not use a DI box for guitar.

Electric Guitars go though Guitar Amps and get miked.
Acoustic Guitars get miked.

Are you recording acoustic or electric guitars?

John Suitcase · 29th March 2008, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noonansky

holy crap actually found one for 65 dollars!
ill do some research but this sounds like its the one
thank you :]

Sounds like a winner!

I actually have used a few different DIs, for best results, you'll want a good mic preamp for the DI to go into. What are you using?

noonansky · 29th March 2008, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddp

I would not use a DI box for guitar.

Electric Guitars go though Guitar Amps and get miked.
Acoustic Guitars get miked.

Are you recording acoustic or electric guitars?

electric guitar. acoustic i have nailed with the equipment ive got.
i mean it might sound a little strange what i do, but i like how it sounds. i put a shure pg81 pointing at the 12th fret and a large diaphram condenser over the guitar players shoulder pointing down.
but for electric guitar ive been using a pod and it sounds way too digital so i should probably start 57ing a cab shouldnt i?

noonansky · 29th March 2008, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Suitcase

Sounds like a winner!

I actually have used a few different DIs, for best results, you'll want a good mic preamp for the DI to go into. What are you using?

eh nothing special just a presonus fp10 =/

Chris Williams · 29th March 2008, 08:41 PM

Record your guitars using a DI then grab a cheap reamp box like the Radial pro rmp and reamp them at a later date ;)

ddp · 29th March 2008, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noonansky

but for electric guitar ive been using a pod and it sounds way too digital so i should probably start 57ing a cab shouldnt i?

I think so. Signal chain should be:

Guitar > guitar pre > guitar amp> speaker > mic > great preamp > recording device

common mics that I have liked are SM7b, SM57, and actually ribbon mics lately (though all I have is an apex 205)

moracspace · 29th March 2008, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kawriver

If you want to buy and forget. (in other words never have to replace it or think about replacing it again) then get a Countryman DI 85 about 165.00 is what I've seen them for retail, but ebay you should be able to get it down around 100. Perfect and awesome and indestructable.

This is the best advise yet.CM is the industry standard and will always be there for you,no break downs

Sandersonic · 31st March 2008, 12:35 PM

Radial JDI. Can't recommend it enough.

doorknocker · 31st March 2008, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddp

I would not use a DI box for guitar.

Electric Guitars go though Guitar Amps and get miked.
Acoustic Guitars get miked.

Are you recording acoustic or electric guitars?

Says who? There's plenty of great and famous DI guitar sounds out there: What about Gilmour's solo in 'Another Brick in the wall' to name just one good example?

As much as I love great tube amps, there are plenty times when I DI elecrtic guitars:Things like Danelectro 12-strings, Baritones and also clean Tele tones.

Though it's way above the budget of the original poster: My fave DIs are the one in the Little Labs IBP (great for bass and ultra-clean guitars) and the DI in the UA 2108. Believe it or not, I even DI-ed fuzz guitars thru th3 2108 in some cases.

Digibear · 31st March 2008, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddp

I would not use a DI box for guitar.

Electric Guitars go though Guitar Amps and get miked.
Acoustic Guitars get miked.

Are you recording acoustic or electric guitars?

I have to disagree. I always record a DI of guitar. If the tone isn't right at mix, you can re-amp. If you need to edit (god forbid) distorted tones, it's easier to see individual notes on the DI track (you group all the tracks and edit from the DI).

ddp · 31st March 2008, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doorknocker

Says who? There's plenty of great and famous DI guitar sounds out there: What about Gilmour's solo in 'Another Brick in the wall' to name just one good example?

As much as I love great tube amps, there are plenty times when I DI elecrtic guitars:Things like Danelectro 12-strings, Baritones and also clean Tele tones.

Though it's way above the budget of the original poster: My fave DIs are the one in the Little Labs IBP (great for bass and ultra-clean guitars) and the DI in the UA 2108. Believe it or not, I even DI-ed fuzz guitars thru th3 2108 in some cases.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digibear

I have to disagree. I always record a DI of guitar. If the tone isn't right at mix, you can re-amp. If you need to edit (god forbid) distorted tones, it's easier to see individual notes on the DI track (you group all the tracks and edit from the DI).

Both good points. Using a DI can give you lots of options later and can be useful in other ways as well.

That's what I love about this forum. . . lots of different opinions and techniques. Always learning.

Thanks guys for chiming in.

Meriphew · 31st March 2008, 10:48 PM

Radial JDI.

Nu-tra · 31st March 2008, 10:52 PM

JDI is dope. Jensen tranny sounds nice.

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29th March 2008, 05:33 PM	#1
noonansky Gear interested Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prospect Posts: 23	Direct Boxes theres a lot of question about direct boxes on my mind, for i have been working with pods for a long time and i really want to start moving away from them. what would be a good direct box to invest in? i have a $150 budget. would prefer not to max it out completely, but if thats the price of quality, it will be done.

29th March 2008, 07:06 PM	#6
Kawriver Gear Head Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Midwest US Posts: 47	If you want to buy and forget. (in other words never have to replace it or think about replacing it again) then get a Countryman DI 85 about 165.00 is what I've seen them for retail, but ebay you should be able to get it down around 100. Perfect and awesome and indestructable. __________________ "bad taste abhors a vacuum." - Donald Fagen, Walter Becker

29th March 2008, 08:41 PM	#12
Chris Williams Gear nut Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lancaster, Ohio Posts: 123	Record your guitars using a DI then grab a cheap reamp box like the Radial pro rmp and reamp them at a later date ;) __________________ 01100100 01101001 01110011 01101101 01100101 01101101 01100010 01100101 01110010 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01101000 01101111 01110000 01100101 01100110 01110101 01101100

31st March 2008, 12:35 PM	#15
Sandersonic Gear nut Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Stockholm, Sweden (ex S.E. Mass) Posts: 79	Radial JDI. Can't recommend it enough. __________________ ---------------------------------------- Frank Sanderson Gyroscope Studios PowerFX

29th March 2008, 06:05 PM	#3
Sensual Ears Gear maniac Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 273	anything from Radial, the JDI, J48, or Pro48... or a Little Labs REDEYE which is also a nice re-amp box.

29th March 2008, 07:04 PM	#4
noonansky Gear interested Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prospect Posts: 23	probably at this point primarily guitar because my akg d 112 does a pretty good job for bass so that will do for now i will check them out though

29th March 2008, 07:09 PM	#7
noonansky Gear interested Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prospect Posts: 23	holy crap actually found one for 65 dollars! ill do some research but this sounds like its the one thank you :]

31st March 2008, 10:48 PM	#19
Meriphew Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Seattle USA Posts: 2,241	Radial JDI. __________________ www.myspace.com/meriphew

31st March 2008, 10:52 PM	#20
Nu-tra Lives for gear Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,535	JDI is dope. Jensen tranny sounds nice. __________________ http://www.nu-tra.com

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