guitar line-in into mbox sounds crap.. am i doing something wrong

[RobML]

usually i mic up my marshall cab at low volumes with an nt1a and it sounds really nice straight into the mbox2 (usb version)

ive been recording at night recently and i just cant get a clean sound out of the mbox2 direct via the DI input.

recorded guitar sounds like its got a large mid scoop or something..

i can fix it with an eq.. but i dont really want to have to.

an i doing something wrong?? or does everyone have this problem?

cheers
robml

[Retinal]

Is the sound the same that you hear while you're recording? Or the tracks are diffrent once they are in PT?

[kafka]

I'm not sure what you're trying to do? Is there some kind of line out on the amp that you're connecting to the DI? Or are you plugging your guitar right into the DI?

DI is an instrument input, so anything from an amp won't work. (Well, it might, but we're talking about very different impedance and level, so it's not likely.)

Personally, I find most DI inputs to be rather hit-or-miss. There's often an impedance mismatch between the guitar and the DI. Try getting a passive direct box and go into the mic input instead.

Radio Shack used to sell an impedance matching transformer that's sometimes useful for these things. It's just a 1/4" plug and jack with a transformer in a barrel. I don't know the exact ratio - I think it's just labeled Hi-Z and Low-Z. It's also sometimes useful going into an amp, just to change the response a bit.

[RobML]

im going straight from my guitar into the DI on the mbox2.

usually i mic the amp. but i cant at night because it would wake my family.

i set the mbox2 to the DI input. turn the gain down slightly so it doesnt clip.

recording or monitoring, it sounds the same.

its almost like there is an impedance mismatch, like im plugging into a line-in not a DI.

i was wonding if anyone else has experienced the same thing.

cheers

[d1rtynyc]

As was said before... I think you would be better off with a DI box.
Whirlwind makes a couple nice ones, Countryman makes a better one.
The Mbox's DI has to be the source of the problem.

Just curious... What amp simulation are you using?

[kzkingsley]

Epitome of gearslutz.com:
Q: Am I doing something wrong?
A: Maybe, but I suggest getting your wallet out and buying something new.

[RobML]

Originally Posted by d1rtynyc

Just curious... What amp simulation are you using?

for this recording im not using any amp simulation. i just want to record a clean signal from the guitar.

i previously had an edirol UA-25 which had terrible mic pre's, but the DI for guitar sounded fine.

cheers

[chribble]

try some amp sim software

that can help.

normally i'd rather punch myself than di guitar though.

[luchof26]

try an amp sim. If that doesn't fix your problem try a outboard DI

[Enerjex]

I know it's about 6 months overdue lol.... but running a guitar straight into the DI in without even using a plugin amp on it will sound terrible. Just a DI guitar with nothing else on it will never work out well regardless of your hardware.

[Agreed]

Edit: Oh, this is a long-dead thread. Nevermind.

[craschowder]

Without a real guitar amplifier and a mic an amp simulation software is an absolute must. The dry signal from the instruments pickups does not sound like an electric guitar as everyone is used to hearing them. The Amp Sim brings it all out and makes the signal come alive. They emulate speaker characteristics and some have famous stomp box emulators too. Some of them are great. My Fav's are Waves GTR plugins and all of the Amplitube series.

Usually when I hear this question I promptly say
"The sound from the pickups is completely bloated and dead and the dynamics are all over the place right?....yeah...get amplitube."

Effects alone are usually not enough to make a direct signal guitar sound like the real deal. Although some arguably acceptable sounds can be achieved because modern music is incorporating guitar sounds FAR behind those from the days of Hendrix more and more. To most of us the result is unacceptable. Amplitude and programs like it are great if you cant run a loudspeaker when creativity strikes.

Edit: wish I read the reply above me before I posted this. Oh well, maybe someone else doesn't know this yet.

[Agreed]

That's pretty much just what I posted before realizing that this thread was an ancient relic from a time now lost Although I think in this case the gentleman was running his amp's line-out, which usually comes after the preamp but before the power amp (except in the case of amps like the THD Univalve and THD Bivalve, which have a transformer-isolated line out after the power section for lovely power tube saturation goodness). So in the best case scenario he'd be getting his amp's preamp tone unless he's using an attenuator/load box with a line-out on it. Either way, what he really needs might not be amp modeling software... now don't get me wrong, I love amp modeling software, I'm a freelance reviewer and my current project is running a public comparison of all of them except Digidesign 11 since I'm not a Protools guy. But if he's trying to capture his amp's tone in a digital environment, he needs a speaker simulator. I recommend an impulse response convolution plugin and some real cabinet impulses. There are some excellent free ones around, or you can buy a package with more professionally organized and intended ones... I'm currently reviewing ReCabinet and getting remarkable preliminary results, and it's only $40 for a ton of very well organized IRs. Anyway, that's if he likes his amp's (usually preamp) tone well enough to try to capture just it.

I DO agree that if he wants to sound better than that, he probably ought to look into either a load box/DI to get the full amp's output, or amp modeling software, since just preamps tend to sound kind of gross even when you run them through a speaker sim.

[RobML]

hey guys

the DI input on the mbox2 sucks with my guitar and i was wondering if others suffered the same problem. adding modeling software can make it better, but the problem lies with the mbox DI input.

using a 3rd party DI box before the mbox makes it sound so much better.

i do actually use modeling software, but in the above example i left it out so as to make a clear case.

thanks
robml

[frase89]

have you tried a pedal in between? either a buffered one in bypass or a compressor/booster

i record guitar through the DI on my mbox all the time just with a BYOC compressor and it sounds great, no EQ or amp sim.

even the DI input will have some sort of impedance mismatch, it depends on the guitar at the end of the day..but try a few different pedals in front, it will probably help.