Can I get away with using an Active DI for Active and Passive Bass/Keys/Guitars?

DarkEcho · 6th June 2007, 07:36 PM

I am going to be recording an active bass, passive guitar, keyboard and a plethora of other instruments. I would like to acheive this with one DI, Would it be best to go with an active DI that has a Pad and use that with the active bass and keyboards while running the passive instruments without the pad?

or do I really need to get a passive DI box (JDI preferred) for the active instruments? Thanks

Steffmo · 6th June 2007, 08:50 PM

I'm not quite sure what you are getting at here. A good direct box generally sounds good on all sources. The JDI's, active or passice, are quite good. As are many others.

DarkEcho · 6th June 2007, 09:49 PM

Ive read multiple times that there is a rule of thumb to use a Passive DI on an instrument with Active Pickups, and an Active DI on instruments with passive pickups....

so I am wondering if I can just get an Active DI with a Pad, use it normally with passive pickup-ed instruments, and use the pad when I use the active DI with an Active instrument.

DarkEcho · 7th June 2007, 01:06 AM

Is there any truth to this rule I keep hearing?

lowfreq33 · 7th June 2007, 01:10 AM

No. Just get the JDI. It'll sound good on everything.

Gear Tramp · 7th June 2007, 01:17 AM

There aren't any "rules".

If you use active pickups you might want to audition them first. I have a guitar with active pickups that makes a lot of active DIs splat the **** out, pad engaged or not.

Generally speaking, an active DI gives you 'more' signal and that means an extended high end. You can hear the difference compared to some passive DIs that roll off highs on med to low output electric guitars. BUT - that might sound better (to you) than having the 'extended high end' of the active DI.

The input impedance of the DI causes loading of the pickups which determines how much of the pure signal gets through. The lower the impedance, the less signal that is passing. The higher the impedance, the more signal. One thing an Active DI does is buffer the signal with 9v, which eliminates the loading from the impedance and is what gives you the "extended high end" which we can now see isn't extended but instead was always there. However, a loud signal will distort.

Get a passive DI if you want to be able to use it on everything.

That said, I haven't heard a DI by Radial or Little Labs that sounds anything close to bad. Little Labs stuff kicks ass.

warhead · 7th June 2007, 02:13 AM

Totally agree on the Radial JDI.

It is my go to passive DI on sooooooooooo many things.

War

DarkEcho · 7th June 2007, 06:50 AM

ok, I am sold on the JDI, but I still have concerns about my passive instruments being loaded... I suppose that for now I can go with a passive and If I run into problems, I can add an active DI to my gear in the future. But the JDI you think will have more applications in general and be a good first purchase? Thanks everyone!

bluestarbass · 7th June 2007, 02:53 PM

I use a j48 on my active basses all the time and it sounds great. I havent tried the JDI so i have nothing to compare it to but it doesnt sound "wrong".

Jim Williams · 7th June 2007, 03:13 PM

I use line amps for active guitars and keyboards. That avoids the gain staging you get with a DI feeding into a mic preamp. If the bass is active and the DI route is your choice, I would use the Jensen transformer. If it's passive, I would use a line amp with a 1 meg ohm input impedance or one of those AC powered DI's which are really line amps. All the 48 volt or 9 volt powered DI's are short on the low end depth so that's why I wouldn't use one for bass guitar.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

DarkEcho · 7th June 2007, 08:17 PM

are there any Active DI's that plug into the wall to overcome the problem of lacking the volts?

Dan · 7th June 2007, 09:13 PM

What's an example of a line driver with a 1 meg ohm input impedance? I haven't tried that, always used a DI.

Jim Williams · 8th June 2007, 02:53 PM

Examples are DI's/line amps like made by Millenia, Avalon, etc. Mic pre's with the high impedance input like Great River and others also are good for this application.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

DarkEcho · 8th June 2007, 05:22 PM

Ok, so basically it all comes down to personal preference, because there is no right or wrong DI to use with any particular instrument, except that sometimes a Piezo pickup guitar might need a little preservation that the Active DI's provide, and sometimes an Active bass might overpower an active DI and lose some low end. But at the same time, Passive DI's can load the instruments, giving you a different sound than you'd be used to (good or bad is up to the user)

How often do Passive pickups cause the loading problem on say a passive electric guitar?

Dan · 12th June 2007, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Examples are DI's/line amps like made by Millenia, Avalon, etc. Mic pre's with the high impedance input like Great River and others also are good for this application.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

Are you talking about their channel strips/ mic preamps? I haven't seen either sell line amps separately.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
passive/active bass?	audiothings	So much gear, so little time!	27	13th May 2007 06:53 PM
DI: Passive vs Active.. ?	deathman	So much gear, so little time!	5	11th April 2007 10:48 PM
DI - passive or active?	Sugarman	So much gear, so little time!	13	30th December 2006 10:43 PM
Bass - active or passive?	Kiwiburger	So much gear, so little time!	13	1st May 2006 12:27 AM
P bass.........active or passive electronics??	guittarzzan	High end	10	1st November 2003 04:22 PM

6th June 2007, 07:36 PM	#1
DarkEcho Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,665	Can I get away with using an Active DI for Active and Passive Bass/Keys/Guitars? I am going to be recording an active bass, passive guitar, keyboard and a plethora of other instruments. I would like to acheive this with one DI, Would it be best to go with an active DI that has a Pad and use that with the active bass and keyboards while running the passive instruments without the pad? or do I really need to get a passive DI box (JDI preferred) for the active instruments? Thanks

7th June 2007, 02:13 AM	#7
warhead Jai guru deva om Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 8,328	Totally agree on the Radial JDI. It is my go to passive DI on sooooooooooo many things. War __________________ Warren Dent Email: warren (at) frontendaudio (dot) com Front End Audio Sells Gear Tuesday Testers: Hear the Gear Shootouts Product Videos on YouTube: Overviews of Gear

7th June 2007, 09:13 PM	#12
Dan Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Dallas Posts: 1,269	What's an example of a line driver with a 1 meg ohm input impedance? I haven't tried that, always used a DI. __________________ Rent some gear in Dallas! http://www.transientrecording.com/Eq...%20Rental.html Or, come use it at my studio! http://www.januarysound.com/

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

6th June 2007, 08:50 PM	#2
Steffmo Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: West Haven, CT Posts: 1,162	I'm not quite sure what you are getting at here. A good direct box generally sounds good on all sources. The JDI's, active or passice, are quite good. As are many others.

6th June 2007, 09:49 PM	#3
DarkEcho Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,665	Ive read multiple times that there is a rule of thumb to use a Passive DI on an instrument with Active Pickups, and an Active DI on instruments with passive pickups.... so I am wondering if I can just get an Active DI with a Pad, use it normally with passive pickup-ed instruments, and use the pad when I use the active DI with an Active instrument.

7th June 2007, 01:06 AM	#4
DarkEcho Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,665	Is there any truth to this rule I keep hearing?

7th June 2007, 01:10 AM	#5
lowfreq33 Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1,895	No. Just get the JDI. It'll sound good on everything.

7th June 2007, 01:17 AM	#6
Gear Tramp Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 661	There aren't any "rules". If you use active pickups you might want to audition them first. I have a guitar with active pickups that makes a lot of active DIs splat the **** out, pad engaged or not. Generally speaking, an active DI gives you 'more' signal and that means an extended high end. You can hear the difference compared to some passive DIs that roll off highs on med to low output electric guitars. BUT - that might sound better (to you) than having the 'extended high end' of the active DI. The input impedance of the DI causes loading of the pickups which determines how much of the pure signal gets through. The lower the impedance, the less signal that is passing. The higher the impedance, the more signal. One thing an Active DI does is buffer the signal with 9v, which eliminates the loading from the impedance and is what gives you the "extended high end" which we can now see isn't extended but instead was always there. However, a loud signal will distort. Get a passive DI if you want to be able to use it on everything. That said, I haven't heard a DI by Radial or Little Labs that sounds anything close to bad. Little Labs stuff kicks ass.

7th June 2007, 06:50 AM	#8
DarkEcho Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,665	ok, I am sold on the JDI, but I still have concerns about my passive instruments being loaded... I suppose that for now I can go with a passive and If I run into problems, I can add an active DI to my gear in the future. But the JDI you think will have more applications in general and be a good first purchase? Thanks everyone!

7th June 2007, 02:53 PM	#9
bluestarbass Gear addict Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 324	I use a j48 on my active basses all the time and it sounds great. I havent tried the JDI so i have nothing to compare it to but it doesnt sound "wrong".

7th June 2007, 03:13 PM	#10
Jim Williams Lives for gear Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: beautiful Carlsbad, CA Posts: 4,335	I use line amps for active guitars and keyboards. That avoids the gain staging you get with a DI feeding into a mic preamp. If the bass is active and the DI route is your choice, I would use the Jensen transformer. If it's passive, I would use a line amp with a 1 meg ohm input impedance or one of those AC powered DI's which are really line amps. All the 48 volt or 9 volt powered DI's are short on the low end depth so that's why I wouldn't use one for bass guitar. Jim Williams Audio Upgrades

7th June 2007, 08:17 PM	#11
DarkEcho Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,665	are there any Active DI's that plug into the wall to overcome the problem of lacking the volts?

8th June 2007, 02:53 PM	#13
Jim Williams Lives for gear Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: beautiful Carlsbad, CA Posts: 4,335	Examples are DI's/line amps like made by Millenia, Avalon, etc. Mic pre's with the high impedance input like Great River and others also are good for this application. Jim Williams Audio Upgrades

8th June 2007, 05:22 PM	#14
DarkEcho Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,665	Ok, so basically it all comes down to personal preference, because there is no right or wrong DI to use with any particular instrument, except that sometimes a Piezo pickup guitar might need a little preservation that the Active DI's provide, and sometimes an Active bass might overpower an active DI and lose some low end. But at the same time, Passive DI's can load the instruments, giving you a different sound than you'd be used to (good or bad is up to the user) How often do Passive pickups cause the loading problem on say a passive electric guitar?