I know that there's been alot around here about bass DIs and I'm ready to spend $500-600. I've searched and I think the U-5 seems like the right way to go. What else should I consider if anything?

Also, what other uses have U-5 owners found it useful for?

Thanks all.

u5 sounds so good on bass and is definetly the best option for me at least.

I have both the U5 and REDDI. I like both, but you might want to give the REDDI a listen..

Here are some samples.

http://www.basstasters.com/preamps/reddi.htm

I'm a Reddi fan myself.

I've heard a lot of good things about the REDDI... But, I can't bring myself to use anything but my Aurora GTQ2's DI on bass. heh

Gee Tony is that because you make your money selling the GTQ2 and not the U5?

I'm saving up for the new ampeg DI.

Tried it on bass for a country thing. Old P with flatwounds. Sounded great.

Love the Eclair Engineering Evil Twin too. But the ampeg di into a api lunchbox pre was perfect.

The radial jensen di is a nice sound. More expensive sounding than expensive too.


Funky marcus miller style slap happy jazz?...... Countryman into 1073.

Why are you being a troll in various threads today? Are you still mad because I called you out on a stupid comment you made a year ago?

What does me selling gear have to do with what I like as an engineer? I don't own Aurora or Avalon or A Designs, so why should I care what someone buys, other than trying to get them the best piece for the application? I can make what little money I make doing this from selling any piece of gear, not exclusively one manufacturer or another. I sell A Designs, too dip****, which was the other piece of gear being commented on....

Since, I haven't commented on the Avalon yet, let me give you my thoughts compared to the GTQ... After owning the Avalon for many years, I got bored with it. I discovered I like a little bit more roundness in the lows, where the U5 would be considered tighter & less colored in that region(if that makes sense). So, I tried the GTQ on bass, and haven't really felt the need to use ANYTHING else since. It's my main preamp for bass and vocals. Sometimes, I'll use an API instead but I usually try the GTQ first.

I like "Tone 2" on the U5. I too get a little bored with it, though. I do enjoy running the Countryman Type 85 into a 1073 now and again and eqing the snot out of it, then sending it into a Distressor. Midrange, baby!

-Aaron

You must try the "possesed" DI by HCL, you`ll get 4 tube channels for that price. Its the prefered DI for the bassists and guitarrist I record.

Best Regards,

Synthi

Reddog,

Please remeber it's all relative. If you feel that is the right way to go then you should do it.
If you have second thoughts then you should compare all the units that are being suggested.
Whatever your choice is I'm sure it will be the best for you.

Good luck in your quest,

Peter Montessi
A Designs Audio
www.adesignsaudio.com

It's relative, but in reality REDDI does bass guitar much better to me than U5.
I'm bass player.

No complaints about the U5 here. Its great on bass and keys, very tight hifi sound.

Did anyone had the chance to compare the U5 to the Phoenix Audio Nice DI, which is quite cheaper.

Phil

I've used the U5 as the di/pre in my live bass rig for quite some time. Sounds incredible but it's not very forgiving.

Buy an EBS Fafner with a 4x10. OK more expensive and quite a different thing but if you are after THE bass tone....
It also has a great DI out built in.

Why thank you Sir! thumbsup
I am a Bass Player as well.

Peter Montessi
A Designs Audio
www.adesignsaudio.com

U5 through a Distressor or a Red 3. Perfect bass tone.thumbsup

i have a U5 .. it's good.

i bought a Millenis TD-1 ... it GREAT .. plus all kinds of other features ... like the ability to easily feed the DI into the system and an unbalanced to the AMP for simo ... and a ReAmo feature and tube or FET and and and a................

as was said, checkout REDDI, Evil Twin, and the Tab Funkenwerk one.

i've been wondering about this comparison too.

I like the U-5 a lot.
Not a bad deal for around $450.
Do a search and you'll find lots of comments on DI's here.

I have not tried the U5 and cannot comment on it. However, if you decide you would like to try some similar products to get some context, in addition to the REDDI I can highly recommend the Demeter and the Valvotronics, with the Demeter being a little more hi-fi and flexible, while the Valvo has been insanely rich and deep with my P-Bass.

I recently did tracks through a RedDI and a U5 simultaneously. While laying the tracks, I liked the throaty tone of the RedDI--and didn't like the unforgiving resolution of the U5...but, as the arrangment gets closer to mix time, the U5 works better for the sound I need. You can soften it a little with a La2a (or similar)...but, there's no "make it deeper and sit better with the instruments" device for the RedDI.

In the end, it's nuance--both are great DIs. They're just two very different sounds...and at least for me, the one that sounded coolest alone wasn't the one that sounded the best in the mix.

If price were no object, I wouldn't limit myself to one bass DI. The U5 is stellar at clean and deep. The RedDI is king of the tubey throaty mid bass thing. The Great River Me1nv was king of the sort of solid, deep, 2d, wall'o'bass sound. I wouldn't say that of the three there's a "better/worse"...just three very different vibes. So, I'd say any of the htree are "the best"--for whatever sound you may be looking for.

If this matters...

today, I did a jazz session with my U5 feeding my UA Solo/610.

Um, wow. I think that is a pretty good way to describe it. Yeah, just, wow.

I had a U5 for about a year and NEVER really liked the sound that I got from it. I kept trying it because it's a highly regarded Avalon piece, but it never did it for me. I prefer the Demeter DI box and I've heard amazing things about the A Designs REDDI.

Ive got the di's on my Wunder's,TG's,Aurora GTQ,Neves,Germaniums and a custom all class A tube job..littlelabs IBP and Reddi
I had the avalon ..sold it.

These days..The Reddi/IBP combo wins EVERYTIME.thumbsup