DI Box

Placidcasual79

Hello - apologises if this is in the wrong thread......

Had a panic at this weekends gig - was setting up at a festival, quick change over facilitated by the sound crew - anyway I couldn't get a sound out of my guitar. Worked out in the end half the pedalboard was down - the half supplied by my Fueltank Jnr. I had to size my pedal board down to one power source very quickly. Just goes to show I dont need half the sh*t on my board!! Anyway when I got home I took the board apart and put it back together and it works fine!!!

It got my thinking though and if something went wrong with my amp I really wouldn't know what to do so - 

I am thinking of getting a DI box as a plan B 

If I get one I am assuming I can still use my pedal board - but that it'll just sound different as it won't be interacting with my amp anymore?

Thanks all

absolutpepper

There are a few amp modeller preamp pedals on the market that could work as a backup in such an occasion. I think mooer have a cheap range that could maybe fill a gap if you needed it. There was a thatpedalshow episode on this idea

octatonic

You don't want a DI, at least not only a DI.

A DI is essentially converts from unbalanced instrument level signal to balanced mic level.
That won't sound very good if you plug your guitar into your pedalboard and then into a DI unless you have some form of cabinet emulation.
I would look for a modelling device (probably a pedal) that outputs at line level and plug that into a mixer's line level input.

It is worth having a DI in your gig bag in case the mixer doesn't have line level inputs and only has mic inputs.
Don't go too cheap with a DI- I have a bunch of them here- the cheap Chinese crap Is more trouble than they are worth.
I have a couple of Groove Tubes ones that always worth great- otherwise look at Radial.

Placidcasual79

octatonic said:

You don't want a DI, at least not only a DI.

A DI is essentially converts from unbalanced instrument level signal to balanced mic level.
That won't sound very good if you plug your guitar into your pedalboard and then into a DI unless you have some form of cabinet emulation.
I would look for a modelling device (probably a pedal) that outputs at line level and plug that into a mixer's line level input.

It is worth having a DI in your gig bag in case the mixer doesn't have line level inputs and only has mic inputs.
Don't go too cheap with a DI- I have a bunch of them here- the cheap Chinese crap Is more trouble than they are worth.
I have a couple of Groove Tubes ones that always worth great- otherwise look at Radial.

Right - thanks @octatonic that's really helpful. I don't have any sort of cabinet emulation. Our mixing desk does have line level inputs and if were not using our PA were normally at a good club or festival so that shouldn't be an issue.

So I am looking for a modelling device? What is it just a pedal that models an amps sound? Does it have any use other than as an amp back up?

octatonic

Placidcasual79 said:

octatonic said:

You don't want a DI, at least not only a DI.

A DI is essentially converts from unbalanced instrument level signal to balanced mic level.
That won't sound very good if you plug your guitar into your pedalboard and then into a DI unless you have some form of cabinet emulation.
I would look for a modelling device (probably a pedal) that outputs at line level and plug that into a mixer's line level input.

It is worth having a DI in your gig bag in case the mixer doesn't have line level inputs and only has mic inputs.
Don't go too cheap with a DI- I have a bunch of them here- the cheap Chinese crap Is more trouble than they are worth.
I have a couple of Groove Tubes ones that always worth great- otherwise look at Radial.

Right - thanks @octatonic that's really helpful. I don't have any sort of cabinet emulation. Our mixing desk does have line level inputs and if were not using our PA were normally at a good club or festival so that shouldn't be an issue.

So I am looking for a modelling device? What is it just a pedal that models an amps sound? Does it have any use other than as an amp back up?

A modeller would have cabinet emulation and get the level up to line level so that would be a solution.
Or you could have a cab emulation box like a Hughes & Kettner Red Box and plug that into the mixer.
Or something like a Sansamp pedal- there are a lot of solution out there but my point was that a DI by itself won't do it.

horse

A used zoom g3 would give you modelled amp / cab emulation and line / mic level outputs at a pretty good price for a backup

Placidcasual79

octatonic said:

Placidcasual79 said:

octatonic said:

You don't want a DI, at least not only a DI.

A DI is essentially converts from unbalanced instrument level signal to balanced mic level.
That won't sound very good if you plug your guitar into your pedalboard and then into a DI unless you have some form of cabinet emulation.
I would look for a modelling device (probably a pedal) that outputs at line level and plug that into a mixer's line level input.

It is worth having a DI in your gig bag in case the mixer doesn't have line level inputs and only has mic inputs.
Don't go too cheap with a DI- I have a bunch of them here- the cheap Chinese crap Is more trouble than they are worth.
I have a couple of Groove Tubes ones that always worth great- otherwise look at Radial.

Right - thanks @octatonic that's really helpful. I don't have any sort of cabinet emulation. Our mixing desk does have line level inputs and if were not using our PA were normally at a good club or festival so that shouldn't be an issue.

So I am looking for a modelling device? What is it just a pedal that models an amps sound? Does it have any use other than as an amp back up?

A modeller would have cabinet emulation and get the level up to line level so that would be a solution.
Or you could have a cab emulation box like a Hughes & Kettner Red Box and plug that into the mixer.
Or something like a Sansamp pedal- there are a lot of solution out there but my point was that a DI by itself won't do it.

Right, brilliant - thank you @octatonic. I didn't know that - time to do some research.

What do you do out of interest?

octatonic

Placidcasual79 said:

octatonic said:

Placidcasual79 said:

octatonic said:

You don't want a DI, at least not only a DI.

A DI is essentially converts from unbalanced instrument level signal to balanced mic level.
That won't sound very good if you plug your guitar into your pedalboard and then into a DI unless you have some form of cabinet emulation.
I would look for a modelling device (probably a pedal) that outputs at line level and plug that into a mixer's line level input.

It is worth having a DI in your gig bag in case the mixer doesn't have line level inputs and only has mic inputs.
Don't go too cheap with a DI- I have a bunch of them here- the cheap Chinese crap Is more trouble than they are worth.
I have a couple of Groove Tubes ones that always worth great- otherwise look at Radial.

Right - thanks @octatonic that's really helpful. I don't have any sort of cabinet emulation. Our mixing desk does have line level inputs and if were not using our PA were normally at a good club or festival so that shouldn't be an issue.

So I am looking for a modelling device? What is it just a pedal that models an amps sound? Does it have any use other than as an amp back up?

A modeller would have cabinet emulation and get the level up to line level so that would be a solution.
Or you could have a cab emulation box like a Hughes & Kettner Red Box and plug that into the mixer.
Or something like a Sansamp pedal- there are a lot of solution out there but my point was that a DI by itself won't do it.

Right, brilliant - thank you @octatonic. I didn't know that - time to do some research.

What do you do out of interest?

Mostly I play drums. 

When I gig as a guitar player I have a Sansamp pedal in my gig bag.
I've never had to use it though.

When I gig as a bassist I have a DI on my pedalboard (actually part of my Peterson tuner) to go to the mixer.

Placidcasual79

Cheers @octatonic - I've learnt some stuff there. Hopefully I'll never need it but I wouldn't want to let the side down on wedding gig or something.

Our drummers talking about getting his own mini mixer for his drum mics (probably so we can't turn him down!)

octatonic

Placidcasual79 said:

Cheers @octatonic - I've learnt some stuff there. Hopefully I'll never need it but I wouldn't want to let the side down on wedding gig or something.

Our drummers talking about getting his own mini mixer for his drum mics (probably so we can't turn him down!)

Drum mics?
Luxury!

I just hit them harder.

Placidcasual79

octatonic said:

Placidcasual79 said:

Cheers @octatonic - I've learnt some stuff there. Hopefully I'll never need it but I wouldn't want to let the side down on wedding gig or something.

Our drummers talking about getting his own mini mixer for his drum mics (probably so we can't turn him down!)

Drum mics?
Luxury!

I just hit them harder.

Lol - he needs all the help he can get. Not one of life's natural musicians.

maltingsaudio

A modelling pedal would be the ideal back up as it would also add something to your tonal arsenal, a cab simulator would just be a one trick pony i.e. Just allow the tone from your board sound as if was going through a cab essentially clever and fixed EQ befor the signal hits the desk. 

Placidcasual79

maltingsaudio said:

A modelling pedal would be the ideal back up as it would also add something to your tonal arsenal, a cab simulator would just be a one trick pony i.e. Just allow the tone from your board sound as if was going through a cab essentially clever and fixed EQ befor the signal hits the desk. 

Thank you - any recommendations?

maltingsaudio

My preference is analogue so look at Sansamp or SessionmasterJD10 which is my favourite. In the digital world seeing as it's a back up then the older Line 6 stuff like a pod is cheap as chips sounds great and has extra effects thrown in

Placidcasual79

maltingsaudio said:

My preference is analogue so look at Sansamp or SessionmasterJD10 which is my favourite. In the digital world seeing as it's a back up then the older Line 6 stuff like a pod is cheap as chips sounds great and has extra effects thrown in

Very helpful thanks @maltingsaudio @octatonic also mentioned the Sansamp. I'll do a bit of research. Cheers.

DavidRees

any love out there for the new box from Radial Engineering ?

octatonic

Every Radial box I've used is pretty much perfect.
I haven't used that one but I imagine it is excellent.

Bidley

Those Joyo/Harley Benton things are good for the money, if you're on a shostring. They do different ones for different amp voicings.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JOYO-JF-15-California-Sound-Effect/dp/B0086EQPWE

crunchman

Bidley said:

Those Joyo/Harley Benton things are good for the money, if you're on a shostring. They do different ones for different amp voicings.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/JOYO-JF-15-California-Sound-Effect/dp/B0086EQPWE

I've got their take on a Vox for around £20 second hand.  Sounds pretty good.

Not sure it's line level output so you might need a DI box as well - although most sound engineers should have DI boxes anyway.  If you do want to get your own, you could get an Orchid Micro DI for under £30 last time I looked.

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/orchid-electronics-di-boxes

bermudianbrit

dare I suggest the Powerblock 200? a full amp you can just stick on the end of your pedal board in such situations. it does set itself up for cleaner tones though so may work better if you get drive from pedals more than the amp.

normula1

Pocket Pod? Cheap and can run off batteries.