DI Box - What is it and how to use it? Direct Box 101 - Passive or Active? Which should you use?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 พ.ค. 2024
- What is a DI and do you need one? Active or Passive DI? This video explains the differences and shows connection diagrams and important information.
A DI box, which means Direct Injection ( D.I. Box ), allows you to connect your instrument to the balanced inputs of a mixer in a sound system, or to a recording console or USB Pre and DAW in the studio. While standard instrument cable is susceptible to noise after a few feet of length, balanced signals can remain relatively noise free over even hundreds of feet. That makes them perfect for connecting acoustic guitars, synthesizers, and bass guitars to a sound system or recording desk / DAW. Even when the mixing desk is a 100' or more away from the stage. And important tech tool for live audio since the mixer is not always close to the musicians at the stage.
Also discussed is the ground lift switch for defeating ground loop noise, hookup cables, and best practices for using a DI for live sound reinforcement or recording.
A DI box is also useful when tracking guitar in you DAW so that you can record a second, clean track, along with your mic'ed amplifier. The clean track then can be re-amped later should you decide you don't like the sound of the original mic'ed amp. A hookup diagram for this is also in the video.
Various models and budget ranges of DI's are shown in this video. This includes a workhorse like the passive Whirlwind IMP-2, the industry standards Radial JDI and Radial J48, Radial's budget offering the Radial ProDI, a past industry standard active DI- The Countryman Type 85, and the active Behringer Ultra DI.
Whether church audio, studio, a touring band, or a live production audio provider, it's very likely you'll find yourself needing a DI, or several Direct boxes even.
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►Patreon Page where Patrons have access to script files, other PDF tutorials, Behringer X32/M32/XR18/MR18 channel and scene files, and other audio production information:
/ alanhamiltonaudio
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►►Affiliate Links:
►DI Boxes for sale at Sweetwater:
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►►Amazon Affiliate Links To Equip Used/Shown/Mentioned In Video-
►Whirlwind IMP 2 Standard Direct Box on Amazon:
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►Behringer ULTRA-DI DI100 on Amazon:
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►Radial Pro DI Passive Direct Box on Amazon:
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►Radial JDI Passive DI on Amazon:
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►Radial J48 MK2 48V Phantom Power Active Direct Box on Amazon:
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►Radial JDI Stereo - Jensen Equipped 2-Channel Passive Instrument Direct Box on Amazon:
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►RapcoHorizon G1-6 6 Ft. Players Series Guitar Cable on Amazon:
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►Rapco Horizon N1M1-20 Stage Series M1 Microphone Cable Neutrik Connectors on Amazon:
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►Shure SM58LC Cardioid Dynamic Microphone on Amazon:
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►Facebook Group:
/ livesoundproduction
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0:00 Intro
0:07 DI Box = Direct Injection Box
0:13 Whirlwind IMP 2 Passive DI
0:28 Open a Passive DI Box to see inside
1:09 Passive DI's
2:29 Active DI's
2:57 Typical DI connection diagram
3:28 Countryman Type 85 Active DI
3:48 Newer Active DI's Radial J48 and Behringer Ultra DI
4:22 Why use a D.I.?
5:17 Do I want an active or passive DI?
5:52 But I only have a passive DI?
6:41 Using a DI in the studio for re-amping
7:14 Tips and reminders
#livesound
#soundsystem
#alanhamiltonaudio
#behringer
This video is all about Direct Boxes. Active... passive... cheap... expensive... What they do and when to use them. In the video I mentioned the importance of not blaming the DI for a problem like a weak or dead battery in an instrument, with a particular eye toward acoustic guitars. The reason (I think) acoustic guitars suffer from this problem (causing the sound tech to chase their tail trying to solve a problem that turns out to be a dead battery in the guitar) is because with active electric guitars and basses, the musician is connecting to an amp on stage (almost always).
So that means THEY recognize a problem with THEIR stuff, before they turn to the tech with the problem.
But an acoustic guitar is generally the opposite and usually not connecting to an amp onstage (some do), but instead connecting only to the DI and counting on the PA for their personal monitoring to hear the guitar. So when it doesn't work, it must be the PA. Or so they think. After all, "It worked just fine at the last gig" ;)
As always, please like, subscribe, comment and share the video link.
I have the dead battery problem all the time! No signal from the acoustic guitar is almost always the guitar player's battery. Thanks for another gread video.
Battery.... followed by sketchy 1/4" jack on the guitar... ;)
Great stuff! Especially for us drummers/wannabe sound engineers who tend to confuse a lot of things...
Thanks! I'm trying to cover a lot of content and break it down so it's easily understood.
Just commenting cuz I realized I watch all your videos and Im subbed and everything but I never actually said THANK YOU like a normal human should
Thank you! 😀
@@AlanHamiltonAudio :)
I also use a Di to go from my computer to the board. Since the rca/ 1/4 inputs do not have a gain control and use the source to control the input . It helps me to be able to have the input and in my case compression on the xlr line.
Great review Alan, Thank you for this!
Man, your video's are amazing. Thank you. Subscribed and liking every video as I go through them.
Thank you!
Great Video. I have been looking for a video like this for a while
Thank you!
More great content thanks Alan
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!
Fantastic video!
Thanks!
Very helpful. Thanks for this!
You're welcome!
Thanks for the tips. Nothing High Z plugs into my system without a DI.
The Behringer Stereo Ultra DI DI20 active DI seems to require more than a passive output , to be quiet.
Whether it's Phantom or battery powered.
I like Passive DI's , the exception is a MXR M80
Thanks for the info!
A DI is a permanent fixture on my pedalboard. I don't see why anyone that wants to be at all flexible with their rig wouldn't have one.
Definitely. Makes sense. And you get the consistency of the same known DI always too.
During a gig I had a di box went out and then next morning I had to pick up a radial pro di and I tried to find a active di but sold out and the issue was fixed since the musicians bring full charged battery for the acoustic guitar
Hey Alan, newcomer to the channel. Seen a bunch of videos, and just wanted to say that you're doing God's work! Thanks for sharing this information!
I have a question, and if you find the time I would really appreciate an advice!
I'm looking to get an IEM rig for my band, with either an xr18 or an x32, an ART s8 splitter, a power conditioner and etc. the standard stuff.
Are DI boxes necessary in this setup? If I have back vocal tracks, synths (that are played with a midi keyboard) and playback tracks (choirs, orchestras) coming out of my Scarlett 18i20. Do I need to first plug them into a DI box then go into a splitter, or can I just get 1/4 TRS - XLR cables and just go straight from my Scarlett outputs into the splitter (art s8) inputs with those tracks? The Scarlett outputs are balanced.
Thanks in advance!
Thanks for the kind words!
You can just get the TRS to XLR cables and skip the DI for the Scarlett.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thank you so much for aanswering! I was really close to buying the Behringer 8 channel DI (which I could really avoid with ny current budget).
Cheers!
I like the Behringer Ultra-DI20's as they have two ins and outs and a selectable Attenuation switch (20 and 40db). As far as batteries go, I think the worst DI's are the active ones that only have battery power and no phantom power - they are always DOA at my shows. I have some Fishman Auras for acoustic guitars, and they only have batteries and eat them if you leave an instrument plugged in the whole show. A question, when you are recording a guitar in studio split amp and direct, do you send the guitar signal pre or post pedal board to the DAW?
Pre or post pedalboard... I think the default position would be pre, because something done with the pedals could be the problem that develops in the mix as things build. So that way you aren't stuck with that either. But there could be cases where something on the pedal board is being used so much in a song there would be trouble recreating that if the original guitar sound was replaced via re-amping.
So, that would be something to consider on a case by case basis.
Or, even use a second DI for a second split and have a mic'ed track(s), a clean guitar track, and a post pedalboard track. That last option would cover about anything with both mic'ed and pre and post pedalboard guitar making it to the DAW. And tracks are cheap these days.
I used to have this one ridiculous problem.
I use an analog mixer with 4 balanced stereo inputs available for melodic instruments. (In this case all mono XLR channels are used for vocal and drums ).
The ridiculous thing is that all of our DIs are passive so not a single DI box can fit into the available Stereo TRS channels. (The Stereo Balanced TRS channel is not phantom powered).
My advice is, if we measure whether we have to use passive or passive DI from the instrument we are using, consider also the available balanced XLR/TRS channels.
Really waste of money.
I just recently picked up a Mackie MDB P2. It's passive. When I run my acoustic guitar (Taylor 214ce with es2) through it, I see a significant drop in signal level going into the mixer. I have to crank the gain. Versus just running it directly into the XR18 (no hi Z input) without the DI. It's not a real strong signal but stronger than when I used the DI. Is that normal? I've read conflicting reports that the output of the DI is line level and others say mic level. If mic level, then would that explain why the drop in signal? It's weaker than the instrument level coming straight from the guitar? Thanks as always Alan. Your stuff is right on.
P. S. Battery in guitar is good :)
Off the top of my head I'm not aware of any DI that outputs line level. An active DI certainly 'could' if someone wanted to make one do it. But a mic level output is the standard. They are making them to feed the mic inputs of a mixer so, without making a special purpose/special feature one (that they could specifically market that way), they'd probably create more problems than it's worth to make the output live level. It wouldn't surprise me to maybe see some esoteric, boutique style DI, like a specific tailored model for acoustics, or bass, have a line output though.
You can think of the XR18 HiZ channel 1 and 2 inputs as an active DI. So, therefore, it wouldn't surprise me that you'd have more level/gain into the console using those versus a passive DI.
I've not used the Mackie DI so I don't know how it stacks up against other passive DI's. But being passive, it doesn't do anything to 'lift' the incoming signal so it's up to your guitar to send it what it can, and the console gain to make up what you need.
As long as bringing up the gain doesn't cause excessive hiss and noise, then everything is probably fine. Especially if you know the cables are good and nothing has changed (like the DI used to have a louder output, and now it doesn't). But nothing wrong with skipping it and going straight to the console if the console is close enough... and the instrument cable doesn't create a tripping hazard onstage or anything like that.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thank you so much. This is super helpful. I'm grateful. And I just realized I wrote XR18. I have the MR18 with no hi Z inputs.
can i use instrument cable to a mic cable or is that a seprate cable also design for mics? also do i need to connect the edrums to a DI or not?
Generally speaking, you wouldn't want to go instrument cable to a mic cable without a DI in between. The instrument cable is unbalanced so no matter what you did, without a DI in between, you'd be unbalancing that connection, but also making it longer than just the instrument cable.
As for E-drums... it depends on what the output is. If there's a balanced XLR output, use that. If there's a balanced 1/4" TRS output, use a TRS to XLR cable instead of an instrument cable. Then there's no DI needed.
If it's only 1/4" TS, then use a DI, unless the mixer is right beside the drums. Then you wouldn't have to use a DI... although for consistency I'd probably still use a DI so you have the same equip for when you're working with another sound system, recording somewhere, or your mixer gets moved.
Do you have a separate video regarding timestamp 6:41 (using a DI in the studio)? Or can anybody comment or expand on this? I'm getting ready to try this method. I'm not personally familiar with that method and have been trying to comprehend what that's about. For example, I'm assuming I can record a "single guitar track" but will end up with two tracks as I record so long as I have both tracks activated in Ableton, etc (I use Ableton). Am I correct in guessing that I will have one track that is the mic'd amp track and one track that is the clean sound of my guitar???
Also, I'm only recording at home and was wondering if I need a specific DI box to achieve what I was talking about above.
Thanks for any info!
I have a question to make sure I give you the right answer- Are you mic'ing your guitar amp for the initial track? ...Or what exactly are you using for your normal guitar track (Kemper type setup or some 'amp sim' pedal)? Amp Plugin?
I've been mic'ing my guitar amp (I dont have any amp sims or plug-ins) and running it thru a Focusrite 2i2 2nd gen for all my guitar tracks I've ever done. I've seen or heard that using a DI box could potentially give me a "bigger/louder" initial recorded sound to work with. I play hard rock/metal and get a kind of a "thin/quiet" sound out of my guitar tracks. The result I get is me trying to experiment with EQ to get the "bigger" sound and I usually put audio in the red, etc...I might as well know nothing about EQ'ing as well. I'm just trying to get the best initial recorded sound out of my guitars if that makes sense. @@AlanHamiltonAudio
Just had an epiphany (I'm such an idiot sometimes lol). I was watching another vid regarding DI boxes and he, in summary, said something like while using a DI box you can hear your amp sound while you record and only record the direct clean sound of your guitar. WOW! I have to make things so hard sometimes hahaha.
In addition to looking forward to your response to my initial inquiry...in regards to "my epiphany" is there where you would use plug-ins, amp sims, etc to modify your clean sound after you record?
@@maximusjmaxwell Ok... that's give me more to go on. You don't necessarily need anything special in a DI. And you just need a mono DI (unless you have a 2 output stereo guitar).
Your guitar amp mic will connect to your interface, and then to a track on your DAW.
Your guitar will connect to the DI via your normal 1/4" instrument cable. You'll need a second 1/4" instrument cable to go from the DI to your guitar amp.
That will leave an empty male XLR on the DI. You'll take a regular XLR mic cable and go from the DI to the other channel of your interface. And you'll set the interface for mic level.
The DAW should be set up for two tracks. Both from the Focusrite. One for channel 1 and another for channel 2.
Let's say the guitar amp mic is in channel 1 of the Focusrite and the DI line is in channel 2.
Set you gains the same as always on the Focusrite and make sure the DAW is set properly and you get the guitar amp on one track and the DI feed on another track. They should be by themselves. Not both in the same track.
The sound you get from the direct feed will be pretty darned generic and uninspiring. You're probably NOT going to want to monitor the direct feed when you record for that reason.
But once you're done recording the guitar part, you should have a super-clean, clean-slate, for reamping.
Plus, you have your mic'ed gtr amp track there too.
You can download an amp sim plugin (tons of free ones that are pretty good... and even more that range from dirt cheap to expensive (and not always better than the free ones)). Insert the amp plugin on the direct guitar track, and start experimenting with the 'amp sim' settings on the plugin.
In the end, you might like this better than your real mic'ed amp... or you might like layering the two sounds. Or panning the real amp to the left and the amp sim track to the right (or vice versa).
Of course you can add FX to the amp sim track just like you would with any other track.
EDIT: I do have this video discussing amp mic'ing and it applies to live or studio:
th-cam.com/video/GBTyFxxNNBE/w-d-xo.html
@@maximusjmaxwellDid you see my reply? It looks like I replied with my followup about the same time you left this second comment so I thought my reply might've gotten lost.
Thats why bought SD8, has two hi z inputs, thats two di’s less
That's a good point. I don't have an SD8 so I hadn't noticed they have a couple of Hi-Z inputs.