Use the amp's DI out or a Radial J48 DI to FOH?

[sbpark]

I'm guessing the quality of the Radial J48 The amp would be used just as a stage monitor, and a DI signal sent to FOH. Is it worth it to use the J48 as a DI, or should I just leave it home and go direct out from the amp?

[dberkowitz]

Most engineers would prefer you go through an external DI rather than the amp's DI which can be noisy.

[pieterh]

Depends on whether the amp's eq is needed to shape the signal for the front of house sound. If there is a decent sound person running FOH then yes, use the amp for your on-stage sound but split the signal at the J48, giving xlr to FOH and through to your amp.

It doesn't get much better than the J48, a very transparent DI. No sound engineer is going to be disappointed if you are using that to feed the mixer board.

[Dan Lampton]

I would always use the J48 (or other DI). I have never heard an amp DI that didn't have issues... of course I haven't heard them all.

[JStotes]

It really depends on the amp. I have a Schertler JAM 150 and use the DI out to FOH quite often with excellent results. I also have the Radial DI and a Countryman that I haven't used for quite some time.

When I'm not using the amp and plugging straight into the FOH I mostly use the Red Eye and sometimes an Archangel X7. My guitars are equipped with K&K pickups.

I always have them all available so I'm able to adjust to any set up.

[jlpoe]

Originally Posted by JStotes

It really depends on the amp. I have a Schertler JAM 150 and use the DI out to FOH quite often with excellent results. I also have the Radial DI and a Countryman that I haven't used for quite some time.

When I'm not using the amp and plugging straight into the FOH I mostly use the Red Eye and sometimes an Archangel X7. My guitars are equipped with K&K pickups.

I always have them all available so I'm able to adjust to any set up.

Not to hijack the thread but, could you give us an idea of the sound difference you hear between the red eye and X7?

Thnx

[JStotes]

The Red Eye is more plug and play. Not much ability to tweak and it just sounds good. The X7 has EQ options in case I run into feedback issues as well as a mute option that can be handy. I think the X7 has a smidge less noise, it's dead quiet.

My preference is the Red Eye.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by sbpark

I'm guessing the quality of the Radial J48 The amp would be used just as a stage monitor, and a DI signal sent to FOH. Is it worth it to use the J48 as a DI, or should I just leave it home and go direct out from the amp?

Hi sbpark…

When I play live acoustic, I always use an amp, even when I'm also going through a PA.

My chain goes from guitar to preamp--> from preamp to direct box (if the preamp doesn't have direct box capabilities)--> then I send identical simultaneous feeds from my blender/direct box to my stage amp, and to the house/PA.

This permits me to set the tone and volume of my amp differently than the house sets it's feed. And if I reach around and turn the amp up/down during a performance, or tweak a tone control on the amp, the house is not affected at all.

This makes sound techs much happier.

Not only that, from the board tech side (when I'm mixing) I've consistently found that the feed from the preamp is better quality than that of the amp. Don't know why, and really don't care.

[jlpoe]

Originally Posted by JStotes

The Red Eye is more plug and play. Not much ability to tweak and it just sounds good. The X7 has EQ options in case I run into feedback issues as well as a mute option that can be handy. I think the X7 has a smidge less noise, it's dead quiet.

My preference is the Red Eye.

thnx a lot

not much info on Angel stuff besides their web site - which right now is down

[jlpoe]

"Not only that, from the board tech side (when I'm mixing) I've consistently found that the feed from the preamp is better quality than that of the amp. Don't know why, and really don't care."

no question about it.

I actually won't take any feed out of an amp too many issues