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  #16  
Old 12-05-2017, 04:52 PM
sand sand is offline
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Originally Posted by pieterh View Post
It looks like a BSS DI that can be run from phantom power or a battery. They are usually quite ok. Did the ground lift make any difference to the noise?
It didn't make a difference.
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  #17  
Old 12-05-2017, 06:35 PM
cloudyafternoon cloudyafternoon is offline
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Originally Posted by sand View Post
thanks! now I am more confused lol. I did send and email to Radial company becuase the sb1 and pro048 are recommended for acoustic guitars. But I'll take your advice into consideration.

I had replied before but it didn't show to who...
Radial does recommend their active line of DIs for acoustic guitars, but if your guitar has a built-in preamp a passive DI (SB-2, ProDI, etc.) will work just fine. Active DIs are additional gain stages, which is good for acoustic guitars with passive piezo pickups or low-output systems to help get a strong enough signal to a mixer, but not necessarily needed otherwise. In the end, either variety will work. Some people prefer the slight difference in how a good passive DI sounds over active. I recorded the same guitar through a ProDI, a SB-1, and directly into a USB interface, and found the passive ProDI to be my favorite. Whether or not anyone else would tell a difference is another matter. :-)
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  #18  
Old 12-06-2017, 06:53 AM
pieterh pieterh is offline
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The biggest issue with passive DIs is if they have to feed an amplifier/on stage monitor as well as the signal to FOH. Often the signal will not be strong enough and FOH will get its signal but the stage amp will be silent. With an active DI this isn’t an issue.
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  #19  
Old 12-10-2017, 05:28 PM
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I asked about the passive ones and this was the reply: "The typical rule of thumb with DI boxes is if you have a passive/low output source it will pair best with an active DI. On the contrary, if you have an active/hot output device it will pair best with a passive DI. Acoustic guitars are an exception. We always recommend an active DI for acoustic guitars with magnetic pickups and/or preamp systems. The reasoning for this is that players tend to find it adds an ‘airy’ quality to their sound. In other words, it really brings your guitar to life."

But at end like Cloudyafternoon mentioned "any variety will work"
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  #20  
Old 12-10-2017, 05:38 PM
sand sand is offline
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Thanks to all the replies it has been helpful to learn a bit. But that being said, I should have not rushed and tell everyone my problem with the guitar and thinking it was the DI box. I guess I was a little frustrated not knowing what it was at once. Plus everyone in the band including me are amateurs and we couldn't tell right away or guess the problem. At the end the problem was solved. I decided to try a new cord (guitar cable) ! I don't know why I didn't try this at first. I blamed it on an old di box. Well the cord also was a bit old too. Everything sounded good today. Well at least I am hoping no noise will comes back.
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  #21  
Old 12-11-2017, 03:05 PM
pieterh pieterh is offline
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That would have been one of my suggestions except for the fact that you said you’d tried a different cable and the problem was still there.

Still, no harm done - glad you have it sorted!
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  #22  
Old 12-12-2017, 03:29 PM
sand sand is offline
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Originally Posted by pieterh View Post
That would have been one of my suggestions except for the fact that you said you’d tried a different cable and the problem was still there.

Still, no harm done - glad you have it sorted!
True! but that cable was old too. I tried a new one.
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  #23  
Old 12-16-2017, 07:57 AM
cloudyafternoon cloudyafternoon is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sand View Post
I asked about the passive ones and this was the reply: "The typical rule of thumb with DI boxes is if you have a passive/low output source it will pair best with an active DI. On the contrary, if you have an active/hot output device it will pair best with a passive DI. Acoustic guitars are an exception. We always recommend an active DI for acoustic guitars with magnetic pickups and/or preamp systems. The reasoning for this is that players tend to find it adds an ‘airy’ quality to their sound. In other words, it really brings your guitar to life."

But at end like Cloudyafternoon mentioned "any variety will work"
Interestingly enough, I went back and tried out my guitar with a ProDI and an SB-1 again. I still tend to prefer the sound of a passive transformer, but I like a mellow sound.

Interestingly enough, though, an active DI does cure one (possible) problem - input gain settings.

With the ProDI, my gain on a mixing console is typically at 1-2 o'clock, and my gain if recording using a Focusrite Scarlett is at 3 o'clock.

With the SB-1, my gain on the Scarlett is reduced to 11-12 o'clock. I haven't tried it on a mixing console, maybe I will today or tomorrow.

My question for AGF members who also run sound is, is there a clear benefit from a pro audio standpoint to getting your gain earlier in the chain (SB-1 or other active DI), versus getting your gain at the mixer pre?
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  #24  
Old 12-16-2017, 09:36 AM
pieterh pieterh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cloudyafternoon View Post
Interestingly enough, I went back and tried out my guitar with a ProDI and an SB-1 again. I still tend to prefer the sound of a passive transformer, but I like a mellow sound.



Interestingly enough, though, an active DI does cure one (possible) problem - input gain settings.



With the ProDI, my gain on a mixing console is typically at 1-2 o'clock, and my gain if recording using a Focusrite Scarlett is at 3 o'clock.



With the SB-1, my gain on the Scarlett is reduced to 11-12 o'clock. I haven't tried it on a mixing console, maybe I will today or tomorrow.



My question for AGF members who also run sound is, is there a clear benefit from a pro audio standpoint to getting your gain earlier in the chain (SB-1 or other active DI), versus getting your gain at the mixer pre?

The simple answer is yes. Gain staging is a vital part of any studio or live setup. Setting the gain at the optimal level at every step helps to keep the signal clean and prevent clipping. If an instrument or device is set too low at any stage then by increasing the gain at the next stage there is also the likelihood of increasing the background or any other noise present at every step of the way.

If the gain before mixer is at a good level then the gain at the mixer can be lowered a bit with the added benefit of lowering the noise floor!
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