Advice on DI Box

[RBK]

I have an Epiphone DR500MCE with the E Sonic2 pickup system. NanoMag/NanoFlex pickups. Coming out of the Mono Jack on the Guitar which combines both Nano Mag & Flex pickups. Running into a TC-Helicon Harmony GTX Pedal and then out the 1/4 feed thru jack into a reverb, tremolo, and looper pedal then into the Line In on a Yamaha EMX 512C Powered PA Mixer. I have to crank up the volume for the guitar quite a bit compared to the mike inputs and
get some feed back. Would a good DI box help with tone and overall improve the performance of the pickup system Thanks!!!
Rick

[YamahaGuy]

Which channel are you plugging into? 1 - 4? If so, try switching over to a mic level input. A DI box is totally unnecessary with your setup. A preamp between your guitar and the first thing in your chain could help boost your signal, but why get a $200 preamp if there's a free workaround?

[RBK]

I plug into Channel 1, just thought that a good DI box might help refine the tone of the guitar and help eliminate and feed back problems. I was looking at the
LR Baggs Venue DI Acoustic Guitar Preamp / DI / EQ / Tuner Pedal. Coming out of the feed thru on the TC-Helicon Harmony GTX Pedal then thru my effects pedals then Mixer.

Thanks
Rick

[YamahaGuy]

Originally Posted by RBK

I plug into Channel 1, just thought that a good DI box might help refine the tone of the guitar and help eliminate and feed back problems. I was looking at the
LR Baggs Venue DI Acoustic Guitar Preamp / DI / EQ / Tuner Pedal. Coming out of the feed thru on the TC-Helicon Harmony GTX Pedal then thru my effects pedals then Mixer.

Thanks
Rick

If you're looking to shape the tone more, and eliminate feedback issues, then a DI such as the Venue, or even the Para Acoustic would be a great addition to your rig. If you go that route, put your tremolo, reverb and looper into the effects loop and XLR out of the DI to your EMX.

[Marty C]

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

If you're looking to shape the tone more, and eliminate feedback issues, then a DI such as the Venue, or even the Para Acoustic would be a great addition to your rig. If you go that route, put your tremolo, reverb and looper into the effects loop and XLR out of the DI to your EMX.

The gain/signal from the TC GTX is usually pretty strong. Is is possible to turn down the channel gain on the mixer for channel which receives the feed from the TC unit so it matches the guitar signal strength and then boost the main output of the mixer?

I had some issues a few years back when feeding my mixer with the GTX. I sent the mono signal from the GTX to channel 2 on the mixer and ended up turning the gain almost to zero on that channel. It was way stronger than the guitar ever could be.

It’s a similar issue when the drummer is really loud and everyone turns up their volume to compete with the drums. Feedback often occurs as a result and gets challenging to manage.

Otherwise, I agree with Yamaha guy. You will need something like a para acoustic to boost the guitar signal.

[EZYPIKINS]

The EMX 512c has no gain level.

A DI can convert your guitar signal from high Z to Low Z

If what you describe is your chain.

You might first plug it in looper-trem-reverb

[RBK]

Have been doing quite a bit of research on the Venue DI and other DI's in general. Fishman has a nice one for a few dollars more with about the same features, but I'm pretty well sold on the Venue DI. I plan on routing two effects pedals thru the effects Loop on the Venue DI (Reverb & Tremolo ) I only fool around with the looper at practice and am not proficient enough to use it in any live gigs. I just came by an old Ibanez TC420 Talman electric guitar. Will be picking it up in a few weeks. I might incorporate it into my performance playing a few instrumentals ( Ventures & Duane Eddy songs ) it all depends on how it sounds thru the Venue DI and into the PA system.

Thanks
Rick

[Br1ck]

My .02: IMHO. Your guitar has an active pickup system, so your impedance matching is already taken care of. Then you are running through a few other gizmos which probably have gain of some kind. What I fear you are trying to do is turn your source (onboard PU + pre) into something it is not. It was designed to do a job at a price point. Those of us who have gone down the sinkhole spend as much on a simple system, in my case Dazzos and SunnAudio, as you have on the whole guitar. I fear you might get the best results by going the Tonedexter route. Throw money at the problem. Usually works.

I've heard a lot of guitars at an open mic I run, and really, putting anything through our SunnAudio pre helps the sound, far more than multiple pedal type units will. Adding gain stages to more gain stages is not your solution. Really, what you have will do. Cut EQ instead of boosting it. Simplify until you can get a better guitar and follow us down the rabbit hole. Believe me, play well and no one will care.

[Lost Sheep]

I am confused. My TC Helicon GXT's manual does not have any mention of four channels (as mentioned by YamahaGuy) but I cannot find any mention of a TC Helicon product name "GTX".

What am I missing, please?

[YamahaGuy]

Originally Posted by Lost Sheep

I am confused. My TC Helicon GXT's manual does not have any mention of four channels (as mentioned by YamahaGuy) but I cannot find any mention of a TC Helicon product name "GTX".

What am I missing, please?

The channels I'm referring to are on the powered mixer - the Yamaha EMX512.

[YamahaGuy]

Originally Posted by Lost Sheep

I am confused. My TC Helicon GXT's manual does not have any mention of four channels (as mentioned by YamahaGuy) but I cannot find any mention of a TC Helicon product name "GTX".



What am I missing, please?

The GTX was made around 2012 and has been discontinued.

[Lost Sheep]

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

The channels I'm referring to are on the powered mixer - the Yamaha EMX512.

Thanks for clarifying the channels question. That was exactly what I was missing.

[RBK]

Thanks Br1ck !
So your advice is that the Venue DI isn't really needed. I'll have to play around with the settings on the PA Head. I'm new to Solo Acoustic Guitar gigs, the few times I plugged my DR500MCE into the PA it sounded quite good, but I didn't need any amplification just playing at home. I'll just have to set everything up give it a go.

Rick

[Br1ck]

Originally Posted by RBK

Thanks Br1ck !
So your advice is that the Venue DI isn't really needed. I'll have to play around with the settings on the PA Head. I'm new to Solo Acoustic Guitar gigs, the few times I plugged my DR500MCE into the PA it sounded quite good, but I didn't need any amplification just playing at home. I'll just have to set everything up give it a go.

Rick

If you have a battery in your guitar, you have the single most important function in your guitar, witch is impedance matching. Strictly speaking the term DI is widely misrepresented. A DI is just a passive or active circuit that takes a hi Z signal from your passive guitar and converts it to an 800 ohm signal for a mixer. Probably every acoustic pre also functions as a DI. This pertains to the pre in your guitar. However, I had SunnAudio build me a blender in a box to use at an open mic. We put everyone through it, passive and active alike, and it makes even an under saddle pickup sound richer. So I'm not saying a pre can't make you sound better, just that the most important function, matching impedance, is taken care of in your guitar.

[RBK]

OK I follow you on the impedance matching, I understand that. My interest in the Venue DI was primarily in the EQ features, Feed Back suppression, and the effects loop, also the 9DB boost feature for taking lead breaks. I'll just have to
work things out. I don't expect to start playing out until November.

Thanks
Rick