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  #1  
Old 05-19-2018, 09:36 AM
King Jorma King Jorma is offline
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Default DI-Box recommendations for K&K Trinity pro preamp

Hi,

I could really use some help!

I have a Matrin 000-18 with K&K Trinity Pro system (dual channel preamp).
What DI boxes can you recommend for live performance? Sometimes I use effect pedals, does this matter when choosing DI?

I want a quality product for example Radial(SB-1, PRO48, J48, PZ-DI) BSS(AR 133) etc. A local guitar shop (same place where I bought my 000-18 and Trinity Pro System) said that any decent DI should work cause the sound coming out of the preamp is so good, BUT in a same breath recommended Fire-eye Red-eye. But can it cause some kind of negative effects to have 2 preamps with same signal chain?

I also have BOSS RC-300 loop station and would need 2 mono boxes for that too. I was hoping that the DI I buy for my acoustic guitar would also work well with the RC-300. Then I could buy just 2 boxes, instead of 1 for acoustic guitar and 2(or 1 stereo) for the RC-300. What do you guys think?

Thank you!
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  #2  
Old 05-19-2018, 09:43 AM
RustyAxe RustyAxe is offline
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IMO all you need is a passive DI ... as in a simple transformer. Buy the best you can afford ... Countryman, Radial, whatever. Me? I carry a Whirlwind IMP-2 (just $49) for live work, and it does exactly what it's supposed to do.
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  #3  
Old 05-19-2018, 12:56 PM
pieterh pieterh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by King Jorma View Post
Hi,



I could really use some help!



I have a Matrin 000-18 with K&K Trinity Pro system (dual channel preamp).

What DI boxes can you recommend for live performance? Sometimes I use effect pedals, does this matter when choosing DI?



I want a quality product for example Radial(SB-1, PRO48, J48, PZ-DI) BSS(AR 133) etc. A local guitar shop (same place where I bought my 000-18 and Trinity Pro System) said that any decent DI should work cause the sound coming out of the preamp is so good, BUT in a same breath recommended Fire-eye Red-eye. But can it cause some kind of negative effects to have 2 preamps with same signal chain?



I also have BOSS RC-300 loop station and would need 2 mono boxes for that too. I was hoping that the DI I buy for my acoustic guitar would also work well with the RC-300. Then I could buy just 2 boxes, instead of 1 for acoustic guitar and 2(or 1 stereo) for the RC-300. What do you guys think?



Thank you!


There is probably no need to combine the Trinity Pro with another preamp just to get the impedance match and signal balancing, especially if you are happy with the sound of the K&K preamp.

The Radial J48 and JDI both have a merge feature where the line output becomes a second input and the two are summed to the xlr out. There are also stereo versions of both of these. They both sound great and with a setup as yours the JDI would be my choice.

The Pz-DI is my go to DI when I am mixing acoustic instruments, whether they have onboard preamps or not. If an artist has a separate preamp and the sound is good then the JDI it is.

We used to use the BSS AR133 a lot and we still have them somewhere. Since we went over to Radial we have only used them when we had such large events (or simultaneous events) that we ran out of Radial! They are pretty good but the Radial J-series is even better, more transparent and versatile. The BSS can run off batteries on the other hand though I wouldn’t want to do a gig where I had to reply on a DI’s battery...

Assuming you want to use the looper in stereo then a stereo DI is called for. If you are prepared to splash out then the JDI duplex will probably cover everything you want - you can run one channel as a stereo to mono merge and the other as a regular mono. I have one of these and we have one at work and they are just the business stereo DI-wise. But they ain’t cheap...
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  #4  
Old 05-19-2018, 12:59 PM
terrapin terrapin is offline
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Take your signal into the Trinity preamp and get your balance right, then out to a D-Tar Solstice for final balance and Ed and out to whatever! It is SO good! The Solstice is THE blending preamp/di! With a fabulous effects loop!

I have no problem with two preamps.
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  #5  
Old 05-19-2018, 03:40 PM
King Jorma King Jorma is offline
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Thank you for your answers, I hope this conversation will continue!

I am sorry, my last message was not written very clearly! My goal is to buy a quality ACTIVE DI, which works very well with my acoustic and its preamp, but also could handle the RC-300 output. So actually I would be buying 2 active Mono DI:s or one active Stereo DI.

Why do I want an active DI for my acoustic preamp?

What comes to DI:s with acoustic guitars(passive or active) , I have done some research and asked around. I am not sure about everything yet but this is what I have learned.

For example Radial recommends active DI boxes even if you have a preamp on your acoustic guitar. If I remember correctly, Radial have noticed that most of the acoustic guitar players tend to like the "air" and "life" what quality active DI:s bring to the sound. So I guess in a way acoustic guitar is an exception.

I have also talked with some professional sound engineers. Most of them recommended active DI even with preamp because:

Sometimes when you play in smaller places(coffee shops etc.) maybe with cheaper PA, It's possible that with the passive DI the input signal is very low for the cheap/small/old mixer and you have to put a lot of gain at the mixer and it might cause problems with the sound.
Active box can help to keep the signal high enough and then cleaner cause you don't have to increase the mixer gain(good gain staging, less noise?). And even if the preamp output is too hot, you can switch the Pad on.

These are the main reasons why I have been searching information and reviews about active DI:s. Mostly Radial. Many people also recommend Countryman DI:s. I like the extra features(boost, effects loop) of the Fire-Eye Red-Eye and I have found a lot of reviews full of praise. But maybe the problem is that Red-Eye does not have Pad, so it might not be able to handle the output of the RC-300. This is just my guess.

If I were rich I would buy the best DI for the acoustic, and Best DI(:s) for the RC-300. But to save some money I hope that the DI I choose for my acoustic would work well with the RC-300.

I hope you still have more great recommendations and advice!

Thank you
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  #6  
Old 05-19-2018, 11:59 PM
pieterh pieterh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by King Jorma View Post
Thank you for your answers, I hope this conversation will continue!



I am sorry, my last message was not written very clearly! My goal is to buy a quality ACTIVE DI, which works very well with my acoustic and its preamp, but also could handle the RC-300 output. So actually I would be buying 2 active Mono DI:s or one active Stereo DI.



Why do I want an active DI for my acoustic preamp?



What comes to DI:s with acoustic guitars(passive or active) , I have done some research and asked around. I am not sure about everything yet but this is what I have learned.



For example Radial recommends active DI boxes even if you have a preamp on your acoustic guitar. If I remember correctly, Radial have noticed that most of the acoustic guitar players tend to like the "air" and "life" what quality active DI:s bring to the sound. So I guess in a way acoustic guitar is an exception.



I have also talked with some professional sound engineers. Most of them recommended active DI even with preamp because:



Sometimes when you play in smaller places(coffee shops etc.) maybe with cheaper PA, It's possible that with the passive DI the input signal is very low for the cheap/small/old mixer and you have to put a lot of gain at the mixer and it might cause problems with the sound.

Active box can help to keep the signal high enough and then cleaner cause you don't have to increase the mixer gain(good gain staging, less noise?). And even if the preamp output is too hot, you can switch the Pad on.



These are the main reasons why I have been searching information and reviews about active DI:s. Mostly Radial. Many people also recommend Countryman DI:s. I like the extra features(boost, effects loop) of the Fire-Eye Red-Eye and I have found a lot of reviews full of praise. But maybe the problem is that Red-Eye does not have Pad, so it might not be able to handle the output of the RC-300. This is just my guess.



If I were rich I would buy the best DI for the acoustic, and Best DI(:s) for the RC-300. But to save some money I hope that the DI I choose for my acoustic would work well with the RC-300.



I hope you still have more great recommendations and advice!



Thank you


Your experience might be different of course though I am a professional sound engineer and I don’t necessarily buy the active is always better for acoustic theory.

Yes an active Pz-DI would be ideal as the additional features are suited to acoustic instruments. But as your guitar chain already has an active section (the Trinity preamp) then the signal should already be strong enough. An active DI shouldn’t boost the signal as such but just buffers it and makes sure it can drive both its own balanced output AND a line out to a stage amp IF the signal going in is from a passive pickup (like the K&K pure mini without a preamp). And presumably your signal chain should be able to handle giving the input channel of any mixer a decent level - again, I don’t have your experience so don’t know what they have to offer at these venues. I usually have my gear with us when we play or else know the venue in advance of the gig.

My experience with different DIs is that I like using passive whenever I can - on keyboards, loopers, acoustics with active electronics (it I can’t use the Pz-Di), active basses etc. I use the J48 on passive sources such as acoustic basses or guitars without active electronics.

A DI that boosts a signal significantly is leaning into preamp territory. The Red Eye is a preamp which has a balanced output. My own Pz-pre is a balanced output preamp with an effects loop, two inputs (summed to mono of using both at the same time) and I love it but it is a preamp not (merely) a DI.

So back to what you want. If you are wanting the simplicity and transparent sound of a decent DI then the JDI stereo, J48 stereo or JDI Duplex will do a great job with your setup.
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Gibson ES-335 Studio 2016; Furch OM34sr 2015; Fender MiJ Geddy Lee Jazz bass, 2009; Taylor 414CE 2005; Guild D35 NT 1976; Fender MIM Classic 60s Tele 2008; Fender US Standard Strat 1992; G&L ASAT classic hollowbody 2005; Ibanez RG350MDX 2010(?); Ibanez Musician fretless, 1980s; Seymour Duncan Tube 84-40; Vox AC4TV;

Ex-pat Brit in Sweden
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