DI - post/pre or off the board?

[redbandit599]

Started using IEMs and occasionally doing larger spaces which mean that we put more of me through the pa/subs etc and I'm thinking about how best to sound like my backline through the PA and IEMs.

I use a GK MB500 Fusion and two Berg 12s and usually have a fairly driven basic sound which I then drive harder/change with pedals etc.

My thoughts are :-

Use the amp DI 'post' to get the benefit of Pre amp EQ'ing (I don't eq much - usually flat but tweaked to the room) and the tubes in the Preamp (which I think do contribute to my sound) - BUT - this means on stage tweaks will impact the FOH mix (no sound man.)

Use the amp DI 'pre' - but this always sounds a bit 'meh' to me through the PA - just your typical bass rumble, lacking what I think is the tubey bit of the EQ from the preamp Gain stage - BUT does mean I can tweak on stage to whatever suits best without impacting FOH. Obviously can EQ the FOH which we do, but it's never quite 'right'.

Use my 'back up' BDDI on my board to drive the FOH and don't use amp DI at all - I can get a decent sound out of the BDDI but it might be different to what I'm getting on stage. Then backline rig is independent of PA and can be set to suit (my band like quite a bit of bass on stage and only the singer and I use IEMs.) But in my IEMs it'll be FOH sound - obviously I need to try and match FOH and amp tone wise.

What do you reckon/do all - I'm tempted to try the BDDI option at the next sizeable gig.

Cheers

[jrixn1]

Bass → effects pedals → BDDI.

Then:
BDDI XLR → FOH;
BDDI 1/4" → GK → Bergs.

Set up the BDDI with your preferred eq & tube drive for FOH.

Use the GK's controls to tweak the on-stage sound without affecting FOH.

[Lozz196]

That`s the way I`d do it too. 

[redbandit599]

Cool, thanks guys. Do you know if the DI level on the BDDI changed by the level control on the unit?

Does turning the BDDI off ( clumsy foot!) cut the DI signal entirely or just remove the tone shaping etc?

Cheers 

[jrixn1]

10 minutes ago, redbandit599 said:

Cool, thanks guys. Do you know if the DI level on the BDDI changed by the level control on the unit?

Does turning the BDDI off ( clumsy foot!) cut the DI signal entirely or just remove the tone shaping etc?

Yes,  the level control affects the DI level.

Stomping it off doesn't cut the DI signal; it just bypasses all the processing.

[redbandit599]

Cheers - thanks for that! 🙂

 

[Jack]

It sounds as though you want the tube drive and general 'character' from the GK amp but not the eq? You're right that it's either pre-both or post-both. I had the same amp and thought the same thing, normally the 'pre-eq' setting on an amp is still after the gain control, not so on the many GK amps I've tried.

 

If you simply must have the amp's character then it sounds as though you've got the set the DI to 'post' and either live with not really being able to make too many eq changes after soundcheck or putting an external eq in the effects loop. If you can get the character from somewhere else then your BDDI suggestion is as good as any other. I don't like them before an amp, so I'd set it all up beforehand, never change the settings and then send the parallel output to the amp head if it were me.

 

A little off the wall here, but I remember my GK Plex did a very good impression of my Fusion. What about putting a Plex on your board set just so for the FOH and then running a totally seperate line into your amp?

 

Edited June 24, 2019 by Jack

[redbandit599]

Cheers Jack, hadn't thought of utilizing the effects loop. If I used the line through on my Bddi then that shouldn't colour the stage sound. Could have the bddi on top of my amp  with XLR out to the desk and use that  to set FOH sound.

Though doing that would mean amp changes the FOH total  hmmm. I only tend to tweak volume once all is set though.

I'm not a massive tone junky just don't like an all bottom sound which dI bass often seems to deliver. My GK and backline sounds good to me so just hoping to replicate that FOH.

[Jack]

2 hours ago, redbandit599 said:

Cheers Jack, hadn't thought of utilizing the effects loop. If I used the line through on my Bddi then that shouldn't colour the stage sound. Could have the bddi on top of my amp  with XLR out to the desk and use that  to set FOH sound.

Though doing that would mean amp changes the FOH total  hmmm. I only tend to tweak volume once all is set though.

I'm not a massive tone junky just don't like an all bottom sound which dI bass often seems to deliver. My GK and backline sounds good to me so just hoping to replicate that FOH.

I was thinking more along the lines of bass > effects (you mention a board so I'm assuming) > BDDI (set to sound good through the PA) > parallel output to amp. That way the BDDI can be twiddled to the soundman's content and the amp o yours without either affecting the other.

[redbandit599]

Yep - that's the first one to try. Had a quick play about last night on headphones running the pedals and BDDI into my Zoom B3 (with no effects/amp sim engaged) and I've found that the sound I most preferred actually had the blend of the BDDI down pretty low. Just enough to give a bit of extra drive to my clean tone. I think I've always use it with a heavier blend and that may not be the way to go.

Started me wondering if I should just get a DI box instead of the BDDI.