DI+ - any advantage over a Zoom B3?

[joseb84]

Hi all. I'm fairly new to the world of bass pedals so would appreciate some wisdom! As I tend to play straight into a PA mix without an amp I'm tempted by some kind of enhanced DI box like this:

I like the simplicity of the EQ controls and the idea of having a high quality DI output. My present set up is to take a DI signal straight from my B3. So, would I be gaining anything in terms of signal quality or tone of I was to output from the B3 to an enhanced DI? Or do they essentially do the same job? 

Thanks

[Aliwobble]

I suspect that you don’t need both, as the b3 has a di output.

 

There DI+ is a robust professional piece of kit, but the distortion sound was not to my liking so I sold mine.  I’m not familiar with the B3, but I suspect it covers more territory than the DI+ but I would expect the DI+ to do what it does better.

[jrixn1]

You wouldn't gain any quality going through both a Zoom and MXR.

The MXR on its own should be better quality than the Zoom on its own, because the MXR is all analogue.  In contrast, the Zoom first has to convert from analogue to digital, then digital back to analogue.  It has to do the double conversion even when it's in bypass mode.  Having said that, I used Zoom pedal for years and could not hear any issues.

The advantage to the MXR (or any analogue system with real knobs) is that you can see at a glance what your settings are, and tweaking is really easy of course.  On the Zoom (or any digital system), you have to dig around in the menu system.

MXR are very well made kit. I used the MXR M81 DI which is very clean and has the useful semi-parametric mids.

[Lfalex v1.1]

I never used my MXR M80 in anger (live or in rehearsal) but I didn't like the tone of the thing so I sold it on. I preferred the Hartke VXL Bassattack, but sold that, too.

Still have a B3, as it has the onboard FX etc. Haven't used that live either,  though. 

As jrixn1 said, you won't gain anything from running the signal 

Bass >> B3 >> MXR DI >> Desk.

Not only are you suffering both ADC and DAC, but are then lengthening/ complicating the signal path further by adding the MXR.

The only benefit is if you like the MXR's sound/controls/distortion over and above anything the B3 offers or any other distortion/od pedals you may have.

 

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 12, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[joseb84]

12 hours ago, Jus Lukin said:

Just to clarify, as it hasn't been mentioned yet, we know there is a DI+ sim in the B3, right?

As jrixn1 says, there is less going on with an analogue pedal, so technically the signal is 'purer', although it is hard to really hear the differences, especially live. If you dig the DI+ sim, then the real deal will probably be higher quality.

Thanks @Jus Lukin. Yes - aware of the sim in the B3, it was whether there was a big 'analogue dividend' or not, and the simplicity of controlling that interested me. Consensus seems to be probably a small improvement in quality but only if the B3 is entirely removed from the set up (and thanks for clarifying @jrixn1 - I had assumed in bypass mode the signal wouldn't convert).

Edited March 5, 2021 by joseb84

[andruca]

I've retired my SansAmp RBI from recording duties since I got a B3. Prior to that I had been confident for years in the SansAmp emulation in my MS-60B, just wasn't as convenient as the B3, with the DI and the recording interface functionality. Even tho' I've long been a SansAmp guy, I really like the MXR's emulation kinda' CMOS overdrive. Sounds a little thin to my ears, but nothing you can't fatten up with proper EQ. A B3 can definitely do what the M80 does and more.

Edited March 8, 2021 by andruca