Low cost DI box

[BassAdder60]

I’m looking for a new low cost DI box to carry in my bag in case of amp issues on stage 

 

Behringer do a few but I’m not sure which one is suitable for bass ?

 

Looking to spend circa £40 

[Noisyjon]

This would be a good shout:

Palmer Passive DI Box

 

A good, solid & passive DI box is a great tool to have in the bag! 

[Noisyjon]

To add, you won't need a bass specific unit if it's a passive version. That's more for active DIs.

As long as it's well made and with quality transformers it will do what you require. 

 

For example here is a high end active DI:

Avalon U5

[knicknack]

@BassAdder27 check out Orchid Electronics for a range of options. They always win in a shootout, really well made and within your budget! Far superior to anything else in the price range. 

[BassAdder60]

Ok all sorted now, just ordered a cheap TGI unit off Amazon 

 

Its purely leave in the case back up use 

[Chienmortbb]

4 hours ago, knicknack said:

@BassAdder27 check out Orchid Electronics for a range of options. They always win in a shootout, really well made and within your budget! Far superior to anything else in the price range. 

I have two of the orchid classics and they are superb.

[Sibob]

I know you're sorted now, but another vote for Orchid, hand built in the UK and my little custom job was circa £40.

 

Si

[Clarky]

Just to add, I bought a Trace Elf as a DI-plus dual solution to serve as emergency backup in case of amp issues and need for DI. Its not as small as a DI unit but its still teeny tiny

[Dood]

For others looking, Fender have a Mooer rebadged DI pedal - it's in a micro shell. It's active but the great thing is that there's some level controls AND an added (defeatable) 4x12 speaker simulator on board too. It actually has a little bump in the lows around 100hz and no roll off, so works very well for bass too. In fact almost too well! 

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/mooer_micro_di.htm?glp=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwzeqVBhAoEiwAOrEmzfKk99X_YfB_i9LQceiuq1_vwRQUxOnNqnNTk7bTofV9KVnbvYQHWRoC1cEQAvD_BwE

 

 

[EBS_freak]

13 hours ago, Dood said:

For others looking, Fender have a Mooer rebadged DI pedal - it's in a micro shell. It's active but the great thing is that there's some level controls AND an added (defeatable) 4x12 speaker simulator on board too. It actually has a little bump in the lows around 100hz and no roll off, so works very well for bass too. In fact almost too well! 

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/mooer_micro_di.htm?glp=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwzeqVBhAoEiwAOrEmzfKk99X_YfB_i9LQceiuq1_vwRQUxOnNqnNTk7bTofV9KVnbvYQHWRoC1cEQAvD_BwE

 

 

or talking of rebadged...

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_ministomp_magnum_d_i.htm

[Matt P]

15 hours ago, Dood said:

For others looking, Fender have a Mooer rebadged DI pedal - it's in a micro shell. It's active but the great thing is that there's some level controls AND an added (defeatable) 4x12 speaker simulator on board too. It actually has a little bump in the lows around 100hz and no roll off, so works very well for bass too. In fact almost too well! 

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/mooer_micro_di.htm?glp=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwzeqVBhAoEiwAOrEmzfKk99X_YfB_i9LQceiuq1_vwRQUxOnNqnNTk7bTofV9KVnbvYQHWRoC1cEQAvD_BwE

 

 

 

I have this Mooer Di on my bass pedalboard, It is indeed a fine unit with a very usable sound, my only minor gripe is that it needs a 9v power supply as it can neither take a battery (understandable owing to it's size) nor run from Phantom power (as far as i can remember)  

 

 

Matt

[Rich]

22 minutes ago, Matt P said:

 

my only minor gripe is that it needs a 9v power supply as it can neither take a battery (understandable owing to it's size) nor run from Phantom power (as far as i can remember)  

 

I have a 9v battery and one of these as permanent passengers in my gig bag, for those "oh god my 9v supply has gone off" moments. 

 

 

[Ramirez]

I was going to come and recommend Orchid, but plenty have beaten me to it!

 

They really are top quality. Radial quality at Behringer prices. I have the Classics and a few Micros.

 

However, it's worth bearing in mind that they don't offer galvanic isolation like a transformed based-DI, so can be more dangerous if something does go wrong.

[Matt P]

1 hour ago, Rich said:

 

I have a 9v battery and one of these as permanent passengers in my gig bag, for those "oh god my 9v supply has gone off" moments. 

 

 

I have a near identical (but home-made) cable and 9v battereis in my gig case too, the Mooer Di is more of a back-up on my pedalboard as 99% of the time i'm running the link output into an amp and would use the Di on that if i was going to the PA (a very rare occurrence as we play pubs etc and our PA is vocal only) 

 

the Mooer Di has been used for recording though and did a great job.

 

I actually have a couple of Passive Radial Di boxes (a stagebug and a Pro) that get more use but there wasn't quite room on my board for them so the Mooer is there instead, i've had the Mooer the longest and only bought the Radials in the last couple of years as they came up used at sensible prices

 

Matt

 

 

[Chienmortbb]

On 28/06/2022 at 09:45, Sibob said:

I know you're sorted now, but another vote for Orchid, hand built in the UK and my little custom job was circa £40.

 

Si

And it runs off battery or phantom power. 

[Chienmortbb]

I would add that our band has two guitarists their amps have line outs rather than DI out. One amp is a Fender combo the other a Roland Blues Cube. On one gig where we needed to put the amps through FOH, I forgot my DIs but always carry a home made isolating box containing two isolation transformers. We tried putting the guitar amps though the mixer directly but the Fender output was so noisy. I put my little isolator box in and it was as quite as a noisy mouse. Had I had my Orchid DIs they would have gone in front of the amp and there would have been no problem.

 

 

[Dan Dare]

On 28/06/2022 at 09:45, Sibob said:

I know you're sorted now, but another vote for Orchid, hand built in the UK and my little custom job was circa £40.

 

Si

 

Orchid are excellent (I have 4), but they're active, which may not always be what you need. The Palmer is my choice for a cheap passive.

[Sibob]

45 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

 

Orchid are excellent (I have 4), but they're active, which may not always be what you need. The Palmer is my choice for a cheap passive.

Mine is passive, with a transformer and a ‘thru’ output. All in a 1590B enclosure.

So yeah, nice little custom job for about £42 all in I think it was (albeit about 3 years ago, so prices may have changed).

 

 

(The XLR out is in the back side).

 

Si

Edited June 30, 2022 by Sibob

[Jack]

On 29/06/2022 at 12:33, Matt P said:

 

I have this Mooer Di on my bass pedalboard, It is indeed a fine unit with a very usable sound, my only minor gripe is that it needs a 9v power supply as it can neither take a battery (understandable owing to it's size) nor run from Phantom power (as far as i can remember)  

 

 

Matt

See that's why I bought it. Plenty of other DIs are happy to take 48V or batteries but they're not always forthcoming. Nice to have options. 

[Chienmortbb]

On 30/06/2022 at 12:27, Sibob said:

Mine is passive, with a transformer and a ‘thru’ output. All in a 1590B enclosure.

So yeah, nice little custom job for about £42 all in I think it was (albeit about 3 years ago, so prices may have changed).

 

 

(The XLR out is in the back side).

 

Si

That is Active. The clue is the 48V phantom power.

[Sibob]

4 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

That is Active. The clue is the 48V phantom power.

Haha, yes good point!! Got stuck in the ‘no battery’ moment there haha 😅

 

Si

[MacDaddy]

Low cost DI for bass?

 

Job done! 

[Chienmortbb]

17 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

Low cost DI for bass?

 

Job done! 

I have one of those too but it   does have a baked in mid scoop.

[rmorris]

On this topic in general. For a 'DI' you really need to define what you are looking to achieve. The use of the term "DI" has expanded to the point where it often refers to a "preamp" with tonal / distortion controls that has a balanced low impedance output. A "Pure DI" typically simply converts a high impedance and/or unbalanced output to a low impedance balanced output. Output level is traditionally 'mic' level but not necessarily if the DI box has active electronics.

Bear in mind that using a typical DI into a typical mic input of a desk doesn't give you the same high input Z (eg 1 MegOhm) as many amps and pedals do. So running straight from a passive Hi-Z pickup into a passive DI can be an issue for tone and sustain. But that 'sound' is sometimes favoured.

[jimmyb625]

Another Orchid fan here. If you get the classic, you can always power it from a 9v battery if phantom power isn't available.