Is it possible to have a useless Guitar DI...

[John Haddad (Shiva Industries)]

The reason for the question is I never have re-amped anything till after I recently purchased my X-Amp. Not sure if its possible to over color the DI via signal chain being too long and signal not being hot enough from the get go.

EXAMPLE - ("And don't bash too hard...haha")
Guitar (EMG 81) > Radial Pro DI (passive) > API 312 Line Input (not XLR thru rear) > Patched into Trident Console Line Input > Motu HD 192's > DAW.

The DI started with only a -10 or so DB reading on the DAW's input. I think It should have been around the -4 to -3DB range?

So I'm going to re-amp now and after numerous attempts I'm disgusted with the results. I fear the DI is so colored that I can't pull a decent re-amp from it.... Is this possible? HELP!

Thanks in advance for the input. P.S. I hate guitars right about now!!!!

 

[if6was9]

From what I see, the DI never went through a mic pre, which may be causing some of your problems. Doesn't seem like you used the DI box properly from the signal chain you laid out.
Should have been XLR out of DI into API mic pre.

 

[Headof75]

Ok, my understanding is that your DI box puts out a mic level signal as opposed to a line level, so connecting it to a line level input would make it very quiet. Second, you seem to be running the signal through two preamp stages instead of one - DI into API, API into Trident, which would probably add unnecessary colour and noise. Why not just connect your DI box directly to a Mic In on your Trident desk?
It is definitely possible to get useless or at least difficult to use DIs if they are clipped, coloured or tone shaped in an undesirable way. Recording a DI through the Hi Z on my RME Babyface produces a markedly different and less pleasant result from recording through my Countryman Type 85 into the preamps.

 

[John Haddad (Shiva Industries)]

I'm sorry when typing I was not more specific... I did use the Radial DI boxes XLR out to the Mic pre. I then from there used a XLR to 1/4" cable to the mic pre's low Z 1/4" input (in the front of the rack unit) I used that instead of routing an xlr to xlr directly to the rear of the API. Hope that paints a better image of the chain.

 

[John Haddad (Shiva Industries)]

Ok, my understanding is that your DI box puts out a mic level signal as opposed to a line level, so connecting it to a line level input would make it very quiet. Second, you seem to be running the signal through two preamp stages instead of one - DI into API, API into Trident, which would probably add unnecessary colour and noise. Why not just connect your DI box directly to a Mic In on your Trident desk?
It is definitely possible to get useless or at least difficult to use DIs if they are clipped, coloured or tone shaped in an undesirable way. Recording a DI through the Hi Z on my RME Babyface produces a markedly different and less pleasant result from recording through my Countryman Type 85 into the preamps.

Thanks! I now own a countryman DI in which I now Route - Guitar>DI>Trident (patch bypassing input module, using direct outs to MOTU) > MOTU >DAW

Think the best option however would be, Guitar>Countryman>API XLR>Motu>DAW

The reason for this post is that I am currently mid mix on a project with the questionable DI's I need to re-amp.

 

[Headof75]

The thing with DIs is you want them to be as clean as possible, so getting them into your DAW with as short a signal chain as possible is the way to go. If you want the API in there use it as your mic pre when you reamp.

 

[DanLights]

I'm sorry when typing I was not more specific... I did use the Radial DI boxes XLR out to the Mic pre. I then from there used a XLR to 1/4" cable to the mic pre's low Z 1/4" input (in the front of the rack unit) I used that instead of routing an xlr to xlr directly to the rear of the API. Hope that paints a better image of the chain.

that only confused me more. the output of a DI Box should go into a mic pre, the output of the mic pre is line level (1/4" input). I don´t get what you´re doing. DI box > mic pre > another mic pre´s low Z input?? Doesn´t make sense. It should be DI box > mic pre > whatever converter you´re using to get to your DAW, but it has to be a line input.

 

[John Haddad (Shiva Industries)]

that only confused me more. the output of a DI Box should go into a mic pre, the output of the mic pre is line level (1/4" input). I don´t get what you´re doing. DI box > mic pre > another mic pre´s low Z input?? Doesn´t make sense. It should be DI box > mic pre > whatever converter you´re using to get to your DAW, but it has to be a line input.

Sorry, Once again I was unclear in my description. All I meant to get across is that from the DI I used an XLR to 1/4" Cable (XLR connector on one end to 1/4" connector on the opposite end) I instead should have used a normal XLR Cable from the DI to the MIC pre.

 

[DanLights]

Sorry, Once again I was unclear in my description. All I meant to get across is that from the DI I used an XLR to 1/4" Cable (XLR connector on one end to 1/4" connector on the opposite end) I instead should have used a normal XLR Cable from the DI to the MIC pre.

Yeah, got it, and yes, that´s what you should do, a DI box outputs a mic level signal so you should use an XLR (mic) cable, into a mic preamp. Treat it exactly as you would a microphone.

 

[amarshism]

You should not be putting your di into a hi z input. That's just stupid and defeats the purpose of the di.

 

[DanLights]

You should not be putting your di into a hi z input. That's just stupid and defeats the purpose of the di.

A less polite way to say what I said

 

[John Haddad (Shiva Industries)]

You should not be putting your di into a hi z input. That's just stupid and defeats the purpose of the di.

Haha..Appreciate the bash, I promise I won't do it again.

Problem is I'm still having to re-amp from the DI's I captured that way, so I have my work cut out for me on this one.

 

[Charles J]

YES, always DI into MIC PREAMP, not line level. X-Amp is a different story of course, but....

I've had EXCELLENT success using the a Radial Pro48 DI into the first channel of our Trident S20 (AWESOME as pre if you want TRANSPARENT, but BIG, articulate sounds... especally in capturng transients. I fucking LOVE that pre.

Amazing on OH's as well.