Need help with Di

[reaper1984]

I've figured i might aswell go DI, the ampsim/impulse way.
What i have now is a m-audio delta 66 and a m-audio dmp3, i just googled dmp3 and surprise it said it was not good for guitars, using the "hi"range button pulled in, i can get a guitar record, but it sounds lowpassed.....and totally shitty compared to like this "rose of sharyn" dudes Di's (i've been searching for "rose of sharyn" couldn't find that fucking thread..what was he using for his di's ?! Anyway. Question is THIS:

Should i buy a Countryman DI Type 85 = into dmp3 = rock?
OR do i need to buy a new audio interface?
I want the best possible Di tone.
i don't have any emg pickups or such. I've read the countryman could fail with such pickups on this forum, haha..

 

[Redoubt9000]

Not sure, and didn't bother to look into the specs of the dmp3 - but yes you need a hi-z input for your instrument. Unless your dmp3 has both a hi-z input, and can output a line level signal into your delta card then I don't believe you will get the sound you're looking for. Am I right on this guys?

I once had a delta 44, and for over a year I couldn't for the life of me figure out why my guitar was muddy/lifeless/lowpassed as you put it (Total gear newblet at the time, right when I started playing an instrument and salivating at the possibilities of recording my shitty songs ) At the time I never even considered such a thing as impedance. I just ran it into a separate preamp and thought it was all I needed. When I moved onto a line6 interface the guitar had a noticeably better tone to it, but those interfaces would clip to an insane degree with my guitar's pup output/wiring. Returned the unit promptly for a refund and finally moved onto my saffire and haven't looked back. But yes, what you're describing sounds like an impedance mismatch. Whether the countryman would make a diff I can't comment, but for that price you'd be better off going for a new interface. Might I suggest focusrite?

The point where in which I began to question my guitar's tone (and ultimately the interface's influence), was when I also had come across other's dry DI tones. I could actually hear the character and tone of their strings vibrating, the metallic scrape and impact of the pick, the way they would sound out was drastically different to what I experienced out of my own guitar. Eventually I discovered it was the type of interface I was working with >.>

 

[reaper1984]

thanks for your reply!
Btw, what you described is exactly how it is.
The tone sounds lowpassed, muddy, i don't hear the character of the guitar strings vibrating etc, in other words it's useless.
Comparing to the dude that recorded "rose of sharyn" mine is flat and completely lifeless, no wonder i've never managed to get good guitar tones thru ampsims, doh!! I've had V-amp2, Pod 2.0, Pod Xt and a toneport ux1 that i've kept. Best tone so far has come from the Toneport's original tones, using impulses made it sound slightly more real but still weak in a mix, yes i know the bass plays a role in this, but the guitars should fill up the stereo image more. My standard for tone is a little higher then that......
I was thinking about getting a kemper, but listening more to it, i've changed my mind. I'll wait for the nexgen kemper, that will have the lack of lowend/air issue fixed hopefully (judging from clips i've heard on youtube/hear/soundcloud, etc)

 

[reaper1984]

Ok, i've googled and found some di threads here on ultimatemetal, i think the countryman will solve my problem better then getting a audio interface with hi-Z cause the audio interfaces focus isnt on getting a great di tone, versus the countryman is built only to get you in that tone zone.
CORRECT?!

 

[bryan_kilco]

If you have to run the Countryman through your dmp3 or whatever, you're basically limiting your tone to what the dmp3's capabilities are.

 

[Redoubt9000]

If you have to run the Countryman through your dmp3 or whatever, you're basically limiting your tone to what the dmp3's capabilities are.

Sry I should've made that point from the get go, doh! So I'll reiterate it.

This would most certainly become the case. More importantly if you simply had an interface, it would allow for more transparency of your signal throughout the chain, in contrast to having to run your guitar through the countryman, then to the dmp, and finally to your delta card.

An interface with the appropriate inputs alone would solve your problem. And be cheaper, or at the least not as narrow in its capability like the countryman. Plus, hi-z inputs on an interface have no need of a preamp to drive the signal.

If i understand correctly, all a DI box does is convert your signal to make it compatible to a low-z input yes?

 

[reaper1984]

It looks like to me as the Countryman will convert the signal so it will work in my preamp(dmp3), and then i just set the gain knob on my dmp3.


Edit: Bryan i don't understand what you are saying right now.
Are you saying that the audio interface i have, will make the tone suck, even tho the countryman makes it "compatible" cause that's how i've though that it works?
I mean, if i understand it correctly, the Countryman needs Phantom Power from the dmp3, and then i connect the countryman into the audio interface and not the dmp3???
I kinda get the idea that maybe there is a "lose of tone" considering it goes countryman -> dmp3 > delta 66...versus if it just went countryman --> delta 66.. Which maybe is possible? The countryman just needs a battery instead of phantom power??? since the outputs/inputs on the countryman looks like normal guitarcables, and such are on the delta 66 (not hi-z of course but..that shouldnt be needed then cause that's the countrymens job RIGHT?!?!
damn, i hate talking about technical shit on the internet!

Edit again: i have a m-audio fast track pro, countryman --> fast track pro= still shit tone??

 

[Redoubt9000]

Your fast track has an instrument input with a 1MΩ (million) impedance rating unbalanced in. A 1MΩ rating is typical for hi-z inputs... for some perspective low/mic level ratings hover around the hundreds up to 1kΩ. You're safe so long as you attempt to match loads. There is I/O impedance and it's in your best interest to match them.

The problem with the countryman route is if it outputs a line level signal, then your delta card will have to be capable of accepting a line level signal, otherwise the signal will have to be boosted if it's mic level. That's where the dmp preamp would come in, but if you have to resort to that, you will invariably color your guitar's tone unnecessarily - and we're shooting for transparency of your tone with as few links in the signal chain.


In the case of your fast track, you don't need the countryman. It has an instrument input (which is the hi-z 1MΩ input). Therefore you're able to match your hi-z output to an appropriate hi-z input. voila

 

[reaper1984]

http://forum.cakewalk.com/Hiz-input...erfaces-Lies-from-manufacturers-m1436553.aspx :/