DI-Box recommendation for firmware 3.0

    Well, the title kinda says it all. :) What DI-Boxes will you guys be using for direct profiling?


    Talk soon and thanks for your answers in advance.

    http://www.kemper-amps.com/for…?postID=193462#post193462


    In short, given you will need no-cab-simming and/or no tone filtering ( you definelty don't want any sort of cab-simming or tone filtering for DI profiling ) its the Behringer Ultra G ( ~$70 ) or the ARTZDirect ( ~$40 ) both dirt cheap - both do the job - both well built and both totally neutral in terms of tone.


    If Kemper do release a DI, and its under $100, I may get it just because its a Kemper ..... then again, no :)


    Whilst the Behringer cab-simming can be turned-off, I went with the ART ZDirect as it has a switchable low pass thay shelves off -3dB @ 30kHz to eradicate system / computer / hardware noise and interference.


    Given guitar fundamental frequencies top out 12k [max] and guitar harmonic frequencies and overtones top out at 18k [max] the -3dB @ 30kHz low pass wont even remotely get within a light-year of your guitar frequencies but it will get rid of some/most of the system / computer / hardware noise and interference.


    Ben

    Quote from Raoul23

    I have heard good things about the REDDI boxes


    http://www.adesignsaudio.com/reddi-all-tube-direct-box.htm


    Probably the absolute single best DI for live use ...... however it is specifically designed to "tube-ify" your DI output .... precisely the opposite what you don't want if you are doing DI profiles - unless however you want to deliberately "color" the sound of your DI'd amp signal during the DI profiling process - horses for courses - the beauty of sound and music is that there is no "correct" answer :)


    Ben

    Quote from matbard

    I use a Countryman Type 85 DI box...


    Looks excellent -46 db for speaker [ fantastic ] and totally flat response and " The Type 85 doesn’t have roll off switches or effects. Adjusting the
    frequency content of a sound source is an artistic decision best done at the mixing location where you can hear the results and easily make changes "

    Great choice.

    Check out the Radial JDX. It is made specifically to take input from a tube head, combo or power amp's speaker outs,. It splits the signal, passing the powered side to a guitar cab and the other side is meant to go to a console (DI) on an XLR at microphone level.


    It exactly fits the bill for a DI box that can do Direct Amp Profiles. If you think about it, it has all of the requirements.

    • You want a box that can accept the high wattage coming from your tube amp's speaker outputs.
    • You want an output that is essentially a thru for the speaker outputs of your amp.
    • You want an XLR output carrying the mic level signal that the DI box would normally send to a console. When Radial designed this box, that was their intended use. In this case, however, this signal will be interpreted by the KPA as the incoming signal from a microphone, just as it would interpret a signal coming from a mic that was placed on a cab while creating a Studio profile.

    I have a Radial JDV, which I love and highly recomend. It's meant to be a DI box that splits the guitar's output so you can send a non-compensated dry signal to your console. It has two outputs that incorporate what Radial calls "drag". The drag control adjusts the load before the signal goes to the outputs on the box, which feed your amp. There's also a -30db pad, so you can insert your JDV after it exits your cab.


    It is important to note that Radial says you will damage your JDV if you insert it into the amp's speaker output path. So I can't use it to do Direct Amp Profiles. So I'll buy a JDX.


    I suspect many technically savvy users here are missing the fine distinction as to what type of DI box they need to do Direct Amp Profiles. I know it took me a while to understand the hardware requirements of the DI box to do this profiling method.


    Scratch17

    Thanks for the welcomes! I bought my KPA in the summer and haven't been able to use it much. I'm moving in the next two or three months, so I'm covered up in preparation to sell my house and buy another.


    I have a small guitar oriented Project Studio that is a long term hobby. The KPA is a dream come true for me. I love being able to try (virtual) amps I've dreamed of owning.


    Maybe I'm wrong but it looks like the JDX has speaker emulation which cannot be turned off. If that's the case, it would not be a good idea to use with the KPA for direct profiles.