Um, about your DI's

[@?,*???&?]

What are you guys using for DI's?

I've got 3 brands here at the studio and am about to unload the Groove Tube units because they sound 'closed in' to me. These are the PDI models. I have to imagine their tube units would sound good- do they even make one?

Along with those I have the Whirlwind IMP variety and these are at least less muffled than the Groove Tube units. Slightly more transparent.

Also there is a Behringer Ultra DI100 which I will quietly rave about here. Great features and a great value for the money- even if mine won't accept phantom power from a console (it's broken and never has been able to do that).

I am constantly seeking a Countryman DI at the right price as well as a Demeter tube DI, but those have yet to materialize.

What are you using in 2007?

[A-Barr]

Love the Little Labs Reamp. To me it sounds a little "better" (whatever that means) than my previous favorite, a UTC A-10 (I think) transformer in a metal box.

[T-rex]

I recently picked up an avalon U5 for a great price from the SF Soundworks studio closing. Although I hate to see another studio go but it was a good deal for me. Anyway, I really like it. It just sounds right to me; very nice, detailed and "big". I have only used it on bass and guitar so far so I haven't spent a ton of time with it. I prefer to use it without the eq curves switched in although the LP and HP filters are pretty useful when necessary.

Before I had the U5 I relied on the Radial DI, not the Jenson trans version but the cheaper one. It's built like a tank but not too exciting soundwise. It was more of a problem solver for gournd issues, etc.

[snatchman]

What are you guys using for DI's?

I've got 3 brands here at the studio and am about to unload the Groove Tube units because they sound 'closed in' to me. These are the PDI models. I have to imagine their tube units would sound good- do they even make one?

Along with those I have the Whirlwind IMP variety and these are at least less muffled than the Groove Tube units. Slightly more transparent.

Also there is a Behringer Ultra DI100 which I will quietly rave about here. Great features and a great value for the money- even if mine won't accept phantom power from a console (it's broken and never has been able to do that).

I am constantly seeking a Countryman DI at the right price as well as a Demeter tube DI, but those have yet to materialize.

What are you using in 2007?

If you can find a used Groove Tubes " Ditto" grab it! Good sounding DI. I still kick myself when I had a chance to pick up two of these back when GC blew them out at $99.00!.. ..If you see a Ditto and decide to pass, give me a holla... ..I'll take it. I being trying to find another one....

[I'm Painting Again]

I own the redeye it's nice..sounds good to me..I like the U5 too..

[MoreSpaceEcho]

Love the Little Labs Reamp.

same here. also like the DI on the drawmer 1969 but i really need to change the tube on that sucker...

i have the mxr bassdi and the sansamp rbi as well, they are both kinda too heavy handed with the circuitry engaged but work fine as 'normal' DI's in bypass.

[Jeff White]

I've been using the DIs on the front of my Burr-Brown modded MP20, my Black Lion-modded 828mk2, and my PM1000 is now standard for bass. I used to dream about having a Countryman as I used one exclusively back in the 1990s. I hear great things about the Radial stuff and I have great experience with their X-Amp for ReAmping. I would like to have a really nice DI that I can run through the Sytek or EH 12AY7, however I can't justify the price with 5 other mic pre-based DIs to choose from. Right now I have like 4 old beat to shit DOD DIs and a Rapco something or other (glows in the dark silk screen... is that Rapco or Whirlwind?) that are slowly turning to rust. They are just hanging around in case I need like 5 extra DI (highly improbable) or I want to turn them into some sort of transformer-rich frankenstein beast down the line.

Jeff

[snatchman]

I've been using the DIs on the front of my Burr-Brown modded MP20, my Black Lion-modded 828mk2, and my PM1000 is now standard for bass. I used to dream about having a Countryman as I used one exclusively back in the 1990s. I hear great things about the Radial stuff and I have great experience with their X-Amp for ReAmping. I would like to have a really nice DI that I can run through the Sytek or EH 12AY7, however I can't justify the price with 5 other mic pre-based DIs to choose from. Right now I have like 4 old beat to shit DOD DIs and a Rapco something or other (glows in the dark silk screen... is that Rapco or Whirlwind?) that are slowly turning to rust. They are just hanging around in case I need like 5 extra DI (highly improbable) or I want to turn them into some sort of transformer-rich frankenstein beast down the line.

Jeff

Another DI that I like is the WhirlWind " Hot Box". For Synths, string patches,etc. ( anything where you wanna hear the detailed harmonics) thru the Biz preamp just smokes! ( IMHO) I use the Ditto DI into the OSA L-3 for Bass..... ...

[joel hamilton]

Avalon U5, hands down. Really. I looked for years. I have ownd a zillion different DI's. When I got a U5, I stopped looking. I cant even imagine what "better" would be.
It is huge sounding, versatile, and well built. What more could I want?
I dont bother using a pre with the U5, it gets it up to line level perfectly. I actually dont like it as much when using a pre after it, no mattr what the pre is!
With its own line amp, it is absolutely stunning how much low end you can get happening... that good kind of low end that sounds huge but doesnt just swamp the 2mix.....

[i am monster face]

+1 on the U5. Don't know what I would DI anything without it, really.

I was given a Klark Teknik while on tour and found it the other day. I tried it out in the studio and absolutely loved it. It wasn't the U5, but it was pretty freakin' tough. Real clean and precise - plus it has some nice input options for just a little box. It also is encased in rubber, so as not to accidentally ground to anything or slip off the amp.

[@?,*???&?]

Avalon U5, hands down. Really. I looked for years. I have ownd a zillion different DI's. When I got a U5, I stopped looking. I cant even imagine what "better" would be.
It is huge sounding, versatile, and well built. What more could I want?
I dont bother using a pre with the U5, it gets it up to line level perfectly. I actually dont like it as much when using a pre after it, no mattr what the pre is!
With its own line amp, it is absolutely stunning how much low end you can get happening... that good kind of low end that sounds huge but doesnt just swamp the 2mix.....

See, this was my reaction to the Demeter when I first heard that! In the times I've used a U5, I have come to believe that this is the best piece Avalon makes. $500+ for a DI though?

[joel hamilton]

Avalon U5, hands down. Really. I looked for years. I have ownd a zillion different DI's. When I got a U5, I stopped looking. I cant even imagine what "better" would be.
It is huge sounding, versatile, and well built. What more could I want?
I dont bother using a pre with the U5, it gets it up to line level perfectly. I actually dont like it as much when using a pre after it, no mattr what the pre is!
With its own line amp, it is absolutely stunning how much low end you can get happening... that good kind of low end that sounds huge but doesnt just swamp the 2mix.....

See, this was my reaction to the Demeter when I first heard that! In the times I've used a U5, I have come to believe that this is the best piece Avalon makes. $500+ for a DI though?

I agree about the "best thing avalon makes" 100%. But the "$500 for a DI?" how about "500 for the BEST DI EVER." does that make it seem like less money?
Also, as far as thinking something is the best... yes, When I first tried a countryman DI what feels like a zillion years ago now, I thought THAT was the best DI ever. Then I thought that a countryman just required a better pre than the MCI 500 series I was rockin on at the time... Then the next one then the next one... but when I got the U5 i tried a couple of other things, contemporaries of the U5, and they werent better to me. I still will try things, and I will be the first to admit it if one "beats" my U5's, but for now, I am sticking with them. probably for years to come.

[adam]

I have a Funkenwerk V71, and for all the glowing reviews it gets, I'm usually disappointed with it. A guitar sounds good through it, but I bought it for bass, and although it doesn't sound *bad*, it doesn't sound great, either. Maybe its just being wasted on my deaf ears, but I still prefer micing the cabinet, and I didn't expect that with this $500 thing.

[hank alrich]

My personal favorite is my Evil Twin from Eclair engineering. Available only directly from them. Don't bother to look into it if $500 already sounds like too much for a really good DI.

Others I use here include the DI inputs of a Great River MP2-MH, and an Alembic F2-B preamp.

All this comes down to personal taste. I don't care for plenty of other fancy DI's, including some that other posters in this thread like a lot. No problem. We all like what we like.

I do appreciate the inexpensive Baggs Paracoustic DI.

[weatherbox]

I have the V71 as well. It's a particular sound. I happen to really like that sound a lot, so works well for me. I'll typically still reamp and blend the two but I'm totally happy with it. Killer on synths/direct electric piano, and for fattening up thin sounding vox.