Re-Amping "Another dumb Question"

Ryan Silva · Post by **Ryan Silva** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 3:42 pm

Heres what i'm trying to do.. I am sending a track out of my DAW (nuendo 3) into a Big Muff Pedal and then passing it back in. Always works with Line Level gear, but not with pedals is this because of an impedence miss match? Is there a way around it with out a Re-Amp Box?

Sorry so dumb

Fletcher · Post by **Fletcher** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 4:31 am

Every now and again you can almost get away with dropping the level going into the pedal [especially if it's a fuzz box]... but you will generally pick up a shitload of unwanted noise on the return.

A re-amp/DI rig is really the way to go but like I said, sometimes, if the input level to the stomp box is low enough you can kinda get away without one.

Best of luck.

KennyLusk · Post by **KennyLusk** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:44 am

I agree with Fletcher on that. If you keep the voltage low you might get away with it. The muff pedal is looking for a low voltage, unbalanced, high impedence signal which is where a passive DI box is the 'best' tool to use as a buffer. Run the signal In through the Out door to the big muff at low volume and you'll get a nice clean signal you can work with usually. Works for me anyhow with an amp or stomp box (no matter how cheap the DI).

syrupcore · Post by **syrupcore** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:34 am

I use the passive DI method as well. just make sure it's passive. I got some 50 dollar thing. works great.

playinbass · Post by **playinbass** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:27 am

Really?...just running the signal in "backwards" through a passive DI box will work (kinda) for re-amping?

KennyLusk · Post by **KennyLusk** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:07 am

playinbass wrote:Really?...just running the signal in "backwards" through a passive DI box will work (kinda) for re-amping?

Yeah, you just run the balanced line level signal into the output of the DI box and connect to your amplifier [or re-amp speakers] from the unbalanced input jack of the DI box.

Just be careful of your volume levels from the source. At the source, start with your volume set to 0 and bring the program level up slowly.

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:40 am

playinbass wrote:
Really?...just running the signal in "backwards" through a passive DI box will work (kinda) for re-amping?

Yeah, you just run the balanced line level signal into the output of the DI box and connect to your amplifier [or re-amp speakers] from the unbalanced input jack of the DI box.

Just be careful of your volume levels from the source. At the source, start with your volume set to 0 and bring the program level up slowly.

I have 3 or 4 older DOD passive DI boxes hanging around. Is there any way to simply convert one of them to an actual nice sounding REamp box? Has anyone done this?

Jeff

KennyLusk · Post by **KennyLusk** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:18 pm

skycave wrote:
I have 3 or 4 older DOD passive DI boxes hanging around. Is there any way to simply convert one of them to an actual nice sounding REamp box? Has anyone done this?

Jeff

You shouldn't have any problem with the quality of your DOD boxes Jeff. They should be nice and quiet, especially if they were manufactured in the early eighties. Either way, the key is to watch your volume (voltage) levels coming In thru the Out door. Piece of cake.

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:19 pm

You shouldn't have any problem with the quality of your DOD boxes Jeff. They should be nice and quiet, especially if they were manufactured in the early eighties. Either way, the key is to watch your volume (voltage) levels coming In thru the Out door. Piece of cake.

Sweet. Thanks!

Jeff

Fletcher · Post by **Fletcher** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:49 pm

skycave wrote:I have 3 or 4 older DOD passive DI boxes hanging around. Is there any way to simply convert one of them to an actual nice sounding REamp box? Has anyone done this?

Yes, everyone who has made a 're-amp' box has done this... you have hit 90% of the crux of the biscuit on how a re-amp box works. It's a passive DI working backwards [there is some 'voodoo' in some of them which would be the other 10% after the 90].

My bad for not mentioning that earlier, I erroneously assumed that was obvious.

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:12 pm

I always assumed that this was one way of doing things, then doubted my logic because of the fact that most Re-Amp boxes on the market are in the $200 price range.

I use my Presonus MP20 as my DI at home / remote, so opening up and experimenting with the DOD DI boxes won't hurt.

Thanks for the info.

Jeff

jv · Post by jv » Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:55 pm

skycave wrote:I always assumed that this was one way of doing things, then doubted my logic because of the fact that most Re-Amp boxes on the market are in the $200 price range.

I use my Presonus MP20 as my DI at home / remote, so opening up and experimenting with the DOD DI boxes won't hurt.

Thanks for the info.

Jeff

If you want to open up a passive DI and mess around with it, you can
make something pretty close to a Re-Amp (I would guess).
The Jensen website has a nice schematic:

http://www.jensen-transformers.com/as/as092.pdf

What this does is 3 things:
1. Convert balanced signal to unbalanced.
2. Provide a high(er) output impedence.
3. Lower the level.

Using a normal passive DI in reverse accomplishes 1 & 2, but it
actually raises the level, so you have to lower it going into the DI.

If you took apart a DOD DI and modified it, you'd probably want
to reverse the transformer so it drops the level, and add level and
impedance pots as shown in the jensen schematic (you could probably
skip the impedance pot and replace it with a resistor or just a wire if
you wanted it to be a little simpler).

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