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I recently started playing Bass in a band and my cab is nigh impossible to mic. I'm looking for a DI to use for live stuff.

I need something that I can plug into from the end of my chain and go to my amp with 1/4" and to the board with XLR.

Small and passive is best but not if it sounds like butts.

Radial StageBug SB-2 maybe?

I have my toanz all sorted out so I don't NEED anything like the Rusty or SansAmp but would consider either if
the price compares to what I'd spend on a quality no frills DI box.

What say you Lords of the Lows?

Ah, I was going to vouch for the Rusty Box cause it ruled when I had it. But if you don't need any toneshaping or anything I don't have any suggestions/knowledge

Out of curiosity, why passive? Just because of the price? In my experience, passive DI's generally do sound like butt... but then, I've only experienced ones that clubs just happened to have on hand. There may be a good one out there, but I haven't come across it yet.

http://www.radialeng.com/pdfs/Selecting ... r-bass.pdf

I was gonna say a Radial and then I found this article which might help...

countryman DIs are very popular studio DIs? not sure if that helps though... usually we just use whatever the venue has - generally passive on the bass.

I have a Behringer BDI21 (sansamp clone) and just leave it in my accessories bag for the rare times we need to DI or when we have a mid-gig emergency with my amp or cab. It's not passive, but as long as you plug it in, you can just leave it bypassed and I haven't noticed it doing anything to the tone. It's Behringer, so say whatever you will. But it was like $30 and it's saved my ass a few times, and I've had it for going on 8 years now and it's never broken down or had an issue.

Thanks for the suggestions!

jrmy wrote:Out of curiosity, why passive? Just because of the price?

Passive would be better in terms of price, size and not taking up a power plug.
It will be at the end of the chain with an always on OD so I figured that would be enough to push the signal.

I'm using a Tribute L-2000 so I do have active capability with the bass as well.

The Radial JDI is the shit the fucking shit! I use the stereo one for recording so I can get clean and pedal board direct out and amp mic and direct from amp at the same time

MEC wrote:Thanks for the suggestions!

jrmy wrote:Out of curiosity, why passive? Just because of the price?

Passive would be better in terms of price, size and not taking up a power plug.
It will be at the end of the chain with an always on OD so I figured that would be enough to push the signal.

I'm using a Tribute L-2000 so I do have active capability with the bass as well.

My suggestion? MXR M80 DI+. Can be found for like $80 used, you can turn off the tone shaping, or use the 3 band EQ. Not passive, but I've used one for a few years now, it's great as long as you don't turn on the distortion.

jrmy wrote:Out of curiosity, why passive? Just because of the price? In my experience, passive DI's generally do sound like butt... but then, I've only experienced ones that clubs just happened to have on hand. There may be a good one out there, but I haven't come across it yet.

That why I use a JDI it's passive but has a Jensen Transformer.

The 100% passive circuitry inside the JDI is incredibly efficient. The transformer performs both high-to-low impedance conversion and signal balancing at the same time with minimal loading and does so without any power whatsoever. The transformer also introduces a magnetic bridge that passes signal while rejecting stray DC voltage. This makes the JDI particularly adept at eliminating hum and buzz caused by ground loops.

I got one cuz Tony Levin swears by the things and I've been using them for 6 years and never had a issue ever

I've used a Rusty Box into a DI with amazing results.

Interesting - I had long considered getting a JDI for studio use... maybe I should try one out for live use, too!

I own 3 Behringer GI100 boxes less than $40 a piece. They sound clean. I could also break six of them before getting to the price of a sansamp bass driver, which I didn't care for anyway.

My bass head has a balanced mic out on the back. I try to tell the sound bro to use that so they get the full crushing weight of my sweet 300w solid state head, but no, they want to go into the PA with their shitty DI, then use the 1/4" out into my amp....

There was the sound engineer one time, she was super cool. She used the mic out and everything sounded awesome. I told the other bassist in my band that he should marry her. She was pretty and cool and nice. He was more interested in the waitress..... she was a better sound guy than most guys I've worked with.....

I use a passive radial proDI which is a cheaper model but I think works fantastic. It doesnt have any fancy tonal shaping but is a great no nonsense DI.