Vile DI Boxes

[BigYinUK]

Is it just the Behringer DI 120 that is to be avoided at all costs or are there others?

 

Regards

[paulears]

I have 6 of these and have no issues at all with them - and in fact, rather like them. I've also got some BSS ones, and for most things, I'd not worry about which ones at all. Only if I really needed something special would I not use them.

[GaryNattrass]

I use the Stagg dual DI boxes, they are cheap as chips, have the advantage of no battery transformer operation and mono or stereo operation.

[bruce]

You may be mixing up numbers. There's no DI-120

 

There's a DI-20 - a dual channel unit that has had some bad press, and a DI-100 which is generally accepted to be fine.

 

http://www.behringer.com/EN/Category/Signal-Processors.aspx?s=E200

[paulears]

I'm talking about the DI-DI20 - never believe all you hear - and mine have been pretty abused!

link here

http://www.behringer.com/assets/DI20_P0176_Left_XL.jpg

[J Pearce]

I have found the DI20s to be very hissy every time I've come across them. Tolerable at line level, but not good for guitars.

 

Maybe there are good and bad batches, or a recent design revision.

 

I have also come across cheap passive DIs with rather poor quality transformers that saturate very easily, especially at low frequencies.

[Wilflet]

For anything where you dont need the link through jack to an amp I recommend Orchid Micro DI - £25 each, never had a sound problem (using them on the same stages as BSS AR133 etc at 4 times the price. during the gig I generally couldnt tell you which id used for which)

And the bonus of being small enough that I think nothing of having a couple in my toolcase at all times for get out of jail situations- somthing I dont have space for with anything of the imitation 133 style boxes.

[S&L]

I have read a lot of mixed things about the behringer dual channel unit. I have a DI100 that is ok but sounds a little 'rubbery' with bass guitars.

I worked with a band recently who had a couple of GI100 units that sounded 'dark' or 'dull' with guitars.

the best DI I own is a thomann T racks 4 channel - it just does what it should.

[ojc123]

The DI20s we have are very hissy. Mine have also been subject to abuse (mainly verbal) everytime I've used them as DIs. The DI20s are now largely used to help get the right angle on monitor wedges or guitar amps.

 

They're about ten years old and perhaps they've improved them. I got the other DIs below to replace them.

 

The DI100 and GI100 are ok. I also like the Thomann TD14. It has link output and two balanced outputs which is handy for splitting to monitors and FoH. We have a couple of Pulse passive DI from CPC which are ok too.

[TomHoward]

The only complaint I've heard of the DI20s is the crosstalk between the two channels - so may be suitable as a stereo box, but could be noisy if being use for two separate instruments, especially with the varying levels from line and instrument level signals.

[i_hate_fisicks]

Having used Behringer DI-100s for years and never having a problem (apart from engineers moaning about the badge), I bought myself a couple of the red ones (mainly because they were a pound cheaper, and they're red!). Used them a few times in situations where I couldn't really hear the PA, didn't notice any problem. Then recently did a gig where I got a proper sound check and to stand in front of the speakers (!) and discovered that said red DIs were awful! Distorted, thin sounding, generally sound ruining. They were both the same, and the sound became normal when I used a different DI. So they're both going in the bin/on ebay.

[Doug Siddons]

For anything where you dont need the link through jack to an amp I recommend Orchid Micro DI - £25 each, never had a sound problem (using them on the same stages as BSS AR133 etc at 4 times the price. during the gig I generally couldnt tell you which id used for which)

And the bonus of being small enough that I think nothing of having a couple in my toolcase at all times for get out of jail situations- somthing I dont have space for with anything of the imitation 133 style boxes.

 

Real fan of these

[Stuart91]

red DIs were awful! Distorted, thin sounding, generally sound ruining. They were both the same, and the sound became normal when I used a different DI. So they're both going in the bin/on ebay.

 

Aren't the red DIs supposed to do some guitar cab emulation, for running electric guitar straight into the PA? If that's the case, the distortion etc. that you experienced may be the desired operation...

[i_hate_fisicks]

Yes, but there's a button that's supposed to turn it off!

[Simon Lewis]

Perhaps the guitar effect is created by using a cheaper transformer ;-)