Recommendations for acoustic DI Box

bermudianbrit

Hi all,

So I'm reconfiguring my acoustic board and am looking at a new DI box. Specifically, the LR Bags Session or Venue. I like the compression and sonic maximisation nobs on the session, but I will want to put fx through this...and the session has no fx loop. In contrast, the venue has an fx loop, but none of the other features I like from the session. I can only spring for one of these lol. Any other brands/units I should be thinking about?

Also, to confirm, I'm guessing that the DI box has to be last in the chain, right? Dumb question but you never know.

Thanks for any tips

mgaw

I always assumed the di box went first as it "interpreted" the guitar pickup signal

bermudianbrit

ah...see this is why dumb questions are good to ask sometimes...

mgaw

I may well be wrong though !

Snags

Whenever I've used effects on an acoustic the signal path has been guitar > effects > DI.

With the exception of having a DI with a loop as you mention in the OP, I don't see how you could do it any other way (well, excluding using effects on the desk, obviously) as the output from the DI is going to be on an XLR which rather precludes shoving your pedals after it ...

crunchman

I'd just get a bog basic Orchid Micro DI and get a separate unit for preamp/effects

mgaw

I have an Orchid Pre amp/Di (£200 new) could be yours for £55 ?  

mart

mgaw said:

I have an Orchid Pre amp/Di (£200 new) could be yours for £55 ?  

If that's the Orchid acoustic pre-amp (http://orchid-electronics.co.uk/acoustic.htm) that's a steal! Everything I've read about it suggests it's fantastic.

ESBlonde

I've got myself a Mesa Rosette acoustic DI pedal and it is like a good high end mixer chanel complete with FX send and return. Fully analog but no built in Compression. There is enough tone shaping such that you won't need any 'sonic maximisation' bollox.

https://www.mesaboogie.com/amplifiers/acoustic/pre-amp-series/rosette-preamp/index.html

bermudianbrit

ooo very nice that Mesa. not common in the UK it seems

Lewy

What pickup is in your acoustic?

bermudianbrit

A Martin with a Fishman pickup, and a Taylor GS Mini with the accompanying Taylor pickup

Lewy

bermudianbrit said:

A Martin with a Fishman pickup, and a Taylor GS Mini with the accompanying Taylor pickup

Assuming they are undersaddle transducers, I think you'll get better core tone with the Session and the judicious application of it's saturation and multi-band compression than you would with the Venue or (based on the video demo) the Mesa unit. The Session seems to do a much better job of reducing/masking the buzzy quack of a piezo than any amount of EQ.

TimmyO

iirc the Taylor pickup for the GS Mini is a soundhole type (but attached to the end of the neck) 

crunchman

If the Martin is an undersaddle, something like a TC BodyRez, or the Boss pedal that has digital trickery in, will make it sound better.