School me on DI

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RockerRocker Frets: 4947
My Markbass bass amp has a DI out, I used it once at a gig and we were not deafened on stage while still sounding loud out front.

The possibility of needing a DI out for electric guitar is small but I would like to be prepared just in case.  All guidance, links etc much appreciated.  Thanks
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Comments

  • The beauty of having a Di on a bass amp is, as you’ve discovered, the signal from the bass amp can be amplified by the PA so you don’t need silly stage volumes. The signal is usually taken between the pre and power stage of your amp, buffered down to line level which the input of the PA can handle, so the tone remains the same, put simply. Bass sound through a PA doesn’t rely as heavily on the cabinet as a guitar signal, due to the frequencies involved. So when you do the same with a guitar signal  you ideally need some sort of cabinet emulation on the DI signal so the guitar sounds like a guitar not a wasps nest.
    www.maltingsaudio.co.uk
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  • xscaramangaxscaramanga Frets: 436
    I agree with what maltingsaudio said.

    Joyo used to do a cheap emulated DI that sounded awesome on clean tones. I never tried it on dirty tones; I would guess it was less good because those are much harder to get right. If you find one of those that could be an inexpensive thing to have in your gig bag for emergencies.

    Spending more money, the Palmer PDI-09 is a passive unit with emulation that a lot of people like. I don't love it on dirty sounds but the user list is impressive—it's the same emulation as the bigger units that Joe Bonamassa and Eddie Van Halen have used. 
    My YouTube channel, Half Speed Solos: classic guitar solos demonstrated at half speed with scrolling tab and no waffle.
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  • koneguitaristkoneguitarist Frets: 4125
    Is it a valve amp or SS amp you intend to use on guitar? If a Valve amp, to me the Peavey EDI box is best I have ever used.
    nothing simpler and quality is just superb. And cheap. 
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  • StratavariousStratavarious Frets: 3599
    edited June 2021
    I use the DI out of my Marshall.. even if it does not go out of the mains.  All the band run DI from their amps to the desk so we can get the right monitor mix to the drummer and others.. but I also get a pristine multitrack recording as our desk is also a 22 way digital interface.  I can fix tones using cab and amp IRs after.
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  • KeefyKeefy Frets: 2272



    Spending more money, the Palmer PDI-09 is a passive unit with emulation that a lot of people like. I don't love it on dirty sounds but the user list is impressive—it's the same emulation as the bigger units that Joe Bonamassa and Eddie Van Halen have used. 
    +1 for the Palmer. It does a good enough job of reproducing my amped-up guitar tone through a PA, and sounds better than the 2 others I have (Behringer, Whirlwind). The alternative is to mic up your speaker but that brings its own problems - space for a stand, mic getting knocked, increased risk of feedback.
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