Members Dave Curtis Posted March 21, 2005 Members Posted March 21, 2005 I want to run my Taylor 514ce direct into my mixer. Do I need a direct box or preamp of some sort to do this or can I plug it into a channel and play? The pickup in the guitar is active.Thanks-
Members fingerpicker Posted March 21, 2005 Members Posted March 21, 2005 You can run it directly into the mixer.
Members Singin' Dave Posted March 21, 2005 Members Posted March 21, 2005 Yep.... you can go straight to the mixer. But I would still recommend a Baggs PADI for its EQ and Gain before volume control. I have an active p/u in my MArtin 000C-16RGTE as well as my Carvin c980 and I wouldn't gig with either one without my Baggs. (And I used to go straight....it just doesn't cut through the same without the Baggs.)
Members Telefonic Posted March 21, 2005 Members Posted March 21, 2005 I asked our sound tech about DI boxes yesterday on the way to our gig. I've always used them, but never knew exactly what they did. He explained that the DI takes a "line level" signal and converts it into a "mic level" signal, which apparently is better for the sound guys. Last night, for the first time, I ran the guitar into my acoustic amp, with a line out to the DI, then into the PA. He said he got a good signal, and that it sounded good. BTW, I still don't really understand why direct boxes are good, I just know that we use them.
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted March 23, 2005 Members Posted March 23, 2005 Originally posted by Singin' Dave Yep....you can go straight to the mixer. But I would still recommend a Baggs PADI for its EQ and Gain before volume control. I have an active p/u in my MArtin 000C-16RGTE as well as my Carvin c980 and I wouldn't gig with either one without my Baggs. (And I used to go straight....it just doesn't cut through the same without the Baggs.) Yup...get a PADI! No matter what you plug into, a PADI'll make it sound great!
Members 81Maro Posted March 27, 2005 Members Posted March 27, 2005 A direct box does 2 things for you. I converts a high impedance signal (usually 1/4" plug) into a low impedance (usually XLR plug) signal, and in the process makes the single ended signal from your guitar into a balanced signal. The benefit of a balanced signal is that at the mixer end, it goes into a differential preamp that will eliminate common mode noise. You also get the benefit of having a "ground lift" that can help get rid of hum. I play in church every Sunday and plug in via a 150' snake. The DI box allows me to take advantage of the balanced cables in the snake.
Members Singin' Dave Posted March 28, 2005 Members Posted March 28, 2005 A decent Pre-Amp/D.I. is a vital piece of gear for ANY type of gigging acoustic musician, IMO...
Members Travelin' Dude Posted March 29, 2005 Members Posted March 29, 2005 Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall Yup...get a PADI! No matter what you plug into, a PADI'll make it sound great! Terry, you don't really mean that, do you..? I picked up a PADI a few weeks ago, for a gig last weekend. Overall, I'm really happy with the box, does all the things it should with no useless frills, and sounds great... through a decent PA system, that is. When the band was rehearsing, I was running it thru the cheesy Kustom powered PA head into a pair of cabs with 15's and horns (that the band had in their rehearsal space), and no matter what we did with the levels on the mixer or the EQ-ing on the Baggs DI, it sounded like over-compressed junk, and we couldn't get it to sit in the mix; the amp just ran outta steam... fast-forward to the gig, and I ran it direct into the board from the PADI (and a much better system with dedicated power amps), and it sounded a lot closer to great.I think the Para DI is a keeper, but it shouldn't be harshly judged in the context of a crummy PA, mixer, etc.Garbage in, garbage out... or something like that.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.