DI box, do I gain anything from doing this ?

[Williamn]

Hey everyone.

I was wondering.. Do I gain anything (improved signal) by pluging my guitar into a countryman type 85 and then pluggin it into the MIC input on my focusrite saffire interface instead of just going from guitar into the line jack indput on the interface ?

 

[updog]

You'd probably color the signal by doing that, not sure if you'll count that as gaining something, I wouldn't. You could reamp the dry signal through whatever you want through your interface later, so you don't have to record again in case you'll want the countryman sound off the signal

 

[musickey]

I really don’t know the correct reason for this but im assuming that it has to do with impedance, When I record DI's, I run guitar into a cheap ass behringer passive DI box(soon to be replaced), and the output goes to my ADL 600 mic pre, And then from my preamp to a Presonus FP10. For whatever reason the guitar tones a get now with that signal chain destroy the tones I used to get recording the DI's straight into the FP10. Like I said don’t understand the science behind this chain but im sure someone here does, All im saying is it sounds ALOT better after re-amp time.

 

[Williamn]

Hmm yeah, without really knowing what impedance does I guess it have something to do with the whole thing.
A little side question, do you use the instrument or line input when plugin into the interface?.. course if I use the instrument mode my sound is clipping, even with the gain turned all the way down.. so atm im just using the line mode and then just boost the gain up til the point before it starts to clip.. Im I wrong in thinking the only difference between the instrument and line mode is a gain boost on the instrument mode ?

 

[updog]

Which Focusrite Saffire have you got? Doesn't it have a pad-button for the instrument input?

 

[Williamn]

I have the one just named saffire.. this one

Uh, what is a pad-button :< ?

 

[musickey]

I run into the preamps mic in, probably fail but hey it sounds good. By the way I know just enough to be dangerous. I wouldnt mind knowing if this is correct either, obviously dont want to burn up a $2k preamp.

 

[updog]

A pad button's a switch that increases the headroom in the signal by decreasing -20dB or so. The actual amount depents really. When I record guitar, I normally have the gain at about 3 o'clock and have the INST- and PAD-buttons pressed.

The instrument and line in-modes differ in impedance, but that it clips with the gain all the way down if you have the guitar directly plugged into the Saffire... Beats me.

 

[Mutant]

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...your-tracks-reamping-guide-2.html#post5977658

Read the whole thread.

 

[Williamn]

Mutant, have already read the whole thread.. but the numbers made more sense this time, so thanks
No wonder my DI was sound kinda weird when I was using the line mode with a input impedance of 10K.

Thanks to all who reply ed !

 

[musickey]

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...your-tracks-reamping-guide-2.html#post5977658

Read the whole thread.

Thanks man, I read this along time ago and it seemed way over my head lol But know i think i got the beans counted correctly. So im getting 96% of my signal if my guitar is active and the input impedence on my DI box is 250k. Is that right?

 

[Mutant]

So im getting 96% of my signal if my guitar is active and the input impedence on my DI box is 250k. Is that right?

Right