Recommend me an Audio Interface/DI box!!!

Avoid the saffire 6 unless you want your DIs to look like a modern metal master.

 

Maybe I`m have older 85, so in Hi-Z input with +20 dbu I`m usually have -11/-12 dbFS at 9 V. 81X was even weaker. My friend once measured with oscilloscope his 81X and got around 8 Vpp, but when he recorded with same interface at same settings it become also in the range of 4.5-5 Vpp.
And in specifications EMG ( does not mention RMS voltage, only Output Voltage (strum and string), without specifying type of voltage measurement (RMS or Peak).

Some sources claimes that EMG are using opamp similar to TI 4250 (it has similar current draw), according to its Supply Voltage-Vpp Output diagram it can have around 8 Vpp swing, but interesting thing is that under load battery can have lower voltage than unloaded battery (especially in case of EMGs). And it seems that most of EMGs have the same opamp because of equal current draw.

 

I Use BSS AR-133 DI Box into Saffire Pro 24 DSP mic in. it's clipping with gain at 0.I had to lower pickups to make this chain usable,
and pickups aren't even active - Duncans Custom and 59.

 

BSS AR-133 have +9 dbu input level at Pad 0 (i.e. with 1 MOhm), that`s all.
Maybe because it is designed to run using batteries, not just phantom.
I`m once compared AR-133 to my mic/instrument preamp, there was no clipping problems, but passive pickups used in this test was not so hot, still BSS was slightly noisier.

 

I KNOW RIGHT THIS THREAD IS NOW BONKERS.

I have a Presonus audiobox 22vsl and it gets a great DI signal from EMGs running into the instrument in. Passives benefit from putting a DI before the interface though. *EMGs clipped the older version of the 2 channel presonus so don't get that.*

The impedance of EMGs make them completely not picky about what you plug them into. If you do decide to grab a DI any countryman is fantastic. Seriously if you buy one and don't like it I will give you my address and you can come kick me in the dick. :Smug:

Summary:
Just the 22VSL on it's own will have a better sound with EMGs than the line6. Add the countryman DI and it will be amazing for passives too.

 

22VSL (and 44VSL) have large harmonic distortion (0.5% THD at +15/+16 dbu), but countryman is similar (1% at 5 Vpp, even larger distortion at lower level)
And VSLs Hi-Z are on noisy side, M-Audio C400 was slightly better in comparison...

 

I must never be approaching the 6vpp it takes to get 1% THD because the Type10 and 22VSL combo is unbelievably clean sounding.

Also the VSL spec of .5% at +15dBu, isn't that about 12.33 vpp? That's a lot of voltage it takes to get that .5% if I figure that right.

The VSL is 0.006% at 0 dBu which is about 2.19vpp I think. You can see how something in between there isn't going to be so bad on paper if I'm reading all of these specs right.

I don't think any of this is to be fretted about. My ears tell me it's good.

 

It can sound clean, but slightly "active". Just send sine 1k signal from your interface into countryman and check harmonics with good spectrum analyzer with good resolution (i.e. blocksize closer to sampe rate) at different levels.
FET preamps usually have larger distortion even at lower level when compared to opamp preamps (at the same supply voltage).

 

Better to post DIs in original quality (44k/24 bit) rather than fake stereo in 16 bit...