DI Boxes Comparative Review
Seven DIs on the Spot

In the studio and on stage, DI boxes are indispensable to match impedances, make re-amping or avoid noises. However, it's not easy to choose a DI box from the multiple options available. So, when French distributor Juke Box Limited decided to make a comparative review of the different DI boxes in its catalog, AudioFanzine had no choice but to forward the information...

You'll hear seven active and passive DI boxes tested with different instruments (bass, electric and acoustic guitar). On the menu this evening:

• Manley labs Tube Direct Mono active tube DI (USA)
• Countryman Type 10 passive DI (USA)
• SPL Gainstation 1 (using only the active DI facility for this review) (Germany)
• Universal Audio Solo 610 (using only the active DI facility for this review) (USA)
• D.W. Fearn Passive Direct Box (USA)
• Rupert Neve Designs 5017 (using only the active DI facility for this review) (USA)
• Grace Design M101 (using only the active DI facility for this review) (USA)

 

As for the protocol, the signal was sent either to a preamp (the Prism Orpheus' preamp stage) with passive DIs or to the line input of the interface with active DIs.

 

And here are the links to the 24 bit/48 kHz WAV files:

 

Countryman Type 10

Bass

• Precision Bass - Motown
• Precision Bass – Boogie
• Jazz Bass – Slap
• Jazz Bass- Reggae
• Gibson G5 (active) – Groove
• Gibson G5 (active) – Blues
• Takamine electro-acoustic bass

Electro-acoustic guitar

• Larrivee OM5 – Country
• Larrivee OM5 - POP
• Larrivee OM5 – Blues
• Martin – Bottleneck
• Martin – Blues
• 12-string Ovation guitar

Electric guitar

• Les Paul – Soul
• Les Paul – Blues
• Les Paul Custom – Jazz
• Strat – Blues
• Strat – Funk
• SG Junior – Rock

D.W Fearn PDB

Bass

• Precision Bass – Motown
• Precision Bass – Boogie
• JazzBass - Slap
• Jazz Bass- Reggae
• Gibson G5 (active) – Groove
• Gibson G5 (active) – Blues
• Takamine electro-acoustic bass

Electro-acoustic guitar

• Larrivee OM5 – Country
• Larrivee OM5 – Pop
• Larrivee OM5 – Blues
• Martin – Bottleneck
• Martin – Blues
• 12-string Ovation guitar

Electric guitar

• Les Paul – Soul
• Les Paul – Blues
• Les Paul Custom – Jazz
• Strat – Blues
• Strat – Funk
• SG Junior – Rock

Grace Design M101

Bass

• Precision Bass – Motown
• Precision Bass – Boogie
• Jazz Bass – Slap
• Jazz Bass- Reggae
• Gibson G5 (active) – Groove
• Gibson G5 (active) – Blues
• Takamine electro-acoustic bass

Electro-acoustic guitar

• Larrivee OM5 – Country
• Larrivee OM5 – Pop
• Larrivee OM5 – Blues
• Martin – Bottleneck
• Martin – Blues
• 12-string Ovation guitar

Electric guitar

• Les Paul – Soul
• Les Paul – Blues
• Les Paul Custom – Jazz
• Strat – Blues
• Strat – Funk
• SG Junior – Rock

Manley Labs Tube Direct Mono

Bass

• Precision Bass - Motown
• Precision Bass – Boogie
• Jazz Bass – Slap
• Jazz Bass- Reggae
• Gibson G5 (active) – Groove
• Gibson G5 (active) – Blues
• Takamine electro-acoustic bass

Electro-acoustic guitar

• Larrivee OM5 – Country
• Larrivee OM5 – Pop
• Larrivee OM5 – Blues
• Martin – Bottleneck
• Martin – Blues
• 12-string Ovation guitar

Electric guitar

• Les Paul – Soul
• Les Paul – Blues
• Les Paul Custom – Jazz
• Strat – Blues
• Strat – Funk
• SG Junior – Rock

Rupert Neve Designs 5017

Bass

• Precision Bass – Motown
• Precision Bass - Boogie
• Jazz Bass – Slap
• Jazz Bass- Reggae
• Gibson G5 (active) – Groove
• Gibson G5 (active) – Blues
• Takamine electro-acoustic bass

Electro-acoustic guitar

• Larrivee OM5 – Country
• Larrivee OM5 – Pop
• Larrivee OM5 – Blues
• Martin – Bottleneck
• Martin – Blues
• 12-string Ovation guitar

Electric guitar

• Les Paul – Soul
• Les Paul – Blues
• Les Paul Custom – Jazz
• Strat – Blues
• Strat - Funk
• SG Junior – Rock

SPL Gain Station 1

 

Bass

• Precision Bass – Motown
• Precision Bass – Boogie
• Jazz Bass – Slap
• Jazz Bass- Reggae
• Gibson G5 (active) - Groove
• Gibson G5 (active) – Blues
• Takamine electro-acoustic bass

Electro-acoustic guitar

• Larrivee OM5 – Country
• Larrivee OM5 – Pop
• Larrivee OM5 – Blues
• Martin - Bottleneck
• Martin – Blues
• 12-string Ovation guitar

Electric guitar

• Les Paul – Soul
• Les Paul – Blues
• Les Paul Custom – Jazz
• Strat – Blues
• Strat – Funk
• SG Junior – Rock

Universal Audio Solo 610

Bass

• Precision Bass – Motown
• Precision Bass – Boogie
• Jazz Bass – Slap
• Jazz Bass- Reggae
• Gibson G5 (active) – Groove
• Gibson G5 (active) – Blues
• Takamine electro-acoustic bass

Electro-acoustic guitar

• Larrivee OM5 – Country
• Larrivee OM5 – Pop
• Larrivee OM5 – Blues
• Martin – Bottleneck
• Martin – Blues
• 12-string Ovation guitar

Electric guitar

• Les Paul – Soul
• Les Paul – Blues
• Les Paul Custom – Jazz
• Strat – Blues
• Strat – Funk
• SG Junior – Rock