ART Pro Audio

What DI Box Do I Need?

A Direct Injection (DI) box converts unbalanced, high-impedance signals to balanced, low-impedance signals so you can connect your instruments to mixing consoles and audio interfaces without losing tone or power over long cable runs. They will typically feature an XLR output for sending your signal to the mixer, and a 1/4” “Thru” output for connecting to your amplifier.

ART makes DI boxes for a variety of applications. Here are some factors to identify the best model for your purposes.

Passive or Active?

There are two basic categories of DI boxes: passive and active.

Passive DIs don’t require power, so they’re convenient in environments in which power outlets are scarce. They are typically very quiet, since there is no amplification stage to potentially introduce or amplify noise in the signal. They use transformers in the circuit which can add a warm or vintage character to the sound when driven with a high input signal. They’re also generally more affordable than their active counterparts.

Active DIs do require power, which is usually provided by 48V phantom power over an XLR connection, or an onboard battery. They typically have higher input impedance, which may sound more pleasing with certain sources such as passive pickups on an electric guitar or bass, and can provide more output level than a passive DI.

So which is best for you? There are no absolute rules, and you should experiment and trust your ears. However, a general guideline is that passive DIs often pair well with active sources like a synthesizer, and active DIs often pair well with passive sources like standard guitar pickups.

ART Passive DIs

Our main passive instrument DIs are the PDB (Passive Direct Box) and ZDirect.

Essential features are common between both units. The ZDirect adds a high-frequency filter to reduce radio frequency interference (RFI), and a phase reverse switch that can resolve issues when blending multiple signals for the same instrument, such as a DI signal from a bass guitar and a mic on the bass amp. The PDB is in a standard box enclosure, while the ZDirect is in a rounded enclosure that can be stacked with other modules from the ARTcessories family.

Need more inputs? The DPDB (Dual Passive Direct Box) and Dual ZDirect both offer two independent channels, and the rack-mountable PDB4 has four.

ART Active DIs

We also have two variations of two-channel active DI boxes: the Dual XDirect and DADB (Dual Active Direct Box).

The Dual XDirect features two combo jacks that can accommodate both 1/4” and XLR inputs. Each input features a switchable ground lift and 30 dB attenuator. The DADB exclusively has 1/4” inputs, but has 20 or 40 dB of available attenuation plus a high-frequency RFI filter and phase reverse on each channel.

The XDirect is also available as a single-channel model. Because it doesn’t need to accommodate two XLR inputs and outputs on its compact enclosure, it has room to add switchable input attenuation, a high-frequency filter, and phase reverse switches.

ART Utility DIs

Of course, instruments aren’t the only thing you may need to connect to a mixer, and we have three options designed specifically to work with other common sources.

The AV Direct is ideal for taking analog signals from a laptop, mobile device, CD/DVD player, and other consumer electronics. It has stereo RCA, TRS 1/4”, and TRS 1/8” line inputs, and both 1/4” and pressure clip speaker level inputs.

If you need to connect a Bluetooth source, you need the BT-DI.

If you need to connect computer audio over USB, then the USB DI is an ideal solution.

Reamping

We also offer the Dual RDB, a specialized dual direct box that will convert line level signals on XLR or 1/4” TRS inputs to microphone level signals on XLR outputs or instrument level signals on 1/4” TRS outputs.

The Dual RDB is a useful option for guitarists and engineers who want to take a recorded DI signal from a digital audio workstation and send it from their audio interface to the instrument level input of an amplifier for reamping in the studio.

CONCLUSION

ART offers a wide range of DI Boxes, but finding the right solution for your needs is simple.

For instruments, follow these steps:

Determine whether you need an active or passive DI
Remember, active DIs generally pair well with passive sources, and passive DIs generally pair well with active sources
Determine whether there are particular options you need, such as input attenuation or a phase reverse switch
Determine how many channels you need

For other sources, such as consumer AV gear, Bluetooth, or USB audio, or for reamping guitars in the studio, we have dedicated boxes designed specifically for those applications.