DI Box for BB?

[itspronouncedeyegore]

To DI or Not To DI?

I normally run my own sound through a Yamaha EMX-5, but Friday night I am playing a show at a place with their own setup. They are using a Peavy PV-8 Mixer with powered speakers. It has 8 inputs (4 XLR/Line and 5/6 and 7/8). My Duo has: 2x Vocals 1x Guitar (No DI currently) 1x Keyboard 1x BeatBuddy The PV-8 has a 20GDB Gain Boost that only applies to the XLR inputs on 1-4 (no gain boost for Line, which my Yamaha has). So my question: Do I need to get Passive DI Boxes for my Guitar and BB? Wi…

I’ve read this a few times over and still need a bit of advice.

I use a DI Box for my pedal board and electric guitars (not my acoustic). I have the channel space, so the BB is not in my pedal chain, I run separately. I don’t use the input jack on the BB, either.

Is the MONO output of the BB at instrument level, or line levels? I get great sound when mono-jacked into my Mackie ProFX16board. Not so with my pedal board, the DI was a huge improvement.

So, does anyone use a DI Box for their BB, and why would I need to do that? I’m not getting any distortion or hum from the BB.

Thanks

Update
I finally found this:

The BeatBuddy’s output is a standard line-level signal, meaning it’s designed to be connected to equipment that expects a higher signal level, like mixers, PA systems, or recording interfaces.

Thusly, it doesn’t require a DI box.

[DovJ]

I experienced noise when connecting my BB to my mixer. A stereo DI box completely solved the problem.

If you experience a hum or noise, a “line isolator” is actually a better option for the BB than a DI, as an LI maintains the signal level, where a DI lowers it, typically by 20dB. This is because DI’s are designed to lower an instrument level signal such as a guitar, to microphone level. A line isolator will balance the signal (BeatBuddy is an unbalanced, line-level device), without lowering the level. A balanced signal will resist noise over long cable runs, where an unbalanced signal may be susceptible to line noise.

A good option would be a Walrus Canvas Stereo line isolator, which would eliminate hum or noise, provide what’s known as “galvanic isolation” (the signal passes through a transformer’s windings and is actually not electrically connected to the output line at all, protecting the gear at both ends of the cable) while maintaining the BB’s full signal level.

[Doug_Osborne]

Do you plan to connect the BeatBuddy to a microphone preamp or a line input?

If it’s a mic pre, you need a DI (direct inject). I recommend a passive DI with an active signal like the BeatBuddy (use an active DI with a passive guitar pickup).

If it’s a line input, you want a line isolator.

Either allows you to run long cables without signal loss or noise.

[DovJ]

I don’t make money from recommending audio products, but…

One of the reasons I favor the Walrus Canvas Stereo is it can be either a DI or an LI. It serves both purposes in a single unit.