Topic: What DI box do I need - active or passive?

So the sum-up of both of these two discussions:
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=32264
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=32760
Is that I need a DI box, if I understand correctly two DI boxes actually.

I talked to a local music instruments store, told the sales man about my problems and that I have been told here that I need DI boxes, he asked me whether I need passive or active DI boxes, and my answer was that I have no clue.

So what can you tell me about that?

Re: What DI box do I need - active or passive?

https://www.thomannmusic.ch/onlineexper … aktiv.html

The link is to the Thomann Ratgeber, in German, if you need it in English, may you have to copy and use a translator.

M1-Sonoma, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

Re: What DI box do I need - active or passive?

Can someone recommend on specific DI box models?
One for the instruments inputs, and one for the XLR speaker outputs?

I just can't find any at my area.
I understand I also need short cables, because I have to connect the cables of my digital piano and my speakers to DI boxes and then connect the DI boxes to the Babyface Pro.

Re: What DI box do I need - active or passive?

Radial are always a good option imo. I order things from gear4music or thomann who ship internationally.

I assume your digital piano is putting out a line level signal.
I think you would go with a passive one in this case.

I would look at the Radial Pro DI or Pro D2 for stereo.

You should only need one box to solve the ground loop. If your setup is piano -> computer -> speakers, you could try piano -> di -> computer -> speakers, or piano -> computer -> di -> speakers.

The radial site has a lot of good info and explanations https://www.radialeng.com/di-basics also this youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8zUrouUx-Y

Re: What DI box do I need - active or passive?

+1 for Radial.

Re: What DI box do I need - active or passive?

Bang for Buck, you can't beat Radial. The link below will help you understand the differences between passive and active DI Boxes.

https://www.radialeng.com/comparing-direct-boxes

I have The JDI passive, the Duplex JDI passive the D2 Pro passive and the J48 Active as well and a host of other makes of DI Boxes, and for my money the favourite is the Radial. I hope to buy several more of them for various reasons. If you are serious about recording at some time you will probably need both passive and active eventually. Its difficult to go wrong here. 

There are times when, (although I have the much more expensive Duplex),  I have found the cheaper D2 Pro Di to be the better solution altogether in sound. This is surprising to me at least, but true. It's important to have "ears" to appreciate this point. To be an intensely good listener. (A very rare commodity). Its not about money, it’s about listening, they have different frequency responses and transformers.

So don't think expensive is necessary, both are good, and Radial make a stereo JDI cheaper than the Duplex. (but, with less options, I like options), you will do well with any of these DI’s. In my experience, the only keyboard I have encountered that needed an active DI was old Fender Rhodes, but check the specification of your instruments to see their output impedance to help you decide what you need. (Do your homework).

Lastly, and I write this for the general benefit of everyone, virtually all the people I have met that use keyboards think the best thing to do is to plug the output of the keyboard into the mixer or recording interface. That a DI box is not necessary at all. I have great sympathy with this view and understand their thinking.

However, although Mellotrons have been the most problematic keyboards for me in recording studios, I have known faults on mixing consoles blow keyboard main boards, and faults on keyboards blow mixers and recording interfaces. Such things happen very rarely, but they do happen and that is an additional good reason for using a D.I where you might easily think you don't need one.

Finally, if you could turn the gain up enough, you would find that many such instruments (like Microphones) have a certain level of self noise. This can be extremely difficult to hear, but I've found it to be the case. A DI can get rid of that noise, if it has a really good transformer. To that end also, sometimes the DI with a narrower frequency response, can be the best option because that can eliminate certain types of noise.

Re: What DI box do I need - active or passive?

Before I’m buying two expansive DI boxes, please tell me whether using external
power supplier instead of USB power
in-order to activate my Babyface Pro may solve the problem?