DI boxes, or direct boxes, take the unbalanced high impedance output of a guitar, bass or keyboard and send it to a mixing desk as a balanced low impedance signal.
DI boxes, or direct boxes, take the unbalanced high impedance output of a guitar, bass or keyboard and send it to a mixing desk as a balanced low impedance signal.
About DI Boxes
A DI box, short for direct injection and also known as a direct box, converts the unbalanced high impedance output of a guitar, bass or keyboard into a balanced low impedance signal. The balanced output plugs straight into a mixing console's microphone input and travels long cable runs to front of house with minimal interference, giving the engineer far more control over level and EQ.
SWAMP stocks its own-brand DI boxes alongside Radial, ART and Alctron units. Choose active DI boxes for passive guitars and basses, passive DI boxes for keyboards and other powered sources, or premium Radial DI boxes for touring-grade reliability. Specialty options include stereo DI boxes that run two channels through a single unit, the Alctron DI2600N reamper and the DI2700N USB DI box. Connect your instrument with a guitar lead and run the balanced output to the desk with a microphone cable.
A DI box converts the unbalanced, high impedance output of an instrument, keyboard or laptop into a balanced, low impedance signal that a mixing console's microphone input can use. The conversion keeps noise and interference out of long cable runs and delivers a clean, consistent level to the desk.
No. A DI box converts an instrument's unbalanced, high impedance signal into a balanced mic-level signal, but it does not add gain the way a preamp does. The mic preamp in your mixing console or audio interface still provides the gain. Active DI boxes contain a buffer circuit, not a full preamp.
For anything beyond a short lead into a nearby amp, yes. A DI box lets a guitar, bass, keyboard or laptop feed a mixing console cleanly, keeps noise out of long cable runs and protects the signal through stageboxes and multicores.