#1682888 - 07/09/05 07:37 PM
DI Box
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chords
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Registered: 09/27/04
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I just bought a CBI DBGL Direct Box with Ground Lift to use for my new used bass guitar. It has unbalenced imput and output and balenced output (this is where the xlr cable goes) and I plugged the xlr to one of the xlr imputs on the zoom 1266. I am getting no sound. Does the direct box need a battery to get sound? How do I hook up the cables from a di box to a zoom and get some sound?
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#1682889 - 07/09/05 09:03 PM
Re: DI Box
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Philip O'Keefe
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Registered: 12/17/00
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Loc: Riverside,CA,UNITED STATES
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There are two types of direct boxes that you're likely to come in contact with... ignoring mic preamps with dedicated DI inputs and dedicated boxes such as the GT Ditto and Avalon U5, it comes down to: Passive and Active.
Passive DI's use a transformer to convert the impedance... they do not require any power whatsoever. Active circuits do require power - either from an internal battery, or in some cases, from an external power supply or via phantom power.
Doing a quick web search tells me that the CBI DBGL Direct Box is passive, and doesn't require any power.
So, how do you connect it? Hook an instrument cable up from your bass to the 1/4" jack labeled "Input". Take a XLR to 1/4" TRS cable (or XLR -> XLR cable, depending on what you're hooking it up to) and run it from the Balanced Output jack of the DI box to the 1/4" TRS (or XLR, depending on the gear) balanced line input on your recorder / A to D converter / audio interface. If your unit has unbalanced inputs, take a second 1/4 " TS cable (just like a guitar or bass cable  ) and run that from the Unbalanced Output on the DI box to a line input on your recorder / A/D converter / audio interface.
If you want to see if it's the DI that's the source of your problems, take it out of the loop. If you're using 1/4" cables to connect to your recording interface, then just go straight from the bass to the 1/4" input on your audio device. If it's still dead, with no signal, then you've either got issues with the bass or you've got something routed incorrectly with the hardware or software.
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#1682890 - 07/09/05 11:51 PM
Re: DI Box
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RicBassGuy
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Registered: 02/02/05
Posts: 3654
Loc: Metro Detroit, MI
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Thanks for tracking down the specs on the DI box, Phil. I tried answering this over on the Low Down (where it is also posted). chords is trying to plug into a Zoom MRS-1266 . From those specs, it has these inputs:
Guitar/Bass Input(Hi-Z) : 2 x 1/4" Monaural Phone Jack, Input Impedance 500k ohm
Line(Unbalance) input : 6 x 1/4" Monaural Phone Jack, Input Impedance 50k ohm or more
XLR(Balanced) Input : 2 x XLR-3-31 type, Input Impedance 1k ohm, 2nd Hot
Phantom Power : 48V(with On/Off switch)
If it doesn't work, connecting the bass with a patch cable to a guitar/bass input should work.
chords, have you tried plugging your bass into an amp yet to make sure the bass is working?
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#1682891 - 07/11/05 07:08 AM
Re: DI Box
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where02190
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Registered: 11/06/01
Posts: 5402
Loc: Weymouth, Ma. USA
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The box needs +48v pahntom power to operate. IF your Zoom thing doesn't have phantom power, you'll need to get an esternal phaontom power supply.
_________________________
Hope this is helpful. NP Recording Studios Analog approach to digital recording.
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#1682892 - 07/11/05 01:01 PM
Re: DI Box
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RicBassGuy
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Loc: Metro Detroit, MI
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According to the specs it has switchable 48V phantom power. Maybe he just needs to turn it on?
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#1682894 - 07/11/05 05:09 PM
Re: DI Box
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where02190
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Registered: 11/06/01
Posts: 5402
Loc: Weymouth, Ma. USA
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Sorry I was reading the specs on the Zoom, thinking it was something about the DI, and saw phantom power.
No if it's passive it doesn't need phantom.
Some basses load passive di's weirdly however. You might try running something else through the DI to make sure it works properly, an electric guitar or keyboard would do the trick.
Definitely go from the XLR out of the DI into the XLR mic pres of the zoom, as the DI is mic level.
_________________________
Hope this is helpful. NP Recording Studios Analog approach to digital recording.
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