A Great Direct Box Need Not Cost a Fortune
At one time or another you've probably stared at a direct box and said, "How complicated can this really be? Why should I pay a fortune for this thing?" Now we're not saying that every manufacturer that makes an expensive direct box is scamming you, because there are some expensive components out there when you go to make the ultimate box. For the rest of us, Behringer has cracked the price/performance riddle with the Ultra-DI. This direct box combines Behringer's OT-1 transformer with active circuitry, powered by either an internal 9V battery or phantom power. To conserve your battery the Ultra-DI thoughtfully cuts off battery usage when phantom power is present. You don't need to worry too much about coloration of your tone; Behringer reports frequency response of 10Hz to 93kHz! The input has been designed to handle any source: instrument direct, line input or even the speaker output of amplifiers with up to 3,000 watts of power (max input level is +50dBu!)
Rugged Housing Assures Survival
This box may not be expensive, but it is beautifully built and screwed together. The housing is aluminum, and it's edged in rubber bumpers, so it can take the bangs and bumps. The XLR and 1/4" phone jack input connectors are gold-plated for clean signal, as is the 1/4" phone jack Link Out (continues on to your amp.) Behringer quotes a noise specification of -110dBu, which means this box has a ton of dynamic range. The DI-100 is the cool solution when you don't want to spend a fortune on a direct box, but demand lots of dynamic range and high performance.
|
