loydall Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 Hi - my band have just invested in a PA system - fairly standard set up - mixer, 2 active tops and an active sub. We're running guitars (through helix) direct into the mixer. Each channel on the mixer has a gain knob (I guess a sort of preamp). Our approach is to plug the guitars in, increase the gain knob until the clipping light activates and then roll it back slightly so we get no clipping... that's how we're setting our base/input levels. I read about using a DI box but in the set-up i just described, would you need a DI box? Seems to be running just fine as it is. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rvroberts Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 No you don’t need a DI 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DunedinDragon Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 The only reason some people use DI boxes is to make sure phantom power doesn't affect their Helix unit. The only reason you would need to turn on phantom power would be if you were to use condenser microphones and phantom power from the board would be necessary to power them. Even then, depending on the mixer's capabilities, you might be able to selectively apply phantom power only to specific input channels and avoid sending it to the Helix. On some cheaper/older mixers phantom power is turned on for all channels. Then you would need a DI box to block the phantom power from reaching your Helix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loydall Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 Thanks - we're going into the 1/4inch input, not the XLR (I'm actually going into the L/R 1/4 inch inputs as I'm using stereo effects but the other guitarist is going into the 1/4inch input pictured below): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaschaFranck Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 2 hours ago, DunedinDragon said: Then you would need a DI box to block the phantom power from reaching your Helix. He would have to use the TS outs in that case as well. And fwiw, loydall, why don't you use the XLR outs? The signal should be less prone to noise interferences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loydall Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 Stereo XLR outs on HX FX? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaschaFranck Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 Oh, you didn't mention it was the HX FX we're dealing with yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loydall Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 Sorry, yeah - HX FX. I'm using revivaldrive as my preamp and then IRs in HXFX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaschaFranck Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 In that case, I'd get a DI box for those "just in case" monents. They can help you with all sorts of noise issues and at 10 bucks or so (for an easy passive one) you really can't go wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loydall Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 As I run my HX FX in stereo - so both 1/4inch L&R outs, wouldn't I need 2 di boxes and then take up 2 channels of the mixer? As it is I run 2 1/4inch cables out of HXFX direct into a stereo channel on the mixer (with L&R 1/4inch inputs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caledoneus Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 With the HX effect I probably would use a DI box, just so you are running XLR cables and not regular instrument cables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loydall Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 But - in stereo? 2 instrument cabled going into 2 DI boxes which then connect to 2 channels of the mixer (panned left and right) by XLR? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaschaFranck Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 Yes. There's stereo DI boxes, too. Still, you may not need any of that, especially in case your cable runs aren't too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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