LD Systems DI02

Our favourite sub £50 D.I. box. Combining excellent sound quality with some really useful features in a sturdy curved aluminium enclosure with heavy duty corner protectors.

D.I. boxes are now largely used in live music to allow the unbalanced output from electronic devices such as keyboards, drum machines and computers, as well as instruments with magnetic pick-ups such as bass guitars and electro-acoustic guitars, to be balanced and sent down a stage multicore cable to the balanced inputs of a mixing console. They are an important link in the audio chain and must carry out their role in as transparent a way as possible adding minimal additional noise and distortion whilst also being robust enough to survive life on the road, often being found situated in vulnerable postions such as the floor of the stage.

Sound Quality: The D.I.02 offers excellent sonic performance with a flat frequency response of 30hz - 20khz (-1db) so it processes all instruments including bass guitars without changing the character of the sound. It generates very little noise (less than -105dbu) and harmonic distortion is less than 0.005%.
Its maximum input level is +9db so it’s suitable for a wide range of input levels including the high outputs of modern keyboards, etc, as well as the lower level outputs of bass guitars and electro-acoustic guitars.

Build Quality: The D.I.02 is built into a sturdy aluminium enclosure with a curved top and reinforced side sections. Four large rubber extrusions protect the corners of the box and also recess the connections and switches. So it’s built to last.

Features: As an active D.I. box, the D.I.02 requires power and this can be provided from phantom power from the mixing conole or via an internal 9v battery (not supplied). Current drain from the battery is less than 2ma. We haven’t measured the life of a typical alkaline battery but let’s just say they last a very long time. The input side of the box has a choice of jack or XLR inputs plus a link jack output. This output is essential to allow musicians to link to any backline amplification they may have.
A 20db pad switch is provided and can be used if the input level is too high.
On the other side of the box is a power switch with an LED active light. This is not a feature often found on many D.I. boxes but we think it’s a great idea. The light blinks when using battery power and is solid when phantom power is detected. (The battery is disconnected when phantom power is present.) So you instantly know that the box is powered up and functioning. This is great for trouble shooting. If you plug everything in and don’t hear anything you instantly know whether or not the box is powered up and working. You can then go on and investigate faulty cables, etc.
An earth lift switch is provided to disconnect the signal ground and can be useful for cancelling any earth-loop hum problems. Naturally, a 3 pin XLR balanced output is provided for output to the mixing console. Finally the battery compartment has a sturdy metal cover with a large knurled knob to access it, so you don’t need a screwdriver to get into and there are no breakable plastic sections or latches.

All this is supported by a full 2 Year Warranty

Specifications: Inputs: 1/4” mono jack or 3 pin XLR.
Input Impedance: 1Mohm (at 0db), 47Kohm (at -20db)
Max Input Level: +9db (at 0db), +29db (at -20db)
Output: 3 pin XLR connector, transformer balanced output. Will drive lines from 600ohm upwards. Max output level before clip is greater than +9dbu with either battery or phantom power.
Frequency Response: 30hz-20khz (+0db, -1db)
Noise: <-105dBu, unweighted.
THD: Less than 0.005% at 1khz, 0dBu output.
Power: Phantom power: +20 volts - +48 volts DVC. Or 9v battery.
Dimensions: 145mm x 125mm x 59mm
Weight: 0.7kg.