DI or small mixer?

[Will_Gould]

When going stereo to a PA, which is something of a must, do you use a stereo di box or a dedicated mini mixer?

[Will_Gould]

Hi Will,

I use the KeyLargo mixer from Radial Engineering, because I have a 2-keyboard setup with NS3-88 at the bottom and NS3C at the top. On the rare occasions where I use just one of the two I connect through a Palmer PAN 04 DI box.

[Will_Gould]

Stereo passive DI box is fine for me. I do not want to carry yet another heavy item.
[Edit] Now that Schorsch mentions 2 keyboards, I have been experimenting with taking the NS2 stereo outputs, and feeding the Audio In stereo inputs of the MODX. Then the outputs of the MODX go to the stereo DI box. That works fine, but one could saturate the MODX audio input if the NS2 is set too high.

[Will_Gould]

Hi Will,

I have a small 2+1 channel mixer which I use everytime. The main outs are balanced, but 1/4“ jacks. I have it this way only on stages with short cable routings. On larger stages and setups where the stagebox wants XLRs I put two DIs in between just to change the plugs.

And I deeply hope that there will come large venues soon!

Cheers from Germany, stay healthy everybody

[Will_Gould]

If you're only using one keyboard then a decent stereo DI box will be the simplest setup and likely give the best quality. The Radial DIs seem to get the best ratings on this forum (I've got one).

There's no need for a small mixer if you aren't mixing other devices with the keyboard. Using a small mixer means your signal is going via another half-dozen controls which could all degrade sound quality, plus you need somewhere to put it, and it will need a power source... I see no advantages, only disadvantages.

[Daddy Cool]

At first I had a stereo DI Box for my nord Stage 3 and used XLR outs from my Fantom 7 to the main board. Now I use a Key Largo set up on the end of the Fantom, short stereo cables from both boards into the key largo and then (2) XLR cables to the main board. Love the set up, less cables, neater installation on stage and I have more control.

[Will_Gould]

Radial DIs are the best - I still have my Stereo JDI which gets occasional use for a one keyboard rig. Otherwise, I'm using a Key Largo in my rehearsal rig and a KL-8 in my gig rig.

[Will_Gould]

For quick setups where I'm sitting in, I have a small Behringer mixer for my keyboard and guitar that sits in a wire holder on my stand. I definitely like the flexibility of having my own mixer to take care of my stage mix and send a separate stereo feed to the main PA.

[keysmcgee]

+1 for Key Largo. I've had all manners of mixer in my setup over the years, but have been extremely happy with the Key Largo as a combination mixer/DI.

[Will_Gould]

If you have no requirement to mix down your signals or send them to more than two inputs, you don't need a mixer, just use one or two DI's (for a mono or stereo output). All decent DI's have a pass-though output so you can send the signal to both a stage monitor and a HoF input. Otherwise you need some mixer or the functional equivalent of one. I use my keyboard amp, which has two stereo input channels, and a pair of stereo and a summed mono output DI's built into it, for my mixer function. You may even be able to use the aux in on your Nord to add send another keyboard's stereo output into in Nord's internal mixer and then out to a pair of DI's to your stage monitor and the FoH system. Never put unnecessary electronics in the signal path; it's just more possible failure points, opportunities to misadjust EQ or gains or otherwise screw up something before or during a performance. It's also unnecessary cost and setup/teardown effort. Of course, YMMV...