Running stereo and DI boxes

[Musicalaccents]

Hey guys. I've got a gig coming up and have a question. I will be using a range of sounds from Organ, Synth, Piano, horns, and pretty much everything else you can think of. I will be running through a Roland KC 550. I would prefer to go stereo but should I run 2 cables, each dedicated to a DI, with 2 channels dedicated on the board? I don't have a stereo DI and I believe they are pretty expensive. In the past I gone mono but I don't think I'm utilizing my keyboard at our gigs the way could be. Is there a two cable to one adapter and with that make sense? Running left and right channel out of my Nord to a single cable to a single DI to a single channel.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Steve

[jpoelmans]

Don't go mono, if you can avoid it. The difference in sound in so big, especially with piano sounds and other stereo samples.

If there's no other way, you have the mono button on your NS, and there's no need for a cable. Should you ever choose to build a cable, I advise to roll your own with 2 resistors in it, so you don't overload the outputs with each others output impedance... Those resistors will then create a tiny passive mixer.

[hijlko]

I had some weird sound cancelling issues when running both channels into one so I would advice against it (organs were fine but some epiano's disappeared almost completely).

As it turns out your KC550 has a balanced line out (if you use the XLR connection) so my suggestion would be:
- Nord output left > KC550 channel 1 in > KC550 line out XLR > PA
- Nord output right > DI > PA

It is far from perfect but this way you have at least true stereo for the venue (make sure the sound guy levels left and right correctly because there might be a level difference in what's coming out of the DI and the KC550) and you have a questionable monitor sound.


The best way however is to find yourself another KC550 so you use the full potential of the Nord for yourself and the venue. You can sell your DI in this case.


FYI: I use a stereo mixer with unbalanced and balanced outs L/R and use either in-ear or two powered monitors.

[Darren]

Stereo DI boxes don't need to be expensive:
https://www.studiospares.com/Microphone ... 449300.htm

This is the one I use and it's perfect. I take a link out to a small monitor and then balanced to FoH.
Oh, and it's RED!!!

[dhbp-nord]

Art Pro makes inexpensive DI's as well that are fine for local gigs. I have a PDB4 rack mount (4 channel DI) that was about $100 CDN. The sound is fine for the live local gigs we do - I wouldn't record with them though.

http://artproaudio.com/art_products/aud ... duct/pdb4/

They have single and two-channel versions for less.

Radials are nice but very pricey, and really overkill unless you are doing arenas/pits/theatres/studio etc on a regular basis.

DH

[pablomastodon]

they aren't red though...

[nsureit]

they aren't red though...

This


plus, this


equals this!

[phil59]

Sorry for this question, but in the same way, when you connect the two line output (ch 1 and ch 2) into the mixer, do you pan the channel mixer : one on the left and one on the right or keep you the pan in the middle ?? Thank you

[phil59]

Yes, pan Left fully Left, and Right fully Right. Or most mixers have a couple of stereo channels which do the same thing.

[Frantz]

I use Samson's stereo DI, it costs 39 €, it's active needs power, can take phantom +48v.
Did A/B test with / without and, to my surprise could hear & confirm a difference in sound, nothing dramatic, just a little less high frequencies, making the sound a little less "bright".