BillFitzmaurice.info

Looking for some ideas to replace the passive direct boxes I'm using at one of my venues. I've now experienced 3 failures with the Elite Core DIR-2 boxes that were recommended to me. Yeah . . $59 for a duel was a bargain, but the transformer inside is an apparent weak point as 3 have opened.

We can send a man to the moon, can we not make something as simple as a passive direct box bullet proof?

If I might suggest: If the enclosures and connectors are reasonably good quality, purchase some good quality transformers and swap them out. This will give you the best quality bang for the buck.

+1 to Byacey's suggestion. The OSP?EC direct boxes sound good, but I've had one fail too.

If you're looking for a good pro level DI, look at Radial.

ProDI if you're on a budget. JDI heartily recommended if you can swing it. The Countryman Type 85 is also a die-hard active that's worth having on hand. All mine are actives these days. I carry J48's for mono sources and Audiopile LDB-202 dual channel actives for stereo box needs. I have had one of the Audiopile lose a channel. but I have 4 that have also been problem free. For an $80 dual channel direct box built almost as well as the Countryman I can't complain. If one goes bad, I'll pick up another and keep a stock of 4 working.

The electronics in the Countryman aren't repairable as it's potted in epoxy, but they are very reliable and have a lifetime guarantee from Countryman. If you ship the defective DI back to them, they'll replace it.

For replacement transformers, check out Lundahl, Oxford, Cinemag, Sowter, Jensen, etc.

This website has a plethora of info regarding audio electronics:
http://groupdiy.com/

If you have any electronics construction experience,you might check out my DI box thread:
http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=1162.0

byacey wrote:If you have any electronics construction experience,you might check out my DI box thread:
http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=1162.0

As a broadcast engineer by day, I know my way pretty well around schematics and circuit boards.
Unfortunately, the DIY link on the groupdiy board is dead so I can't jump headfirst into sifting your homebrew DI.

The link is long dead; it was hosted by a technician in Australia, but I posted the schematic later on in the thread. If you want the whole article from the original website, let me know and I'll send it by email.

Okay . . scrolled far enough down to find it. Although the layout and construction would not be a problem, I'm looking for quick and simple and passive. Think I'll just get a couple of Radial ProD2s.

Thanks for the input!

You're not going to consider replacing the transformers? You'll wind up with a better DI than you can buy for the same money.

BillY, how much to build that DI box?

Parts including the enclosure is probably around $50.00 CDN.

byacey wrote:You're not going to consider replacing the transformers? You'll wind up with a better DI than you can buy for the same money.

I considered it. But quite frankly, the overall construction quality of the Elite Cores leaves a little something to be desired. Two of the three that had transformer failures also had padding slide switches break. Time is of the essence right now . . Plus, it ain't my money I'm spending! (though I am always conscientious when spending OPM)

I will probaly give the Countryman Clone a go when I dig out from the plethora of projects I've got going on at present.