Is Your Church Band Making This Common Mistake?

AI Samson DI Box

This one vital piece of gear is often overlooked by the church band.  If your band isn’t using a DI Box, then read on to find out why a DI box is so important to your sound!

Buy why should you use a DI Box?

To put it simply – it’s all about balance

A DI Box converts unbalanced signals to balanced signals. Unbalanced signals are prone to picking up background noise, interference and electrical sounds in old buildings. The longer the cable is, the more susceptible to picking up these noises it becomes. Examples of unbalanced connections are guitar/bass jacks and RCA connections.

A balanced audio connection has a ground, live and return. This means that the cables does not pick up the interference. Examples of balanced cables are three pin microphone cables as well as balanced stereo jacks. (Jacks with two rings below the tip)

Most musical instruments found in the church band are run through unbalanced outputs. Even keyboards traditionally run unbalanced cables. These instruments are plugged directly into the snake or mixer and run through the front of house.

Most church buildings are old, and have older wiring. This can lead to a lot of unnecessary noise being picked up and amplified. We’ve all head the loud buzzing background noise that can eliminate from a PA system with nothing being played.

Another problem with unbalanced outputs, is that they are often not as the same impedance level as microphones and other balanced signal cables. So the engineer will have a harder time finding the perfect mix and balance.

A DI box converts an unbalanced signal into a balanced one. This will raise the impedance level of guitars and basses to match microphones and the like, and it will eliminate a lot of the background noise that is picked up by the cables.

A really good DI Box to consider is the Samson S Direct which retails for R709


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