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Pyle-Pro PDC21 1/4” Instrument To Balanced & Unbalanced (1/4”/XLR) Direct Box

Direct Box

Direct Box
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Inputs & Outputs

Inputs & Outputs
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Connect to High-Power Signals

Connect to High-Power Signals
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Convert the Output of Unbalanced Devices

Convert the Output of Unbalanced Devices
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Professional Power

A direct box, or DI box, provides the facility for the direct insertion of an audio signal into a mixer or recorder. The PDC21 offers a variety of DI solutions for live sound and recording applications. You can connect all kinds of audio signals like guitars, keyboards, outboard signal processors and even high-powered speaker output from an amplifier. This unit enables you to tap off the signal from a guitar or bass guitar and pass the signal from the Para Output to the on stage amplifier without affecting the original sound. This can eliminate the need for mixing the guitar amplifier, which in many cases is preferable, especially with bass guitar.

Clean Audio

The unit is also very useful for connecting unbalanced signals from sources like signals DJ and sub-mixers, effects processors and keyboards to a main PA or recording mixer. The PDC21 balanced output provides a clean signal at a low level as long as runs of cable are possible. Another benefit from a balanced connection is common mode rejection, which provides cancellation of unwanted sounds (hums and buzzes) while leaving the original signal pure.

Direct Insertion of an Instrument to PA System

One of the most popular uses of a DI box is getting the signal of the bass guitar to the PA system. Simply put, the low frequencies produced by bass are difficult to mic/record, so use of a DI box is almost always preferable.

Versatile

Have the capability of tapping off signals from amplifiers, such as the output or guitar amp or power amplifier. You can even connect this unit to the speaker output of a consumer stereo system or boom box –if you want to sample some old records or cassette tapes.

This DI box also does a great job in the studio for connecting unbalanced devices. For instance, the output levels of many keyboards are low, so their signals can benefit generally by connecting their unbalanced outputs to the unit which makes the signal to move cleanly without interruption. The signal will be allowed to travel for long distances while benefiting from the low noise and common mode rejection provided by this unit’s balanced low-level output.

Additional Features

  • All Steel Chassis
  • Input: 1/4″ Connector
  • Balanced Output – Male XLR Connector
  • Instrument Input: 50K Unbalanced TS Jack
  • Parallel (Link) Out: 50K Unbalanced TS Jack
  • ATT Switch – Input Attenuation, Switchable (0dB, -20dB, -40dB)
  • Ground – When Engaged, the Ground from the Chassis Detaches from XLR Jack
  • Output: 1/4″ Para Out (For Passing Input Signal Through to Stage Amp or Monitor System)
  • Dimension: 4.72” X 3.01” X 1.77”
  • $ 31.99

    Amazon.com
    Customer Reviews


    19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    Great Deal – but does affect the sound, December 5, 2010
    By 
    AllenC3 (Richmond, VA) – See all my reviews

    Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
    This review is from: Pyle-Pro PDC21 1/4” Instrument To Balanced & Unbalanced (1/4”/XLR) Direct Box (Electronics)
    I bought three of these Pyle Pro units for live recording. They allow me to connect the mixer directly to a bass, a guitar and a keyboard while recording live bands. This provides sound isolation in a loud live environment. Plug the guitar pickup output into the DI box 1/4 inch input and plug the output 1/4 inch into the guitar amp. Then plug the DI box XLR output into your mixer or PA input. If recording only with no amp, simply don’t use the 1/4 inch output.

    They work well but like all passive DI boxes, they do affect the frequency response of the signal. This is most noticeable on a bass guitar or upright. There is a loss of lower frequencies and a loss of volume. If this cannot be tolerated, then use an active DI box. These passive DI boxes have a 50K ohm input impedance, where an active DI box would be more like 5Meg ohm which will have no effect on the signal.

    The Pyle DI box is a well built steel case unit. I opened one up and it looks good, not commercial grade but what do you want for ?

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    5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
    1.0 out of 5 stars
    You get what you pay for, May 12, 2013
    By 
    Devoted StepMom (Fairfax, VA) – See all my reviews

    Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
    This review is from: Pyle-Pro PDC21 1/4” Instrument To Balanced & Unbalanced (1/4”/XLR) Direct Box (Electronics)
    We purchased 3 of these direct boxes two years ago for live performance. We use them every week for instruments to traverse long distances without hum. And they did just that – eliminated the hum. But they didn’t last.

    On one end, the direct box has an XLR connector and a ground lift switch. On the other end, there are two 1/4″ jacks and a three position slide switch offering 3 levels of signal attenuation.

    THE XLR CONNECTOR – the Achilles heel of this box
    However within the first few months, one of the direct boxes weakened in the XLR connection to the point where the connection was so inconsistent it was unusable. Physically, an XLR cord plugged into this direct box can wiggle around after being plugged in fully. The catch for the cable lock is a plastic groove in the connector and weakens over time so that the connection becomes increasingly loose with repeated use. Over time, the other two boxes got worse in the XLR connector where the signal dropped out intermittently. We setup and take down once a week, every week of the year so we were connecting and disconnecting to and from these direct boxes every week. The XLR connector to this direct box is a non-brand plastic connector (not a Switchcraft or Neutrik connector). It is hard soldered to the internal printed circuit board at a 90-degree angle so it’s not worth replacing this XLR connector.

    THE OTHER COMPONENTS
    The two 1/4″ jacks are fine and have been fine all along. The ground switch works fine. The attenuation switch is finicky – in each of the 3 positions there is a little bit of play, and if not precisely in the right position, the attenuation jumps from one level to another. The metal box itself is sturdy and robust.

    BOTTOM LINE
    The cheap XLR connector is what makes this direct box not last over time, especially if you’re connecting/disconnecting for live performances. This box wasn’t made for the road.

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    8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Amazing Deal, January 30, 2010
    By 
    Chris Caudill “Chrizzle” (San Diego) – See all my reviews
    (REAL NAME)
      

    Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
    This review is from: Pyle-Pro PDC21 1/4” Instrument To Balanced & Unbalanced (1/4”/XLR) Direct Box (Electronics)
    When I bought this direct box the price was only ! It’s since gone up to , but that’s still a phenomenal value for a decent piece of gear. I’ve been using two of these to turn a 1/4″ unbalanced (guitar) signal into a balanced (XLR) signal in order to run the cable about 50 feet without introducing noise into the signal path, and it works like a champ. The box doesn’t color the sound much at all.

    I highly recommend this product to anyone looking to pick up a decent D.I. at a phenomenal price.

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    Filed Under: Signal Processors
    Tagged With: 1/4'', 1/4''/XLR, Balanced, Direct, Instrument, PDC21, PYLEPRO, Unbalanced

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