Radial Engineering Ltd.
StageDirect™ Active Direct Box
True to the Music
®
1
WHAT IS A dIrECT BoX AnYWAY?
A direct box (aka a DI box) is a device that lets you interface hi-impedance
instruments (hi-Z) like electric guitar, bass or keyboard with professional
low impedance (lo-Z) PA and recording systems. Direct boxes, like the
StageDirect, fi rst split the unbalanced hi-Z instrument signal in order to
send it to your amp and tuner. It simultaneously converts the instrument
signal to a lo-Z balanced output that can connect to a professional audio
system. Direct boxes like the StageDirect ensure the signal is delivered
to the PA as faithfully as possible.
The hi-Z instrument cables you use to connect your instrument, amp
and tuner, employ unbalanced ¼” connectors at both ends. Hi-Z cables
are particularly sensitive to noise caused by magnetic fi elds and tone-
killing capacitance when extended beyond 6 meters (20’). To keep these
instrument cables as short as possible, the StageDirect is usually placed
at your feet or near your amp and the lo-Z balanced XLR output is used
to extend your instrument signal to the PA system to 100 meters (300’) or
more by lowering the impedance and balancing the signal.
PA SYSTEM
AMP
HI-Z
OUTPUT
HI-Z
INPUT A
HI-Z
INPUT B
HI-Z
OUTPUT
LO-Z
OUTPUT
