The 8 Best Bass preamp DI Boxes (2023 reviews)

If you want nothing short of the optimal box for your regular usage, this radial engineering passive direct box is certainly a wise investment. Mic's and line-level devices (like keyboards & CD players) have low impedance. This is for turning a line level output into a mic level output. It takes a standard 14" mono cable from a male jack (think guitar or microphone cable) as input and converts it to a balanced XLR (male) pronged output. It's totally passive, quiet and has nice pad control too.

The design is changed from a six-about-one (two layer) design to a 12-about six-about-one (three layer) design. This preserves the sound quality very well when running with 300ft of cable. It is quiet and clean and doesn't color the sound. This is good for longer runs from an instrument to the sound board as the 1/4" is only good for shorter runs. These units have great sound and functionality, and are incredibly durable.

Why We Like This:

Must have for active emg pickups
Good sound quality, minimal coloration, handy features
One of the new comers and featured product

Best For computer: Behringer Bass preamp DI Box

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Behringer line of box come in a pretty wide variety of styles, so you can definitely find one that suits your individual preferences and needs. It is perfect for acoustic guitar players in worship bands. If you're using a passive internal microphone/piezo/magnetic pick-up, this pedal will work miracles with you. It is particularly good with the autoharp where its warmth and bass enhancement give the instrument a powerful organ-like vibe. The "blend" control is really helpful in balancing the compression/saturation effect of the "level" control.

This gives you an active pre-amp that significantly improves the sound of piezo pickups, and still gives you the XLR out to plug directly into your board. The controls are intuitive, firm and stay put, allowing you to dial in your "tone" time and time again,the box is metal, and the switch is nice and easy.

Why We Like This:

Excellent pre-amp for your acoustic guitar's piezo pickup
Good partner for piezo pickups, works well, versatile, noise-free, multiple applications
Works great for both acoustic and electric
Produces noticeable 60hz buzz when used with power adapter and passive pickup

Best For An aspiring artist With A home studio setup: Behringer filter Switch

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate box. The behringer filter switch is exactly that - it's a simple box that hits all the right notes. This direct injection box is designed so that you can use it in the house or line it to an amp. It can be a regular di box from guitar to di box and parallel to amp and mixer or guitar to amp lineout to di box to mixer. It features (gnd lift, filter) and it can meet most people's needs very well. The lift switch eliminates hum associated with ground loops, and the filter switch reduces hiss and buzz. It provides an excellent sound, natural and full.

The Thru/out jack lets you send the unbalanced signal to an onstage amplifier while the balanced signal is routed to the mixer. It has one output jack and also works well in that application.

Why We Like This:

Direct monitoring works great no latency problems
Easy ti use and does its job for the recording or on stage
A clean signal with no color or character from an amp or speaker cabinet

Best For Stereo sources: Mackie Bass preamp DI Box

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The mackie bass preamp di box is capable of outshining several other box featured in this list in overall features for the price point. This is an “active” DI box, meaning that it needs a battery or phantom power from the mixer. If you are using your own board, this is a cool piece of hardware and has a lot of nice features like the 15db pad, the ability to combine two sources or use the second 1/4" jack as a "through" jack. This is a line-level signal converter to an XLR output. It features increased headroom and distortion-free operation. It feels like a solid little box that is well made.

It only balances an unbalanced mic-level signal. It features switches for polarity, low cut, and ground lift. It is great with no buzz or hum.

Why We Like This:

More buzzing sound from the computer through the mixer console
Solid, flexible, affordable active direct box
Good investment for long term

Best With EQ: Fishman tone control

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The fishman tone control should be able to handle its purpose and duties with ease. The tonal knobs provide a great range to find exactly the sound you're looking for. It's a pleasant, vibrant sound, and the sweepable mid and treble controls dial down quack and brasssiness nicely. The bass cut is wonderful for killing feedback, and the ground lift/XLR can help eliminate annoying buzz in venues with crappy electrics. The tuner is also great, very easy to read while standing above it.

The tuner is very good and the boost button is very optimizable. It comes with pre/post eq setting and auto ground lift. There are also tone controls including a low cut and a notch filter. The compressor is also great, especially if you switch between finger picking and strumming as it can help keep your levels consistent.

Why We Like This:

Notch filters to help fight pesky feedback
Speed circuitry for the highest fidelity and low distortion
2 levels of low-cut to avoid low feedback rumble
Looks and feels very solid and professional in appearance

Best With volume control: LR Baggs Bass preamp DI Box

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The lr baggs bass preamp di box is suitable and reliable and fits well with your daily purpose. It comes with its all discrete signal path, hi graded semiconductors and exclusive use of audiophile grade film capacitors, the venue di is on par with the world's elite preamps and provides a studio quality sound for the stage. Plus the boost for solos is awesome. It has EQ like the para, but they have slightly differenct frequency points in the bass, presence, and treble. The tone controls are voiced to enhance all aspects of the guitar, regardless of string type.

The boost switch is handy when you don't want to fiddle with the guitar's volume control when the occasion calls for being a bit louder. It makes each one sound even better and natural through a PA. Plus the boost for solos is awesome. It is great for playing solos or picking out rythems in between heavy strumming. The range of EQ and notch controls work very well and with a good pickup this sounds great. If you want to use it with a guitar combo amplifier, it is best to send the output to the effects return instead of the regular input.

Why We Like This:

Lots of tone control options, and a great tuner
Rugged, simple, and easier to set up than the padi
The absolute best solution for acoustic guitarists

Best For Very reasonable price: Radial Engineering Bass preamp DI Box

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Compared with other box in this category, the radial engineering bass preamp di box has a convenient design. Radial's high-performance stagebug sb-2 passive di delivers warm, vintage-flavored direct sound from your bass, keyboard, or acoustic guitar. Input a stereo signal on trs, and the unit's convenient stereo-to-mono merge function saves you from having to reset your source to mono. The compact direct box handles high input levels with natural compression, and it is also equipped with a 15db pad for extra.

The Radial is sturdier and more stage appropriate in terms of footprint. It has a particularly low signal level. It is no slouch, either to add to that it is a well built and very quiet di.

Why We Like This:

Great tool needed in every audio guy's pocket
Hot signals from active bass pickups, digital pianos, and the like
Kills hum in hostile electrical situations

Best For piezo pickup: Fishman Bass preamp DI Box

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The fishman bass preamp di box's high-end materials makes sure that it ages well with use. The sustain of a compressor combined with the bright string tone and the Fission pedal are amazing. It provides superior tone control for any acoustic instrument. This pedal will allow you to play your bass line, along with power chords to match. It is dedicated to helping musicians of all styles achieve the truest sound possible wherever and whenever they plug in.

The modulation section is transparent and very useful when using the level control to blend in just enough chorus. The switches and dials are so much better than infinite scrolling. This thing is awesome, very easy to use and produces an excellent sound. It caters to whatever you want to plug into this unit. It is built to be run over by a tank, and the housing for the tonedeq is plastic.

Why We Like This:

Wonderful way to change up your sound
Great neck, tone flexibility and balance
Killer tone pedal for an acoustic guitar thru a pa
Chording is also pretty accurate, with minimal tracking errors