Do I need a DI box to run into Eleven rack?
 

I'm trying to get a good (precise) clean tone. Running a lead into the rack, outputting into interface alone sounds rubbish...too weak. Was wondering if I need to convert to mic level before it goes into Eleven and by doing this I'll have the original tone (the highs) of the guitar.

Re: Do I need a DI box to run into Eleven rack?
 

Well, first you need to describe how you are running the Eleven Rack into another interface.

Also, why? The Eleven Rack is an audio interface.

Re: Do I need a DI box to run into Eleven rack?
 

If you are talking about plugging your guitar into the front guitar input on the 11R, then no, you do not and should not use a DI box. The front panel input is optimized for guitar.

If you could give us a little more information about your setup and how you have the 11R connected to your system, we can offer a little more help.

Re: Do I need a DI box to run into Eleven rack?
 

So Ive read the manual and it says something about True-Z circuit changing the guitar signal the same "manner as plugging into a real amp or effect." It doesn't say what that impedance value is.
When I run my guitar through eleven it sounds crap. All the highs have disappeared, there's no body, it sounds like it's sending a very narrow range of mid frequencies through...the equivalent of a cheap toy Casio.

This supposed True-Z, do I need to activate it? Is is supposed to act as a DI box? Does it bring the high impedance down to low? It's just that there's no difference plugging into my interface vs going through eleven. NONE!

Re: Do I need a DI box to run into Eleven rack?
 

Not sure how long you have owned your 11R, but I bought the first release and the presets were not set up right. That was years ago and it still has the version 1.03 firmware. I bought a second 11R pre-loaded with the v 2.01 firmware and I assume I will need to tweak whatever settings it defaults with when I get around to monkeying with it.

As far as the True-Z, the original 11R came with a setup window that let you do it on-screen. Still haven't played around with the v 2.01 unit enough to be articulate, but I understand the 2.x editor is a stand-alone program, and that's where you should look if you want to change settings. You can program a few things through the panel buttons, too.

I usually use two different preamps for live performance: the first one is solid state to raise the guitar signal up to line level, the second is a tube preamp set up to accept line level, then the output is a power tube setup to drive the speakers.

I did use the 11R to drive a Mesa 200 watt amp. That sounded good, but it was really loud and hard to know if the tone was the 11R, the (8) 6L6 tubes in the Mesa, or the twin stereo speaker cabs loaded with 10" JBLs on one side and EVs on the other. But I also spent many hours adjusting the 11R settings to tailor it to my taste.

It was tough to use the 11R live without a stomp box to change the settings. The interesting thing about using an 11R for recording is the way you can embed settings on the recording track.

Re: Do I need a DI box to run into Eleven rack?
 

Ok then here's an easier question...do I need to run eleven rack into a di box?

Do I need a DI box to run into Eleven rack?
 

Your question makes no sense. So likely no. But I can't even guess what you really are trying to do. None of the Eleven Rack outputs are (edit sorry typo high not low) high impedance (not even the Rig outs) so you would never need to connect a DI box there. And if you want to get the signal out to a separate interface the digital outs are the way to go, or line analog if digital ins are not available. If you truly went to split the guitar analog signal say to a live amp rig then put a splitter in front of the Eleven Rack.

And folks here keep asking you questions you do not answer.

The eleven rack is an interface with a high impedance/DI input, so again, why do you need another DI?

You seem a bit lost, like previous questions about impedance, when the impedance is displayed in the TrueZ menu you are using--so you can set there and experiment. What effect you hear from TrueZ will depend greatly on the pickups, cables etc, amp sims, modeled effects, distortion levels etc.

Also see http://community.avid.com/blogs/avid...ut-true-z.aspx

You are trying to record a good clean tone? What clean amp sim are you using in the Eleven Rack? You should be listening to/recording that not the dry signal that it sounds a bit like you are. You can record the dry signal as well for reamping.

You say "Eleven" are you talking eleven rack or Eleven Plugins?

Keeping asking micro-questions is not likely to help you, instead I expect you will actually get useful help here if you instead describe at a high level what you are trying to achieve with what guitar, pickups, physical pedals, amps, cabs, other interfaces, etc. and let folks here give you options. Carefully describe the entire signal flow from pickups to Pro Tools. We get "clean tone", but that does not really help, what example real world amp or performer/song are you trying to sound similar to and a good starting point would be to pick Eleven Rack amp sims that are similar to the real amps used there.

The first thing I would do is get very close to the tone I wanted just playing with the Eleven Rack used stand alone. If you have done that describe your Eleven Rack rig setup, amp settings etc.


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Re: Do I need a DI box to run into Eleven rack?
 

I have a countryman type 85 active di box and obviously an eleven rack..rack. And mbox pro.
It's clear to me the true-z does little to nothing to the signal to improve or alter the impedance for recording at least for clean presets. I dont use distortion fx so for them I cannot say. I would imagine it caters more to that type of sound than clean but anyway..

My question is simply if I ran a di box into an eleven rack input will the signal be altered in any way. In other words will the eleven rack mess up the di box signal after the outputs of eleven go direct into interface?

My second question is if I run the output of eleven rack (essentially amp out) into my di box (with guitar-in eleven obviously) will I get a purer tone than the above given the di box is last on the chain?

Thanks.

Re: Do I need a DI box to run into Eleven rack?
 

No and no. As in no don't do either. For input, the Eleven Rack really will not need any more gain. For output, you never run a low impedance signal into a DI box, that is the reverse of what they are designed to do. Just not ever any reason to do either of these things, and they won't help you "get a clean tone".

Start by getting the clean tone you want with the Eleven Rack live and then try recording that either with the Eleven Rack as the interface or going out via S/PDIF into the MBox Pro.. The Eleven Rack can produce some nice clean tones. With all this talk about DIs etc. I'm guessing you are focusing on trying to record and use the dry guitar signal and if so that is likely the cause of problems you are having. Get focused on a good clean wet guitar signal from the Eleven Rack.

Re: Do I need a DI box to run into Eleven rack?
 

Thank you for your reply.
So What you're saying is run a S/PDIF from eleven not an analogue XLR. If yes, is it possible the reason eleven sounded crap was because I used XLR to mbox to record rather than digital?

And yes, Im trying to record using dry guitar sound but I thought Id try some of eleven's clean simulations given guitar rigs are pretty rubbish.