All the pure cab-sim filter products I've found (see the list on my home page) can accept the amp's Spk Out signal as input, *if* a separate load is also used alongside this product [except, I'm not sure about the Palmer PDI-05 -- will know when get some decent info about this mysterious line]. Each of these products can function as a traditional Direct Box; typically, each of these products has a transformer, XLR Out, Ground Lift, and ability to bypass the cabinet-simulation filter when using the XLR Out.
[to do: verify this for each product using a separate, wider table. Consider adding columns for these features for the other products as well: power attenuator, dummy load, and low-wattage power-tube products.]
What sort of "direct boxes" (rather than "products with DI capability") are relevant to this site? I don't want to provide detailed coverage of several hundred direct boxes. What is the relevance of direct boxes to headphone-level cranked-tube-amp tone, and headphone-level guitar processing in general? Several traditional Direct Boxes are listed at Whirlwind: Special-Purpose Boxes.
chrisshe wrote:
>I just compiled a list of all 2-channels mic preamp solutions for under $1,000.
>>I'm also going to buy a direct box soon, most likely a HK redbox.
>All of the mic preamps in the following list also act as direct boxes, with regular instrument inputs -- two boxes in one! This list contains only tube mic preamps -- you may be able to save more money on solid state units. Those Bellari's sound like they're perfect for you though--and I've heard great things about their sound.
Mfg Model EQ Tube type # ch MSRP Digital Notes Art Tube MP Hybrid 1 $159 phase reverse Art Dual MP Hybrid 2 $349 "phase reverse, +20dB gain" Art Pro MPA Hybrid 2 $649 "VU meters, phase reverse, lo cut" dbx 586 Mic Pre 3-band w/mid-sweep Tube 2 "AES/BEU, S/PDIF" "VU meters, Peak Limiter, Inserts" Bellari MP110 DIRECT DRIVE All tube 1 $250 Bellari RP220 Dual Mic Pre All tube 2 $500 Bellari RP520 Dual Mic Pre All tube 2 $600 VU meters Digitech VTP-1 4-band w/two mid-sweep Tube 2 $999 "AES/BEU, S/PDIF" "VU meters , EFX loop" Peavy VMP 2 2-band w/defeat All tube 2 $950 Lo cut TL Audio VP5050 Tube 1 $449 "Lo cut, compression" TL Audio PA5001 Tube 4 $699 "Lo cut, 2 tube stages per channel"
Amptone.com ultra gear-search page