# Active vs Passive DI-box for backing tracks



## Mongolianbbq (Jul 21, 2020)

Hello! 

I am planning to use backing tracks live for my band and was wondering which DI to pick. Im going to play the tracks from an iPad, splitting the signal so my drummer has click in his ear and the backing track goes to DI -> FOH. We will only be playing a bunch of bass drops and stems here and there but i still want the best DI i can get, to ensure my bass drops will rip peoples guts out, keep a clean signal and eliminate any noise when playing live.

Does anyone have any experience doing this, and can you tell me if i should get an active or passive DI-box?


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## Mike_R (Jul 21, 2020)

Mongolianbbq said:


> Hello!
> 
> I am planning to use backing tracks live for my band and was wondering which DI to pick. Im going to play the tracks from an iPad, splitting the signal so my drummer has click in his ear and the backing track goes to DI -> FOH. We will only be playing a bunch of bass drops and stems here and there but i still want the best DI i can get, to ensure my bass drops will rip peoples guts out, keep a clean signal and eliminate any noise when playing live.
> 
> Does anyone have any experience doing this, and can you tell me if i should get an active or passive DI-box?



Do you need a DI box? Usually you use a DI box to correct an impedence mis-match between an guitar or bass signal and balanced audio equipment. I don't know that it would help you in this case.

I think the iPad on its own would be a stereo, headphone level 3.5mm out so if you split the click and backing track you would only have a mono signal to FOH. I'm not sure what kind of interface options you would have with an iPad, but that might be able to (depending on the interface outs) give you a separate output for a click track and a better quality stereo line level out to go to FOH.


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## Winspear (Jul 21, 2020)

Yeah this isn't a job for a DI. Simple line output>Desk line input connection here.
It would indeed be mono backing track but that's not really a problem in a live situation - backing track panning can actually be an issue live.


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## Mongolianbbq (Jul 21, 2020)

I've only been searching the webs, and it seems using a DI for this task is pretty normal. What other piece of gear would you guys recommend? Would an audio interface work better?
I just need something with an XLR, i can send to FOH.


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## buriedoutback (Jul 22, 2020)

We use a cheap ass Pyle-Pro Pdc21 (passive DI) from amazon and it sounds great.

Usage : old iphone > 3.5mm to 2x1/4 inch splitter > Pyle DI > FOH

The reason we use the DI is because we have the iphone on stage. The DI allows a long cable run via xlr to the sound guy.

For my studio I use a Radial Pro DI Passive Direct Box, which is 5x times the price of the Pyle.


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