Product: Aguilar DB900 Tube DI
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
06/24/2007
at
01:21pm
by
chris
Features
:
No Opinion
2005 db 900
single tube driven bone simple di
Sound Quality
:
10
This is where I get really anal in terms of sound repro. I have used so many combinations of miked and direct sounds over the years because I have never been pleased with a single unadorned direct signal. Until I got this. I will typically show up to a recording session with a myiad of basses and a selection of amps. With the db900 I can show up with just the box and a favorite bass or three and track. This thing gives the fattest and warmest, yet complex and detailed sound I've ever gotten, with the exception of miking my db750 and gs112 in conjuction with a direct signal from the 750, but that is another matter, suffice it to say that the sound you get from that will make you wanna retire and be remenbered for that tone.
I can say I have gotten the hugest sounds from using passive fender p's and going direct only through the 900. I also use it live when I to tired to lug my db750 head, and I have never had a problem or complaint from any soundman or engineer, one of whom has been grammy nominated.
Reliability
:
10
I have left it on for long hours @ a time and never an issue. I am sure that I will eventually need to replace the tube.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Overall Rating
:
10
Product: Aguilar DB900 Tube DI
Price Paid: US $430.00
Submitted
11/10/2005
at
07:38am
by
Todd Mason
Features
:
No Opinion
Sound Quality
:
2
Used for live church worship team. Signal Chain: Music Man StingRay 5's --- Planet Waves Cables --- DB 900 DI Box --- Mackie 32 channel board --- Crown Power Amps --- E-V Mains & JBL Monitors
Very disappointed in the sound. Very low output. So low that my gain had to be jacked above 3/4 at the board causing a very noticeable buzz. Did direct A-B comparison to a $35 Behrenger DI Box and once I got the volumes levelled out between the two the only difference all of our sound techs could tell was the buzz with the DB 900. Thought it might be a defective unit but I had to send it to Aguilar and they insist that after servicing a power supply issue that it was perfect.
Reliability
:
5
Arrived with the power supply broken internally. Probably a shipping / handling issue but not sure.
Customer Support
:
2
Sent it for repair once for the broken power supply. Box still doesn't sound good and they won't do anything about it. I'm stuck with it.
Overall Rating
:
2
Save your money. Wished I had.
Product: Aguilar DB900 Tube DI
Price Paid: US $400
Submitted
02/12/2004
at
11:47pm
by
Ross Whitney
Email: rwhitney at uci<dot>edu
Ease of Use
:
No Opinion
It's an AC powered tube direct box with one TS input, one TS parallel output, balanced XLR output, ground switch, power switch and one AX7 tube. No eq. Didn't come with a manual, so you have to know that it needs to feed a mic pre. I bought mine in 2003 for recording electric bass.
Sound Quality
:
10
Pristine, quiet, with a very wide and flat frequency response. The tube must affect the sound, but I can't identify what the characteristic of that particular contribution would be. It isn't muddy or anything, and doesn't sound rolled off at the top anywhere within my hearing range (which maxed out at around 16KHz last time I checked). It's clear, yet smooth, and captures all of the nuances and depth of a bass. I usually send the DB900's output into a DW Fearn VT-2 mic pre, then to a compressor like a UA 1176 or Pendulum ES-8 into ProTools. For location recording, I'll take the DI's output to a True Precision 8 solid-state preamp into a Ramsa DA-7 digital mixer. Either way, the Aguilar sounds great.
Reliability
:
No Opinion
It's metal (with small rubber feet), and has a heavy-duty power cable. It doesn't get exceptionally hot during use. Very sturdy looking.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
No experience.
Overall Rating
:
9
I had read enough reviews to think the DB900 would be good, so I ordered one from Hairballmusic.com on faith, and am completely satisfied with it. I've actually used it to record a Sadowsky 24-fret bass with EMGs for jazz-fusion, and original rock and funk using a Fender P-bass, both with beautiful results. In the past, I've tried the Demeter bass DI (which is great also, but not quite as open as the Aguilar), the Avalon DI (also good, but not as deep as the Aguilar), Groove Tubes Ditto (not in the same league at all, imo), Great River MP1-NV, SansAmp Bass DI, etc., and I'd choose the Aguilar over any of those. I'd like to try the Little Labs DI (with its variable input impedances) at some point, and also the outboard Sadowsky pre/DI, and maybe the Millennia DI--there are so many. The DB900 is expensive, so I can't rate it as a "Fantastic value" here, I guess, but it was worth it to me.
