Noob D.I. box question

Question

hi all,
sorry for the noob question, but i need something clearing up if possible. i was just about to buy a D.I. box and then had a query about them and whether i actually would benefit from one in this scenario...
fig 1. is how i currently record.
fig 2. is how i would with d.i. box
my question is... in this set up, would the d.i. box make any difference to the signal? or would it only make a difference if i was going direct from guitar to box, to soundcard?
thanks all for your help.

Answer 1

As I see it you have basically three alternatives for recording electric guitar:
1. Get a great amp sound, record it with a mike or several, in a good sounding room.
Challenges: you will likely need a proper studio, or at least no neighbours, as this might get LOUD. Also it takes time and experience to mike an amp well, and even (several) expensive mikes. Result depends on room acoustics more than you think.
Another route here, is to get/build an isolation box around your amp,  which will be a sort of micro studio for it, allowing you to play loud  and with a good tone, but in a more controlled envirnment. Many pros do  this. Unfortunateley, the outlay may also be 'pro' - but I'm sure there  are DIY solutions.
2. Record the amp 'dry' via either its Line out (FX send will also do) or use a 'power soak which will allow you to turn up the amp (some amps sounds much better then), but with a low volume in the room. You can connect the soak device directly, or give the speaker the 'tamed' signal and mike the amp without disturbing the neighbours that much now. Good power soaks don't come cheap(?). Recording dry, i.e. using no mike, will often sound like that: dry. This depends on your musical style, but an electric guitar should probably be concidered as an acoustic intrument. Instead of a wooden membrane, it has a speaker. The sound we often want to achieve is of a good sounding amp in a good room, i.e. an acoustic sound. You simply can't get that from a Line output or from a power soak's direct out (no speaker). It will need some treatment.
3. Use software like GuitarRig, Amplitube etc. No mike or setup needed, independent of size of room and its acoustics (except that room acoustics still will affect listening!!!). The software simulates amp, effects and even mic setups; adding the 'air' that you wont get with a direct connection. Again, depending on your style. If I was Bill Frisell or Jim Hall, i.e. anyone with a very 'naked' guitar sound as the main content of their music, I probably wouldn't do it (but these guys have access to great engineers too...), but in a pop / rock idom with other instruments blended in, and certainly for making demos, this is actually what I would recommend. Escpecially for us space challenged who have neighbours and not infinite time either. No, it will not make you sound like "everybody else"; it's garbage in - garbage out like always (many are disappointed by this, but some are glad it is still so)
All you need is a soundcard with an instrument input. If you have a *good* soundcard already which doesn't have instrument input, you can concider a DI box. Otherwise I'd say it is redundant.