Why do some people feel active direct boxes are better than passive DI’s?
Comparing active DI’s to passive ones is akin to comparing condenser mics to dynamics. Condensers tend to have more ‘reach’ and upper end clarity, while dynamics tend to be bolder and better suited to handling transients without distortion. Active direct boxes are signal preamplifiers that draw very little current from the instrument and because of their higher input impedance, tend to have more reach and sparkle. The high input impedance results in less loading on the pickup, an effect that can cause passive pickups, as found on vintage basses and electric guitars, to sound thinner. Today, most basses and acoustic guitars employ battery-powered preamps that buffer the signal and are not affected by loading. Most pros have some of each depending on the tone they are looking for or the problem they are trying to solve.
