Detail 01
Passive design
No battery or phantom power needed. Fewer failure points on stage, but no gain and a lower input impedance than active boxes.
Product detailSKU #1274319718986
LivewirePDI Double-Shielded Heavy-Duty Passive Direct Box
1/4
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
Passive DI box that converts an instrument-level unbalanced signal to balanced XLR for long cable runs into a mixer or snake. Utility gear for stage and studio.
Strong match
Who this is for
- Sending a bass or keyboard to a house console over long cable
- Splitting an instrument feed between an amp and the PA
- Taming hot line-level sources that overload a mic input
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Passive pickups needing a high-impedance load and gain — use an active DI
- Anyone wanting tone shaping; this is a transfer device, not a preamp
- Condenser-style sources expecting phantom power to do work here
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
Double-shielded
Extra shielding around the transformer helps reject hum from lighting rigs and nearby power, which is where cheap DIs usually fall apart.
Detail 03
Heavy-duty chassis
Built to be stepped on and thrown in a gig bag. Metal housing also acts as part of the shielding.
Detail 04
1 lb weight
Heavy enough to stay put on a stage floor without a cable dragging it around.
Detail 05
XLR balanced output
Balanced signal runs 100+ feet without picking up noise. That's the whole reason to use a DI.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01No cables included — you need a 1/4 inch in and an XLR out
- 02Passive DIs lose a little level; the console will need more gain
- 03Check for a ground lift switch if you're chasing a hum loop
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01Do I need phantom power for this?
No. It's passive, so it runs off the signal itself. Phantom power on the channel won't hurt it, but it isn't required.
02Passive or active DI for bass?
Active basses have their own preamp and work fine into a passive DI. Fully passive pickups often sound fuller through an active DI because of the higher input impedance.
03Can I run a keyboard through it?
Yes, though a stereo keyboard needs two of these, one per side, or a two-channel box.
04Will this quiet down my hum?
The balanced output and double shielding kill noise picked up along the cable run. Ground loops between amp and PA are a separate problem.
Reference
Full specifications
The complete catalog record, organized around the decisions musicians make when comparing gear.
1 detailsSize & weight
- Weight
- 1
