Hosa DIB-443 Sidekick Passive DI Box

I tend to use active DI boxes (DBX or Radial) but once in a while I want a passive box to pair with an active source. For passive, my go-to has been the Imp, but those weren't available for quick Prime delivery at the time I ordered.I used this Hosa DI box last weekend at church to run the output from midi keyboard (via a laptop) to the mixing board. Worked perfectly, no extra noise, just a good clean signal. No complaints from the sound guy! The ground switch is handy (not needed on this occasion) and the line/instrument switch does indeed work and make a difference. Build quality seems solid - I'm sure this will last many years.I've used other Hosa products before and find them to be decent quality at a reasonable price. It's not a Radial, but it doesn't come with the Radial price tag either.

Can’t go wrong with this DI box. Used it for worship , plugged played my acoustic through it and it sounded great! No complaints from the sound team.

There isn't an official manual for this box and some of the info on the packaging/website is a bit confusing. The INST/LINE switch especially. To further complicate the matter, old versions of this direct box had the switch labeled INST/SPKR.So I decided to experiment with both settings while adjusting the gain/trim on a mixing board. I found that the LINE setting is essentially a switch for -40db attenuation. I contacted Hosa with my findings and they confirmed what I found: it's a -40db switch.The packaging states "switch to the LINE position to allow your amp to drive the line for a natural, overdriven tone." This almost makes it sound like a person could run a speaker cable from a power amp to this box. DO NOT DO THAT. Hosa advised that any sort of amplified signal would destroy the box and possibly other equipment. Apparently, the packaging is talking about connecting to either a line level slave out or line level effects send from a guitar amp. Or of course, it could be used with any other line level signal.The input and output connections are hardwired in parallel, so either can be used for input or output.As far as the quality of this box, I am using it to connect the 1/4" output of a Boss GT MFX to a snake with XLR connections. I was concerned it might color the tone, but I performed A/B tests with the box in and out of the chain with some P.A. equipment I have setup at home. If there is any coloration of the tone with this box, it's minute enough that my ears can't detect it. A great buy!

OK. I didn't buy this to use "as is." I needed a housing to install my custom design for a DI box using a Jensen JT-DB-E transformer. This was the perfect choice. I gutted it completely, put on new, top quality connectors and switches, installed my circuit, and voila, for less that a C-note I have the equal of a Radial JD-1 (sans only the polarity and speaker functions I don't need). However, my version has balanced inputs and is custom designed to match the impedances and levels of the various equipment I have which I use it with on both the input and output sides. I will still work with most any other equipment.. The point was, that if I bought the Radial, I would have had to modify it, the parts needed adding to that cost.So, my 5 stars is for the quality of the Sidekick housing. It is a very well-made, heavy gauge, steel box with standard-sized holes for connectors/switches (like Neutrik), and is very nicely finished. (For snob appeal I did add a Jensen Transformer logo on the top.).I never tried the Sidekick in its original form, so I cannot comment about its audio performance. . . .

Use it to send an acoustic guitar to the board, does what a direct box should do. No noise, no weird issues.

Great Di for a great price. I use it for my sample pad.

I use three of these at my church. One for my acoustic-electric guitar(active pickup) that is then connected directly to a snake to the soundboard, one for the electric piano that is then connected directly to a snake to the soundboard, and another for a portable CD player (that allows a singer with an accompanying recorded track to control the CD from the stage), also connected directly to a snake to the soundboard.This has allowed a much better recording to be made of our morning services. The Gain controls on the soundboard can be kept much lower, with volume being controlled primarily by the channel volume sliders, as it should be.

From Gerard Stroh!!!Very Awesome!!!Thankyou****

compre 2 en diferentes épocas y el rendimiento es buenomi anterior caja es 1 db mas silenciosala respuesta en frecuencia es casi la mismaen volumen encontré 0.2 dbs de diferencia

I liked it.works as advertised.thank you

This works beautifully! No gain is required at mixer end, so pure sound of the guitar alone.

This is a good DI for any rough and mid range gigs..only concern is price if they can go with 4k or 5k..

It does it jobs for the price, good starter Di, Can't go wrong with it