With a proprietary circuit design by Fred Forssell and a superclean Lehle step-down transformer, the ultra-transparent AEA TDI Phantom-Powered Direct Box can capture outstanding sonic performances with minimal distortion, noise interference, and signal loss from long cable runs.
 
Simple, Straightforward Design
Inspired by AEA's straightforward design philosophy along with the desire to offer an outboard DI alternative, AEA Microphones created the phantom-powered TDI Direct Box.
 
The phantom-powered TDI offers a passive THRU-put connection which allows the user to send incoming instrument signal to other instrument-level sources (amplifiers, pedals, etc.). This throughput feature, paralleled to the INPUT, is also useful for simultaneous wet/dry signal tracking.
 
The TDI pairs well with passive instruments (i.e. guitars, basses, piezo pickups) but, with a 20 dB pad, it can also handle signals from active instruments, synths, or speakers.
 
The Features
- Super clean and musical circuit design
- Compact, road-ready design with rugged durability
- 20 dB pad, ground lift switch, and paralleled throughput
- Made in the U.S.A.
 
The Reviews
Paul du Gré, Engineer/Mastering Engineer (Vitamin String Quartet, Leo Kottke, Los Lobos)
- “This new direct box designed by Fred Forssell is a thing of elegance in design and sonic beauty. With a ten megohm input impedance this circuit has gobbs of headroom.”
 
Roger Alan Nichols, Songwriter, Producer, Engineer & Mixer (Hayley Williams, Steven Tyler, Tracy Nelson, Larkin Poe)
- “It’s easy to do great work when you have great tools. The AEA TDI sounds incredible. It’s built like a tank, and it easily put my other DI’s in the bottom drawer.”
 
Ben Tolliday, Engineer (Lord Huron, Hozier, Alanis Morissette)
- This new active DI from AEA captures direct signals with great clarity and a full frequency response, without any harshness. Whether I’m capturing a return from a tape echo or spring reverb, or a guitar, bass or keys DI to re-amp later, this is my go-to DI box.”