Suggestion for DI mini pedal?

[Steve Lipsey]

I'd like to add a DI to my acoustic board for when I don't use an amp, not enough room for the standard Baggs Para DI...are these things any good? Or what?
https://www.amazon.com/OnStage-DB200-On ... ref=sr_1_8
There actually seem to be quite a few pedals with identical form factor and switch layout, so there may be only one actual manufacturer...

[Mathew Peluso]

A little spendy but the Fire Eye Red Eye is the best I’ve found for use with multiple acoustic instruments.

https://www.fire-eye.com/red-eye-1

[Steve Lipsey]

Sounds like a good one, but is not "mini". The one I posted as an example is $70...the typical determining factor for "mini" is not having a battery, and I intend to use a power supply, so I don't need that extra space...

[Mike Auman]

If you like this model, they're all the same pedal with different OEM labels. Mooer Micro DI, Rowin LEF-331, Xvive V13 Mini DI, OnStage DB200, Donner Mini DI, and more brands, all the same. The cheapest one of these is Harley Benton's MiniStomp Magnum DI at $20, and you can find those reviewed on YouTube. But that one's only available from Thomann in Germany, and imports are unpredictable these days, to put it mildly.

[Stew Crookes]

Or you could try something like the Radial Stage Bug

https://www.radialeng.com/product/stagebug-sb1

Radial makes very high quality products that are on every pro stage and in every studio in the world, and everything they make is a good value

[Steve Lipsey]

The Radial looks great, albeit not "mini", but might fit...and of course Radial is a good name.
Question -
what would I lose by going with the passive model instead of the active model? Just the +20db feature, or would the sound be less good somehow? I'd like to not have to depend on phantom power...

[Mathew Peluso]

Worth noting that Fire Eye does make a mini version with less features. There isn’t a battery option for this model so it does require phantom power but I’ve had better results using their products with passive pickups (K&K mini, Fishman Nashville) over any other DI.

https://www.fire-eye.com/dee-eye-1

[Ian Worley]

These are fairly expensive (similar $ to a Red Eye), but they are the cat's meow https://www.sushiboxfx.com/product/finally-v3/

The Finally is normal stomp box size, but they also make larger units with a lot more control for tone shaping if you're going completely amp-less

[Stew Crookes]

The Radial looks great, albeit not "mini", but might fit...and of course Radial is a good name.
Question -
what would I lose by going with the passive model instead of the active model? Just the +20db feature, or would the sound be less good somehow? I'd like to not have to depend on phantom power...

A quality passive DI will sound just as good as a quality active DI, it’s when you are looking at really cheap DI models where (in my opinion!) it’s preferred to go active because the only way to make a cheap passive DI is by compromising with a cheap transformer. I’m with you on preferring not relying on phantom power for live.

I’m not sure what Radial means by calling the passive Stagebug ‘optimized for bass and keyboards’ as they do show an acoustic guitar in the hookup diagrams for it.

I bet if you ask them they’ll be able to steer you in a good direction

[Brooks Montgomery]

I’m baffled by most electronics, but with my limited understanding of setting up the signal chain, it seems somebody should build and offer a good reverb pedal that has a DI out in addition to the normal 1/4” cable out (thereby eliminating a pedal/gizmo).