Gearank

Behringer's ability to manufacture feature-packed gear at ridiculously cheap prices has been giving premium brands a run for their money. And what makes them even more threatening is how the quality of their products continue to improve while still retaining their low price advantage.

The Ultra-DI DI-100 is a good example of this, an active DI box that delivers the goods that even some expensive units don't have, while keeping quality reasonably high. While some say that it's not as good sounding as more expensive options, reviews and ratings are consistent in saying that it gets the job done well, and that is what matters.

Features:

• Active DI Box design
• Runs on 9V battery or phantom power
• Switchable Input attenuation that accepts up to +50dB input
• Groundlift switch
• Input 1/4", Outputs XLR and 1/4" (Link Out)
• Gold plated XLR Connectors
• Weight: 1.43 lbs

Pros

Since the Ultra-DI DI-100 is affordable, it has found its way into many practice sessions and on stage. Compared to the price of popular premium DI Boxes, this one will let you outfit an entire band and have some spare change for food. Its great balance of affordability and quality make it a viable backup unit that you can tow around in case your more expensive DI Box has problems. It is also very easy to use, thanks to its 9V battery or phantom power operation and its switchable attenuation.

Cons

While a majority of the reviewers are happy with the resulting sound, experienced users who have tried more expensive DIs complain about the sound quality. But this is to be expected given its lower price, and since nuances are usually drowned by the loud drummer, it is still a viable and practical option.

Overall

With the Behringer Ultra-DI DI-100, there's just no excuse for anyone to go direct to console without having a DI Box. If budget is limited and you need a clearer sound on stage, or you're looking for a way to remove hum and noise, then this is one you should consider.

This was on our recommended list until we undertook a major review of DI's in December 2018 at which time we found a better value budget DI to recommend in our guide to The Best DI Boxes.