Gearank

Coming from a manufacturer of tube guitar amps, the Redbox 5 is a guitar amp DI bod that's meant to be a straightforward way to connect old tube amps to PA systems with features that guitarists appreciate.

Speaking of features, the Hughes & Kettner Redbox 5 comes with selectable speaker emulation, which lets you choose from vintage to modern voicing, small or large cabinet size, and it even lets you set tighten or loosen the response. This allows this DI box to function as an easy to use direct recording tool.

Features:

• Active DI Box Design
• 9V Battery Powered or Optional Power Supply
• Build-in Speaker Emulation
• Input 1/4", Output 1 x XLR and 1 x 1/4" Thru
• Weight: 0.44 lbs

Pros

Most of the positive comments are from guitarists who are happy with how this little DI Box works with their favorite amp. And since it targets old amps with no DI out capability, it continues to be a nifty tool for many old school amp lovers. Sound quality also gets a lot of commendations, including from experts like David Greeves of Sound on Sound, who wrote: "the Red Box 5 provides an utterly dependable feed that's true to the character of the amp." Portability is also a big plus, along with its flexibility, with its speaker emulation.

Cons

Users have few complaints other than a small number who deducted some points due to tone preference.

Overall

The Hughes & Kettner Redbox 5 is a nice tool to have for anyone who still want to bring old school guitar amplifiers to gigs.

This was on our recommended list until we performed a comprehensive re-examination of the category in November 2019 and found more highly rated options available which you can see in our guide to The Best DI Boxes.