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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: There is no doubt that Justin Meldal-Johnsen is a musician in demand.
A prolific session bassist, songwriter, and member of Virgin Records much-buzzed-about
modern rock act Ima Robot, Meldal-Johnsen has graced recordings by artists such
as Tori Amos, Courtney Love, Macy Gray, Garbage, and Pete Yorn while simultaneously
working with Beck as both his bassist and music director. Needless to say, rarely
a day has passed during his flourishing twelve-year professional career without
a bass guitar strapped over his left shoulder.
As a result, Meldal-Johnsen has become what you could call a connoisseur of
direct boxes. From session to session and show to show, Meldal-Johnsen has
plugged into an infinite number of DIs, some good and, according to him,
most "distasteful."
"Since the bass guitar is my exclusive instrument, I'm always plugged
into a
DI," Meldal-Johnsen explains. "I've used so many. Generally the thing
that I
hate about DIs is that when you plug a bass into them, the sound seems to be
useful to engineers but it's often distasteful to my own ears. Most DIs have
a glassy, transparent, sort of weightless sound with a lot of top end -
unnatural and clinical. If you're lucky, one might have sub-harmonic
content, but even then it will probably have a glassy-sounding fundamental
tone. Too many engineers seem to be resigned to the fact that using these
are good ways to get bass sounds - just blend it with an amp, and you're
golden. I just don't think that's enough. The DI alone should sound
amazing."
An amazing sound is what Meldal-Johnsen found upon discovering the REDDI,
high-end tube direct box, from A Designs. "The REDDI just did it for me,"
he
states plainly. "It just sounded like a fat bass. It didn't sound sterile
-
it was natural, pleasing, and not at all brittle on the top end. It's the
kind of thing that I could just plug into and play all day through, and
maybe even blow off using an amp! It was a revelation to find it, and I've
rarely ever encountered DIs that have allowed me to do that."
Solely using the REDDI is exactly what Meldal-Johnsen did during recent
sessions for the soundtrack of an upcoming feature thriller scored by Tyler
Bates, composer for 'Dawn of the Dead.' "I didn't use an amp at all,"
says
Meldal-Johnsen. "I used only the REDDI and it sounded really, really nice."
The REDDI tube DI - appropriately painted a highly identifiable fire engine
red hue - is designed for use with basses, guitars, synthesizers, and any other
electronic instruments requiring the best direct signal path possible. The REDDI
features a 6N1P tube, Neutrik combination XLR/quarter-inch input, balanced XLR
output, on/off toggle switch, LED power indicator, level control knob, ground
lift, EIN power connector, a metal vented casing, custom output transformer,
and an enclosed power supply with Toroid power transformer. The REDDI can also
be rack-mounted for use with two or more units.
REDDI for Justin Meldal-Johnsen
Like a true connoisseur of superior signal paths, Meldal-Johnsen compared
the REDDI directly with what he had found to be some of the world's best
direct input units and, as a result, was even further assured of the REDDI's
sound and quality. "My friend Joe Chiccarelli has some great DIs,"
tells
Meldal-Johnsen of the respected engineer and producer, who started his own
career as a bass player. "He has a DI that the guys from Capitol Studios
made him, which sounds incredible. And he has this old Demeter DI that also
sounds great. We were comparing them to the REDDI, and they're definitely
comparable. Both of us really liked the tone (of the REDDI), and found it
old school and fat sounding."
Regarding his work with Ima Robot, who are currently preparing to record
their highly-anticipated second release, Meldal-Johnsen describes his bass
guitar contributions to be "chameleon-like," changing depending on
the song
at hand. "My sounds change a lot, but I always want things to sound punchy
with lot of fundamental," he offers. "With Ima Robot, it generally
needs a
little grind to it, so I'm going to use the REDDI with an Ampeg B15 for a
clean amp sound, a Marshall JTM-45 head and Fender ToneMaster 2X12 cabinet
for a dirty amp sound, and the REDDI. That's the signal chain. On the last
record, my DI was an Avalon DI just because it was there. This time, the
REDDI will blow the Avalon away."
A Designs Audio, LLC products are distributed worldwide. For more
information regarding the REDDI by A Designs Audio in the U.S. please
contact TransAudio Group, (702) 365-5155 or sales@transaudiogroup.com. You
may also contact A Designs Audio direct at (818) 716-4153 or visit us at
www.adesignsaudio.com
TransAudio Group, founded by industry veteran Brad Lunde, has quickly become
the premier U.S. importer/distributor and/or U.S. sales and marketing
representative for high-end audio. Success hinges on TransAudio providing
dealers and end users with a higher standard of product expertise and
support far beyond the norm. TransAudio Group's product lines include: A
Designs Audio (USA), AEA (USA), ATC (UK), Brauner (Germany), Daking (USA),
Drawmer (UK), George Massenburg Labs (USA), Mercury (USA), Mission Pro (UK),
Soundelux (USA), SoundField (UK), and Z-Systems (USA).
www.transaudiogroup.com
www.adesignsaudio.com
