We have all heard over and over about how great these sound... all true, the Avalon U5 makes just about any signal you put into it sound it's best.
When I bought a U5 and first DI'd my Minimoog Voyager... the difference between the U5 and the low end gear I was using at the time was rather astounding... almost night and day. All of my synths sounded rounder and clearer then I had ever heard them.
Since then I have picked up several high end mic pres that cost a LOT more then the U5... they all have DI's that sound great, but the U5 always adds it's own magical touch.
When recording guitar or Bass I'll plug into the U5, record the DI'd line level onto one track and send the thru out to a mic'd amp to record on separate track(s).
Paired with a reamp there are virtually no limit to processing pre-recorded tracks while maintaining an awesome front end on the way back to your recorder.
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U5 direct box
August 13, 2010
Reviewer:
Kevin Mucha
from Villa Park, IL United States
This is my main DI box for bass. I use this in a smaller commercial studio on a frequent basis and have been very happy with the results. My clients as well. Although there is only six different voicing options they are good enough to get you in the ballpark of what you need. You can also easily bypass this if you put the DI between an amp head and a cabinet. Been able to get from deep, low foundational bass to mid-range attitude. I've also used this on clean strat sounds with great success. It is costly but I've never been dissatisfied with the results.
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Great DI
March 5, 2009
Reviewer:
Chuck Hutcheson
from Mc Rae, GA United States
I'm rather happy with the Avalon U5. It offers pro options, with a great sound. This unit takes all the quality tones and amplifies them, without some of the lesser tones you may not want. It's a solidly built product, and really does for instruments what a quality mic pre does for mics. A bassist would not go wrong with this unit, and a pro level bassist would be able to just make some magic happen. The 6-mode tone selector is a nice touch, offering different EQ settings, and the one I find most effective for bass is setting #2, with a negative mid-sweep. This unit has ears available, as well, for rack mounting for about $80 (a little steep for ears...) Otherwise, a great addition to a project or pro studio.
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Avalon U5
March 3, 2009
Reviewer:
Anonymous Person
from Granger, IN United States
This is the only DI I would use for Bass. It's right up there with a good mic on the speaker. It's also really great on acustic guitar and keyboards. It's really easy to get the sound you're after with the tone bank selections. The odds are pretty good that one of the options are going to be just right for whatever you throw at it. And it's built like a tank. Awesome unit!
Very revealing on any source 
