I am thinking of putting together a Unicab. The original inspiration has a DI output as well. I mostly don't need that - where I play there is a DI already available so I just plug into that. There have been a few times though when that DI has been missing or broken and having a DI on my board has been very useful. I can put together a DI out with an op amp and a few resistors, but there's not much space for an extra socket in the box unless I go bigger. What I was wondering about is making the standard output a TRS jack socket, with the balanced out connected up. I think if I do that I could use a standard mono plug and get a standard guitar out (with one of the balanced signals shorted to ground), but if i plug in a TRS to XLR cable I could have balanced DI out. Is that correct? I realise I wouldn't then be able to use mono and balanced out at the same time, but I never would. I am ampless all the way, so it's just about getting the signal to the desk.
Unicab
- Thread starter PJS
- Start date
almondcity
Well-known member
Effects Layouts has a little PCB that adds a balanced signal out and may achieve your goal. It attaches to the footswitch
p_wats
Well-known member
For what it's worth, I made this one a while back with a simple DI circuit and XLR out included in the 125A enclosure. Works well!
Ah yes. It did occur to me that without a footswitch there would be more room for XLR out. Nice to see that it can work. I may do that as well.
I am currently work on a similar build using @p_wats build report as a guide. One thing I do regret is that, on mine at least, I was not able to fit an XLR in using the drill template as is, you might need to shift the coordinates up a bit. I am going to use a TRS jack as you were thinking with a TRS to XLR adapter cable
I do like me a bypass switch - just to be able A/B tone and volume when setting up. After that it will probably get very little use 
I am likely to benefit from a smaller box (125B) because there's not much room on my board to play with. I think I will get an XLR and a TRS and see what I can fit in if I move the foot switch around. I have even seen 1/8" TRS to XLR adapters, but I am not so keen on that. I guess that would make more room to do a ground lift switch.
I haven't seen the schemati of this
but it looks like most of a DI. I'll probably just build something up on a small piece of proto-board
I am likely to benefit from a smaller box (125B) because there's not much room on my board to play with. I think I will get an XLR and a TRS and see what I can fit in if I move the foot switch around. I have even seen 1/8" TRS to XLR adapters, but I am not so keen on that. I guess that would make more room to do a ground lift switch.I haven't seen the schemati of this
but it looks like most of a DI. I'll probably just build something up on a small piece of proto-board
