- What exactly is re-amping?
- Why do we need re-amp boxes to do it?
- A detailed look at 5 of the best reamp boxes on the market
What is Re-amping?
Re-amping is a two-step recording technique in which you first record a clean DI, and send that DI track through your selected amplifiers, effects, and various mics for re-recording.
Much like recording with a DI box, but with a reamp box we aren’t just going ‘in’, we’re also able to send the DI back out to an amplifier.
Re-amp boxes allow you to send a recorded DI back out to an amplifier which you can then take back into the computer.
It’s considered a good practice because if you’re neck-deep in mixing and find that your guitar tone simply isn’t working well, you can take your DI’s and re-amp them through something else.
And although it is mostly used for electric guitar, the re-amping technique can also be used for bass guitar and keyboards.
So what is a re-amp box?
A re-amp box is often confused with a DI box, but in addition to recording the DI, a re-amp box allows you to take that DI and send it back through a guitar amp or a pedal chain.
A DI box converts an unbalanced instrument-level signal to a balanced mic-level signal for an audio interface and mixing console, but a re-amp box will convert a balanced line-level signal to an unbalanced instrument-level signal.
In short, a re-amp box is an audio converter that also can send your signal back out to an amplifier, instead of just taking a DI into the computer.
What are the best re-amp boxes?
There are a lot of different re-amp boxes, from active to passive, to 2-in-1 DI/Re-amp boxes.
In this article, we are going to cover the 5 best re-amp boxes from various price points that you can find in 2022, so you’ll be able to make an informed choice on which re-amp box is best for you.
Here are our top 5 picks for the best re-amp boxes available in 2022:
- Radial ProRMP (Our Pick)
- Art Dual RDB (Best Value)
- Little Labs Redeye 3D (Premium Option)
- Radial X-Amp
- Fredenstein ramDI
1. Radial ProRMP (Our Pick)
The ProRMP is a 100% passive re-amplifier that lets you to take a pre-recorded track and re-amplify it through a guitar amp or effects pedals to create new and exciting tones.
- One of the industry’s go-to reamp boxes
- Affordable
- Built to last
Overview
Our top pick for this list is the Radial ProRMP. Which is an affordable 1-channel passive re-amp box that can reamp everything from guitars, bass, keyboards, percussion, and even voice.
It is the smallest out of the re-amp boxes made by Radial, it’s simple and gets the job done for a great price.
Features
With a bright blue color, the Radial ProRMP is a passive box that does not need any additional power to work, and it is built like a tank with a mighty 14-gauge steel chassis. So you can be sure it’s going to hold up to your studio use and abuse.
It is a single-channel re-amp box, so the Radial ProRMP is perfect if you’re just a solo guitarist re-amping some easy mono tracks.
The Radial ProRMP has a built-in custom-wound transformer and is known to perform flawlessly for a long period.
The custom-wound transformer doubles as a converter from a balanced low-z to a hi-z input for amps and an electrical isolator.
Verdict
Radial ProRMP is an affordable and reliable re-amp box that is extremely simple and straightforward. Making it ideal for home use.
Although the 1-channel design will be enough for most users, there are other multi-channel reamp boxes on this list if you need to reamp multiple guitars and instruments at the same time.
2. Art Dual RDB (Best Value)
The ART Dual RDB reamping DI box lets you take line signals and convert them to mic and instrument levels. This lets you record guitars, bass, and more as a clean direct signal.
- Great value for money
- Easy to use
- Works as both re-amp box and DI box
Overview
ART Pro Audio is a pro audio gear company run by musicians and engineers, and they have been trying to deliver the most affordable but capable gear since its beginnings in 1984.
The ART Dual RDB Re-amp Device is their take on re-amp boxes, and it’s simple, straight to the point, and most importantly, under $100. Making it the most budget-friendly option on this list.
Features
At first glance, the Art Dual RDB’s design might not seem like anything special. But the Art Dual RDB has two inputs for under $100.
This means you can run two instruments at once, and that will be a huge plus for musicians trying to do live recordings with a band.
With a frequency range from 20Hz to 20kHz, Art Dual RDB has decent processing power and it will be sufficient for most re-amping purposes.
It also comes with two isolation transformers to keep away the ground loop, which is important for any re-amp box.
Verdict
Art Dual RDB is affordable, has two inputs, and is a reliable and straightforward re-amp box.
While they are not recommended for professional guitarists and bassists looking to get the absolute best tone. But for most use cases, the Art Dual RDB is totally servicale.
We recently did a full review of the Art Dual RDB, check it out!
3. Little Labs Redeye 3D (Premium Option)
At the core of the re-amping process is the direct box, and Little Labs' Redeye 3D Phantom sports a high-quality one with phantom-powered hi-fi buffered and passive inputs.
- Packed with smart features
- Rackmountable
- The ultimate DI/Re-amp
Overview
Little Labs Redeye 3D is our premium pick for this list, and that’s because it’s a fully-featured product that goes much farther than being just a simple re-amp box.
Little Labs products are designed by Jonathan Little, who is a passionate recording engineer and musician.
Their products, such as the Little Labs Redeye 3D, are meant to serve professional-level musicians. As such their products can be a little bit pricey for the hobby musician on a budget.
The Little Labs Redeye 3D is designed to be the ultimate DI and a re-amp box, and it’s packed with a bunch of smart features that put this product way ahead of the curve when compared to other traditional reamp boxes.
Sweetwater refers to it as “quite possibly the ultimate DI/Re-amper”, and it’s a device that works as a DI and a re-amp box with vintage UTC transformers.
Features
Little Labs Redeye 3D is visually compact and simple and doesn’t have too many buttons or inputs.
But surprisingly, it is packed with so many features that make simultaneous direct box and re-amping possible.
First looking at the re-amping features, Little Labs Redeye 3D has a unique monitoring feature where you can listen through the whole recording chain, starting from the DI to mic pre to DAW, to Redeye 3D and your guitar amp.
This smart feature saves a whole lot of guesswork in your re-amping process, and you even have the option to use the reamp or the front-panel instrument signal as a thru signal while using the DI model.
Being able to bypass the mic pre and DAW, and running DI and re-amping simultaneously is massively convenient and will make your level adjustments so much easier.
Not only that, Little Labs Redeye 3D has both phantom-powered hi-fi buffered inputs, and passive direct box inputs, which makes it a one-stop solution for re-amping and DI.
Verdict
Little Labs Redeye 3D is the ultimate DI and re-amping device that has the capabilities to process both phantom-powered signals and passive signals.
For professional engineers and musicians, Little Labs Redeye 3D will come in very handy as a re-amping device or a DI.
4. Radial X-Amp
The Radial X-Amp is an active re-amping device that lets you use a pre-recorded track from a line-level device to drive two guitar amplifiers or effect pedals simultaneously.
- An active re-amping device with 2 outputs
- Able to use pre-recorded tracks
- Isolated output for fewer ground loops
Overview
Radial X-Amp comes at a slightly higher price point than the previous Radial ProRMP, but this slight price increase is warranted as it has upgraded features and more creative uses.
With the same 14-gauge steel chassis they say it’s “impossible to torque the PC board”. I’m not too sure in what scenario a reamp box would be subjected to such abuse, but just in case you were so deeply unhappy with your guitar tone you wanted to launch it across your studio, it’s built to survive it.
It has that simple design and is still very portable but is packed with more features than the Radial ProRMP.
Features
Radial X-Amp is an active re-amping device with a 100% Class-A signal path, it is built with the famous Radial quality and is very much designed to be a workhorse.
The 100% Class-A signal path is specifically designed to best serve guitars, but it can work in a multitude of creative combinations in terms of re-amping.
A traditional method of using the X-Amp would be to record a dry track by using a DI and then to send the track from the recording device to X-Amp, and then finally to guitar amps or effect pedals.
But a more creative method would be to take pre-recorded guitar tracks and send them through various pedals and drive them up to two amps simultaneously. This will give you access to so many more tones and sounds from your dry track.
Some useful features that are added to the X-Amp are the balanced line-level input with an LED peak indicator, to ensure your levels are not too hot.
Other features include direct and isolated guitar amp outputs for minimum ground loops, 180-degree polarity reverse, and also dual ground lift options for noise-free re-amping.
Verdict
Radial X-Amp is a useful device if you need to reamp active signals, and it comes with quite a few useful tools and features to maximize your creativity.
5. Fredenstein ramDI
When it comes to re-amping, the Fredenstein ramDI is as streamlined as it gets.
- 2-in-1 reamp box with DI circuit
- Direct monitoring
- Streamlined re-amping/direct box process
Overview
The Fredenstein ramDI is another great alternative to the Little Labs Redeye, and it is a well-built re-amp/direct box with great audiophile-level components.
The labels are very clear and easy to read, and figuring out this device won’t be too hard even for first-time users.
Features
Fredenstein ramDI is made in Taiwan. It offers easy solutions for getting a dry guitar, bass, and keys tracks into your session and sending them out to amps and pedals for further tonal adjustments.
The great thing about the 2-in-1 reamp boxes with DI is that you can do all your recording and re-amping with just one device.
Fredenstein ramDI has a clearly-labeled front instrument-level ins and outs with independent level controls and has back line-level XLR in and out.
Verdict
Fredenstein ramDI is a great alternative to the Little Labs Redeye, and it is user friendly enough to be used by a first-time buyer.
Re-amp box vs direct box
Re-amp boxes and DI boxes are often confused with one another. After all, at first glance it seems like their functions are identical.
But like we mentioned in the beginning, their functionality is different and they work in opposite directions.
DI boxes are way more common and they are usually used for a wider range of instruments from guitars, keyboards, synthesizers, and basses, to vocals.
Even though re-amp boxes can also work for keyboards and basses, reamp boxes are mostly used for electric guitars.
Another big difference is that for the ideal re-amping process, you will need both the DI and the reamp box. So at the end of the day, DI boxes are more common and are an essential tool with or without the reamp box.
Can you use a DI to re-amp?
For the ideal re-amping process, you will need both a reamp box and a DI box. But technically, re-amping is still possible with just a DI box.
Re-amping with a DI box is more complicated and requires a passive DI box to do this as you need to reverse the inputs and outputs of a passive box.
But using a passive DI box to reamp will give your signal an unintentional boost.
Having an extra signal boost is something to take into consideration, and you will need to set the levels on your DAW and your amp accordingly.
So if you are attempting to use a passive DI box to reamp your guitar, make sure you are patient and take time to experiment with your passive DI box, your audio interface, and your preferred DAW to ensure everything is gain staged properly.
Summing Up
In this article, we looked at what re-amp boxes are and what they are used for. Plus we took an in-depth look into some of the best reamp boxes that are available in the market.
All five re-amp boxes have slightly different uses, so make sure to fully consider what instruments and sounds you are going to be re-amping, and then choose your re-amp box accordingly.