I don’t know about RIP specifically, but passive DIs commonly attenuate by 20db, which is more than what you’d generally want for converting modular levels to line, which is maybe 6db? The amount of boost you’re adding is in line with these numbers.

Ahh thank you thank you. Makes sense then

Relatedly, I sometimes have trouble getting good levels when going straight through the PAs at venues – does using RIP negate the need for a DI box? Am I basically attenuating the signal twice by going into a DI box?

What should I be asking the sound folks to provide me to get the best sound quality/level ?

It was my understanding that RIP is a passive DI box, I don’t think you should need to go through another one if you’re using RIP

3 Likes

Hello RIP users. I have picked up a DIY RIP recently and have a question about the RIP. I know you are supposed to use TRS cables when outputting the signal from RIP. What if you are inputting a line level into RIP from a guitar pedal rig? Should you use TRS cables in that circumstance as well?

[edit: disregard, see Trent’s info below]

AFAIK: TRS is required, but you don’t need signal on both lines. Use half an insert cable if you have a strictly-TS source. You may experience 6dB lower volume output. TS doesn’t work because if you ever short tip and ring together then the balun transformer might cancel the signal entirely.

1 Like

I’m going to disagree here. TS cables should work fine. The Ring will just be grounded which is, in this case, equivalent to floating. A TS shorts ring to shield, not tip to ring.

The real reason is that most guitar pedals require a TS cable in their output jack. Using a TRS cable, many pedals won’t turn on.

7 Likes

I found an surprise use for RIP today: You can really boost the noise from your powersupply if you want to diagnose the character of noise from digital modules to your power supply. :laughing:

7 Likes

If you use a 1/4"-to-1/8" cable, could you double up and get 20dB gain? :open_mouth:

If you are going straight from your rack into the house system, no other DI needed.

I would pick up some long (~25’) TRS to XLR-M cables and you can go right into their stage snake / box from wherever you are on stage

The sound engineer will thank you :sunglasses:

1 Like

I’ve been considering adding a DIY RIP next to my XOH before the audio goes out to my Zoom H6. I’ve never really heard any A/B examples of audio “lifted” by RIP and I’m wondering if someone can send me some quick examples so I can determine if RIP might be right for me. For what it’s worth, my modular setup is heavily populated by Make Noise and I’m a sinusoidal drone lover, so any examples with that in mind would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, friends!

The lift switch simply solves the problem of 60 cycle hum/buzzing if you’re having grounding issues.

Maybe you’re curious about the sound of driving the iron cores?

4 Likes

Yeah, I think maybe I misunderstood what the lift was doing. I guess my curiosity is about the saturation added to the sound, and I thought lift had something to do with that. Am I also wrong in assuming that I wouldn’t be able to achieve the saturation without feeding some other CV into it, and thereby sacrificing one of the inputs to that? I thought I would be using it to saturate my left and right channels before they go into the recorder, but I think my understanding of the module is entirely incorrect now.

i think “adding cv” to the inputs to drive saturation, is just adding a bit of offset to both channels before they go into rip. no need to sacrifice an input :slight_smile:

2 Likes

I saw that NW2S now has a couple transformer eurorack i/o modules available…

As @Justmat is saying, you mix an offset with your signals that are going into the inputs of RIP. This can be done passively if you want, with stackables or a mult.

Just wanted to share a new technique I’ve recently discovered.

After pulling the scope out, I realized when I tried to push modular levels on RIP harder with my VCA beforehand, I was clipping a bit at the rails. I decided to see if I could step up running into one 1/4" and the scope confirmed it…you can get some very high amplitude signals doing this without clipping. I then ran back into RIP with a patch cable connecting the 3.5mm inputs and the out of the 2nd 1/4" jack.(so stepping back down and hitting that 2nd transformer hard) I did some A/B’ing between straight from the modules and then out of my RIps and I feel like you get a very thick sound doing this, recommend trying it.

4 Likes

Interesting, but let me make sure I have this right. You started with-

Modular>vca>rip 1/8

and changed to-

Modular>rip 1/4>rip 1/8

Is that right? Thanks!

1 Like

Modular -> rip 1/4 (1) -> (rip 1/8 1 -> 2 patch cable) -> rip 1/4 (2) -> to your interface or whatever.

EDIT: I know there is normaling with RIP…that patch cable may be redundant, not 100% sure how the normalization works in this config.

1 Like

Ok, cool-will have to try that. I have a second rip originally built for quad performances, but it could be used to process a stereo signal the way you described. Thanks!