Strymon PCH X1 Active DI Isolator

Putting a typical direct box on a high quality analyzer can reveal all manner of hidden issues - units sold as premium often exhibit audio behavior that is anything but, especially in the low frequency region or in measured total harmonic distortion. If you disregard all of the technical mumbo jumbo it just boils down to this: the audio running through your direct box is often being treated poorly.

The phantom-powered and transformer-isolated PCH X1 active direct interface is different. Designed to be pristine-sounding before any other feature, this is a unit that you can trust implicitly to handle your audio, no matter what kind of signal it is. Other direct boxes can distort low frequencies to the point where a low B on a bass guitar barely resembles the input, but the PCH X1 remains flat from far lower than that (10Hz) to well above what dogs can hear (80KHz) within a half of a db, as well as remaining clean and quiet throughout that range.

Along with pristine audio, PCH X1 was designed with a host of real-world features that makes it ideal as a direct interface and line isolator. Housed in a bulletproof 3mm extruded aluminum chassis for protection, it doesn’t matter if you’re using it on a loud stage or in a quiet world-class recording studio, X1 balances your audio perfectly - and it's small enough to fit just about anywhere.

Each channel’s audio passes through a custom transformer, eliminating most ground loops and offering true galvanic isolation. Each unit also features a ground lift switch per channel to combat hum, as well as a three position high pass filter that allows you to roll off low frequencies at two different points: 80Hz for taming rumble, and 240Hz for more dramatically carving out space in the mix for low frequencies on other instruments.

The X1 features a non-buffered Thru output in addition to the balanced XLR out, allowing you to feed the input signal to an additional device like an onstage monitor or instrument amplifier separately from the balanced output.

Custom audio transformer per channel
Runs on phantom power (each channel requires power)
Ground Lift Switch per channel
Three-position high pass filter on each input
Defeatable Sum feature merges the Left and Right inputs and sends them to the Left outputs
Extremely flat frequency response
Extremely low total harmonic distortion (THD)
Thick 3mm extruded aluminum shell with 5mm ribs for bulletproof protection
Shell awning design protects switches while allowing easy access
High quality long life jacks and switches

2 MΩ Input Impedance
+20.5 dBu Max Input Level
100 Ω XLR Out Output Impedance
-20dB Gain Relative to Inputs
+0.5dBu Maximum Output Level
-123 dBu Noise Floor

Dimensions: 1.54" (H) x 1.97" (W) x 3.66" (L)
Weight: 0.9 lbs.