10 Best Reamp Box Devices [Review & Buying Guide]

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When it comes to recording studios, versatility is the key ingredient for success. In order to meet every demand, studios have to be very flexible and efficient. Many professional audio engineers use reamping in order to push the flexibility of their studios even further. So in this article, we will help you choose the best reamp box for your studio.

Radial ProRMP is one of the best reamp boxes on the market for those looking for a passive reamp box. On the other hand, the Radial EXTC-SA is an active reamp box that gets a lot of praises for the same reason. Both are industry standards that won’t disappoint.

Best Reamp Box Devices Reviews

ART Dual RDB

Pros

Two-channel input
20 Hz – 20 kHz frequency range
Very reasonable price

Cons

A bit bulky design

See price @ Sweetwater / @ Amazon

Best features and specs

ART Dual RDB is a reamping DI box that offers you 2 separate channels with XLR and 1/4″ TRS inputs and output with a full frequency range of 20 Hz – 20 kHz. To prevent any unwanted distortions, there are two ground loop isolating transformers.

User impressions

Users agree that ART Dual RDB is a high-quality device and is really a no-brainer for such a price. It provides you with a top-shelf reliable sound and it doesn’t color the sound and doesn’t need a power supply. Users are quite impressed that ART Dual RDB has 2 channels with gain and polarity switches.

What we think

Although ART Dual RDB is a very useful and convenient tool, it’s hardly going to be the prettiest tool in your studio. One might argue that it doesn’t have to be in the first place. But we believe that aesthetics matter.

Bottomline

Apart from its rather bulky design, ART Dual RDB is a perfect choice for any recording studio. Considering its reasonable price and the ability to record two separate instruments simultaneously, it’s hard to find a reason not to have one.

Radial ProRMP

Pros

Doesn’t require additional power

Cons

Only one single channel

See price @ Sweetwater / @ Amazon

Best features and specs

Radial ProRMP is a very simple and robust reamp DI box. Since it’s completely passive, you don’t need any additional power source to fire it up. The custom-built transformer will prevent ground loops and eliminate hum.

User impressions

Users like Radial ProRMP for its size, clarity of the signal, and amazing simplicity of the setup. Users admit that Radial ProRMP gives a perfect tone representation, and it removes ground loops.

What we think

Radial ProRMP is orange, which is kind of awesome because it lowers the chance of you stepping on one if it lays on the floor. But even if you did, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal since this thing is made of 16 gauge steel and was built to last.

Bottomline

Radial ProRMP is a perfect choice for audio producers who are looking for a very reliable and extremely robust passive reamp DI box. And since it is very reasonably priced, nothing prevents you from ordering a bunch of those.

Fredenstein ramDI

Pros

Direct monitoring
Separate level controls for IN and OUT

Cons

Requires a power source

See price @ Sweetwater / @ Amazon

Best features and specs

Fredenstein ramDI is a very simple and elegant reamp box with a direct monitoring control and separate level adjustments both for input and output. It is built like a military-grade appliance and has simply astonishing sound quality.

User impressions

Users say that Fredenstein ramDI has a cool feature of direct monitoring of the guitar input straight through to the amp. Also, gain control, and impedance selection features help to control the level of the guitar.

What we think

The best thing about Fredenstein ramDI is its design. It’s a very minimalistic and elegant small box that wouldn’t attract any more attention than is needed. It wouldn’t stand out much in your studio, and even if it did, it wouldn’t cause any cognitive dissonance.

Bottomline

Fredenstein ramDI is a perfect choice for audio engineers who are looking for a very simple reamp box with a very sleek design that doesn’t really stand out. It’s extremely intuitive to use, and the sound is extremely clear and clean.

Radial Reamp JCR 1

Pros

Passive
14-gauge steel construction

Cons

None that we know of

See price @ Sweetwater / @ Amazon

Best features and specs

Radial Reamp JCR 1 is a tiny but extremely capable reamp DI box with a clarity switch, mute button, and a noise-free output. It also has low and high pass filters, although you can’t engage them simultaneously.

User impressions

Users like Radial Reamp JCR 1 as it helps to get the right sound and feel. Users are fond of this reamp as it has 1/4″ and XLR inputs. Users note that Radial Reamp JCR 1 is a versatile device as it can be used to eliminate ground hum when sending an AUX feed to a mixing board for a PA.

What we think

We’ve been to quite a few recording studios, and in most of them, we’ve seen at least a couple of these tiny black boxes. Radial Reamp JCR 1 isn’t a feature-packed DI box, but it’s safe to say that it’s one of the most commonly used.

Bottomline

Radial Reamp JCR 1 is a perfect choice for audio producers who are looking for a very compact and extremely reliable reamp DI box with an option of low and high pass filtering.

DIYRE L2A Passive Re-Amplifier Kit

Pros

Extremely reasonably priced

Cons

DIY kit

See price @ DIYRE

Best features and specs

In order to use this reamp, you’re going to need to do some soldering first. This one is a DIY kit which means that you’re going to have to build it yourself from the ground up.

User impressions

Users agree that DIYRE L2A Passive Re-Amplifier Kit is a no-brainer as it has an adequate price and is fun and easy to build. It works flawlessly and provides you with a top-notch, crisp, and clean sound quality. Users add that due to its simplicity, it will be a perfect choice for beginners as it delivers exactly what is needed.

What we think

DIYRE L2A Passive Re-Amplifier Kit is a very wonderful thing for someone who wants to save some money and is vaguely familiar with soldering. The build takes about 30 minutes, and the price is half of its pre-built counterparts.

Bottomline

DIYRE L2A Passive Re-Amplifier Kit is a perfect choice for audio engineers who are up to the challenge of building a re-amplifier themselves. So if you’re not into those kinds of things, pass this one by.

Radial X-Amp

Pros

2 output channels

Cons

Requires additional power source

See price @ Sweetwater / @ Amazon

Best features and specs

Radial X-Amp is an active reamp box with 2 separate output channels which means that you can send one input into 2 separate amplifiers simultaneously. Which in turn opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

User impressions

Users say that Radial X-Amp is good in what it was created for. It has two outputs which are noted by users as a nice bonus. The quality of the sound is top-notch, no noise, no degradation, just a free-flowing signal. Ground lift removes all hum between balanced/unbalanced interfaces.

What we think

Although Radial X-Amp was intended as a reamp, you can also use it as a splitter for live gigs. Always dreamt of using 2 amps on a stage? Here is your chance. Just don’t forget to engage the ground loop switch on a second output channel.

Bottomline

Radial X-Amp is a perfect choice for audio producers who are looking for a very versatile and extremely robust reamp with 2 separate output channels. Although it’s not the cheapest on this list, it might be the one that would give you the most flexibility.

Radial EXTC-SA

Pros

Rather creative design

Cons

15 V DC power supply

See price @ Sweetwater / @ Amazon

Best features and specs

Radial EXTC-SA is a very creative re-amplifier that would let you send any signal through your guitar pedals. That being said, you can still use it as a conventional reamp. But where would be the fun in that?

User impressions

Users like Radial EXTC-SA as it has a straightforward design, it is extremely well built, and really easy to use. Users add that if you have a studio and like to experiment, you should definitely choose this one. It has transformer isolation to eliminate buzz and hum caused by ground loops which is a rather useful feature.

What we think

Radial EXTC-SA is a very interesting and unconventional tool since it helps you to do things that you normally wouldn’t want to do. Although there are quite a few audio engineers who use guitar pedals as a mixing tool, it still is a rather uncommon technique.

Bottomline

Radial EXTC-SA is a perfect choice for very open-minded audio engineers who like to experiment and try new things out. It’s a tool that you can do just fine without, but once you get it, you’re going to use it a lot. Just for fun, if anything.

Little Labs Redeye 3D

Pros

Optional 1U rack mount
Passive

Cons

None that we know of

See price @ Sweetwater / @ Amazon

Best features and specs

Little Labs Redeye 3D is a very capable reamp DI box with vintage transformers. But don’t get discouraged. Despite the transformers being vintage, this DI box gives you almost unprecedented clarity of sound. To extend its usability, it offers you direct monitoring and phantom-powered buffered inputs.

User impressions

Users agree that Little Labs Redeye 3D has greatly transformed their recording process as it works perfectly and has a top-notch build. This reamp adds dynamic and clarity to DI guitar and bass tracks.

What we think

We believe that things don’t have to be flashy and spaceship-level feature-packed to be good. Little Labs Redeye 3D is a very capable and reliable workhorse for day-to-day use, and that’s what matters. After all, you need your studio gear to be able to get the job done above anything else.

Bottomline

Little Labs Redeye 3D is a perfect choice for audio producers who are looking for a perfectly capable and very simple studio tool that they can rely on. The best part about it is that you can fit it with an additional rack mounting unit.

Little Labs PCP

Pros

Very powerful DI workstation

Cons

Pricey

See price @ Sweetwater

Best features and specs

Little Labs PCP is a very powerful rackmount workstation that can solve almost every imaginable connectivity problem. It also works as a signal splitter. With Little Labs PCP, you can split your guitar signal into up to 5 different channels.

User impressions

Users like Little Labs PCP as it is a unique device that can be used both in the studio and live gigs. It allows you to easily split off your signal in an endless variety of ways. Your signal can be sent out of 5 different outputs. Each of them has a variety of parameters, including phase reverse and ground lift. Little Labs PCP will maintain your signal without adding any noise or losing any sound quality.

What we think

At first glance, Little Labs PCP could seem to be a bit of overkill, but if you dig a little bit deeper, you can see that this thing was actually built with convenience in mind. It can solve almost any problem in your studio, even those that you don’t have yet.

Bottomline

Little Labs PCP is a perfect choice for audio engineers who prefer convenience above anything else and are looking for a very versatile and powerful studio tool that was made for ultimate reamping and splitting. You may find the price to be a bit excessive, but considering the functionality of this device, it’s totally worth the money.

Radial JX44 V2

Pros

1U rackmount unit
4 separate input and output channels

Cons

Pricey

See price @ Sweetwater / @ Amazon

Best features and specs

Radial JX44 V2 is a very powerful rackmount reamp and splitter with 4 separate input and output channels. And if that’s not enough, it lets you combine any input channel with any output channel. And since it has a separate DI output, the possibilities are truly limitless.

User impressions

Users say that Radial JX44 V2 is a great choice for those who are constantly performing live as it is made exactly for that purpose. It has a design that was well thought through as you can connect the instrument on the rear of the unit, as well as the front. Users note that all switching is silent and immediate without any unwanted disruption.

What we think

Radial JX44 V2 was clearly designed with live gigging in mind. But it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have its use in the studio. On the contrary, this might be one of the most useful tools that you could possibly put in your studio.

Bottomline

Radial JX44 V2 is a perfect choice for audio producers who are looking for an extremely versatile and highly usable reamp and channel splitter with a separate DI output. Despite that it’s on the pricey side, we believe it’s totally worth it since it could be the last DI box you would ever need.

Reamp Box Devices Buying Guide

Reamping is a process of sending the direct input signal into a different processing environment. More often than not, this technique is used for recording electric guitars, but it also has many other applications. For now, we will stick to electric guitars since this is the most common situation when reamping would be used.

For example, you want to record a very clean and unaffected DI input of your electric guitar in order to put this signal through the real amp or some sort of emulation. But at the same time, you want to get the response of the real overdriven amp so that your performance would be more authentic. This is where the reamp box would come in handy since it can split your signals in two without making you worry about the wrong impedance. Or you don’t want to overstress the guitarist by spending a lot of time tweaking the amp settings.

A reamp box will let you record a DI signal and an amp with whatever settings simultaneously. This will give you an opportunity to spend as much time as you like on editing and shaping the guitar tone without the need for the guitarist to be present. And since reamp boxes work both ways, you can send the DI signal through the amp and record it conventionally whenever you feel like it. So you can see a reamp box is a very convenient tool to have in your studio, but which one to choose? Not to worry, we are here to help you find the best reamp box for your studio.