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Vocal and instrument processors

Radial HDI - Studio-Grade Direct box with Transformer saturation, line output

Product Code: RA-HDI

Brand
Radial Engineering
RRP $2,099.00
*Recommended Retail Price may not be a true representation of the market price
 
Unit of Measure
EACH

 
3 Year
Features
UPC 6 761010 4497 9    Radial Part No.
R800 2025
Technical Specifications
Brands Radial Engineering
Product type DI boxes
  • Details
  • Downloads
  • Ordering

High Definition Studio Direct Box

The HDI is a studio-quality direct box designed to create exceptional recordings with any instrument, utilizing premium Jensen transformers and a unique Color control that provides an entirely new yet familiar-sounding sonic palette to experiment with.

  • Dial in an amazing tone within seconds
  • Blend from ultra-clean to amp-like distortion
  • Smooth Opto compressor for peak reduction
  • Mic and line-level outputs
  • Oversized custom-wound Jensen transformer

Instant Gratification

Despite the complex circuitry housed within the unit, the HDI has an elegant set of controls that allows the musician or engineer to dial up a record-ready sound with a minimal amount of tweaking required. The Level control drives the inputs of the HDI with instant visual feedback from the responsive front panel meter, while the Color knob provides seamless blending between an ultra-clean tone and amp-style distortion and saturation, so you can add just the right amount of character and grit to your instrument. A smooth Opto compressor can be engaged to control the peaks of the input signal, and a High-Pass Filter clears up any excessive low frequencies added by the Color control. Lastly, a Presence control accentuates the highs and high-mids, providing the ability to cut through the mix with results that are sure to impress.

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Looks and Personality

With its gunmetal anodized 1/4" thick milled front panel and distinctive styling reminiscent of classic outboard studio equipment, the HDI is sure to turn heads in any recording space. A custom output meter provides a level check at a glance, with oversized chrome knobs for precise adjustments and easy tweaking on-the-fly. The HDI is a stunning standalone unit, but it also comes complete with mounting hardware to install in standard 19" equipment racks. One or two HDI's can be installed side-by-side in a 2RU rack space, and like all Radial products, they are built with rugged components and designed to easily withstand the rigors of concert touring.

Behind the Design

While the HDI is incredibly easy to use - requiring only a few seconds to achieve great-sounding results - both the design philosophy and the under-the-hood processes at work are anything but simple. Click here to read an interview with the HDI's designer, W.C. "Hutch" Hutchison for an in-depth look at how the HDI came to be and what makes its circuitry so unique.

HDI Applications

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Using the HDI alongside an amplifier

Record bass directly from the HDI while also feeding the unbuffered Thru output to a mic'd up amplifier to blend the two signals together. The HDI sounds so good on its own you just might mute the amp track altogether.

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Using the HDI on acoustic guitar

The HDI pairs well with any instrument - with acoustic guitar it can add additional body and character that other direct boxes may lack. Take the line-level XLR output directly to your recording interface to bypass the need for any additional preamps in the signal path.

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Using the HDI Processed Output

The HDI can be simultaneously used as a DI and as an instrument preamp, providing additional gain, saturation, and distortion before feeding the affected signal through to a clean amp or an amp modeling system.

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Using the HDI with modular synthesizers

A dedicated Synth Input has a lower sensitivity to accommodate the hot outputs of modular synths or even other studio outboard equipment, allowing you to use the HDI to process any instruments or tracks you can think of.

 

Product Documents

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ORDER PROCESSING

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    • Orders received before 12:00 PM (midday) will be processed for same-day shipping.
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We ship using Mainfreight & Bascik for Screens and NZ Post for all other orders. We deliver New Zealand-wide to residential, business but do not ship to PO box addresses.

FREIGHT CHARGES

Standard Orders:

    • Orders valued over $250 ex GST: Freight-Free (excluding bulky or palletised items)
    • Orders valued under $250 ex GST: Flat shipping fee of $20.00 ex GST applies

Dropship Orders:

    • An additional $20.00 ex GST fee applies for all drop ship orders

Bulky Items, Fragile Freight & Palletised Orders:

    • Projection Screens: $30 per screen (nationwide)
    • Newline Displays: $150 per panel (nationwide)
    • Primacoustic Products: $30 per order (nationwide)
    • Palletised Orders: $30 per pallet (nationwide)
    • Special Requests or Priority Shipping: Additional $50 surcharge (ex GST)

Note: For all bulky, fragile & palletised orders, please include the following information when placing your order, failure to do so may result in a redelivery fee:

    • Name: of the person receiving the order
    • Email address: for the contact receiving the shipment
    • Phone number: of the contact receiving the shipment

ESTIMATED SHIPPING TIMES

    • Auckland (Metro): Next-day delivery (excluding rural areas)
    • North Island: 2-3 business days (excluding rural areas)
    • South Island: 3-5 business days (excluding rural areas)
    • Special Requests/Priority Services: Additional $50 surcharge (excluding GST)

Bulky Items & Palletised Orders: (Screens, Primacoustic, Bulk Shipping)

    • Auckland (Metro): Next-day delivery (allow up to 2 days)
    • North Island: 2-3 business days
    • South Island: 3-5 business days (depending on location)

Displays & Sensitive Freight: (Newline panels & large fragile items)

    • Auckland (Metro): 2 business days (allow up to 5 days)
    • North Island: 4-5 business days
    • South Island: 3-5 business days (depending on location)

IMPORTANT NOTES

    • Delivery times are estimates and may vary depending on courier schedules, remote locations, and public holidays
    • Rural areas may experience longer delivery times
    • Special requests, priority handling, or additional services will incur an extra $50 ex GST surcharge
    • Amber Technology reserves the right to alter freight charges at any time in response to changing market conditions or circumstances Amber deems to be exceptional

TRACKING

We will email the tracking number for your shipment shortly after it’s been despatched. If you have any questions regarding shipping, please Contact Us.

WARRANTY

Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the New Zealand Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure. All items purchased from Amber Technology will be covered under warranty. The duration and terms of this warranty are specified by the manufacturer unless otherwise stated. Warranty information is available on the individual product listings on this site. Refurbished items will include a 12-month warranty unless otherwise stated. For warranty repairs for all brands, please download our Service Form and email to service@amber.co.nz. An RMA number will be issued for the repairs to commence. Do not send stock before receiving an RMA number. Further instructions will be emailed to you following receipt of the form.

STOCK AVAILABILITY

The availability of stock is communicated via the indicator of each product listing page.

    • Available - means that reasonable stock is in our warehouse, ready for immediate shipment.
    • Limited Stock - means that we have only a small number of items in stock.
    • Out of Stock - means this item is currently unavailable for immediate shipment - orders placed for "Out of Stock" items will be fulfilled as soon as replacement stock arrives.
    • Special Order – These products are not generally kept in stock in New Zealand. Lead times vary depending on country of origin, manufacturer stock levels, factory production schedules, and/or incoming shipment transit times. Please contact us for an estimated lead time.
    • In Stock at Supplier - This status indicates the item is not currently in our New Zealand warehouse, but is available from our Australian supplier. This means the product can be sourced and delivered faster than a standard 'Out of Stock' item. The ETA will generally be shorter, making it a viable alternative to waiting for restock from international suppliers.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Please visit the Contact Us page to find out how to get technical support for your product.

RETURNS

Please Contact Us if you have received an item which has been damaged in transit or is otherwise not working correctly when you receive it. Subject to availability, we will arrange for a replacement item to be despatched and for the faulty item to be returned to us.