The Radial Engineering HDI is a direct box designed to give you the colorful tone you want as quickly as possible. Use it on passive or active electric basses, electric guitars, or any mono instrument you wish to inject directly into the mixing console or house PA.

The HDI offers some of the connections you'd typically find on a DI box, such as a 1/4" to XLR I/O path with a 1/4" thru jack for outputing unaffected sound to an onstage amplifier. However, these have been expanded: you'll note the 3.5mm input for synths and auxiliary signals, a 1/4" processed output, and dedicated XLR outputs for mic and line signals.

Notably, the unit shines in the color options it provides. You'll find a Color control that offers subtle harmonic distortion not dissimilar to tube amplifiers; you can drive this control with the Level knob. Also, an Opto circuit with a fixed 6:1 ratio musically smoothes your levels. A high-pass filter can cut some of the lows out of your colored sound, eliminating mud from the harmonic distortion and leaving the unprocessed signal unaltered. Finally, a presence knob adds midrange grit to your signal. An IEC power cord is included.

For Electric Guitars & Basses    Hi-Z Control & Opto Compressor    Color Control, Presence & HPF    Parallel 1/4" Thru, XLR Line & Mic Out    3.5mm Synth Input & 1/4" Processed Jack    Included IEC Power Cord

The Hi-Z switch adjusts the input impedance at the 1/4" inputs for different tonal options when using instruments with passive pickups or piezo transducers. The lower position is 200 Kilohms and the higher position is 2 Megohms.

This 3-position switch controls an internal opto compressor circuit, providing smooth and natural dynamic control when the Color knob is set to the clean channel (7 to 12 o'clock range). The Opto LED will illuminate to indicate when gain reduction is being applied.

This control blends between an ultraclean DI channel (when turned fully counter-clockwise) and a unique distortion channel that adds transformer saturation and amp-like distortion as this control is turned clockwise. The Color control is also dependent on the Level control, which in this case can be viewed as a 'drive' control. There is an interesting and often useful range of colors depending on how high the Level control is turned up. Even with the Level control set quite low, the Color circuit still brings in some magic, albeit subtler.

A 3-position switch rolls off low frequencies to compensate for additional low-end content when applying distortion via the Color control. Note that this switch only affects signal that has been processed through the distortion channel of the Color control; the HPF does not affect the clean side of the HDI.

This adds emphasis to the high and high-mid frequencies. Fully counter-clockwise is flat; turn this control clockwise for an increasingly brighter sound.

Related Questions and Answers

Q: 1. What are the dimensions - width-wise - from end of camera to end of grip? How tall is the grip handle?

A: The Hasselblad 907X Control Grip lenght is 5.7/8''. If you do not have the optical eyepiece or the hot shoe accesory connected on top of the Hasselblad 907X Medium Format Mirrorless Camera the hight of the camera or hand grip is 3.5''.

Q: 2. Can this be mounted to the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens for Sony E?

A: The SmallRig Mini Matte Box Lite does not work because the Sigma 14-24mm lens does not have front filter threads for the Matte-Box to attach to. Also when using any matte box on a wide angle lens the wide angle view may be blocked.

Q: 3. Can you 2 stacked circular filters (ie..black pro mist and ND) at once with this matte box?

A: Yes. the following unit will work with Circular Filters up to 92.5mm

Q: 4. Does a 2mm-thick 4x5.65" filter fit in this tray?

A: Yes, The Smallrig Mini Matte-box will support 2mm filters. It supports 4 x 5.65" filters with up to 4mm thickness.

Q: 5. can you use 4x4 filters?

A: Yes, you can use 4x4 filters.

Q: 6. Does this work with the evoke 1200?

A: Yes. The Nanlite NANLINK Transmitter Box will work with the evoke 1200 systenm.

Q: 7. Can you connect the control grip to a tripod?

A: Yes it will connect to a tripod: Attaches via 1/4"-20 Mount

Q: 8. Can an L bracket to hold a flash use the attached Control Grip using the 1/4-20 mounting screw ?

A: The Hasselblad 907X Control Grip is designed for use with the Hasselblad 907X 50C Medium Format Mirrorless Camera. It would connect to the 1/4"-20 female tripod socket on the base of the camera. Unfortunately, it does not have a hot shoe designed to hold an external flash.

Q: 9. Does this come with the rod holders shown in the picture?

A: Yes it does! There's one on each side.

Q: 10. Can you use a step up ring? I have the Lumix 12-60 62MM and I have a 58mm ND filter. So it's 62 to 58. Will the Matte Box work?

A: Yes, it is possible to go from the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. POWER O.I.S. Lens which uses a 58mm filter thread, to a 58mm solid neutral density filter with front threading, to a Sensei 58-62mm Aluminum Step-Up Ring to mount the SmallRig Mini Matte Box Lite. Be sure you have the SmallRig Matte Box Adapter Ring Kit for Mini Matte Box (52/55/58/62/86-95mm) since the 62mm ring adapter does not come with the original matte box.