Want to jump in to the gritty details of what makes the Canvas D.I. & Line Isolator tick (or eliminate potential tick, if you will)? Check out this deep dive with Colt and Jason.
“The Canvas is a Line Isolator and a Direct Input (D.I.) box all in one unit, built in the same cast aluminum enclosure that we use for our other pedals to make it bullet proof* and compact.”*Despite exhaustive testing at the peril of many Walrus team members, we have definitively concluded that the Canvas does not, in fact, stop bullets.
Why do you need a Line Isolator or D.I. box?
In short, the unbalanced signal traveling through your instrument cable is vulnerable to picking up noise en route to its destination, and that vulnerability increases the greater the distance your cable travels. The balanced signal traveling through an XLR cable isn’t vulnerable to picking up this signal noise, which makes the Canvas perfect for transforming your signal to a balanced output for long runs to the front of house or for keeping unwanted noise out of your chain on the way to a recording interface.
What’s the difference between a Line Isolator and a D.I. box?
While both take an unbalanced signal from your 1/4” instrument cable and make it a balanced signal using a transformer (or two transformers for each option in the stereo model), a line isolator uses a transformer that’s a low impedance input as opposed to a D.I. which uses a transformer that's a high impedance input.
A line isolator is great for a lot of active electronics, like the ACS1 Amp + Cab Sim or a keyboard that has a low impedance output, allowing you to retain a better signal without the need for additional preamp gain on the balanced XLR output. A D.I. reduces the signal by -20dB (or -35dB with pad engaged) which works well for high output electronics like your electric guitar or bass that you don’t want to load down and change the output tone, and for hot signal electronics that can benefit from a reduction in signal and volume before the signal heads to the front of house or recording interface.
What makes the Canvas special?
The Canvas was designed with players in mind. We didn’t just fit the case around the technology, we fit the tech into a footprint that makes sense in the context of the rest of your rig. The Canvas is designed to remove any resistance between you and your audience by giving a pristine sonic foundation to build your masterpiece upon. It combines the options and features you need as a working musician without unnecessarily complicating your setup.
See the Complete Feature List of the Stereo and Mono Canvas Line Isolator & D.I., Or if You're Ready