I agree. I've seen enough players botch up their sound with overly complicated "direct boxes". I've even demonstrated a couple of times that swapping theirs for a cheap tube preamp/DI like the ART Tube MP sounds better with less work.
Best regards,
John
The linked box was their most ambitious. There are two other models, each simpler with fewer suck knobs, but designed by the engineering staff to match up with the pickup thingee itself.
Me, I'd play a full out electric fiddle if I had to work in a band with amplified instruments. No messing around...solid body, plenty of signal, no feedback.