Best preamp D.I pedal - Page 2

obsidianbass · #21 02-02-2013, 06:41 AM

I don't have a lot of experience with various preamps, but I took some advice from these boards and went with the VT deluxe. It sounds amazing, simulates an amp/cab which helps make my dirt pedal sound even better, has a great quality XLR DI, line out and parallel out, has a mid control

and has 6 presets (or 3 if you want to use 2 basses). Plus, it can be VERY clean or nice and dirty to everything in between. It really works well for me. YMMV.

RhynoRock · #22 02-02-2013, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

I eventually got the MXR M80. The dirt is kind of aggressive and pretty modern sounding, but I can dig it. The Color switch can make getting the right tones out of the two channels a head-scratcher. But overall, considering the DI, the EQ, the dirt, the build quality, the size, the reliability... It really seemed like the best choice.

I personally hated the M-80. I tweaked on that thing for days and couldn't get much more than a distortion pedal sound using all manner of settings. It's tuned ideally for bass, but I was after a tube, midrange growl more than grit, but that's just me.

This video shows pretty much the same result I got.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrj8EGe4aHY

fasto · #23 02-02-2013, 06:48 AM

the new Tech21 VT Bass D.I. ...

kellyrojo · #24 02-02-2013, 06:59 AM

Never leave home without my BDDI....BUT, I also never turn the drive past 12 because I never neeed a distirted tone. With drive around 12 and blend around 12 you get a nice tubey warm sound. All the suggestions here are good though!

plankspanker13 · #25 02-02-2013, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chumbo73

What about getting a clean tone in the VT bass? Every player I see playing it uses a distorted tone and I don't want that.

The VT Bass Deluxe is VERY versatile. I have a warm tube clean, a scooped clean, and a deep, dubby clean, and 3 flavors of dirt, as my 6 presets. 6 different tones at my feet, plus a Boss GEB-7, and my amp's EQ mean that I can get just about any tone that I need from a passive J-bass.

neadams · #26 02-02-2013, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fasto

the new Tech21 VT Bass D.I. ...

Yep, is was just unveiled at the NAMM show...

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazin...2.aspx?Page=2&

**mjac28** · #27 02-02-2013, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anarchyok

I got a 3Leaf Audio Enabler and it's fantastic! Worth having a look at!

I got one also and love it the Fodera preamp pedal would be fantastic but it doesn't have a DI but it is a 24v beast.

scottfeldstein · #28 02-02-2013, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neadams

Yep, is was just unveiled at the NAMM show...

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazin...2.aspx?Page=2&

Had this been on the market in December, I might not own the MXR today.

Leenibs · #29 02-02-2013, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inmate13

You all forgot hartke bass attack. I owned tech 21 stuff and this thing is closest to BDDI with mids for like 150€ less.

I could never get that thing to give me good tone with hiss.... I hated that pedal as long as I owned it.... Looking back could've been a bad pedal?

Leenibs · #30 02-02-2013, 10:48 AM

Without**** damn ac!

Bassist30 · #31 02-02-2013, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irvinz

You need two preamps I reckon, tone hammer for the metal and rock gigs, a 3leaf enabler for the jazz stuff!

Can you discribe the enabler

Bassist30 · #32 02-02-2013, 02:24 PM

This thing looks promising.

2milehighspike · #33 02-02-2013, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RhynoRock

I personally hated the M-80. I tweaked on that thing for days and couldn't get much more than a distortion pedal sound using all manner of settings. It's tuned ideally for bass, but I was after a tube, midrange growl more than grit, but that's just me.

This video shows pretty much the same result I got.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrj8EGe4aHY

I did'nt like it at first either, but it sits very well in a live mix, nice growling tone.

irvinz · #34 02-02-2013, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassist30

Can you discribe the enabler

It's a very musical 'Hi Fi' sounding preamp without being sterile

newbold · #35 02-02-2013, 08:34 PM

I think you'd have a great time with the Eden WTDI, as it has a compressor built in, a string EQ section and a range of tones available though all clean.

If you already have distortion on the floor it'll be well worth a shot.

That being said, I want a VTBass to run into my WTDI, just not at the tail end of my chain and not for dirt.

petrus61 · #36 02-02-2013, 09:25 PM

You can't go wrong with the ParaDriver or VTBass. Closest things out there to having a tiny tube amp at your feet and in many ways better, IMO. Best bang for the buck and very natural sounding. The MXR M-80 has more of a top end distortion that seems to somehow undermine the bottom, which is important. Great box for contemporary drive, kind of NIN type thing if you catch my drift.

scottfeldstein · #37 02-03-2013, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petrus61

The MXR M-80 has more of a top end distortion that seems to somehow undermine the bottom, which is important. Great box for contemporary drive, kind of NIN type thing if you catch my drift.

Maybe what you're trying to say is that it doesn't lose the bass? Mine certainly doesn't. But then I use quite a bit of clean blend in my settings. You're right about it being "top end" distortion. It's pretty fizzy, with a lot of presence and upper harmonic content.

irvinz · #38 02-03-2013, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petrus61

You can't go wrong with the ParaDriver or VTBass. Closest things out there to having a tiny tube amp at your feet and in many ways better, IMO. Best bang for the buck and very natural sounding. The MXR M-80 has more of a top end distortion that seems to somehow undermine the bottom, which is important. Great box for contemporary drive, kind of NIN type thing if you catch my drift.

VT bass is probably as far as natural sounding I reckon?

Pickebass · #39 02-03-2013, 01:11 PM

I've used, owned and tried just about all of them.

Aguilar tonehammer- sounds/feels most like an "amp" to make. Nice and full sounding throughout the spectrum. AGS is questionable

Paradriver- very neutral. Really like having the mid control. A great all around pedal

VT bass- truly an amped in a box! Everything you want out of an SVT without the weight!

BDDI- It always seems like more of an effect to me. Does add grind If you need it, but I've never liked it as a pre alone

EBS micro bass- Great "Swiss army" piece. Headphone,DI effects loop good EQ.

Eden WTDI- if you want the Eden thing this is the way to go. Didn't like the switching setup

Sadowsky DI- I like it a lot on a passive bass to give it an edge. Definitely gives your bass the sadowsky tone.

EBS valve drive it is a nice overdrive with a tube pre. Sleeper of a pedal.

MXR M80- great pedal. Truly the best bang for the buck. The distortion mode is more distortion than overdrive

My top choices are vt bass, Aguilar and microbass

chumbo73 · #40 02-03-2013, 07:59 PM

Is the VT Bass DI already available and what's the price?

I'm between that and the MXR DI+