Sansamp Bass DI

Mastodude · #1 02-06-2011, 12:42 PM

I've been thinking about getting one of these since I can't afford a large bass amp and quite a few of my favorite bassists get some really great distorted tones with these. I play in a Jazz band where I just use a clean signal, but I also play Funk, Metal, and Rock where I might need a little or a lot of crunch. Would you guys recommend this for me?

walker rosewood · #2 02-06-2011, 01:14 PM

Keep in mind that the sansamp is only a pre-amp. You still need a power amp and speaker, or a PA to run through. For a clean jazz tone you might also consider the Eden WTDI for $150. Same concept, but it's Eden tone instead of Ampeg tone, and more controls. (it has a mid knob, and a compressor)

Mastodude · #3 02-06-2011, 03:44 PM

I was talking about playing through a PA. Is the Overdrive on the Eden any good?

Crystalman85 · #4 02-06-2011, 04:04 PM

The tech 21 sansamp bass driver has tube-emulated sounds. there are other distortion pedals that can give you more crunch. the mxr m80 would be a good choice for that. there's also the tech 21 xxl bass edition distortion pedal, the ebs metaldrive, and the darkglass bk3 bass overdrive pedal. these pedals can deliver as much crunch as you want to your rig.

walker rosewood · #5 02-06-2011, 05:30 PM

I don't have personal experience with the Eden, but after reading about it I think it would be easier to get a 'jazzy' tone with, and you should add it to your list. There's a good thread about it here: Eden WTDI Direct Box/Preamp

sounds like there's plenty of gain to be had on the WTDI. I would think the additional eq controls and compressor would make it easy to dial in a good crunch too.

Don't get me wrong, the BDDI is great too. I have the programmable version and I love it. See if you can try out both units at a GC or something.

GM60466 · #6 02-06-2011, 05:32 PM

I have two. I love 'em. Lots of tone variations in a small package.

Chowowbus · #7 02-06-2011, 06:27 PM

I think a sansamp would be perfect for your situation. Sansamps do have a definate sound to them..find some clips of it for sure before you plop down the cash to get one. There are a lot of folks who buy one and then sell them because they dont like how the tone is colored. I own a sansamp BDDI and use it in conjunction with other pedals..I have not played with an Eden but they look really cool. Good luck with your decision.

mozarwasagenius · #8 02-06-2011, 06:31 PM

The BDDI is a great pedal and I recommend it as well as the para driver DI from Tech 21.

However, if you can, you might want to try the MXR M80 which is my personal favorite.

There are many other pedals to consider but those are the ones that I have experience with.

Medford Bassman · #9 02-07-2011, 09:42 AM

just remember to use the BLEND knob. To me, that is the secret of great tone with the BDDI

4001 · #10 02-07-2011, 09:51 AM

I use a Sansamp BDDI with my Moog Tarurs pedals.

caeman · #11 02-07-2011, 09:57 AM

I recently read a review of the DDyna Bass 10. Compressor, EQ and an overdrive channel. Expensive, but sure sound purdy.

Joe_K · #12 02-07-2011, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Medford Bassman

just remember to use the BLEND knob. To me, that is the secret of great tone with the BDDI

+1. If you find the Sansamp tone to be a bit too aggressive, or its drive too biting, or the MIDs too scooped, dial back the blend until its good for you. On my Programmable BDDI, only 1 of the 3 settings has blend up all the way (the one where I dialed in a more hi-fi scooped sound that I also happen to play with a pick). The rest, blend is set below 12 o'clock (including my heavy grinding distortion setting).

Mastodude · #13 02-07-2011, 06:53 PM

Does anyone know where I could find/request a sound comparison of the Sansamp and the MXR80? I couldn't find one on YouTube.

judas jedermann · #14 02-08-2011, 05:43 AM

You might also want to check Hartke bass attack. It is very similar to Sansamp BDDI but only half the price. Hartke´s EQ can not be bypassed but if you are looking for always on device then it isn´t necessarily a problem.

Mastodude · #15 02-08-2011, 09:53 AM

From what I've heard, I'm not really a fan of the Hartke. I've really liked the sound of the Sansamp, but I'm not sure about the M80. I'd like to at least find a demo of the M80 where they show you the full range of the M80 so I can figure out if I can get the sounds I like out of it. I should probably go try them out, but I don't know if my local stores carry them.

Nephilymbass · #16 02-08-2011, 12:49 PM

I have the RBI and its great. It actually use it instead of the preamp on my SWR head. If you want a somewhat dirty but really thick sound just crank the gain a bit and use the blend knob to blend in some of your clean direct bass tone. It helps keep it from being to fuzzy like most distortion and fuzz pedals, and also keeps low end and definition in there by blending in the unaltered sound. The RBI does have less gain/distortion than the bass driver pedal. But whats also cool about the RBI is you can run any distortion or any effects for that matter in the effects loop and still blend in your dry sound with the blend knob where But if you run a pedal in-front of it, both the Sans Amp sound and the dry nonequalized sound will have distortion on them making it much thinner sounding.

My band opened for Taproot this past Wed and Phil was using a Sans Amp PSA sounded great. I might get one when I have the cash.

One thing I'd also like to say though is no matter which one you get don't plug the output of the sans amp into the front of your head. That is running two pre amps into each other. I run the sans amp out to the effects return in on my SWR head and its awesome.

pbass62 · #17 02-09-2011, 07:07 AM

Here is a video link for the MXR M80

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGT9IVvR8sM

Love the M80

pbass62 · #18 02-09-2011, 07:12 AM

And another

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxASe0uFmlU

Spleenface92 · #19 04-09-2011, 12:15 AM

YouTube - Take The Power Back (Rage Against The Machine Bass Cover)

Ignore the spazzy bass playing, that tone is all the BDDI. (yes, that's me). The alembic's controls are all flat, pan set in the middle.

voronfly · #20 04-11-2011, 02:52 AM

I used to own Hartke and i am regretting i sold it. It is very very good pedal. Even now when i have Sansamp, M80 and VT i am missing hartke. However, pedals which meant to be preamps cannot be proper overdrives or distortions. Personally i never liked Sansamp's or Hartke's "tubish" overdrive. Probably the reason was that i was exactly trying preamp to be overdrive. Best crunchy stuff i ve heard so far is Tech21 VT bass, and the best thing about it is very good in both OD and sort of creating the preamp sound. I d say try VT bass.