Sansamp Bass Driver DI vs. Xotic Bass BB Preamp

[MicG]

Hey guys,

If anyone has some input on how these two pedals stack up against one another I'd appreciate it. Both seem to be around the same price and both seem to really great at preserving low end. I have searched and listened to videos of both on youtube and really like the gritty, SVT-like sound both these units can produce. I could take a trip to GC and test drive a Sansamp for myself (already a plus in my book due to availability) but not the Xotic, which sounds like the one of the best pedals to be produced in a long time. Also, the Sansamp has some extra features like the XLR and parallel out that intrigue me .

$200 is a lot of scratch for me to muster up for a pedal so i'm really trying to be thorough here when comparing. Apologies if this has been beaten to death. I would appreciate any input or guidance to previous threads regarding these two pedals. All this searching is driving me nuts!

[MicG]

Forgot to add that I'm also considering an EBS Valve driver...

[Eric!]

I prefer the BB.
Because of the XLR out, I feel like a Sansamp should go last in chain. Even in bypass, you get a bit of Sansamp character. And I could never really get the grit out of it that I wanted.
The BB is one of the best dirt pedals I've ever played (I've owned two..), and I'd highly recommend it just straight up overdrive.

[MicG]

Interesting you feel that the Sansamp should go last. Interesting to consider how that would affect my signal chain as I run a BBE Sonic Stomp dead last. Hmm, something else to consider.

[Eric!]

well why else would there be XLR? Intent on being a stand-alone box?
I'd personally like my tuner to have XLR out (like the strobo-'s do), if any pedal. Aaaanyway!

I see the Sansamp as more of an amp modeler, and the BB as overdrive (no clue why they label it "preamp"). I prefer amp modelers going last because, well, I don't really go for effects loops, so any other pedals into an amp modeler should be the same as any effects into the amp.

Maybe I'm awkward though.

[jmarnett]

I prefer the Sansamp, it had a warmer tone, I have the deluxe 3 channel with effects loop, the xotic just didn't seem to come alive like the sansamp does. but I am considering getting the xotic pedal for a second dirt sound.