Sansamp BDDI masking your sound?

RedCoatMonster · #1 07-31-2009, 10:03 PM

Is it just me, or does the BDDI mask your basses tone a lot?

I play an NS2A w/ emgs and it seems to mask it, and Spectors have a very prominent tone to my ears.

Anyone else have this issue?

bongomania · #2 07-31-2009, 10:04 PM

Technically that is what it is supposed to do, that is its purpose.

RedCoatMonster · #3 07-31-2009, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Technically that is what it is supposed to do, that is its purpose.

LOL I know what you're saying, but what I meant is that with my other effects you can still tell Im playing a Spector, but not so much when Im using the BDDI.

Wow my question sounds strange now...thanks Bongo ha ha.

acleex38 · #4 08-01-2009, 12:49 AM

I'm with you. The main reason my Sansamp stays at home most of the time is because I like the sound of my bass and my amp and don't generally want to pretend I'm playing a p-bass through an SVT, which is what the BDDI tries to make everything sound like.

I like the sound a lot...for a lot of settings. I just like the sound of the amp and bass I actually own better. I've played with the blend knob but it still isn't getting the BDDI back on the board full time.

RedCoatMonster · #5 08-01-2009, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acleex38

I'm with you. The main reason my Sansamp stays at home most of the time is because I like the sound of my bass and my amp and don't generally want to pretend I'm playing a p-bass through an SVT

Thats what I was trying to say!

Can anyone suggest a good alternative? Maybe I should just get a tube pre eh? Or an Agro or something. My goal with the Sansamp was to warm(and dirty up) up my 700rbII a little cause I just cant afford a tube head or a hybrid.

I hate how the Sansamp doesnt let my bass' tone show through.

Jazz Ad · #6 08-01-2009, 02:50 AM

I agree, the color brought by the BDDI is a bit obnoxious.
I find it obnoxiously good.

RedCoatMonster · #7 08-01-2009, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

I agree, the color brought by the BDDI is a bit obnoxious.
I find it obnoxiously good.

Well I agree that it isnt a bad sound. It has made some basses Ive owned that were kinda "meh" sound nice.

Rav · #8 08-01-2009, 03:42 AM

I've always felt that the sansamp BDDI made really horrible basses sound pretty decent. Of course it also makes fantastic basses sound just "pretty decent".

YMMV

If you want an alternative that doesn't mid scoop and SVT-ize your sound try an alternative like maybe an Aguilar tone hammer or an EBS microbass or a radial bassbone.

-Rav

lowfreqtweak · #9 08-01-2009, 04:08 AM

Got a Sansamp TriAC a couple of weeks ago and I absolutely love this pedal. I played through a BDDI and was less than impressed. Sure it was a cool little pedal, but didn't quite give me the tone I craved. It made my low end a bit too boomy for my tastes.

I bought a used TriAC online for something around $110 and it does everything I need. I have a "clean" channel that I use most of the time, and a channel for when I need that grindy, ballsy, in-your-face tone.

Another thing I love about the TriAC is that even though it's voiced for guitar, there is NO loss of low end. And I couldn't really care less about the eq voicings on the pedal since I have one on my amp and a 2-band active one on my bass.

One advantage I think people overlook on the three channel pedals is that you can move the knobs, then just press the channel to go back to your settings. From what I hear the BDDI knobs are very sensitive and interactive, and should you bump something mid-song, its nice to have your settings at your feet instead of bending down to turn knobs on the BDDI.

Just my 2 cents.

dannybuoy · #10 08-01-2009, 04:50 AM

When set correctly, the VT Bass can be pretty transparent with a flat EQ. I'd give this a try as a more natural sounding alternative to the BDDI.

RedCoatMonster · #11 08-01-2009, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rav

I've always felt that the sansamp BDDI made really horrible basses sound pretty decent. Of course it also makes fantastic basses sound just "pretty decent".

YMMV

If you want an alternative that doesn't mid scoop and SVT-ize your sound try an alternative like maybe an Aguilar tone hammer or an EBS microbass or a radial bassbone.

-Rav

Yeah thats how I feel.

Ill keep an eye out for those, thanks for the replies thus far. Its good to see that its not just me not knowing what Im doing lol.

ga_edwards · #12 08-01-2009, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

When set correctly, the VT Bass can be pretty transparent with a flat EQ. I'd give this a try as a more natural sounding alternative to the BDDI.

Call me an idiot, but if you want it to be transparent, then why use it?

RedCoatMonster · #13 08-01-2009, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ga_edwards

Call me an idiot, but if you want it to be transparent, then why use it?

Well by transparent Im assuming he means that the unique tones of the bass are still evident and pronounced, while having added grit, hair, what have you.

stflbn · #14 08-01-2009, 06:34 AM

MXR M80 is also a clean and transparent and affordable option.

I also am a person who does not at all get into the character that the BDDI's impose on your tone. I've got suckered into trying them several times and always end up with the same 'ehhhhh' feeling after having them around.

VT-bass is a different beast though.

.

gillento · #15 08-01-2009, 10:20 AM

I keep the Blend pot at +/- 30%

lowendblues · #16 08-01-2009, 10:29 AM

Try a Sansamp Para-Driver. Much better than the BDDI.

At least I think so.

Im a sock · #17 09-13-2009, 08:06 AM

Yay for rehashing old threads!

Anyway I've been fiddling around with my BDDI lately because like the rest of you I've been unsatisfied with the sound... I'm trying to use it to enhance my sound vs a crunch pedal, which is what i had been doing.

What I found works well is to plug it into the effects loop section of my amp and blend the sounds (20-30% BDDI, 70-80% original) and I'm getting some pretty gnarly sounds. This can also be accomplished with the Blend knob as well, I believe.

acleex38 · #18 09-13-2009, 09:18 AM

My BDDI just made it back onto my pedal board after over a year off. I yanked it because of exactly the reasons cited in this thread. I FINALLY found a setting that didn't complete destroy my own tone, but still gave me something worth the pedal-board space - no surprise, the blend knob was key. I have it set at about 9o'clock. But even then, I'm only using it for songs where I want something fairly different from my normal tone and don't feel like swapping basses.

ShavedHippie · #19 09-13-2009, 09:24 AM

I have lately been using the "fliptop" setting (bass and treble all the way down, presence at noon) and I've found it to be very transparent, but warm. All my basses are passive, though, so that might have something to do with it.

MIJ-VI · #20 09-13-2009, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedCoatMonster

Well by transparent Im assuming he means that the unique tones of the bass are still evident and pronounced, while having added grit, hair, what have you.

Correct indeed.

When my VT Bass is set flat & clean (VT Bass frequency response plots) my MIJ Fender VI sounds like a Fender VI and nothing else.

When EQ is applied (with the VT's flat setting as a starting point) it sounds like a 'VI with EQ applied.

The key is to keep the CHARACTER knob (which is pretty much a variable mid-scoop which can boost as much as it cuts) at its flat point (noon-ish).

This being said, I'd expect that the Para Driver DI might be more transparent than the VT Bass because it may not have the VT's speaker simulator mimicking an 8x10 cab's somewhat limited frequency response.

None the less, for E-tuned bass guitars & electric basses, the VT Bass can sound quite transparent.