Sansamp PBDDI, VT bass or Para Driver

[saristi]

Hi guys.

I thinks it's time to get my first effect. I want an amp simulator and a drive, and sansamp has both of them.

I've read all the threads about sansamp and I can´t figure out which one suits best for me. It seems the VT bass sounds better than the PBDDI. However, I don´t know if the VT is as good for direct recording as the BDDI. I have read the BDDI doesn´t have good mid control, but has XLR output, although I'm not sure if I need it. On the other hand, the Para Driver has mid knob and XLR but it is not designed just for bass, so I'm not sure if the sound I can get from the Para is the same as the BDDI.

Some questions for you:
Can I get the same sounds with the VT that I can get with the PBDDI (Fat tube, Bassman, Svt, etc)?
How do you exactly use the XLR output?
Is the PBDDI better for recording and for playing live?
Does the Para sounds like PBDDI but with mid knob?
Do you think VT bass sound really better than the PBDDI? I think I can´t sacrifice the tone of the bass because of the XLR output.

I can´t try these pedals because I can´t get them in my country so I need your your experiences to take my decision.

My current gear is a G&L L-2500 bass and a Laney HCM 65 amp.

I need the pedal both for recording and playing live.

Please help me...

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by saristi

Some questions for you:
1. Can I get the same sounds with the VT that I can get with the PBDDI (Fat tube, Bassman, Svt, etc)?
2. How do you exactly use the XLR output?
3. Is the PBDDI better for recording and for playing live?
4. Does the Para sounds like PBDDI but with mid knob?
5. Do you think VT bass sound really better than the PBDDI? I think I can´t sacrifice the tone of the bass because of the XLR output.

I took the liberty of numbering your questions.

1. No
2. Plug it into a mixing board with a mic cable.
3. No.
4. Don't know.
5. Good call. The VT blows away anything Sansamp has ever made.

[René_Julien]

Well, I don't have any experience with the BDDI (or PBDDI), the VT or the ParaDriver.
But I myself have a ParaDriver on the way.

I chose the ParaDriver because:
- I need it for my double bass (live) also, and for other acoustic instruments (recordings). Also for recording my electric bass also.
- I don't need a drive pedal, grit, grind or amp simulation. I need a good amp though.
- I just need a decent multipurpose DI-box.

Judging from your OP your desires are very different from mine. So in your case leave that one.

Programmable, sounds interesting, but do you really need that? For recording purposes you're going to have to fiddle with the knobs anyway.

I hear people here raving about the VT. Especially because of the drive... and character.
Since you mostly desire an overdrive/ampsimulation effect that can be used as DI, I'm guessing this one is most suited for you.


I myself consider two SansAmp Character series for guitar (just recording, don't have guitar amp).

But how do those Character series work as DI? There is no XLR... right?
Can someone enlighten that? No info on Tech21 website.

[DosiYanarchy]

you just plug straight into the mixer with a regular guitar lead, the Character series have a massive amount of gain (output volume) on tap for this purpose. Most mixing desks have jack inputs, but live you might want to use a DI as well (I base this on my experience where most venues have DI boxes prepared on stage for band use)

The VT will give a higher range of tones, and although JIMMY M says you cant get the BDDI tones (SVT. BASSMAN, FAT TUBE), i dont think he's completely right, you can get a Great SVT tone, however it just might not sound so much like the BDDI version of the SVT, but probably more like a REAL SVT. Also, the FlipTop setting is killer.

I had the BDDI and I currently own the VTbass. The VT is killer, there are so many useable tones. As far as i know the Paradriver does what it says, but apparently doesnt sound that amazing for bass, but it does work.

Id say go for the VT

[René_Julien]

So the VT is not a DI?
But an ampmodeller/overdrive.

[tom once dead]

I love the tone of my PBDDI.

There is a simple way off getting around the no mid control. in the manuel it says that when the bass and treble are being cut, the mids are being boosted, when the bass and treble are boosted, the mid is scooped. Simple.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by C'thulhu

So the VT is not a DI?
But an ampmodeller/overdrive.

You can use it as a DI, but you need a 1/4" TRS-to=XLR to make it a balanced output.

And sorry, I read question 1 wrong. I thought he was asking the exact reverse...can you get the VT tones with the BDDI.

[ibnzneksrul]

Originally Posted by tom once dead

I love the tone of my PBDDI.

There is a simple way off getting around the no mid control. in the manuel it says that when the bass and treble are being cut, the mids are being boosted, when the bass and treble are boosted, the mid is scooped. Simple.

So do I.

I wish it were that simple but it's not. To my hearing, even with the bass and treble cut, there is still a bit of a mid scoop occurring with the BDDI, which can't be compensated for without a mid control.

That's one of the reasons why I have a VT Bass on order.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by ibnzneksrul

So do I.

I wish it were that simple but it's not. To my hearing, even with the bass and treble cut, there is still a bit of a mid scoop occurring with the BDDI, which can't be compensated for without a mid control.

That's one of the reasons why I have a VT Bass on order.

Well just bear in mind that if you're looking for upper mids, they live in the character knob, not the mid knob. The mid knob is centered at 500 hz. Anything from 700+ is from the character knob.

[ibnzneksrul]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Well just bear in mind that if you're looking for upper mids, they live in the character knob, not the mid knob. The mid knob is centered at 500 hz. Anything from 700+ is from the character knob.

Good to know.

So is the character knob somewhat similar to the presence knob on the BDDI?

[Gashaponcito]

Get a decent DI and the VT =D

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by ibnzneksrul

Good to know.

So is the character knob somewhat similar to the presence knob on the BDDI?

Been a while since I used a BDDI so I forget what the presence knob does.

[Low Key]

If mids are a priority, I would focus on the Para driver or the VT. I ended up selling the BDDI because I couldn't get my mids back regardless of how I EQ'd it.

[WoodyG3]

Presence is a high treble control kind of gizmo. It sort of sharpens up the high end, it also increases string and fret noise, of course.

I tried the Para Driver, but I couldn't get the same warm, tube emulation type of sound I can get from the BDDI. I like the BDDI a lot. In my set up, it warms things up, but also seems to make the notes clearer and more defined at the same time.

I suppose I should get a VT to check it out. I'd also like to try the Tone Hammer. I dunno',though, I really like the Sansamp BDDI. It would be hard to get me to change, I think.

[stflbn]

I have 2 vt-bass pedals and keep them set on different settings so I can swap between my main Modern bass sound, VT #1 and VT #2 during live sets.

However, I plan to grab an MXR M-80 as soon as I find one priced right to use as a backup to the DI on my NeoPak, and for when I don't need or use my NeoPak. Having the 2 VT's I find the M-80 more usable than the BDDi, etc would be for me.

[dannybuoy]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

You can use it as a DI, but you need a 1/4" TRS-to=XLR to make it a balanced output.

Sorry Jimmy, I don't think that's right. You could use a TRS to XLR cable if the VT Bass had a balanced TRS output socket, but as far as I know, it doesn't (it just has a mono jack output). The cable will work to carry the sound but it won't be using it as a balanced line. You need a DI box to convert it to a balanced signal, which carries both a 'positive' and 'negative' version of the signal down the same cable. This way, when the signal is summed within the mixer, any noise and interference that got added along the cable journey gets cancelled out.

Therefore, recording with the VT Bass is possible with just a jack cable, but keep the length as short as possible to reduce noise. In a live setting, with cables and potential interference everywhere and the mixer a the other side of the room, it's best to use a DI.

[bassninja7]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Been a while since I used a BDDI so I forget what the presence knob does.

brightens up the sound, if set higher....

and darkens the sound if set lower..

[MichaelVee]

Fronting a high quality passive DI box, like the Radial JDI, with the VT would be a very good setup. How many of you VT owners are doing that?

The JDI is an amazingly clear, Jensen transformer-based DI. However, with lower-output basses, it doesn't send a big, punchy signal to the mixer. With higher-end mixers and good soundmen, this isn't a problem. In one case when I played live, I fronted the JDI with my Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster to raise the signal, and that worked well. I can see the VT doing the same thing, but with the added bonus of the EQ shaping and the amp tone emulations.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

Sorry Jimmy, I don't think that's right. You could use a TRS to XLR cable if the VT Bass had a balanced TRS output socket, but as far as I know, it doesn't (it just has a mono jack output). The cable will work to carry the sound but it won't be using it as a balanced line. You need a DI box to convert it to a balanced signal, which carries both a 'positive' and 'negative' version of the signal down the same cable. This way, when the signal is summed within the mixer, any noise and interference that got added along the cable journey gets cancelled out.

Therefore, recording with the VT Bass is possible with just a jack cable, but keep the length as short as possible to reduce noise. In a live setting, with cables and potential interference everywhere and the mixer a the other side of the room, it's best to use a DI.

Hmmm...I wish I could find the manual but we just moved a couple weeks ago and the house is still in quite the disarray. And of course, Tech 21 doesn't have it online. But I could swear that you could use a TRS and make it balanced. If someone who has the manual could either confirm or correct me, I would appreciate it.

[MichaelVee]

I'd just go with a good cheap DI and patch cable. A JDI is not necessary, and actually It's kind of overkill to have $150 in a VT and then have another $180 in the DI to make this work. Besides, if you are introducing distortion into the signal as an effect, having an ultra-accurate DI really isn't necessary, strictly speaking. There are lots of decent quality passive DIs out there. I already have a JDI, so probably will keep it as it's very well built.

In another thread, someone posted a link to the Character series pedals manual PDF online. Unfortunately, the section on the VT is not detailed, and IIRC doesn't have info about the output. Since it's a stompbox, I tend to think it's a regular unbalanced output.

It wouldn't make marketing sense for Tech 21 to do it, perhaps, but it'd be nice if they would build a VT Bass version of the PBDDI.