Sansamp VT BASS.. better the the bass driver?

Ka_Ve_86 · #1 02-24-2009, 06:20 AM

So i have heard heaps of good news about the new sansamp VT BASS pedal and how it can dial in a amazing SVT sound... i already have a sansamp Bass Driver Pre pedal so is there a major benifit the VT BASS has over the Original BASS DRIVER?

jetofuj · #2 02-24-2009, 07:07 AM

It depends of what are you looking for.

VT has got MID control which is useful - most people say that it is major lack of Bass Driver. It emulates different Ampegs pretty well. You can dial nice overdrive, but it's not good as a distortion in my opinion. You cannot also use it as DI.

There's a VT megathread, I think you would find there a lot of useful informations.

Cheers, Kris

gillento · #3 02-24-2009, 02:21 PM

I seem to be the only one around here who prefers the Bassdriver to the VTBass.
I never missed a Mid control as you can back off the Bass, Treble and Blend Control to get more mids.

Jared Lash · #4 02-24-2009, 02:33 PM

My take on the VT Bass vs the BDDI was that if you are looking for SVT emulation, both did it just fine. In fact, the recommended setting on the VT Bass for the SVT is to cut mids.

The VT does more versatile emulation and can get a more heavy overdrive/distortion type sound, but the tradeoff is that obviously you don't have DI capabilities.

Which one is "better" depends on your needs.

mattq · #5 02-24-2009, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gillento

I seem to be the only one around here who prefers the Bassdriver to the VTBass.
I never missed a Mid control as you can back off the Bass, Treble and Blend Control to get more mids.

nope, i prefer the bassdriver too. the vt might be more verstatile for tones, but i only need one tone and i need a good direct box. vt doesn't do that; the bassdriver does

bthiemann80 · #6 02-24-2009, 05:56 PM

I can't recommend one or the other across the board but for my purposes of using a pedal preamp and rackmount power amp in lieu of a Ampeg SVT-CL for some rehearsals/gigs, the VT Bass is dead on where the BDDI is too quick and sounds sterile in comparison. However, the BDDI is an absolute LIFESAVER for a steady gigging bassist with the phantom power, DI, tube emulation and sounds really good through front of house.

DanGouge · #7 02-24-2009, 06:09 PM

Never like the BDDI tone, love the VT Bass tone. That's just me though...

johnnycat42 · #8 02-24-2009, 08:49 PM

I got the BDDI and have been wondering too. I am hedging on whether or not it is worth the $150 to get one. I cant see them being wildly different. I will be paying attention to this thread.

refuge4 · #9 02-24-2009, 09:12 PM

AGUILAR TONE HAMMER!

rcubed · #10 02-24-2009, 09:48 PM

I thought I'd use the DI on the BDDI more than I did. I was happy with the tone I was getting though it but something felt a little off. So I sold the BDDI and used the money to buy a VT Bass. At first I was just happy that it had a mids knob but over the first few months I continued to find different tones/settings. It did take longer to get a feel for than the BDDI but I think it blows the BDDI away soundwise. I think it lives up the hype but you just need to know some of the flaws ahead of time like active basses seem to get less change in tone, the knobs are really sensitive and the recommended settings should be thrown in the trash.

rosstanium · #11 02-24-2009, 11:49 PM

for a working player, i think it's completely acceptable to use both. the VT is far more versatile...and I personally think it sounds better overall. but the DI option is on the BDDI is a great tool to have walking into unexpected situations on the road.

of course...if you're going to go that route (VT and a DI), my personal choice would be to spend an extra $50 - $75 overall and just combine the VT with a Radial JDI Passive DI instead...

johnnycat42 · #12 02-25-2009, 07:11 AM

Son of a beach--I know I should be happy there is something new on the market that sounds so good--but now I am going to have to go buy one. This hobby is too expensive.

Rickett Customs · #13 02-25-2009, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gillento

I seem to be the only one around here who prefers the Bassdriver to the VTBass.
I never missed a Mid control as you can back off the Bass, Treble and Blend Control to get more mids.

Wrong.

I actually prefer the the BDDI as well, although mine is the PBDDI.
The VT is also good in it's own respect, they both have their own advantages and drawbacks, but on an individual to individual basis,
no 2 players are going to have all the same demands.

DaveLS · #14 02-25-2009, 08:09 AM

From the Tech21 website:
"Being a genuine SansAmp, each Character Series pedal is way more than a stompbox. Each can be used as a stand-alone pre-amp to drive a power amp, a studio mixer, or a PA system, with the rich SansAmp cabinet emulation that sounds huge – even straight into a computer soundcard. Or plug them into your guitar amp to take your tone somewhere special.

It doesn't have an XLR out, but most boards I've seen have 1/4 and xlr inputs. If you do need one though, you can get a 1/4 to XLR connector to keep in your bag.

Rickett Customs · #15 02-25-2009, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveLS

From the Tech21 website:
"Being a genuine SansAmp, each Character Series pedal is way more than a stompbox. Each can be used as a stand-alone pre-amp to drive a power amp, a studio mixer, or a PA system, with the rich SansAmp cabinet emulation that sounds huge – even straight into a computer soundcard. Or plug them into your guitar amp to take your tone somewhere special.

It doesn't have an XLR out, but most boards I've seen have 1/4 and xlr inputs. If you do need one though, you can get a 1/4 to XLR connector to keep in your bag.

Technically, two things here would be missing:

1) Phantom power.

2)A ground lift.

Just My .02

johnnycat42 · #16 02-25-2009, 08:39 AM

Yeah, I think they should have put a XLR on that thing.

dannybuoy · #17 02-25-2009, 08:48 AM

Make that 3 things:

3) Balanced output

A proper DI uses all 3 XLR pins to carry the signal, ground, and an inverted copy of the signal. The VT Bass has an unbalanced mono output jack.

johnnycat42 · #18 02-25-2009, 08:59 AM

This is by no means a knock on either product but I suspect this will be like the MarkBass thing. A really great product and alot of fairly justified hype initially. This makes them really hard to find used. And when they do come used, they are gone immediately. But then everyone has to try one to know for themselves. Then some people will find they dont need to use them or dont like them anymore (like the MarkBass) and will sell. I bet if we wait another 6 months these wont be that hard to get used. Great product, I am sure, but it is alot of hype right now too.

EDIT--I am a sucker for the Tech 21 stuff though. I am trying as hard as I can to wait it out

DaveLS · #19 02-25-2009, 09:39 AM

So if Tech 21 says:
"Each can be used as a stand-alone pre-amp to drive a power amp, a studio mixer, or a PA system.."

What are they talking about if it doesn't have 3 things a proper DI needs? It seems it's just a stomp box then? What would be the difference?

dannybuoy · #20 02-25-2009, 09:45 AM

You can use it with any of those things listed. You don't need phantom power, it's just handy sometimes when you don't have a power supply or battery. Ground lift could be a problem on rare occasions and would require a DI Box to eliminate the hum. You can plug it straight into a mixer but it will be more succeptible to noise than a balanced line from a DI box, especially with long cable runs over a busy stage with lights and lots of electrical equipment everywhere.

I use mine with a Radial JDI; thru output goes to my amp and the DI to the mixer/PA. But I agree, they need to build a box with the features of the BDDI but the innards of the VT Bass so you can do it all in one box!