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Amp or Sansamp?? Need advice!

W

williamk

Apr 2, 2008
871
28
#1
I originaly posted this in the recording section, but nobody seems to go there alot so here it is again...


I'm recording a EP with my band in a few days, and I was planning to get myself a new amp head for the occasion. But now I'm reconsidering...I was going to buy a marshall bass head (which has a sound I absolutely love, with an extremely good sounding overdrive channel) but I'm also considering an Sansamp DI instead of the amp because it's cheaper and apparently very nice sounding as well. Can a Sansamp (DI, or RBI, RPM, I can't even tell the differences between all those) get me a similar sound? The marshall gets a really intense distortion sound, can a Sansamp get a similar distortion and if so, which model???
thanks!

oh and btw I'm using a Ric 4003 and the amp I was considering is marshall MB450H!
 
#2
hey man, congrats on the EP!

i'm a super noob on this forum (this is my first post) but I have done a bit of studio time. In my personal opinion i would use an amp....bottom line you get a more desireable sound. I have recorded with a DI and with an amp..... I found a got a better tone and fuller sound with the amp. The DI however did do a respectable job.

I would also rent one for the occasion. The music shop I deal with (Long and Macquad) rent them for dirt cheap. I rented a bass cab this past weekend and it was only $8. You'll save some mega bucks and you'll get to play a few amps before you dish out real cash.

good luck>
 
#4
i would go the amp route. i personally am not a fan of the sans amp. i think it causes some artificial compression on the signal. if you wanted to try a direct signal i would try the hartke bass attack (which i use personally live and in studio) or the roland tone bone (a good friend of mine uses this). you might try them in combination with the amp too... just some suggestions.
 
#6
IME, i've been able to dail in just about any amp's grind/distortion (very closely) in the studio with my Sansamp PSA-1, or my early Sansamp PSA.

i've gotten SVT, Vox AC30, Marshall Plexi (or jcm800) sounds from it for guitar and bass and it has worked surprisingly well. i've never used one of their pedals though.
 
#7
I own a Sansamp programmable 3 channel pedal (PBDR according to some websites). I love it, but it is possible to overdo it and sound like crap. About twice a year I go back and re-evaluate all my settings (compared to bypass) and make sure that I'm not 1) cranking up the volume and blowing out the next device, and 2) not reinventing my natural tone without good cause. Then I spend 6 months gradually tweaking everything, and do it all over again.

Not sure what Marshall you're listening to, but I'll go out on a limb and say that the Sansamp does not do Marshall style distortion. It can do a LOT of distortion, but I doubt it'll sound like a Marshall. (My experience with Marshall is their guitar amps, so take that with a grain of salt.)

My advice is that if you are unsure what to get, get neither. Rent, borrow, test drive anything you can. Music superstores give you a 30 day return window - that's their policy to convince you to buy something, so take them up on it. If you don't like it, take it back.

I do not like using the Sansamp as a DI for recording. If I need low volumes, I run the Sansamp into a 5W Epiphone Valve Jr., then a speaker cabinet, then mic the cabinet. However, I am a recording idiot and my advice is very suspect.
 
#8
Also, if you want cataclysmic, apocalyptic, armageddonesque, tragedy inspiring, calamity causing, complete and utter destruction sounding bass distortion, do what I do and use this:

27460-1-big.jpg


Note the green metal casing, the round black knobs in a triangle configuration, and the "Electro Harmonix / Sovtek" label. I cannot vouch for any other edition of this pedal.
 
#10
I got a Sansamp RBI for $150 back in the day, and it's the best money I've ever spent on any piece of gear. I've actually never recorded bass with an amp/cab setup, it's always been just sansamp straight into the board.

That being said, I definitely want to blend a little of both on the next time I record.
 
#11
The last time I was in the studio, we used a pre/DI pedal (like the sansamp) using the balanced/effected line as well as the parallel out, they also used 3 mics on my cabinet (including a Yamaha Sub-kick mic) this way they had multiple sources to mix together.
I also record frequently in a home-studio, where I don't even bring an amp, just straight in to one channel.
The results are both good. You can really get away with either, all the technology available today makes it fairly easy to make the track sound good as long as you send a clear signal.
I'd say get the Sansamp because you'll probably integrate it into your board and use it a lot more than just this once. (IMO)
 
#12
Jason P Bass said:
Also, if you want cataclysmic, apocalyptic, armageddonesque, tragedy inspiring, calamity causing, complete and utter destruction sounding bass distortion, do what I do and use this:

27460-1-big.jpg


Note the green metal casing, the round black knobs in a triangle configuration, and the "Electro Harmonix / Sovtek" label. I cannot vouch for any other edition of this pedal.
Click to expand...
i use the big muff thats made in the usa and it sounds pretty gnarly.

as to my earlier post i was talking about the sans amp di. i cant speak for their other models.

also if you wanted to check out the harke bass attack you can usually find them used online anywhere from $45-$80.

have fun in the studio!!
 
#13
I have owned/own the BDDI, RBI, RPM, VT Bass Pedal, and recorded with all of those AND I've had the pleasure of using the PSA 1.1 for a demo or two

All sound incredible and can dial in some monsterous i mean MONSTEROUS distortion/overdrive/grind/whathaveyou. I'm not familiar recording with/ even using marshall bass amps; so i can't vouch for them. But I sure as hell can vouch for Sansamp/Tech 21! Seriously try it out if you can, i promise. I was in your same situation for my last band's first ep. But, in my case I ended up getting a new head (SVT-6 PRO USA model) AND the BDDI!
 
#14
well the thing is I'm really SURE about the marshall amp's sound, it's definitely the sound I want, but recording from an amp can be touchy and recently sansamps seem to be the way to go for simple recording...
 
#15
""I was going to buy a marshall bass head (which has a sound I absolutely love, with an extremely good sounding overdrive channel)""

Sounds like you already made up your mind! I suggest getting the Marshall bass head and sticking a good quality mic on your cab to capture your tone. Is it the Marshall 400VB (or something similar?) You might want to use it live if you like the tone so much. You can also send a direct signal to the mixer board incase the mic tone lacks some low end or other parts of your tone.

I don't recommend using a modeling pedal for recording. The Bass Driver kills your midrange, the RBI does the same, but you can dial back in some the mids, and the PSA-1 sounds quite terrible to my ears. I most likely used the PSA-1 incorrectly when I had it, it sounds best going straight to a power amp because of the simulated comrpession it has. The PSA-1 straight to the board could do what you want, but why take the chance? Get the amp you like and forget the cheap route! Don't spend less and be disappointed.
 

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