Double Bass Behringer V-TONE ACOUSTIC ADI21?

[jstiel]

Has anyone checked one of these out? I just ordered one and expect to have it in time for a few gigs next weekend. Some of the promotional material says that the "sound is modeled on the Tech21® Sansamp Acoustic DI". It appears to have similar functions as the Sansamp including 4.7M input impedence and sweepable mids. A big difference however is that it sells for $30 as opposed to $189 for the Sansamp. I've never tried a Sansamp though so I won't really be able to compare them.

Here is the url [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I'll post my experience with it next week.

 

[Randy Ward]

jstiel;

I'll be looking forward to your review. I was thinking that the bass guitar version of this, the V-TONE BASS BDI21 would work good for doubling, by running it into my solstices insert. That way i could have a EQ just for BG. The price is certainly low, but I thought it still wasn't available in the states.

 

[ToneRanger]

"...Some of the promotional material says that the "sound is modeled on the Tech21® Sansamp Acoustic DI"..."

Behringer's entire product line is modelled on the design work of other manufacturers - there have been numerous legal challenges against them. I prefer not to deal with a company that has no ethics.

 

[jstiel]

"Behringer's entire product line is modelled on the design work of other manufacturers " (emphasis added)

This is a rather broad statement. I presume it is not fact but hyperbole.

"- there have been numerous legal challenges against them. I prefer not to deal with a company that has no ethics."

I feel much the same way but for example, I still use Microsoft Windows. I never cared for Macs and the program base for Linux is still rather limited. I'm afraid if I limited my purchases to products of companies that had not had legal challenges, I wouldn't be buying much. In fact, I'm sure I'd be walking everywhere.

 

[Showdown]

I just got one today. In a limited low volume test with my amp at home it sounds good. I haven't tried it in a band setting yet, next weeks rehearsal I will try it.

 

[larry]

"Behringer's entire product line is modelled on the design work of other manufacturers " (emphasis added)

This is a rather broad statement. I presume it is not fact but hyperbole.

I frequent homerecording.com and there are numerous threads about Behringer. Many many folks claim what ToneRanger said - they are Chinese-made knock-offs of other established gear. I tried a couple of Behringer products including a mixer and a feedback eliminator. Both were beyond the acceptable limits of noisy, and the mixer really degraded the sound, making it thin and harsh. I returned them both the same day.

Some people swear by Behringer and think they are great. It all depends on what you need from your gear. My $.02 is: If it's really low-priced, something had to be compromised.

Buy it, make sure you get a return policy, save your receipt, and make the decision for yourself.

 

[trocadero]

seems like an interesting product. It would be nice if it could operate using fantompower but I dont see that feature on the behringer website.

EDIT: waiting for a review!

 

[jstiel]

EDIT: waiting for a review!

Sorry, I forgot I promised a review. Maybe I just don't know how to use it but I keep getting some fuzz on the open D. Sent it back for another one - same thing. I spent maybe about 10 minutes total working with it.

 

[junglebike]

I got one as well -- I think the output of a bass just overwhelms the thing. Both my acoustic (Full Circle) and electric (Fender jazz) cause it to fuzz out on the E and A strings when plucked hard.

There is a line in the manual that says to be careful that the input level isn't too high. Whatever. The thing's useless for bass.

I'd thought I might have just gotten a bad one but it sounds like it's a design flaw. I'll have to send it back, too...

P.S. I also have their BDI21 -- clone of the BDDI. It works great for electric! Just as good as the BDDI, but no phantom power, which is a drag.

 

[seamonkey]

I got one and it's great. Clean, quiet, and functional. The tone controls have a wide range of adjustments. I can't believe the price.

On the "fuzz" - watch out on the "blend' control - a little goes a long ways. I have mine just barely on.

 

[Touch]

I have found that Behringer gear is noisier than the "real" gear that they copy.

I love my SansAmp ADI. Got it used for around $100. This is a great preamp/DI for upright bass.. the sweepable mid is awesome.

Played an old style cajun/zydeco show last night. Everyone around a single mic.. I went direct to the board through the ADI (with an Underwood). Plenty of folks commented on the good bass sound...

Behringer gear is OK... my advice is save your money and get the real deal.

Touch

 

[seamonkey]

You should try this preamp before passing judgement. You might be surprised.

I'm not sure I follow any argument on Behringer copying other designs. IMHO I see innovation in their designs. They are at least innovative in their value.

Walk into a double bass shop. How many of the basses are unique in their technology? What one may interpret as copying may be inherit to the function.

Try this preamp. If you like it then spend the saved money on your bass, strings, lessons, music, etc. No sense overpaying when you don't have to.

 

[junglebike]

Okay -- I took some more time with my ADI21, and my opinion has changed.

Seamonkey, you're right about the "blend" function. I was expecting it to work like the "blend" on a BDDI, where in fact it works like the "drive" function, increasing tube grit (albeit pretty unpleasant tube grit IMHO).

Anyway, with the blend backed way off, it worked quite well. Especially for $29. At this point I'd recommend it.

Funny thing is, these cheap Behringer boxes might actually increase the market for the Sansamp stuff. Sort of an almost free trial, if you will. If you decide you really like it, you'll be willing to spend the bucks for phantom power, lower noise, more rugged construction, and (probably) better reliability.

 

[seamonkey]

That's a great obervation on "grow the market" and other preamp makers will benefit in the end.

It's just like CCB's - there ends up being more double bass players and so high end makers have more players to sell to.

 

[legraguitars]

In response to some of the criticisms of this bit of kit I'd like to make a few observations. The ADI21, when used with an acoustic guitar with an under saddle piezo transducer and no pre-amp or onboard controls, played into a mixing desk via the XLR connection, not a guitar amplifier, does exactly what it says on the tin. The main benefit of this bit of kit is that it has a very high input impedance that works really well with high output under saddle piezos. The mid parametric EQ works perfectly as do the other controls but as one reviewer spotted you have to be careful with the blend pot if you want to maintain the character of your acoustic. If you are trying it with a guitar that already has a pre-amp then you've wasted your money 'cos you've just put two similar control systems in series and you can't expect to get any resonable results from that.

 

[rx jr.]

"...Some of the promotional material says that the "sound is modeled on the Tech21® Sansamp Acoustic DI"..."

Behringer's entire product line is modelled on the design work of other manufacturers - there have been numerous legal challenges against them. I prefer not to deal with a company that has no ethics.

well this is funny. they are making products that target a different portion of the market (low-end value) and somehow you consider that no ethics. reverse-engineering to make a product that is not a counterfeit is not against the law. with that logic, all companies that make amp modelers (line 6, vox, kemper, etc) have no ethics.