New to effects OD question

[Microbass]

It took me a while to find the settings I was after. I tended to over-dial it, when just a touch (5 to 25%) on the Era and Drive knobs really does it for me. It fattens up the sound and keeps it really organic.

With all OD effects that I've tried over the years, I always ended up feeling like I'm listening to an electronic circuit. Of course, that's what it is: But it's not what I want to feel. It sounds artificial, like superimposed on the bass' own sound.
I know I'm never going to get a truly natural tube OD feeling from a circuit-based pedal. But, to my ears at least, the VMT does a pretty good job at blending in more naturally with the bass' signal.

Very true. Sometimes diming everything sounds great until you’re in a love setting. I ended up buying the B3k that day and I really liked it however in the “useable” settings for the music I’m playing it didn’t offer up much more grit than the BDI21, then the X7 came out. The X7 has been an epic pedal for me for a non-djent heavy distortion that doesn’t require any additional pedals to keep the lows thick and full. The BDI21 does my always on grit (and a pedal-SVT styled sound into a tube amp is nice!). The X7 is on its own loop for heavy parts.

can’t say I don’t want more dirt pedals but I can definitely live without them for now.

 

[crapusername]

I use either -
the bass soul food by ehx
Joyo orange juice
Hardwire tube od
Ibanez bass tube screamer
All work to good effect (sorry, not sorry )
And also will not break the bank to source.

 

[jthisdell]

It took me a while to find the settings I was after. I tended to over-dial it, when just a touch (5 to 25%) on the Era and Drive knobs really does it for me. It fattens up the sound and keeps it really organic.

I know I'm never going to get a truly natural tube OD feeling from a circuit-based pedal. But, to my ears at least, the VMT does a pretty good job at blending in more naturally with the bass' signal.

Yes

 

[FirewalZ]

So the TC Spark Booster came in....and almost instantly i loved what i heard. It added a biting spank with a fuzzy edge, exactly what i was looking for. 100% better than the Boss BB-1x at less than half the cost. Its quiet, and very flexible, while the Boss only had about 1 useable setting. Thanks all...

 

[johnk_10]

still loving my sansamp YYZ pedal. IMO, it's extremely versatile and you can dial in any amount of OD that you want.

 

[darren1970]

Darkglass X series pedals allow you to run through a crossover, keeping the low end tight & clean whilst dialing in the drive to your specified upper frequencies

 

[FirewalZ]

still loving my sansamp YYZ pedal. IMO, it's extremely versatile and you can dial in any amount of OD that you want.

I had considered this one as well, so far the Spark Booster is doing the trick

 

[MisticoRitualista]