Just discovered going DI last gig with my buddy by running a line from my V4B to the board. Sounded amazing. Just bought a Sansamp VT Bass DI again and am planning on using this vs my big head and cab. What do you guys do for your personal stage sound? I’m thinking about just running the 1/4 jack out to my ole Ampeg rocket bass RB50 rather than switching over to a powered monitor since I can already hear the rest of the band great through their monitors.
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New to going DI for gigs
- Thread starter Mo Boogs
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- di amp sansamp vt bass di
You're on the right track. Standard practice is to DI to FOH, and the amp is usually just a stage monitor. IMO it's always best to be able to DI your desired sound to FOH regardless of what the amp is, just like you're going to be doing with the Sansamp. That way when you play gigs with backline the amp really doesn't matter, could be anything. Or, in ampless situations of course.
But it's still good IMO to have enough amp and cabs to be able to handle situations like smaller venues where you're not going to be DI'd, or if you need more stage coverage on a larger stage. Sounds like you're pretty well covered. the Ampeg combo for small stuff, and the V4B w/cab for those other situations. Hard to say if that 50w combo will cut it, even in a small-ish club it could very well be underpowered, you'll just have to try it.
We migrated to IEM‘s for monitors. So there are no stage monitors or amplifiers. All the instruments use DI’s.
I use the same setup for the vast majority of our shows: bass to amp head, DI (post EQ) out to FOH, amp output to 112 cab for stage sound.
It’s plenty of volume for the stage, not that much to haul around, and I can balance my amp level with the other monitors as needed.
It’s plenty of volume for the stage, not that much to haul around, and I can balance my amp level with the other monitors as needed.
Don’t expect the Sansamp DI to sound as great as the V4, killer sounding DI on the old tube beast. If I were still wanting an amp I’d bring the V4 along as a well as the cab. Going DI doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice, if you are able bodied why not treat yourself? The Sansamp can give you an extra level of grind that your amp would be louder than snot reproducing so it isn’t a bad thing to have around.
Of course you can always just bring the Sansamp and rely on the sound guy to do their thing. I’ve been bitten before by that and I’ll always have a formidable amp available even if going silent stage, DI only. I haven’t played a place that a 50w bass combo would cut it in my 26 year history of playing bass.
Of course you can always just bring the Sansamp and rely on the sound guy to do their thing. I’ve been bitten before by that and I’ll always have a formidable amp available even if going silent stage, DI only. I haven’t played a place that a 50w bass combo would cut it in my 26 year history of playing bass.
I use the Mesa D800+ direct out if I have it on stage. I use a Mesa Bass DI+ to the board if I’m not using the D800+. What I have on stage really depends on the size of the stage.
kgb
kgb
Our band has gone straight DI whether we use provided monitors or in-ear. When we do the monitor gigs the guitarists both have FRFR cabs. I use my in-ear setup for my own monitor and to filter the stage volume. Transmitter connected to 1/4" out with XLR going to FOH. I am using the XVive In-Ear system. I carry that to every gig, and it get's used for full band in-ear and personal in-ear for gigs with monitors.
This is from my last gig where monitors were used on stage. I have the in-ear reciever and monitors attach to the strap of my bass
This is from my last gig where monitors were used on stage. I have the in-ear reciever and monitors attach to the strap of my bass
Been going ampless for a long time. Tech 21 Qstrip, or VT Bass DI, or Ampeg SGT-DI depending on my mood, straight to PA, and IEM's for a monitor. If you go IEM, be sure to get some that handle bass frequencies well. There are some decent cheap options out there. Other than that, if I use an amp on stage (rare) I use the through on the DI so I can EQ the amp independently of the FOH signal.
I’ve been DIing on gigs for decades, but still use an amp on almost all gigs. I do use one amp with no onboard DI, so I carry my own DI in case the venue has no working DI (yes, that has happened). When I bring that amp, sound guys look at me funny because they are so used to amps with XLR outputs. That really didn’t start to become common until the 1980s.
How do you like the SGT-DI compared to the VT Bass? I’ve owned both, (twice for the VT Bass) but sent the SGT back I might consider the SGT again if it truly does nail that real tube amp peg sound. I didn’t spend enough time with it to dig it. My only possible gripe with DI’s is I play in 3 bands. 2 of them do great with working the mixer. The 3rd one not so much. They always want the bass lowered when I’ve got my amp on stage. I’m afraid of them just shutting off the bass if I let them control it in the mix. I don’t think it’s because they don’t like bass, it’s just that if they can hear it on stage they assume it’s too loud out in the audience.
songwriter21
I have an obsession for wood. The musical kind.
I have used a Zoom MS60B into a DI for 10 years now, and that's it, with zero complaints or gripes. In-ears and a wireless complete the rig.
If I recall correctly the DI on the V-4B is prior to the power section so you are getting the preamp tube goodness, but not the poweramp tubes. Honestly never had an issue with going DI out my Super Bassman or Bassman 800 (same deal as the V-4B regarding the DI ). I use 8x10 cabs ( volume knob for the win) for most gigs, and IEM. For my situation works great. I can hear the details of the DI, and feel the fullness of the cab. If it sounds good to you and sound good FOH, then you are golden.
In another thread you mentioned you used a Whirlwind DI. Which one are you using? (I've got a MS-60B+ and have been thinking about either getting a preamp or just a DI.)
songwriter21
I have an obsession for wood. The musical kind.
They are both decent DI's with their own strengths. The SGT-DI is way easier to dial in than the VT-Bass IMHO. You really have to spend time with the VT-Bass to get it dialed in correctly. I have found that to tame the over-baked Sansamp VT sound, I have to set the blend knob somewhere between noon and 2pm.
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A neat trick with the Sansamps (actually the way it was designed to be used, even if few people actually use it that way in practice) is the run the xlr out to the desk but then UNeffected send to your stage amp. That way you can do whatever you want to the house sound and the stage sound without one affecting the other.
Or, you can do what most people do and use the effected line out to your stage amp's effects return and bypass the preamp in it. That way the Sansamp has control over both amp and PA.
Or, you can do what most people do and use the effected line out to your stage amp's effects return and bypass the preamp in it. That way the Sansamp has control over both amp and PA.
I still use a good old fashioned amp as so many places around here don't either have a P.A. or one that's decent enough to handle bass. Sure we can bring our P.A., Buts that's just like lugging a bass rig around. Our vocalist uses either our P.A. or the crappy house P.A. and the rest of us just bring our gear like we have for the last 40+ years.
Shure GLXD16 Wireless >>> HX Stomp >>>Radial JDI >>> FOH . For monitoring, I am mostly using IEM, or I will run a cable from the thru on the JDI, to the return jack on my amp. Using either and Orange Little Bass Thing or Ampeg PF500 into a Genzler 112. Keeping it small and light for most gigs. I'll bring out the 212 if I want more stage aesthetic, but honestly, even on the bigger stages I play, the 112 is more than adequate.
