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Pros and cons of the following pedals? Can't decide which to buy.

#21
Joe Lonsdale said:
Don't try and second guess it. Buy the first one on your list, try it out and return it if unhappy... move onto the next one. Or buy them all on a credit card and have a great big shootout and return what you don't want before the credit card bill comes due. You'll never know before you try them out first hand: your guitar, other pedals, pedal order, amp, playing style and tastes are not the same as everyone else's.
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I would add: playing out with a band. To fully evaluate a preamp/drive you need to be in a live setting.
 
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#23
If you're considering the Behringer, also look at the Caline Wine Cellar - there's another thread on it here that;s just been woken up. Much the same price as the Behringer but a proper metal build. No mids knob, so more like the earlier SansAmp. I've used one for a couple of gigs and it did the job (didn't DI it though).

Also, if you're thinking about a budget Preamp/DI box, there's a recent Anderson's video that compares a lot of them.




I've has the NUX one - works well and has a lots of bells and whistles (amp sims and UR loader). The headphone socket is good for quiet practice. I'm waiting on a Sushi Box pre-amp, but I'll probably keep it as a backup and for the headphone thing.
 
#24
Tech 21 VT Bass.

Pros:
  1. it's very versatile pedal, can be used many ways, e.g., boost or different voices, augment your (bass-->amp) tone
  2. very clean, low noise and useful as an "always on" pedal
  3. Character knob is the best feature, useful to dial-in a nice range of tones, from supper tubby (R&B) to more modern honk, especially useful in a live band setting where you can find the exact place where you can cut thru
Cons: In my opinion, the drive is not great, does not sound authentic to what is touted to do (SVT grind), I barely find it useful past 9 or 10 o'clock
 
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#25
thedovewarlord said:
Tech 21 VT Bass.

Pros:
  1. it's very versatile pedal, can be used many ways, e.g., boost or different voices, augment your (bass-->amp) tone
  2. very clean, low noise and useful as an "always on" pedal
  3. Character knob is the best feature, useful to dial-in a nice range of tones, from supper tubby (R&B) to more modern honk, especially useful in a live band setting where you can find the exact place where you can cut thru
Cons: In my opinion, the drive is not great, does not sound authentic to what is touted to do (SVT grind), I barely find it useful past 9 or 10 o'clock
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Thanks for the detailed response. Will the Tech 21 VT get to that space of a tube amp pushed to breakup?
 
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#32
DCinDC said:
Thanks for the detailed response. Will the Tech 21 VT get to that space of a tube amp pushed to breakup?
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IME, no. Sounds good but the best tube emulation (pre & power pushed to the rails) is Fairfields Barbershop hands-down. Problem is it's a one-shot charlie.....you can't kick-in a boost or OD. You would need a second dedicated pedal.

@thedovewarlord nailed it with his description. The useful range sits well-below the 12 noon position(s) but I found this to true of many Tech 21 platforms.

Riis
 
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#35
DCinDC said:
How does the Paradriver compare to the and the Tech 21 VT Bass and Tech 21 BDDI?
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It's important to remember that they're all more similar than they are different, they're all variations on the 'tube amp' type tones and you can get each of them to sound broadly similar to the others. I have owned the BDDI and PDDI but not the VT bass, although I've heard it plenty. Shades of grey but to me the VT is too bland, it kind of always sounds 'quiet' no matter how loud it is, if that makes sense. The BDDI is too scooped for my personal tastes, the paradriver is the sweet one. I played in an indie rock band for years and my whole rig was a wireless, an overdrive pedal and the paradriver. It just helps to make a bass sit nicely in a traditional mix.
 
#36
DCinDC said:
Thanks for the detailed response. Will the Tech 21 VT get to that space of a tube amp pushed to breakup?
Click to expand...
In my opinion, no, I thought it would by all descriptions and some reviews I read. I found it does add some "tube warmth" depending on your EQ and where you dial the character knob. I've tried everything, but the drive is not as natural sounding. I set it around 9-9:30 for just a bit of oomph.

I'm not saying others can't get some usable dirt/drive from the pedal, but not what I had in mind, which is either the more responsive and bloomy sound you get from picking (plucking) harder or the slight edge of breakup.

I use it more for color.
 

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