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Sansamp BDDI vs Aguilar Tone Hammer

BDDI vs Tone Hammer

  • BDDI

    Votes: 37 29.8%

  • Tone Hammer

    Votes: 87 70.2%
  • Total voters
    124
#61
jscomposer said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but there's no way to use the EQ on the Tone Hammer without the DI coloration (like you can do with the Sansamp Paradriver)?
Click to expand...
The Sansamp is a tube emulation device. The TH is not. With the AGS off, and the EQ flat, it changes the tone very little if at all. So it's strictly EQ. Engaging the AGS with the gain all the way off imparts filter which seems to roll off any upper treble, but even that is fairly subtle. The AGS does add overdrive as you turn up the gain, and it changes how the EQ knobs work a bit, but it still sounds like your bass. The Sansamp stuff on the other hand makes everything you plug into it sound completely different if the blend is turned up. Two very different approaches.

Check out the videos of the TH at the Aguilar website. Most of them are recorded with the TH off and then engaged so that you can get a feel for what it does.
 
#62
jscomposer said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but there's no way to use the EQ on the Tone Hammer without the DI coloration (like you can do with the Sansamp Paradriver)?
Click to expand...

Eublet said:
The Sansamp is a tube emulation device. The TH is not. With the AGS off, and the EQ flat, it changes the tone very little if at all. So it's strictly EQ. Engaging the AGS with the gain all the way off imparts filter which seems to roll off any upper treble, but even that is fairly subtle. The AGS does add overdrive as you turn up the gain, and it changes how the EQ knobs work a bit, but it still sounds like your bass. The Sansamp stuff on the other hand makes everything you plug into it sound completely different if the blend is turned up. Two very different approaches.

Check out the videos of the TH at the Aguilar website. Most of them are recorded with the TH off and then engaged so that you can get a feel for what it does.
Click to expand...

Also not mentioned - the TH has a Pre/Post Eq DI. So, yes you can use the DI without the EQ coloration.
 
#64
shwashwa said:
im looking for the OP-3 sound on all of my basses. will the tone hammer do it? i know its based on the OP-3. does it still give the op-3 sound while having it in you chain so far away from the pickups?
Click to expand...
Yes and no. It is an OPB-3, but it buffers the blended signal of your pickups. If it where installed in your bass, each pickup would be buffered independently, and then blended together. Sometimes the result of doing is more dramatic with some pickups than others.
 
#65
I'll throw my hat in the ring on this one and bring up a thread from April, I have both, and I prefer the Tone Hammer as my Preamp over the BDDI. The BDDI has it's uses and does it's thing really well. I still love hearing a passive bass plugged into a BDDI with modest settings, going thru a good sized PA with subs. And it cops a tubey vibe when used for recording.

The Tone Hammer IMO is a lil more natural sounding and is a great clean EQ with boost. The AGS circuit does kindofa overdriven amp sound that to my ears isn't as "tubey" as the BDDI but good. This circuit has a wide range of adjustability as well, wheras the BDDI just seems to add more distortion/overdrive as the drive knob is turned up.

Alot of TH users complain that the AGS function adds a jump in volume rendering it useless as an overdrive "channel" altho it was not meant to be used this way I have had success in certain songs were there is an overdriven lead bass part by just turning down the volume on my bass a lil when time to engage AGS, then during the refrain switch back to non-AGS mode and roll on volume to taste. Not really a problem for me, especially if I'm switching between SONGS, then I can just turn my Poweramp's Volume down 3 or 4 clicks. Switching during a song of course a lil trickier but remember you have a volume on your bass for a reason! Every switch and knob in your signal path affects your rigs response and in turn YOUR SOUND.

For me the TH reaches closer to the sound I want than anything else so far, of course I havn't tried everything out there, damn GAS!
 

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