Sansamp BDDI vs VT Bass: what do the pros use?

[Texican]

Just wanted to add this screen shot from Tech21 clarifying some of the technical points regarding the speaker sim and bite switches. Also googled and confirmed the these switches do in fact affect the 1/4” out signal as well, and not just the DI.
Side note: the mids knob is centered at 1Khz, although some early manuals had erroneously listed the frequency at 500hz. Tech21 has confirmed this. I’m not sure what frequency the Character knob is centered at, or if it’s more of a voice knob that affects multiple frequencies… sorry.

 

[MynameisMe]

Can you explain more about settings on the VTDI? Specifically how to set it up for a good tone, or starting point for experimenting, I’m thinking about getting one soon, thanks.

Ironically this post comes up after a couple years and look and I had commented on it once before. I use it in church worship environment. I just leave it there for the other bass players. Level at your choice I'm going direct we don't have amps. Blend at 100%. Bass and treble at 12:00 mids at 1:00 to 2:00. Character about 9:00 and drive at about 11:00 with the SIM button pushed down and bite off. I think the manual calls this mild compression and to me it's the most usable cab Sim on there for me.

 

[BassyBill]

I’ve had the BDDI, VTDI and eventually tried the Para driver DI. The last one is by far my favourite of the three - because I love the sweepable mids.

 

[YourGuitarist]

Don't know nor care what the ''pros'' use, but I love my T21 Para Driver V2, especially considering that it offers total control over the mids.

A little off topic here but...

Para Driver V2 is a GOATed pedal. I do a ton of DI work with it and I can get almost anything except metal tones out of it. I would like to add that the buttons are very misleading though. I measured the response of each mode.
With knobs flat and no voicing, its got a huge mid scoop around ~500ish and roll off around 50hz and 5khz.
The rumble filter actually acts more like a tilt eq leaving a small bass bump but a huge hi-mid and treble boost which is great for guitar work.
The air switch actually reduces the mid-scoop to be the "~flat" setting paradoxically. It extends the highs a little but is mostly restoring mids.
Personally, I love to use the rumble filter then max the bass for a really grindy but punchy sound for bass.

There's my schpeel. Love that pedal.

FTR I also own a VTDI and GT2 so I'm a fanboy. The VTDI is good for neutral stage work in my experience. I do think the character knob fights the mids knob a little too much though i.e. they overlap. If the para driver is comparable to the BDDI its better as a personable studio tool for me.

 

[Hamrlik]

A little off topic here but...

Para Driver V2 is a GOATed pedal. I do a ton of DI work with it and I can get almost anything except metal tones out of it. I would like to add that the buttons are very misleading though. I measured the response of each mode.
With knobs flat and no voicing, its got a huge mid scoop around ~500ish and roll off around 50hz and 5khz.
The rumble filter actually acts more like a tilt eq leaving a small bass bump but a huge hi-mid and treble boost which is great for guitar work.
The air switch actually reduces the mid-scoop to be the "~flat" setting paradoxically. It extends the highs a little but is mostly restoring mids.
Personally, I love to use the rumble filter then max the bass for a really grindy but punchy sound for bass.

There's my schpeel. Love that pedal.

FTR I also own a VTDI and GT2 so I'm a fanboy. The VTDI is good for neutral stage work in my experience. I do think the character knob fights the mids knob a little too much though i.e. they overlap. If the para driver is comparable to the BDDI its better as a personable studio tool for me.

Hell yeah. Much thanks scoping out the new switches on the Para v2. I have v1 and love it. I also owned the VTDI for a couple years and it served me very well on stage and in the studio. I agree completely about the strange relationship between the character and mid knobs.

I could go back to the VTDI no problem but the Para is an amazing tool and everything I plug into it sounds good.

 

[HP Hovercraft]

I haven't tried the BDDI but I sold off the VTDI after a month or so. Just never bonded with it.