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Sansamp live sound

jeffgnr90

jeffgnr90

Guest
Aug 4, 2011
701
74
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#1
I understand how tech21 intended the bddi to be used, the parallel out goes to your onstage amp and the xlr to the board. But i have never utilized the parallel out before. For venues with a PA, I just use the 1/4 output to my amp (for distortion) and the xlr to the board. I've always believed that the xlr out and parallel out serve the same function, they just have different cables running to them. I'm just wondering If i'm under utilizing the pedal is all. I use the sansamp mostly as an effect for overdrive/fuzz which is why I like it going to my amp. And when I use the xlr I assume that it's sending a clean unaffected signal to the sound guy I can't have the parallel out going to my head also somehow, can I?
 
#9
You can send the BDDI 1/4" "Parallel Output" dry signal to the main input of your amp if you want to use that amp's preamp, EQ etc. This is exactly like plugging your bass into an amp. The Sansamp is bypassed. Otherwise send the BDDI 1/4" "Output" to the effects return, usually found on the back of the amp. On most amps, this layout uses only the power section pf the amp, and the Sansamp is the preamp, and chief tone shaper.
 
#12
walterw said:
like who?

the regular 1/4" out is for your amp! the parallel out is like for a tuner or something.
Click to expand...

i run the unaffected signal back into my amp because i don't want anything coloring the tone of my amp!

but send the affected signal to the board to emulate a tube amp sound coming from the mains.

although i used an ART tube box as DI this past weekend and my end up selling the sansamp that thing is so bad ass.
 
#13
capncal said:
i run the unaffected signal back into my amp because i don't want anything coloring the tone of my amp!

but send the affected signal to the board to emulate a tube amp sound coming from the mains.

although i used an ART tube box as DI this past weekend and my end up selling the sansamp that thing is so bad ass.
Click to expand...

I really want to try it this way, but I'm afraid I wont hear enough of the distortion from the mains like I do from the cab. I know every pa is different, but I got a show coming up that may be in from of a few hundred, the most I've ever played for. Not sure if that's the show to be trying new things heh heh
 
#14
The Bass Driver DI was originally designed to give you the sound of a vintage tube amp via the XLR out to the mixing board. The concept was that you would plug your bass into the Bass Driver and send the parallel uneffected output to your bass amp and use that as your stage monitor. This meant that your direct tone wasn't the sound of your bass guitar's pickups but the sound of an emulated amp. This would give the player and FOH a much more consistent DI sound and eliminate the need for a microphone. You could also utilize the blend function and "blend" in your standard DI bass tone with the amp emulation like recording studios have done for years

Somewhere along the way players started using the Bass Driver as a distortion box into the front end of their bass amps via the 1/4" output and sending the XLR SansAmp output to the mixer. This is fine as long as you leave the pedal engaged. If you switch it on and off like a regular stompbox you will have a very inconsistent DI signal at the board.

You can use it in any manner you wish if it works for you. It's a flexible pedal that can be used in a multitude of ways. It really depend what you are trying to accomplish. .
 
#15
It certainly is flexible! The night of the show there's a few things im contemplating. They have a gk head and cab as a back line so i may bring my rig in addition to using their backline. I'd send the parallel out to the gk rig and then the 1/4 out to my rig. And then the di would go to the pa. Or just use my rig, have the parallel out go to that and di to the PA. My concern with the 2nd way is that in wont hear enough of the distortion over the clean bass I'll be getting onstage. It may sound totally different offstage but that distortion is what gets me goinnn. So if that's what happens I'll just send the 1/4 out to my amp instead.
 
#17
using the sansamp sound into the mains and a dry sound on stage doesn't make sense to me; i'd have no idea what i actually sounded like, which totally affects the way i hit the instrument!

it's the opposite scenario from the player constructing a very particular amp tone, then having the soundguy bypass all of it with a DI straight off the bass. in each case the player is getting bogus feedback as to his sonic contribution to the band sound out front.

yes, i know, the EQ might be different out front than into my stage rig, but the "character" needs to be there for me to have the right feel for what i'm doing.
 
#18
jeffgnr90 said:
It certainly is flexible! The night of the show there's a few things im contemplating. They have a gk head and cab as a back line so i may bring my rig in addition to using their backline. I'd send the parallel out to the gk rig and then the 1/4 out to my rig. And then the di would go to the pa. Or just use my rig, have the parallel out go to that and di to the PA. My concern with the 2nd way is that in wont hear enough of the distortion over the clean bass I'll be getting onstage. It may sound totally different offstage but that distortion is what gets me goinnn. So if that's what happens I'll just send the 1/4 out to my amp instead.
Click to expand...
if the sansamp is "your sound", then use either your own rig or the house rig (don't bother with both) but use the regular 1/4" out to your stage rig; in fact, you might be best off running that 1/4" out into the effects return or power amp in of the stage rig, bypassing the other preamp entirely so it's just a straight power amp.
 
#20
With back line equipment, it's usually best to use what is provided or completely bypass it. With a quick turnover of bands (my guess) it is best to stick with what works for you. Although you can finally try something new, doing so in front of a bunch of people can turn out to be a nightmare sound wise for you. Especially if you have no time to adjust it.
 

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