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Tech 21 Para Driver DI - any more fans out there?

BassyBill

BassyBill

Gold Supporting Member
In Memoriam
Mar 12, 2005
18,174
4,621
West Midlands UK
#1
First off, let me confess to being a huge fan of Tech 21 gear and the Sansamp concept. I currently have the Bass Flyrig v2, the Programmable BDDI, the VT Bass DI, the MP40 pre amp and most recently the Para Driver V2. I also have some other very worthy alternatives such as the BassRig Super Vintage, the Laney Digbeth Pre and the Caline Wine Cellar (amazingly good for the money, by the way).

Obviously the Flyrig is in a category by itself out of these for the multitude of features, but out of the others, the Para Driver is quickly becoming my favourite pre amp / DI. It just seems to combine a lot of the best aspects of the others PLUS the massive EQ advantage of the sweepable mids. It’s surprising that this feature isn’t included on more of the alternatives. Sure, the BassRig and the Laney have some flexibility in this respect, but the Para Driver just has the edge as a one-box stick-it-in-your-gigbag option . And it sounds fantastic, clean or dirty. I’m loving it.
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#5
Roxbororob said:
Count me in, I chose paradriver over VT a long time ago (specifically because of the sweepable mids).

If I'm honest I'll admit that mine gets less use these days only because I became a bit of a gas junkie (thanks talkbass!).

It's still the only tech 21 pedal for me and I'll never flip it
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Interesting. What’s your first choice alternative?
 
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#7
BassyBill said:
Interesting. What’s your first choice alternative?
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Tie between SV-Pre with Monocomp (both Broughton pedals) and/or Sushibox Slampegg coupled to same compressor.

Edit: plus I have a Messenger DI (Broughton again) at the end of my board.

More Edit: Have accumulated piles of other good ones but the Paradriver (which was one of my first forays into pedalmania) is still a fave. An fdeck hp3/paradriver combo makes a really usefull compact board, great for double bass too!
 
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#8
I like the scooped SansAmp sound (for FOH) that is nicely 'thick' but it is a bit too much and with the sweepable mids I can add mids at the exact frequency that adds note definition. Well, that is how it seems to work for me.

With my multi-fx I can almost mimic the PDDI sound but it has no DI XLR-out so I would still 'need' a DI box and it can as well be the 'original'.

(Off topic @BassyBill , I use the looper as an in-between-songs noise samples playback device only. On the picture you can see the input is not connected :).)
 
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#9
BassyBill said:
It just seems to combine a lot of the best aspects of the others PLUS the massive EQ advantage of the sweepable mids. It’s surprising that this feature isn’t included on more of the alternatives.
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The PDDI is really designed for acoustic instruments with passive piezo pickups. That's why it has the sweepable mid and the much higher input impedance. These features aren't as necessary for solid body electric instruments with magnetic pickups.
 
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#10
amper said:
The PDDI is really designed for acoustic instruments with passive piezo pickups. That's why it has the sweepable mid and the much higher input impedance. These features aren't as necessary for solid body electric instruments with magnetic pickups.
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But they are so nice to have. YMMV of course:thumbsup:

EDIT: Sweepable mids are now available on more amps and pedals.
 
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#11
amper said:
The PDDI is really designed for acoustic instruments with passive piezo pickups. That's why it has the sweepable mid and the much higher input impedance. These features aren't as necessary for solid body electric instruments with magnetic pickups.
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While the Para Driver DI does have some features that are specific to acoustic guitar applications, it is a multi use pedal that can be used on electric guitars, keys, acoustic instruments, drums, vocals etc.
 
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#13
Hutzbordello said:
Love my paradriver! Gives everything in front of it a ton of heft and grunt. I'd LIKE to try an origin effects super vintage but im not sure it's worth it. Plus the sansamp is a classic!!
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I’ve owned the Super Vintage, and sold it. It’s a terrific piece of gear, but given a choice between the two the Para Driver shades it for me. I’ve just received today an SGT DI, so that’s another factor in the equation. But I’ll still love the PDDI because its versatility and compactness make it an ideal “stick it in the gig bag” DI, especially when I don’t want to take my full pedalboard.
 
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#14
I’ve been in a relationship with my Para Driver for 20 years. I’ve had affairs with a Bass Driver, a VT, a Flyrig V1, a Tone Hammer, a MXR DI, a Trace Elliot Transit, a Microbass II, and a few others, but I keep coming back to the PDDI. There’s some sort of frequency/compression/harmonics going on which I just can’t get anywhere else. It can be finicky though…

For me, dialing the blend to about 10 o’clock adds the right amount of secret sauce.

I also find it an excellent Guitar amp simulator.

Oddly enough, I’ve never found it a useful addition to my acoustic guitars - I guess it’s just not the sound I’m after in an acoustic.
 
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#15
mowif said:
I’ve been in a relationship with my Para Driver for 20 years. I’ve had affairs with a Bass Driver, a VT, a Flyrig V1, a Tone Hammer, a MXR DI, a Trace Elliot Transit, a Microbass II, and a few others, but I keep coming back to the PDDI. There’s some sort of frequency/compression/harmonics going on which I just can’t get anywhere else. It can be finicky though…

For me, dialing the blend to about 10 o’clock adds the right amount of secret sauce.

I also find it an excellent Guitar amp simulator.

Oddly enough, I’ve never found it a useful addition to my acoustic guitars - I guess it’s just not the sound I’m after in an acoustic.
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It really is great with guitar!! I only ever have the blend at around 10-11 o'clock, and the gain turned up just enough until it opens up (about the same as the blend). Got a Model fet coming and going to see if it kicks the pddi off the board
 
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#16
Good morning! I currently have the BDDI V.2. I tried it out at the end of my pedalboard, and as a basic DI, it is marvelous! I have a Tonex up front that handles all the tone shaping, so if I kick in the Sansamp I would prefer only minor EQ shifts (ie more transparent). I am not loving the inherent mid-scoop of the BDDI when Sansamp is engaged, and I haven’t been successful in adding mids to compensate. Is the Sansamp circuit in the Para Driver more-or-less flat? Or does it also have the baked-in mid scoop?
Thank you!
 
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#17
Isn't the Tonex a modeling pedal? It doesn't make sense to run amp models into an amp emulator like the SansAmp. If using the Bass Driver as a DI with it you should turn the Blend control off and only use the active EQ on the pedal. When the Blend is off the Drive, Presence and speaker emulation will not be in the circuit.
 
#18
Yes, that’s correct. I was using it as a normal DI, but had hoped to also use it as a boost at the end. So if I run blend all the way down, when I activate the pedal it should be neutral with all EQ knobs in the center? The use drive and level to adjust for overall grit/boost? Edit - I see Drive will no longer function when blend is down - correct? So just a straight boost is then possible?
 

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