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The Preamp/OD/DI rabbit hole

#82
Ed455 said:
So . . . I've looked at Darkglass B7K, B7K Ultra, Alpha Omega, MXR M80+, etc. but not PLAYED through any of them. The more I look, listen, read reviews, the more unsure I am.

There is not a music store in my area where I can try them out, so . . . I want to have DI and eliminate the stage amp, and I want WARM subtle OD that keeps my low end presence, especially with my B string. I have mostly MXR pedals and I generally like them, but the Fuzz Deluxe is just too much. I can use use it with the "fuzz" knob turned almost all the way down, but it still picks up too much string noise, etc (ok, that could be bad hand technique).

I'm not opposed to trial and error. I buy used on reverb, and can flip any pedal to try something different. But I'd like to at least go the right direction and the Fuzz Deluxe is NOT the right direction for me. The M89 Bass Overdrive I suspect may be an improvement, but since I want a DI as well, I'd like to kill two birds with one stone.

I play mostly Praise and Worship music and piddle around with some pop, rock and blues at home, so I don't need or want "rip your face off" distortion. The Darkglass stuff sounds like it may be more extreme than I would ever use/need, but the reviews are so good that I'm tempted to pick up a B7K. The MXR M80+ has mixed reviews, some saying they're awesome and some saying that the distortion is "not subtle." I know that the Tone hammer was once the pedal de jour, but seems to be yesterday's pedal now.

I know this is a HIGHLY subjective question, but based upon what I've described, can you steer me in the right direction, worship musicians especially. Thanks in advance.
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A VERY difficult question. I guess the honest answer is you just have to try a few different combinations...
Peter Drake
teacher Hexham
 
#83
Drkwdsman said:
I have used a Tech21 DI for many years in P&W previously and can recommend it.

I currently use a ToneHammer. Here is my current board that I use for Praise and Worship.
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The Tone Hammer was at the top of my list early on and is still in the mix if the Sansamp misses the mark. My other top choices were EBS Microbass 3, Tonehammer, NuX NBP-5 (alluring price), EH Battalion, and the Mesa Subway+. That Sansamp DI-2112 was NOT on my radar but Wolfhound32 brought it to my attention and I intend to research that. The Subway+ would be very comfortable since I already play through a D800 and could probably get a great sound out of it easily. But I'm always looking for different-better.
 
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#87
Ed455 said:
The Tone Hammer was at the top of my list early on and is still in the mix if the Sansamp misses the mark. My other top choices were EBS Microbass 3, Tonehammer, NuX NBP-5 (alluring price), EH Battalion, and the Mesa Subway+. That Sansamp DI-2112 was NOT on my radar but Wolfhound32 brought it to my attention and I intend to research that. The Subway+ would be very comfortable since I already play through a D800 and could probably get a great sound out of it easily. But I'm always looking for different-better.
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I really like my Tone Hammer. Took me a minute to find my sweet-spot settings but it sounds great with my P basses in the online mix at church (lots of factors go into that but listening to my other bass players on rotation there's "magic" in my tone compared to theirs). Built like a tank, the knobs are nice and stiff, and the DI is quiet. The magic is engaging the AGS and setting the gain low to give a cab-like sim and tighten it up. Or, crank it and get some great growl. I have the Shiftline MKIIIs and its a great unit as well, but that one sits on my desk after being beat out by the TH. Good luck! All great units mentioned above!
 
#88
I have gone down the rabbit hole so far down it's not funny.
Posting here might raise more question and more option than a mind can deal with.

After trying most units on the market (my profile list them), I settled on the SansAmp Para Driver DI which is a good DI, a powerful EQ and a natural sounding distortion that is reminiscent of a B15 pushed a little hard. The pedal has some added features such as the ability to take out booming bass (a knob labelled as Rumble filter) which I find myself using quite often.

Many moons ago a Sans Amp representative posted on this site that the SansAmp Bass Driver DI distortion sounds like a pushed SVT and that the SansAmp Para Driver DI sounds more like a B15 distorting. That is right on the money as far as I am concerned.

The Para Driver DI gets little attention, particularly compared with Dark Glass offerings, but it's a useful hidden gem in my book.
 
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#90
Started reading through the previous posts and didn't come across this right away, so apologies if this has been discussed already.
Based on what you are describing, I'd get this:
https://reverb.com/item/43958322-tc-electronic-spectradrive-bass-preamp
It's a DI in a pedal with onboard compression and overdrive. I'd describe it's sound as pretty neutral. It can be pretty basic in a lot of ways, for example, I like my Pork & Pickle for distortion/fuzz because it has both of those circuits, it has a blend for your clean signal and a tone control for both the clean signal and distorted signal. That let's me do fine tuning or go over the top in ways the Spectradrive wouldn't, but if you're not looking for all of that, this is what I'd probably use.
 
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#92
props said:
Started reading through the previous posts and didn't come across this right away, so apologies if this has been discussed already.
Based on what you are describing, I'd get this:
https://reverb.com/item/43958322-tc-electronic-spectradrive-bass-preamp
It's a DI in a pedal with onboard compression and overdrive. I'd describe it's sound as pretty neutral. It can be pretty basic in a lot of ways, for example, I like my Pork & Pickle for distortion/fuzz because it has both of those circuits, it has a blend for your clean signal and a tone control for both the clean signal and distorted signal. That let's me do fine tuning or go over the top in ways the Spectradrive wouldn't, but if you're not looking for all of that, this is what I'd probably use.
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I researched the Spectra Drive. I generally like TC Electronics products, but reviews were somewhat mixed. My top choices were ones that had nearly universal positive reviews, even from people who found that the unit didn't have the sound they were looking for.
 
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#93
I believe you are correct on that. I play through a Tech 21 Power Engine Deuce Deluxe that has a FRFR speaker in it also has a 1/4 in and an XLR in. The BFR was the only one that did not have a drastic sound change when I switched between the 1/4 and XLR. For me that was import as I know the sound that I am sending to FOH is what I am hearing at the amp. I know sometimes that does not matter because the sound guy can do what he wants with it, but a least I feel confident I am sending them what I want to hear. :)



dkelley said:
awesome info, thx! yea, it was jeremy I was replying to about the bfr to make sure he understood that the competing products he didn't like as much actually were different sounding between 1/4 and xlr on purpose, same as sansamp and bdi21.

The BFR has caught my attention every time I see it online.... tempting, although I don't need more doodads, but I WANT more doodads. :)
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dkelley said:
if I recall correctly, that's because the ones that sound different on xlr include a cab simulation on xlr out but do not include cab simulation on the 1/4" out since you will be putting that through your amp. The idea is that the XLR out sounds like a miked up amp, and the 1/4" out goes back to your amp for you to monitor with and therefore doesn't need to sound like a miked up amp.

I have always been on the fence about that too, though, since it depends greatly on your amp and how you set it up, and largely on your speaker cab (hifi semi-flat PA style or bass cab that alters tone how you like?).

always a complex decision there.
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#95
cchorney said:
Tech 21 SansAmp BDDI v2 - $250 at Sweetwater

This will give you a Stomp box format DI with gentle OD (up to a grinding OD), a decent tube emulation, as well as cab emulation.

Also to get rid of string sweep noise as you play, consider flats with the treble boosted a bit - I have a buddy that swears by them. I just live with the noise.
BassDriverV2-large.jpg.auto.webp
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What does the Presence knob do ???
I suspect ir boosts the midrange but I want to get it verified.
 
#96
Jeremy Jones said:
I believe you are correct on that. I play through a Tech 21 Power Engine Deuce Deluxe that has a FRFR speaker in it also has a 1/4 in and an XLR in. The BFR was the only one that did not have a drastic sound change when I switched between the 1/4 and XLR. For me that was import as I know the sound that I am sending to FOH is what I am hearing at the amp. I know sometimes that does not matter because the sound guy can do what he wants with it, but a least I feel confident I am sending them what I want to hear. :)
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yea that's a great example ... I run FRFR also, and therefore I like my cab sims on for the 1/4" out as well.
:-)


cheers
 

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