Thanks for the VXL comments, all! Listened to the demos. Wow. Then it was SFT vs VXL 'til I found a used one on GC for $60. Waiting by the mailbox!
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Tubey + DI
- Thread starter scottfeldstein
- Start date
I've changed my mind yet again. The Tech 21 VT Bass pedal may indeed have the retro sounding tubey gain sound I'm interested in. But it doesn't fill all needs/wants, which are...
1. analog overdrive that sounds at least a little tubey
2. a (defeatable) preset EQ that emulates a mid-scooped retro rig
3. at least a 3-band EQ
4. a blend knob
5. DI
6. a parallel out
7. phantom power option
8. small
9. inexpensive
And believe it or not, I'm now leaning toward getting the MXR M80 Bass DI +. It has all these features. The overdrive is independent of the EQ, plus it has a noise gate. Anyone have direct experience with it? Or is anyone aware of any significant drawbacks? It basically seems like a sansamp paradriver with extra features and an $80 discount.
1. analog overdrive that sounds at least a little tubey
2. a (defeatable) preset EQ that emulates a mid-scooped retro rig
3. at least a 3-band EQ
4. a blend knob
5. DI
6. a parallel out
7. phantom power option
8. small
9. inexpensive
And believe it or not, I'm now leaning toward getting the MXR M80 Bass DI +. It has all these features. The overdrive is independent of the EQ, plus it has a noise gate. Anyone have direct experience with it? Or is anyone aware of any significant drawbacks? It basically seems like a sansamp paradriver with extra features and an $80 discount.
Huh... That's a fairly stiff set of criteria. Sounds like you've already answered your question... the MXR might be one of the few (if not the only one) that meets that list completely. Were you looking at it when you made that list? 
I've never had more than in-shop experience with the MXR because the sound of the distortion wasn't for me. I took home the BDDI instead. I have a B3K and Dark Driving for straight up dirt duties and kick on the Sansamp when I wanted the scoopy tubey dirty sound.
That's just me though.
I've never had more than in-shop experience with the MXR because the sound of the distortion wasn't for me. I took home the BDDI instead. I have a B3K and Dark Driving for straight up dirt duties and kick on the Sansamp when I wanted the scoopy tubey dirty sound.
That's just me though.
M80's distortion doesn't sound that good IMO. You have to blend it right down, and the colour scoop is always engaged.
I had one for three days before I ordered a VT Deluxe and for my money, the VTD is much better. It just lacks a clean blend. I only wanted a blend when I was driving it hard, so I used an LS-2. Now I use other dirt pedals that retain low end, and use the VT for polishing up the sound. It's almost always on, except with my Trace rig where it's redundant.
Putnam can add a blend.
I had one for three days before I ordered a VT Deluxe and for my money, the VTD is much better. It just lacks a clean blend. I only wanted a blend when I was driving it hard, so I used an LS-2. Now I use other dirt pedals that retain low end, and use the VT for polishing up the sound. It's almost always on, except with my Trace rig where it's redundant.
Putnam can add a blend.
Actually yes I was looking at the MXR when I wrote that list up. I have owned two SansAmp Bass Drivers and while I liked them both, I also didn't like them both. I wanted a way to defeat the scooped tone and I was always fighting it on that basis. The paradriver seems more my speed, but even that has a built-in, non-defeatable tone shaper--even if it does also have a mid knob. Plus, I never was totally in love with the distortion that came out of it. It was ok. It was usable in small amounts. But it wasn't awesome. I found myself fighting that a little bit, too.
The thing about the MXR is that that built-in tone shaper has a button with an actual "off" position in addition to the 3-band EQ. I don't think the distortion is any better. In fact my primary concern about the unit is that its distortion is actually worse than the BDDI.
What I want is the distortion of the VT and the features of the M80. For $120. Heh.
Maybe I should just get a VT and a cheap DI, I don't know...
The thing about the MXR is that that built-in tone shaper has a button with an actual "off" position in addition to the 3-band EQ. I don't think the distortion is any better. In fact my primary concern about the unit is that its distortion is actually worse than the BDDI.
What I want is the distortion of the VT and the features of the M80. For $120. Heh.
Maybe I should just get a VT and a cheap DI, I don't know...
An outboard DI is a great way to go, IMO. If I wasn't currently happy with the preamp/DI's I've already got, I wouldn't think twice about getting a separate DI and running something like my VT Bass (which I've done) or a Rusty Box as a preamp.
Here's a suggestion: In your profile, you list your amp as a GK MB500... why not use the DI on the back of the amp while you're giving a VT Bass a go? If the VT really gets your engine going, then spring for a separate DI if you even need it. If the VT isn't your thing, you can look for something else without having the restriction of needing a DI. It'll open up options by eliminating #5-7 from your list.
Having an outboard DI is NEVER a bad thing. Sound engineers love musicians who are prepared, and they're always happily surprised when I tell them I've got three ways to plug in a signal.
5sg.
Lotta wisdom in that. Yeah, I'm already using the DI on the amp when I do recordings in the band's home studio. I could go with the VT bass and see how I like it and then reevaluate the need for an outboard DI later.
FWIW I have been playing around with splitting my rack-dual 210 rig so the bottom cab is Sansamp Paradriver straight to the power amp (and the PA) and the top cab running off of the parallel out of the Sansamp into an ART Tube Channel and the other half of the power amp. This way, if I need more mids, I just turn up the channel on top. If I need more girth I turn up the bottom cab.
Man.. Combining my markbass compressore (mild with slow attack) and my Art tube PAC lately has been killing it... Im not a huge 'tube guy' expert at all, but my tone has definetly been hitting on some the industry buzzwords
Edit: posted this already but maybe it will help... http://soundcloud.com/eddododo/markbass-compressore-ebs
I particularly like the tone at 1:10 ish, though I wank on.an octaver shortly after
Edit: posted this already but maybe it will help... http://soundcloud.com/eddododo/markbass-compressore-ebs
I particularly like the tone at 1:10 ish, though I wank on.an octaver shortly after
