VMT Deluxe vs Regular

[The Ryantist]

I'm still in my quest for the perfect dirt pedal(s). I won't use this for DI, and it won't be always on (I have a VT Bass DI for that). So how many of you think the 3-band EQ on the Darkglass VMT Deluxe is worth the extra money over the regular VMT?

I play rock mostly from the late 90s to today and contemporary worship. I just traded my B3k and have a Beta coming, and there are still a few more drives I want to check out. My signal chain is:

Empress Compressor -> overdrive(s) TBD -> You're Doom -> VT Bass DI

 

[Bassgeer]

I can't comment on the deluxe specifically, but I flipped my B3K for a B7K, just for the eq. The eq on the deluxe uses the same bass low mid and treble points as the B7K but foregoes the high mid control. It is a very flexible and powerful eq, so I would definitely recommend it. As for the vintage itself, it stacks very will with You're Doom!

Cheers,

Andrew

 

[dave_bass5]

I got the VMTD over the standard version for the extra EQ options. In over a years worth of gigs I don't think I ever turned those knobs more than a mm or so.
I think I read the basic tone on each was slightly different, I'm sure I read the standard was a bit darker. Could be wrong though.

 

[Crystalman85]

The vmt deluxe is good for if you want something of a preamp as well as an overdrive pedal. if you simply want an overdrive sound rather than a preamp sound, go with the regular vmt. I own on myself and I've been using it as my smooth overdrive.

 

[silky smoove]

I owned a VMT for quite a while and really dug it except for what I can only describe as a "softening" of the midrange. It seems to have a bump in the low mids, and then a dip in the mids before leveling off in the high mids. I've never scoped it, but that was always my impression. If the EQ on the VMTD is centered in such a way to deal with that dip in the midrange response and restore some of the punch that's lost from the circuit, I would definitely go that route. If it's not centered in such a way, I would get the VMT and a separate EQ pedal. Ultimately I sold my VMT and ended up with two different pedals to cover the areas where I was using the VMT, but with what I consider to be a punchier midrange response on each.

 

[fasto]

good question. exchanged B3K for VMT and happy now ... no need for another EQ ... EQ on my bass, EQ on my amp, EQ on my VTDI ... EQ overdose

 

[silky smoove]

good question. exchanged B3K for VMT and happy now ... no need for another EQ ... EQ on my bass, EQ on my amp, EQ on my VTDI ... EQ overdose

I would typically agree with this, except that for my needs, the VMT needed an extra EQ solely for the time it was engaged. I did not want to engage the pedal, then run over to my amp's EQ, pump up the midrange, and then do the reverse when disengaging the pedal. If I were to ever go back to a VMT it would definitely be the D version for the added EQ.

 

[Down_Low]

I have owned (and sold - didn't like the midrange scoop) both. I upgraded to the Deluxe as I wanted the DI - it did do a good job as a 'sans amp' - preferred it to the VT Bass I had before it. If I wasn't after the DI section though, I'd go for the regular VMT. Or a completely different pedal.