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VT Bass Rack - Available?

#6
Tone wise, all the VT Bass products are based around the same circuit. There are some slight differences. It really comes down to application. Are you a pedal guy or rack guy? Do you need a DI or not? Do you want something small to fit in your gig bag or do you want an amp? etc.
 
#7
Yeah the only thing that can make me put my VT Bass Deluxe aside is an all-tube amp lol. For a pedal going into an SS amp, nothing else gets me closer to a tube amp sound. Some people use them for overdrive with an all-tuber, but I think it shines as a preamp into an SS power section. It also works as a freakin killer D.I., let us know how the rack one works for you!
 
#10
I plan to run the VT Bass Rack into my SVT II NP, as a preamp. Currently I run a VT Bass pedal with any amp I plug into (tube or SS). Sometimes I must adjust the settings, but regardless of the heritage tube amps and the sound you can get plugged straight in, I find that using a VT Bass as a preamp always sounds better and more refinement of the sound you can get.

I am not sure if I will run the VT Bass Rack into the front (dual preamp) of the Ampeg or into the back (VT as a Preamp only), until I experiment a little.

I doubt that I will retire my VT Bass pedal, since sometimes I must play without my own rig. It stays with my board.
 
#12
No. They are based on the VT Bass platform but have different features. The Rack unit has blend, the internal jumpers for extra tonal options, parallel loop, internal power supply etc. The Deluxe has the ability to store presets, can be phantom powered, dual discrete inputs etc.
 
#13
tech21nyc said:
No. They are based on the VT Bass platform but have different features. The Rack unit has blend, the internal jumpers for extra tonal options, parallel loop, internal power supply etc. The Deluxe has the ability to store presets, can be phantom powered, dual discrete inputs etc.
Click to expand...
Thank you.

1.) Where is the parallel loop placed in the signal chain?

2.) Does the parallel loop have it's own level control or blend control?

3.) If so, is it at the beginning (input side) of the loop, or the end (output side) of the loop?

4.) Is the loop footswitchable?

5.) Where may I locate information on the tone jumpers?

~numbered for your convenience~ :)

Thanks 2.0
 
#14
Flux Jetson said:
Thank you.

1.) Where is the parallel loop placed in the signal chain?

2.) Does the parallel loop have it's own level control or blend control?

3.) If so, is it at the beginning (input side) of the loop, or the end (output side) of the loop?

4.) Is the loop footswitchable?

5.) Where may I locate information on the tone jumpers?

~numbered for your convenience~ :)

Thanks 2.0
Click to expand...

The EFX loop in the VT Bass Rack is configured the same as the RBI/RPM.

EFFECTS LOOP
Send and Return
The Effects Loop allows you to connect external effects with the SansAmp RPM and is
placed between the tone controls and Level controls. Connect the input of your processor to Send; output of your processor to Return. Note: When nothing is plugged into the
Effects Loop, the signal passes through from the SansAmp RPM to the Output jacks,
with both the SansAmp 1/4" and XLR Outputs receiving the same signal.
Mix 50/50 Switch
The 1/4" Send routes 100% of the SansAmp RPM’s signal through your effects processor when the 50/50 switch is not engaged. If you engage the 50/50 switch, then 50% of
the SansAmp RPM signal goes through your effects processor, and the other 50%
passes directly to the SansAmp 1/4" and XLR Outputs.
To preserve the signal integrity of the SansAmp RPM, use the Effects Loop with the Mix
50/50 switch engaged. When the SansAmp RPM is in this mode, the effects processor’s mix control should be set at 100% wet. Your relative wet/dry mixture can then be
controlled by increasing/decreasing the effects processor’s output level. NOTE: If you
experience a thin, undesirable sound or phase cancellation, the effect may not be capable of a 100% wet signal. Therefore, we suggest disengaging the Mix 50/50 switch.
Click to expand...

The jumpers in the VT Bass Rack give the ability to remove the sub sonic filter if desired. There are also jumpers to change the center frequency of the Bass control from 80,100 & 120Hz. You can also change the Mid control from 750Hz to 1kHz to 1.2kHz.
 
#15
tech21nyc said:
..... The jumpers in the VT Bass Rack give the ability to remove the sub sonic filter if desired. There are also jumpers to change the center frequency of the Bass control from 80,100 & 120Hz. You can also change the Mid control from 750Hz to 1kHz to 1.2kHz.
Click to expand...

This is FANTASTIC news right here! Part of what has had me on the fence with the VT series was the fixed 500hz midrange control (at least that's what the specs say about it)...

Invalid Link Removed ...

The ability to change the freq centers is killa news. It makes it sortof a semi-semi-parametric system. Sounds like it might even be a mod-able thing that could be done with a toggle switch or three or perhaps a rotary switch (of course that would void any warranty).

Good show guys!
 
#18
Lublin said:
With the new VT Bass DI, does the DI stay functional even when the effect is switched off?
Click to expand...
I guess the answer is no, but does the speaker sim remain active on the DI when the effect is disengaged? Or, as I suspect, with the effect off, does the pedal just function as a normal active DI box with no tone controls? Can the DI be used passively with no power?
 
#19
4StringsEnough said:
I guess the answer is no, but does the speaker sim remain active on the DI when the effect is disengaged? Or, as I suspect, with the effect off, does the pedal just function as a normal active DI box with no tone controls? Can the DI be used passively with no power?
Click to expand...
It seems like I saw some video ... might have been something from NAMM 2013 .. that was discussing some of those very issues re: the new VT-DI pedal. I'll see if I can locate it.
 
#20
MY VT WISH LIST:

Rack unit, with presets, headphone out, footswitchable FX loop with operational status assigned to each preset, and a more flexible semi-parametric midrange control (like that which the Para-driver and RPM use).

If I can't have all of that, then:

Rack.
Presets (just four or six would be totally fine)
RPM-type semi parametric EQ.

I mean, Tech 21 has had that 100 preset rack goody for guitarists for a long LONG time (the "PSA"), it seems like a short step to either expand that to include VT-Bass voicing .. OR .. expand the VT-RM to be a little more like the PSA with the 100-odd presets.

Just sayin'.

Hmmm .. I may try modding a VTB 2.0 pedal to have MIDI-controllable knobs. It's not rocket science these days, MIDI-encoder pcbs are readily available from places such as PedalSync and Highly Liquid. I'd need to gut the VTB and rehouse it in a rack chassis .... I already have a half dozen of those in both 1U and 2U .. just sorta thinking out loud here.

Huh ... well .. I suppose thinking that over doesn't cost me a penny ... I'll mull it over a bit and see what comes from that. It may even be a commercially viable thing ... rack-mounted MIDI control modification to the little VTB pedal. Ya never know!
 

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