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VT Bass Rackmount...

#61
I don't think of the blend on the Sansamps in the conventional sense, it's just another shaping tool, and I think it works very well for it's intended purpose. I would imagine it's implemented the way it is for a specific reason in the circuitry - when you blend a true clean signal with an effected one, you can and generally do run into all kinds of weird phase anomalies. I've never found that to be an issue with the Tech21 stuff, with the blend working very well from say 10 to full up. So what sounds good in theory may not be so great in reality, just like a lot of the suggestions folks throw out in the random threads. I have a radial Big Shot Mix that allows you to blend a true clean signal with pedals, and it has the phase control, but there is always a lot twiddling and it is hit or miss.
 
#63
That's kind of what I'm guessing. Glad you are diggin it, looking forward to trying one. They are a tremendous value, especially for still being made here. Wouldn't mind adding some T21 back to the stable.
 
#64
Played a sub gig tonight with my friends Meridian One in a small bar up in Bel Air. The "stage" was elevated a half foot, but was tiny. I was warned in advance so I left the NV610 behind and brought my pair of HS210 cabs, of which I used just one, and it was plenty because volume was reasonable. It was interesting to gig with a tweeter again, but I rolled it mostly back.

I have yet to do any direct A/B with either RBI or RPM, but I'm familiar enough so I don't think it's necessary. The VTRM is definitely my favorite pre of the 3. With Meridian One I dialed in tones ranging from mostly clean to very dirty, and they were all awesome. The dirty tones were especially cool, wonderfully rich in harmonics. The Character knob ranged from noon to fully clockwise depending on the dirt I needed, and on that side of the dial there's little or no mid scoop, so I kept blend between 3 o'clock and 100%. The VTRM tones aren't as pure as the JGR, but they definitely remind me of my old 70's SVT cranked up in a big venue, so I'm thrilled. :cool:

I believe my #1 rig for a long time to come will be the JGR into the rear input of the VTRM. That way I can switch in the VTRM for SVT crunch, and use the JGR for clean tones, and flatter overdriven ones.

Crappy pix:
IMG_20131117_242003_275_zpsab399738.jpg


IMG_20131117_241943_528_zps205ca01c.jpg
 
#66
When put it after the JGR pre, the VTRM does not appear to color tone when bypassed via the Active switch. My last couple of gigs I've soloed the VTRM so it would be judged on its own, but as noted my rig will return to JGR --> VTRM.


P.S. In my photo above, the settings were typical for a grindy rock tone: Drive around 9 o'clock, Character at 3, Blend up full, Bass a touch above flat, Mid a touch below flat, and per Kringle's suggestion I kept Treble down a few notches... that was especially important given that I was running active basses through a tweetered cab (even though the tweet was dialed back a good bit).


P.P.S. Insignificant detail, but it's funny/odd that the bumpers on the rack SansAmps vary from black to chrome. My RBI has chrome bumpers, my RPM has black. In the web photo the VTRM has chrome bumpers, but mine has black. Just something I noticed, I don't care one way or the other!
 
#68
Giving one a run into my DB750 / GS412 rig, sounds HUGE!

Just have a question re. the set-up.

I'm running out of the VT-RM "Sansamp" out on the rear of the unit into to front input jack of the DB750.

Is that how you guys would run it?

I tried it a couple of ways, including into the "power amp in" on the back of the DB750, but, it had a noticeable hum when run that way.

Just concerned that the VT-RM could over-drive the input on the DB? I've got it set to "passive" and the gain at 9 o'clock. It actually sounds better the more I increase the gain on the DB750 but I don't want to "over" drive it.

Thanks in advance for any comments / advice!

Cheers!
 
#69
I've never been a fan of running one preamp into the front of another - creates a mess with all the gain staging and multiple EQs. Patching into the effects return of the 750 would be the way to do it, but if that isn't working, you should get a separate power amp. If you want to use the VT as a front end to another amp, I'd just get the pedal version.
 
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#70
JGR said:
I've never been a fan of running one preamp into the front of another - creates a mess with all the gain staging and multiple EQs. Patching into the effects return of the 750 would be the way to do it, but if that isn't working, you should get a separate power amp. If you want to use the VT as a front end to another amp, I'd just get the pedal version.
Click to expand...

This is a different situation than you were referring to, but I have run your tube preamp into a rack SansAmp on a few occasions. I figured it would be okay because the rear input of the SansAmp has a pad switch. FWIW I haven't noticed a problem, but I should A/B carefully to see if there's some tone suck going on.

Now that I have my pair of HS210 cabs out of the drummer's garage, I could run stereo: JGR pre into one, the VTRM into the other. Not sure how I'd send that to FOH, but hey, that's a minor detail. :p
 
#72
The blend control on our products allows you to blend in the direct signal with the SansAmp circuitry. Turning the control counter clockwise turns off the SansAmp circuit but the tone controls are always active. If the tone controls were bypassed you would have no EQ control when running clean. For amp emulation the control should normally be set at maximum.

The VT Bass can be set for flat response with the amp emulation engaged (at low drive settings) or disengaged. The bypassed signal on our products is flat response.
 
#73
Bass Collector said:
Giving one a run into my DB750 / GS412 rig, sounds HUGE!

Just have a question re. the set-up.

I'm running out of the VT-RM "Sansamp" out on the rear of the unit into to front input jack of the DB750.

Is that how you guys would run it?

I tried it a couple of ways, including into the "power amp in" on the back of the DB750, but, it had a noticeable hum when run that way.

Just concerned that the VT-RM could over-drive the input on the DB? I've got it set to "passive" and the gain at 9 o'clock. It actually sounds better the more I increase the gain on the DB750 but I don't want to "over" drive it.

Thanks in advance for any comments / advice!

Cheers!
Click to expand...

I've run either or both the RBI and RPM into the front of my DB750 for years with great results. If it sounds good to you don't worry about driving it too much.
 
#75
tech21nyc said:
The blend control on our products allows you to blend in the direct signal with the SansAmp circuitry. Turning the control counter clockwise turns off the SansAmp circuit but the tone controls are always active. If the tone controls were bypassed you would have no EQ control when running clean. For amp emulation the control should normally be set at maximum.

The VT Bass can be set for flat response with the amp emulation engaged (at low drive settings) or disengaged. The bypassed signal on our products is flat response.
Click to expand...

We need a three channel programmable version of the vtdi! ! !
 
#76
tech21nyc said:
The bypassed signal on our products is flat response.
Click to expand...
Why, then, do we have reports a high-end loss, which (as described) are identical to the high-end loss I experience with my RPM?

If it is a flat response, shouldn't the signal in bypass mode be identical to the signal when the unit is disconnected? I have not personally tried the VTRM, but my RPM sure changes the tone of my signal when it's bypassed.

:help:
 
#77
esa372 said:
Why, then, do we have reports a high-end loss, which (as described) are identical to the high-end loss I experience with my RPM?

If it is a flat response, shouldn't the signal in bypass mode be identical to the signal when the unit is disconnected? I have not personally tried the VTRM, but my RPM sure changes the tone of my signal when it's bypassed.

:help:
Click to expand...

If anything, because the unit is buffered you might notice a bit more high end when running through the RPM vs without it if using a passive instrument. We would need to know how you or others are arriving at this conclusion. How was it tested? I believe in an earlier post on this thread someone had it in the effects loop when they experienced the problem. There was also some confusion between "bypassed" vs the blend control being set at minimum.You should be able to match the "bypassed" tone with the unit engaged and the blend set to minimum but you would need to set the tone controls to their null point.
 
#79
tech21nyc said:
We would need to know how you or others are arriving at this conclusion. How was it tested? I believe in an earlier post on this thread someone had it in the effects loop when they experienced the problem.
Click to expand...
In my case, I have tried the RPM in front, in the FX loop, and in the full-range out of an Alembic F-1X. The high-end was diminished regardless of which bass was used, while the RPM was disengaged (active light off). Removing the RPM from the chain restored the tone.

I was hoping that the VTRM would not have this issue, but some posts here seem to indicate otherwise. :( I guess I need to get my hands on one, and try it out for myself.
 

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