• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

VT Bass Version 2 Impression

#21
Sounds awesomer than the 1st one!!

Glad I hadn't pulled the trigger just yet.

I'm wondering though..How come I've never heard of this "clankiness" issue before?






12bass said:
Here's something that I'd like to see clarified:

With the speaker simulation engaged, is the VT Bass 2 any different than the original (as in, does it sound exactly the same with the knobs in the same position)? Or has the baseline treble EQ been changed?
Click to expand...


Hmm..Good question....


.
 
#23
I've been a big VT fan for a long time. It paired ever so well with my TRB1004, Jaguar, BTB1000e, etc... I recently got a Lakland Skyline Bob Glaub and I find myself never turning the VT on. Every setting or dial movement just sounds bad with the Glaub. When I grab my BTB I must have the pedal on though.
 
#26
12bass said:
Here's something that I'd like to see clarified:

With the speaker simulation engaged, is the VT Bass 2 any different than the original (as in, does it sound exactly the same with the knobs in the same position)? Or has the baseline treble EQ been changed? The speaker sim should be rolling off highs similarly to a speaker, causing the sound to become somewhat darker, with the harsh edges rounded off. What happens when the speaker sim is disabled? Does it get brighter or darker with the sim disabled? Removing the speaker simulation should make the sound somewhat brighter, as it would allow more of the highs to come through.

From what's been written, it appears that Tech21 may have lowered the VT's nominal treble output level somewhat. If so, that would be fine for most users, as most of us have been seriously dialing a the highs back anyway, as the original was overly bright.
Click to expand...

If you go back to post #8 of this thread there is an explanation of the speaker sim defeat button. The original and updated pedals sound the same with the speaker sim activated. You are correct in your assumption that completely bypassing the speaker sim would make the pedal even brighter which is why we added the HF roll off. There is a simple mod that can be done to the version 2 VT Bass to accomplish this but it is really kind of redundant as you can basically dial in very close to that EQ curve with the pedal in it's stock form.

It's kind of funny. People just get hung up on this idea that the tone controls need to be set a certain way versus what just sounds good. The tone controls on the Character Series pedals are active and post SansAmp circuitry which give you a greater amount of control over your final sound. It's like mic'ing and amp and tweaking post mic at the recording console. You need to think a little outside the box with these things.

When people say the pedal is not flat this usually means that what they are "looking" for is the exact same sound they have but somehow different.??? I see this quite a bit with guitarists on the Gear Page as well. In a case like that you may be better served with our Bass Driver or Para Driver DI pedals as they have the blend function that allows you to dial in the SansAmp sound with your straight bass tone.
 
#27
Sorry I didn't respond earlier. I was off the net for a while after experiencing the tornadoes that recently ripped through Alabama. :eek:


I use the VT Bass with a 78 P bass, a Stingray 5, and a Sadowsky MV5. I get the clank with all 3 basses and at all settings I have used on the VT bass, but the setting I usually use is the drive set at 9:00, the character turned all the way down, bass at 1:00, mid at 1:00, and high turned all the way down. On the basses, I run the P bass with the tone control down about a third, the Sad flat except the VTC is rolled down about a third to one half, and the Stingray flat except for a very slight reduction in treble.

I go direct to the board and the board EQ is flat. We use QSC HPR 122is for monitors and the upper mains and the QSC HPR 18 inch subs.

Any suggestions on how I can correct any "user error" in this setup would be appreciated.
 
  • Like
Reactions: scapino
#28
I thought the "clank" was the incentive for even wanting to use a BDDI or VT Bass.
You know, that overdriven SVT clank. Or am I mistaken?
Basically, if you don't like it, buy something else, or play straight (bass-->amp input).
Common sense!
 
#30
I find the Jazz pickup in my active P/J to be very "attack oriented" when turned up too high whilst using my BDDI. I think the "clank" everyone is fretting about (see what I did?!) stems from too much treble, mids, and attack in the signal.

My old SVT would get beautifully "clanky" when I cranked the Gain and Master volume. With my BDDI, I generally keep the Precision pickup most of the way "up" (with a dash of the Jazz to taste) in order to best emulate my old SVT's sweet, sweet overdriven tone (the "clank").

Not sure if the VT is as sensitive as the plain old Sansamp, but I have to adjust the EQ on my bass AND my amp to find a tone that doesn't bite too much. I'm going to purchase a V2 VT Bass pedal soon enough.. all of the sound samples I've heard online seem spot-on perfect for my particular tastes!!

It's all about the knobs. We all have multiple points with which to sculpt the sound coming out of our amps. We should not be relying on any pedal's tone controls exclusively.
 
#35
There may be some ambiguity regarding what people mean by 'clank'. I'll agree that turning the character knob past 2:00 or so sounds brash in the upper midrange (pushed in the 1 to 2 kHz range). For my purposes, it tends to get set between 11:00 and 1:30. The treble control is somewhat higher than that, around 3 kHz or so, and can contribute to a bit of an edgy sound. I've actually modified mine so that the treble knee is higher, so it gets more into the 4 kHz "sparkle" range.
 
#36
I just received my VT Bass V2 :eek:
Incredible !!!
Very versatile pedal and I can easily dial huge and mean sounds with my Fender Precision and my Thumb B.O. 6-string.
I know it's a known fact, but I can confirm that the controls are very interactive and sensitive. A small tweak can result in a big change in sound.
Construction : nothing to say, seems pretty solid !

With the Speaker sim disengaged, the pedal is transformed into
a simple 3 band EQ. Sounds good, but its not the reason why i bought this pedal. The drive doesn't sound good without the speaker sim.

Overall, I am really impressed by the sound that I can get with this small pedal !

Will be posting some clips next week :bassist:
 
#37
Slaymus said:
I just received my VT Bass V2 :eek:
Incredible !!!
Very versatile pedal and I can easily dial huge and mean sounds with my Fender Precision and my Thumb B.O. 6-string.
I know it's a known fact, but I can confirm that the controls are very interactive and sensitive. A small tweak can result in a big change in sound.
Construction : nothing to say, seems pretty solid !

With the Speaker sim disengaged, the pedal is transformed into
a simple 3 band EQ. Sounds good, but its not the reason why i bought this pedal. The drive doesn't sound good without the speaker sim.

Overall, I am really impressed by the sound that I can get with this small pedal !

Will be posting some clips next week :bassist:
Click to expand...

We're glad you like your VT Bass pedal. If you go back to post 8 of this thread there is an explanation about the speaker sim defeat button. You are misunderstanding the pedal if you think it just becomes a 3 band eq with the speaker sim turned off. All the functions are the same with the exception of the speaker emulation.

The need to use the speaker sim defeat button will really vary with the player and their respective rigs.
 
#38
Thanks for the clarification tech21nyc
I should have said that I prefer to use it
as 3 band EQ with the speaker simulator bypassed !

Here is some quick sound clips of the VT-Bass.
MIA Fender Precision into VT-Bass into JDI into
Sonar Powerstudio 660.
First pass is without VT-Bass and then I
go with the VT-Bass engaged.

VT-Bass-Fender-Precision-divers by Slaymus on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free
VT-Bass-Slap-Fender-Precision by Slaymus on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free
VT-Bass-Fender-Precision-Crimson by Slaymus on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

I'm open to specific sound clip requests :bassist:
 
  • Like
Reactions: KJMO
#40
Is the output control still as "touchy"? I love my VT, but I'm too spooked to leave it on the floor should a cable (or stiff wind) brush the output level knob and send the output level sky-high. So it now comes out rarely when I play a set where I leave it on top of my amp.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back