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Which sansamp?

B

BassmanNate

Apr 10, 2006
280
290
#1
So, I've gone down the rabbit hole that is sansamp and trying to compare all of them. Down to the bddi, pddi and vt bass.

I like the ability of the para to sweep the mid but all the videos I see of it, I don't really like the sound except the video put out by tech21. That's also the only one that's v2 of that pedal so hard to compare apples to apples. Also, since it's designed to work with more than just bass, I could see myself getting in the weeds playing with useless tones for hours instead of practicing. That might be completely unfounded, though.

I usually gravitate towards classic svt tones so I thought the vt would be nice but I also really like clean modern tones like markbass and hartke. So maybe it's not the best either?

Looking for all the suggestions here. I didn't use to like the bddi sound but find myself listening to it more and more and realizing it's much more flexible than I thought. Not to mention all the different flavors that exist now.

Edit: I should also add that I haven't played through an amp in years. Almost always headphones or inears. Sometimes through monitors.
 
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#2
Either the VT Bass or Para Driver would be excellent choices in my opinion. I've owned both (Para, VT Bass v1 and VTDI) and found it dead simple to dial in great sounds. I gigged the VTDI for about 2 years. I prefer the overdriven sounds better than the Para, but at low drive settings the Para does a great pushed tube sound. It also benefits from more control over the mids but I never found the VT lacking in that department in any detrimental way at all. Between the "mid" and "character" controls it's very tweakable for any individual setup.

I used to run guitar through my old v1 VT and thought it sounded really good. The Para makes just about everything you run into sound excellent. It's the more versatile box. If I had to choose one for a bass-specific board for gigging/recording it would be the VT. But I'd be absolutely fine using the Para in that capacity too. It comes down to personal preference. If you can audition them first that's ideal, but both can be found used for reasonable prices.
 
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#8
This is my own rather comprehensive demo/guide for the VT BASS I did a while ago:



You might dig its midrange presence and breakup if you like Ampeg, some did, some didn't...

Having said that (and it still being the most useful thing in my board), I'd also look into newer sansamp offerings: I wouldn't mind trying Dug's signature pedal, for example. It sounds like it does drive and well-engineered distortion rather well, but can deliver cleaner and "modern" tones too. Plus, I like their form factor.
 
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#13
BassmanNate said:
So, I've gone down the rabbit hole that is sansamp and trying to compare all of them. Down to the bddi, pddi and vt bass.

I like the ability of the para to sweep the mid but all the videos I see of it, I don't really like the sound except the video put out by tech21. That's also the only one that's v2 of that pedal so hard to compare apples to apples. Also, since it's designed to work with more than just bass, I could see myself getting in the weeds playing with useless tones for hours instead of practicing. That might be completely unfounded, though.

I usually gravitate towards classic svt tones so I thought the vt would be nice but I also really like clean modern tones like markbass and hartke. So maybe it's not the best either?

Looking for all the suggestions here. I didn't use to like the bddi sound but find myself listening to it more and more and realizing it's much more flexible than I thought. Not to mention all the different flavors that exist now.

Edit: I should also add that I haven't played through an amp in years. Almost always headphones or inears. Sometimes through monitors.
Click to expand...

I'd go VT personally. I've tried all of them. Had and used the VT and BDDI the most. I thought the VT did the "classic ampeg" sound better and the grit/drive on it was more natural and smoother sounding than the BDDI. I have used the para in the past but wasn't very impressed with it. Not to say it was bad. Just not as good sounding as the VT or BDDI.
 
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#14
BassmanNate said:
So, I've gone down the rabbit hole that is sansamp and trying to compare all of them. Down to the bddi, pddi and vt bass.

I like the ability of the para to sweep the mid but all the videos I see of it, I don't really like the sound except the video put out by tech21. That's also the only one that's v2 of that pedal so hard to compare apples to apples. Also, since it's designed to work with more than just bass, I could see myself getting in the weeds playing with useless tones for hours instead of practicing. That might be completely unfounded, though.

I usually gravitate towards classic svt tones so I thought the vt would be nice but I also really like clean modern tones like markbass and hartke. So maybe it's not the best either?

Looking for all the suggestions here. I didn't use to like the bddi sound but find myself listening to it more and more and realizing it's much more flexible than I thought. Not to mention all the different flavors that exist now.

Edit: I should also add that I haven't played through an amp in years. Almost always headphones or inears. Sometimes through monitors.
Click to expand...
I've been quite happy with my VT Bass deluxe. Prior to that (in the late 90s) I was quite happy with my bass driver DI. No matter which way you slice it, Tech21's bass offerings sound great and are really versatile. They're a great tool to have.

edit: I use my vt bass as a preamp- plugged into my amp's effects return. I've also used it as a stand-alone with in-ears or running direct to the PA with floor monitors. Always sounds great
 
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#15
"I usually gravitate towards classic svt tones so I thought the vt would be nice"

Ampeg SGT-DI. It will give you clean as well as Ampeg in a box. I've never been a fan of Sansamp and never found them to be as Ampeg-like as people claim.
 
#17
I have been using a BDDI V1 for 14 years I think, love the tone. Most gigs I am IEM, but even when I have an amp on stage I still us the BDDI as my DI. I like the drive on it although most times I only dial it up to the hairy edge, just barely enough so that I now it is breaking up.

I know nothing about the other 2, but I know that if I had to replace my V1 today, I would replace it with a V2.
 

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