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Your thoughts on sansamp?

MicRidley

MicRidley

Guest
Nov 27, 2015
80
24
35
Bellingham, Washington
#1
Hey forum-lurkers,

I want to begin by saying I'm completely Inexperienced and undereducated when it comes to gear.

So I appreciate your expertise. Feel free to give me straight facts or be as blunt or thorough as you deem necessary.

This question stems from a conversation I was having with a friend. We got onto the topic of affordable gig setups.

I'm a full time working full time college student with a kid and bills to pay. As a result, I am always thinking "budget".

His answer was this, a tech 21 sansamp.

Tech 21 SansAmp Programmable Bass Driver DI

I've never heard of them before. Supposedly it replaces the need for a rig. Potentially saving hundreds of dollars for someone who wants a cheap setup until they can afford something worth mentioning.

Is there a large variety of things like this?
Are they commonly used?
Are they something that exists and is generally just not seen being used?

Feel free to give me the rundown if you have time! I'm really curious about this.

-Mic
 
#5
Active DIs/amp emulators like those let you sound good plugged directly into a PA system.
They're very common for recording and playing live.

BUT:
If there's no PA you make no sound.
If you don't have a good monitor mix you and the rest of the band can't hear what you're playing.

Nobody relies on them without an amp unless they are 100% sure they'll have a good monitor mix.
 
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#6
Ah I have a practice amp.

A swr LA12 and a 15" crate bx80.

I'm just looking into a more giggable setup.

I'm also familiar with what DI is.

If not this sansamp thing, I'm considering investing into a 410+head setup eventually.

All of the venues around here have a PA, and I actually have access to a sizeable PA should I ever need it. But it takes a truckbed to haul it.

If I went the sansamp route, would it be acceptable to just use something like my LA12 as a monitor?

Also, can you run other pedals in a train with it easily?

I'm think it'd look like this:

Sansamp---->poly tuner--->fuzz, compression, etc.
 
Last edited:
#7
MicRidley said:
Ah I have a practice amp.

A swr LA12 and a 15" crate bx80.

I'm just looking into a more giggable setup.

I'm also familiar with what DI is.

If not this sansamp thing, I'm considering investing into a 410+head setup eventually.

All of the venues around here have a PA, and I actually have access to a sizeable PA should I ever need it. But it takes a truckbed to haul it.

If I went the sansamp route, would it be acceptable to just use something like my LA12 as a monitor?

Also, can you run other pedals in a train with it easily?

I'm think it'd look like this:

Sansamp---->poly tuner--->fuzz, compression, etc.
Click to expand...


If you're confident that the venues you will be playing at have a good PA and you already have access to a PA then I would say you should be fine going just the Sansamp into PA route, a lot of people do that.

I would highly suggest checking out this model of the Sansamp:

Tech 21 SansAmp Character Series VT Bass DI

It gets great reviews around here and *to me* sounds way better than the regular bass driver DI's. It is modeled to sound more Ampeg-ish.
 
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#8
MicRidley said:
Also, can you run other pedals in a train with it easily?

I'm think it'd look like this:

Sansamp---->poly tuner--->fuzz, compression, etc.
Click to expand...
yes, you can .. but like this.. the SANSAMP would be "normally" the last in the chain..
Not always - depending on what you want to do - but normally.

poly tuner--->fuzz, compression, etc---->Sansamp---->AMP/PA
 
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#11
MicRidley said:
Thanks a dozen for the speedy replies.

Yeah I'm seeing that there are a handful of different models.

Offering more stomp buttons for presets or knobs I think.
Click to expand...
Yeah Tech 21 has been steadily been improving their offerings mostly in response to player demand. Good company that seems to try hard.

You might also think about the Bass FlyRig, if only for its headphone out.
 
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#13
I own and regularly use a SansAmp Paradriver which I bought used from a TBer along with a TC Mini Tuner.

I really like this Paradriver because it's not bass-specific. It works very well with my electric and upright basses into amps and PAs but it also is a great pre/DI for use with acoustic guitars and mandolins.

One thing I don't get about it though: it has a bunch of switches that seem to have no effect on output?
The Phantom, Output and XLR switches do nothing when they are changed that effects the output tone - yet I still like the tone of my instruments better with this unit left on in the signal chain.
tech-21-sansamp-para-driver-di-616942.jpg
 
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#14
Holy smokes

Options...

There are a lot in that similar $200 price range. That's nice. I am thinking I may actually go this route for now then.

I just need to decide which one...

I really don't know the differences between them and what that means for me.

I think being able to have multiple presets isn't a bad thing for live. If that's what the three channels on the one I originally posted are for.

I have a fuzz, compression, and tuner pedal I'll also be using in the chain.

Are there any features i should be specifically looking at that absolutely dwarf the others?

Right_Butterscotch64 said:
I would highly suggest checking out this model of the Sansamp:

Tech 21 SansAmp Character Series VT Bass DI

It gets great reviews around here and *to me* sounds way better than the regular bass driver DI's. It is modeled to sound more Ampeg-ish.
Click to expand...

Amazon.com: Tech 21 BSDR SansAmp Bass Driver DI: Musical Instruments

Amazon.com: Tech 21 PBDR SansAmp Programmable Bass Driver DI: Musical Instruments

Those are the three I've seen so far, but Im looking into what else is out there.

The quoted one is a newer model I think.

And the third one is just the single channel version of the second one?
 
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#15
MicRidley said:
Holy smokes

Options...

There are a lot in that similar $200 price range. That's nice. I am thinking I may actually go this route for now then.

I just need to decide which one...

I really don't know the differences between them and what that means for me.

I think being able to have multiple presets isn't a bad thing for live. If that's what the three channels on the one I originally posted are for.

I have a fuzz, compression, and tuner pedal I'll also be using in the chain.

Are there any features i should be specifically looking at that absolutely dwarf the others?



Amazon.com: Tech 21 BSDR SansAmp Bass Driver DI: Musical Instruments

Amazon.com: Tech 21 PBDR SansAmp Programmable Bass Driver DI: Musical Instruments

Those are the three I've seen so far, but Im looking into what else is out there.

The quoted one is a newer model I think.

And the third one is just the single channel version of the second one?
Click to expand...

The Bass driver and the Programmable bass driver are good units but the one I suggested was the VT version. The VT is modeled to sound like an Ampeg SVT amplifier, where as the regular Bass Driver/Programmable Bass Driver is its own thing.

The general consensus is that the VT driver DI smokes the Bass Driver DI in the tone department.

Oh and the VT bass driver DI also comes in a programmable version as well:

Tech 21 SansAmp Character Series VT Bass Deluxe

Yeah, the regular black and yellow Bass Driver DI is just the single channel version while the deluxe has programmable channels.
 
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
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#18
MicRidley said:
Oh man more options.

I assume the ampeg DI sounds more ampeg than a tech21 DI?

To not would be just ironic. Since so many people own the tech21 models.
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with a sansamp DI ( I have the old paradriver pictured above), but this unit (I also have one as a backup to my SVT7Pro) will [does?] sound more like an Ampeg than the Sansamp VT, IME.
Not having the VT, I can't confirm.
 
#19
If you bring your own PA and you know it's decent, your combo amp + sansamp into your PA is fine. Perhaps an amp stand is in order to get it pointing at your head.
If you play at venues with nice PA's, also fine.
If you play at places with sketchy PA's, barely enough monitors to go round, the sansamp won't help you. You'll need a louder amp.
 
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#20
MicRidley said:
Oh man more options.

I assume the ampeg DI sounds more ampeg than a tech21 DI?

To not would be just ironic. Since so many people own the tech21 models.
Click to expand...

the sansamp is like a pbass, they are the first one of the first company who offers a di for bass with eq on it that sounds decent hence a lot of soundmen are familiar with the pedal and it kinda become a standard around a di preamp pedal.

There a lot of preamp di pedal in the market currently just see what kind of tone are you really going for,

i enjoy the tonehammer by aguilar which has a more warm and flat eq curve compared to the sansamp.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

if i have multiple bass setup i will go for tonebone bassbone:
Tonebone Bassbone V2™ - Bass Preamp & DI Box

if i want a marcus miller sound i might get the shadowsky di
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

so is really what are you really looking for i guessed
 
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