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Alternatives to SansAmp Bass Driver DI?


AinsleyWalker
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I have the Behringer BDI21 and have found it extremely useful. For recording it works fine, but I've mainly used it for gigs where I've just gone DI or where I'm using an unfamiliar amp. It's not very sturdy but it's more of a "on top of the amp" thing rather than a "on the floor" thing. It works great. For the price it's great to have around!

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[quote name='bartelby' post='1237671' date='May 20 2011, 07:07 AM']I've got a Sansamp Programmable DBBI that I'm getting increasingly fed up with. I'm beginning to dislike the mid scoop.

I'm looking at alternatives at the moment, I've narrowed it down to:

MXR M80
DHA VT2

but also looking into:

Radial Bassbone
EBS MicroBass II[/quote]

You should check out the paradriver instead you have suprior mid control and it's argued the best of the Sansamps

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[quote name='algmusic' post='1238001' date='May 20 2011, 11:44 AM']You should check out the paradriver instead you have suprior mid control and it's argued the best of the Sansamps[/quote]


I've heard that it's still a bit scoopy. Plus I need 2 channels really.

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In my ears the sansamp is colouring to much the sound of any instrument..so they nearly sound all the same, which isn`t bad for some instruments :)
But if you like the sound of wood of your instrument, you better should check another preamp/di.
If you decide for the sansamp..don`t blend it over 12 o`clock, which is my humble advice
also worth a try is the aguilar tonehammer, end eden pedal

the question remains..what are you looking for..a preamp?pedal?a di?an overdrive?

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[quote name='73Jazz' post='1238705' date='May 20 2011, 08:50 PM']In my ears the sansamp is colouring to much the sound of any instrument..so they nearly sound all the same, which isn`t bad for some instruments :)
But if you like the sound of wood of your instrument, you better should check another preamp/di.
If you decide for the sansamp..don`t blend it over 12 o`clock, which is my humble advice
also worth a try is the aguilar tonehammer, end eden pedal

the question remains..what are you looking for..a preamp?pedal?a di?an overdrive?[/quote]

As a lover of the sansamp, I have to agree, you shouldn't use the blend past 12, unless you a bass that you're happy with, but I think that's really the point of the blend dial.. With my old basses I had it at 3, but now it's between 9 and 1.

TBH I like the blend, most of the others don't give you that option, which is a shame as you can really get the best of your bass and pre amp

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  • 3 weeks later...

I bought a Sansamp BDDI a couple of weeks ago - hated it. My tone disappeared and I didn't like the way it seemed to squash my fuzz and take all the meat out of it. I was trying to use the blend to get something I like out of it but then - whats the point of having a tone shaper if your trying to blend the effect out? I just wanted to try one out but I guess I'm too happy with my regular tone to require a tone shaper. Still after a quality D.I. though.

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[quote name='burno70' post='1264072' date='Jun 10 2011, 05:06 PM']Still after a quality D.I. though.[/quote]

Then you should try the Avalon U5 which is amazing, you even hear the heartbeat of all the woodworms inside your bass :)
Also a great deal is the Ampeg SVT Tube DI

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[quote name='211dave112' post='1237865' date='May 20 2011, 10:33 AM']I have the Behringer BDI21 and have found it extremely useful. For recording it works fine, but I've mainly used it for gigs where I've just gone DI or where I'm using an unfamiliar amp. It's not very sturdy but it's more of a "on top of the amp" thing rather than a "on the floor" thing. It works great. For the price it's great to have around![/quote]
+1. I sold my Sansamp BDDI and kept my Behringer, as although the Sansamp is a quality piece of kit, I actually prefer the sound from the Behringer, which to my ears, has a far more authentic Ampeggy tone, so much more use to me if my amp goes, or for recording, as I still end up sounding like me.

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  • 3 weeks later...

[quote name='bartelby' post='1237671' date='May 20 2011, 07:07 AM']I've got a Sansamp Programmable DBBI that I'm getting increasingly fed up with. I'm beginning to dislike the mid scoop.

I'm looking at alternatives at the moment, I've narrowed it down to:

MXR M80
DHA VT2

but also looking into:

Radial Bassbone
EBS MicroBass II[/quote]

Could be interested if you decide to sell.

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  • 1 month later...

[quote name='73Jazz' post='1264078' date='Jun 10 2011, 04:12 PM']Then you should try the Avalon U5 which is amazing, you even hear the heartbeat of all the woodworms inside your bass :)
Also a great deal is the Ampeg SVT Tube DI[/quote]
+1

sold: bassdriver di progammable

kept and like for special occasions: l.r. baggs para di, aguilar tonehammer, dha-vt1 bassoverdrive di
kept, like best and main gigging preamp with di: gp lightstone twister
best studio di for my taste: old telefunken v672 from the 60ies. :) .

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  • 1 year later...

I've just bought a BDI-21 to spice up my Markbass rig's tone, sounds boss on it's own and the tube distortion is decent, however it seems to absolutely destroy the mids in a fashion I'd have loved when I was going through my bedroom bassist phase... looking forward to trying it in a band setting to see if I can keep the valve sound without loosing all the mids and promptly getting lost in the mix...

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[quote name='SlapbassSteve' timestamp='1357734492' post='1927375']
I've just bought a BDI-21 to spice up my Markbass rig's tone, sounds boss on it's own and the tube distortion is decent, however it seems to absolutely destroy the mids in a fashion I'd have loved when I was going through my bedroom bassist phase... looking forward to trying it in a band setting to see if I can keep the valve sound without loosing all the mids and promptly getting lost in the mix...
[/quote]

I feel exactly the same about mine. Is it too much to ask to expect a mid control as well as just bass, treble and "presence"? The presence control needs careful handling... :blink:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello chaps, interesting thread!

I'm doing a theatre tour next month with the Kate Bush tribute and it's gonna be no amps on stage, with in ear monitoring only. so I'm gonna be looking at getting something like this. Not sure which one though... :blink:

Gonna be running two passive basses, both fretted and fretless (with some chorus on the fretless stuff, via my old Boss chorus pedal) - I know some of these have a facility for two inputs.

Any recommendations anyone?

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[quote name='Bobby K' timestamp='1359019951' post='1948447']
Hello chaps, interesting thread!

I'm doing a theatre tour next month with the Kate Bush tribute and it's gonna be no amps on stage, with in ear monitoring only. so I'm gonna be looking at getting something like this. Not sure which one though... :blink:

Gonna be running two passive basses, both fretted and fretless (with some chorus on the fretless stuff, via my old Boss chorus pedal) - I know some of these have a facility for two inputs.

Any recommendations anyone?
[/quote]

Probably worth avoiding the Behringer as it'll give you no control over the mids on the fretless stuff. If it's in-ears only I'd be inclined to get the SansAmp.

Extremely jealous of your tour btw, that sounds fantastic- some amazing basslines in KB's stuff, especially John Giblin's fretless playing on Never For Ever... gutted I'm gigging myself when you're playing the Liverpool Phil or I'd have booked tickets before writing this. B)[size=4] [/size]

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[quote name='SlapbassSteve' timestamp='1359029054' post='1948623']

Extremely jealous of your tour btw, that sounds fantastic- some amazing basslines in KB's stuff, especially John Giblin's fretless playing on Never For Ever... gutted I'm gigging myself when you're playing the Liverpool Phil or I'd have booked tickets before writing this. B)
[/quote]

Mate, I'm like a pig in poo playing these songs, very privileged indeed! Yep, the fretless stuff (especially [i]Breathing[/i]) is my fave in the set. I have become a massive fan of Kate just from being involved in this.

Gonna keep my eye out in the for sale section for DI's etc - cheers for the input mate ;)

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[quote name='SlapbassSteve' timestamp='1357734492' post='1927375']
I've just bought a BDI-21 to spice up my Markbass rig's tone, sounds boss on it's own and the tube distortion is decent, however it seems to absolutely destroy the mids in a fashion I'd have loved when I was going through my bedroom bassist phase... looking forward to trying it in a band setting to see if I can keep the valve sound without loosing all the mids and promptly getting lost in the mix...
[/quote]

The secret with these boxes (BDI-21 and BDDI) is in the blend knob. Back it off a bit and you will get a bit more of the original tone coming though. You can also back both treble and bass knobs off together and this will allow the mids to come through a bit stronger.
It took me at least a couple of years to finally find i could use my BD-21 with my MB heads. Then i progressed to a BDDI as it felt a bit more robust, plus i never used the presence knob. I think i actually prefer the tone from the BDI-21 over the real deal.

I now have a Paradriver, as that does have the mid control, its more of an all round box rather than a SVT emulator, but i tend to keep it flat. The EQ on this thing is very powerful.

Bobby, i too am very jealous. She has some very interesting songs and i'd love to have a reason to learn them. Hope it all goes well.

Edited by dave_bass5
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[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1359048091' post='1949042']
The secret with these boxes (BDI-21 and BDDI) is in the blend knob. Back it off a bit and you will get a bit more of the original tone coming though. You can also back both treble and bass knobs off together and this will allow the mids to come through a bit stronger.
It took me at least a couple of years to finally find i could use my BD-21 with my MB heads. Then i progressed to a BDDI as it felt a bit more robust, plus i never used the presence knob. I think i actually prefer the tone from the BDI-21 over the real deal.

I now have a Paradriver, as that does have the mid control, its more of an all round box rather than a SVT emulator, but i tend to keep it flat. The EQ on this thing is very powerful.

Bobby, i too am very jealous. She has some very interesting songs and i'd love to have a reason to learn them. Hope it all goes well.
[/quote]

Cheers for the heads up about the blend, gigging in Manchester tonight so will try it out :)[size=4] [/size]

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