zero9 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I'm looking at getting a Sans Amp Bass Driver or Para Driver, to get a crunchier tone. Does anyone have experience with either and which one would you recommend? I've listened to some clips on Youtube and either sounds good. The Bass Driver is a bit cheaper... Cheers, Wil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildmanofrock Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 To me, there's not a lot in it. I'd go for the Paradriver cos it has a mid control, and the Bass Driver doesn't. But then some like the scooped tubey tone of the Bass Driver. Also, I suppose you can always turn up the mid on your amp to compensate with the Bass Driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Hmmmm - I'd like to hear the two - but as far as I can tell on the likes of You Tube, the Para driver seems to have a lot more distortion gain than the BDDI. Am I wrong? I was seriously thinking about buying the RPM (the rack version of the Para Driver) - but if there's not much difference, then it'd be a waste of time - as I don't personally like the type of drive available from the BDDI - I think it disturbs the bottom end and makes it woolly. Your thoughts greatly received! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guybrush threepwood Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I haven't used the paradriver, but have a bass driver and love it. It does have a distinctive scoop to it, and if you run it before an amp with the blend over 50%, the BDDI tends to take over the tone a bit... However, I find it dead useful - although I have lots of mids in my sound when it's not on, I quite like the scooped sound for a valve grind type of sound, and I also use it for a treble boost when the blend knob is turned to zero. The drive is a little wooly, but it seems to be voiced in the 'lofi' ampeg-style way, which I must admit I'm pretty fond of. But the great thing about both of them is their usefulness; the BDDI is fantastic to use for recording - normally all it needs is a little bit of compression in the mix, and it's amazing to turn up at a gig where you're using someone else's rig, knowing that the DI sounds great out front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 TBH I couldn't get on with the scoop of the SABDDI or the Para driver... I really don't think the mids are any more apparent or useable in the Para driver. IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted January 11, 2010 Author Share Posted January 11, 2010 Wow, thanks for the useful feedback. Some food for thought here... Wil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nottswarwick Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I find the BDDI indispensible. I use it with a 50/50 blend of effect/direct. That way it is not too scooped, and yet provides bite/warmth/grit etc. In fact, my settings are: SR4 - everything flat, vol at max, into BDDI with all knobs at 12 o'clock, into LM2 with all EQ at 12'oclock, with a touch of VFP and VLE filters. Sounds perfect. Might get a RBI just for convenience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 [quote name='zero9' post='709276' date='Jan 11 2010, 08:07 PM']Wow, thanks for the useful feedback. Some food for thought here... Wil[/quote] For a cheaper version of the BDDI you could do worse than try the Behringer BDI21. Ive just started to use one (had it a few years but never got around to using it) and find it works really well at fattening my tone up without giving me a distorted tone. There is one for sale on here for £20 IIR. Dont be put off by the price, its a good pedal and one of Behringers best copies ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 (edited) The BDDI is perfect for playing that modern dirty scooped bass tone thats on a lot of metal/punk/hardcore albums. Everyone I have toured with had one as a backup or effects or both. I once toured for 7 days just with the BDDI, no amp/cab. I DI'd every gig and it was fine. I recorded 3 tracks straight into the BDDI at one point. It works that well for that modern aggressive tone. The Aguilar Tone Hammer is also worth looking at...different grit tones....and a great pre amp/DI all in one. Perfect if you don't want to fiddle with insides of your bass (like me) and is like a pre amp for all of them...whichever I want to use! Very nice bits of kit. Edited January 14, 2010 by Musicman20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1976fenderhead Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 I'd go with the MXR M-80, color switch engaged ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIJ-VI Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Perhaps wait a few weeks to see what NAMM offers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 If you can do without the XLR etc - the Tech 21 VT pedal is very good indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 (edited) [quote name='MIJ-VI' post='712197' date='Jan 14 2010, 03:48 AM']Perhaps wait a few weeks to see what NAMM offers?[/quote] The new VT pedal has already been shown at NAMM. It looks great but for me, its a bit over the top. I think i have decided to stick with the BDI21 and get a plain old BDDI as soon as i can afford it. I think having the mid scoop will work well with my Schroeder cabs. I also think you can get pass the mid scoop by reducing the bass and treble tone controls by an equal amount. At least, i could with my old Tech 21 compressor. There is a large "Tech 21 at NAMM"thread on Talkbass if anyone is interested. [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=615732"]Tech 21 at NAMM[/url] Edited January 14, 2010 by dave_bass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nottswarwick Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 the mid scoop is OK if you use the blend pot to mix in the direct bass sounds. Iny my experience anyway. I wanna get an RBI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 (edited) Sorry to go a bit off topic but does anyone know the difference between V1 and V2 of the BDDI? EDIT: Forget that, i found the answer. Edited January 14, 2010 by dave_bass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 [quote name='nottswarwick' post='712339' date='Jan 14 2010, 10:44 AM']the mid scoop is OK if you use the blend pot to mix in the direct bass sounds. Iny my experience anyway. I wanna get an RBI[/quote] IME, the scoop is always there in some form or another. It came to a head when when my fretless and fretted sounded the same in a band mix. I fought with it for about six months, swapped it for the Progammable version and then the Para Driver, and they all did the same thing.. even with the bass and treble rolled right back. In the end, I got an EBS MBII and... bang! Big, fat SABDDI-like tone, but with loads of lovely mids... each of my basses got its character back. That said, if you like like character of the SABDDI, then you can't go wrong. It just wasn't to my taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 I cant really comment on that as i dont own one but i do understand as i hear the scoop even with my BDI21. For me its not a bad thing, plus i only use one bass anyway but i can see why you didnt like it doing what it did. The Tone Hammer Gareth mentioned looks really interesting, and that has a para mid i believe. Plus its cheaper but i get the feeling its more aggressive sounding, or at lest used for a bit more distortion than the BDDI is. There are some good sound clips on the Aguilar website though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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