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BGRA: Tech21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI
| Manufacturer |
Tech21 |
Model |
SansAmp Bass Driver DI |
| Reviewer |
Marck |
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| Experience |
20 |
Item owned |
1-6 months |
| Review Date |
2004-01-30 |
Price paid |
$225 list |
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Dimensions | 1-3/8" H x 4-7/8" W x 3-5/8" D |
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Weight | 14.9 oz. w/battery |
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Other | 1/4" out, 1/4" parallel (uneffected) out, XLR out |
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This is it. I sold my rack stuff, and this is now my preamp. I run it
direct into the board, and into a power amp. I was using an Ampeg SVT-IIP
preamp and a separate compressor previously, but I was kind of tired of
carrying my rack case with me everywhere, so I figured I'd try the SABDDI
again. See, the first time I tried it, I didn't really understand what
all it's supposed to do, and how to use it, and I didn't like it. I
still don't like most of the suggested settings that Tech21 has in their
manual. However, I've found settings I like, and I think I sound better
than I ever have.
The SABDDI is a preamp, amp simulator, and speaker simulator as well as
being a DI. The controls are deceptively simple: all you get is level,
blend, bass, treble, drive, and presence. However, you can do a heck of a
lot with these few knobs. The setting I usually use is Blend at 2:00,
Bass and Treble at about 11:00, Drive at about 2:00, and Presence at about
1:00. Then I can turn the Level knob up and down to adjust volume. With
a P-bass, I get solid thump and a "supercharged" tone control using
these settings. With the tone up, I get some trebly grind, and with it
down a bit, nice solid thump. If I dig in, the SABDDI overdrives a bit
and rounds off the edges.
Is it perfect? Yes, for me. But here are some caveats: I don't like how
it sounds in front of a bass amp or preamp. I've tried this with a
couple of different setups, and got thick, muddy, indistinct tone. This
is one reason I took the first one back for a refund. Also, the suggested
settings DO NOT work for me. None of them sounds good to my ears, with me
playing. However, they may work for you, I can't say. Also, this isn't
an overdrive pedal. If you want a good overdrive, try a Fulltone Bass
Drive instead. Overdrive is just a part of what this box does, but it
doesn't have the versatility of a dedicated overdrive pedal. Also, if
you twist the bass and treble knobs much past 12 o'clock, you can get
into mid-scoop territory pretty fast. If you're a slapper, that's
probably a good thing, but for fingerstyle maybe not.
Conclusion: this is the one for me. I'm totally satisfied with it, and I
don't see any reason to even try other preamps (I tried the MXR M-80, and
I'm sticking with my SABDDI). I may pick up a nice overdrive pedal, but
this is an amazing little box, and well worth the money.
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| construction |
 | (95%) |
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| clarity |
| (100%) |
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| versatility |
| (95%) |
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| service |
| (98%) |
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| value |
| (98%) |
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| overall |
| (98%) |
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