Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI V2

někdo musí použít na basovou stopu bambilión pluginů, někomu stačí jeden pedál co to dělá pořádně... Ano, je to vlastně jen jeden zvuk a jeho derivace (SVT), ale to jsou ostatně i jiné pedály. Mě osobně tento zvuk přijde nejuniverzálnější. Zatím jsem nedospěl k chuti na jiná zkreslení (např B7K mi nepřijde tolik univerzální)... Krabička oproti první verzi má i ovládání středů (konečně!) a shifty pro střední a basové frekvence, což je rozhodně výhoda pro použití s pětistrunnou basou (dnes už pomalu standard). Pokud budu brát jako etalon Behringer BDI21, který je mnohem prodávanější a používanější než originál tak BDDI má mnohem čistší zvuk, lepší dynamiku, nešumí, má mnohem kvalitnější zkreslení a mnohem více gainu a síly signálu. BDI21 je tak vlastně úplně jiný pedál, s trochu podobným ale silně podvýživeným, nedobře zabarveným zvukem. Po všemožných peripetiích a vzteku jsem konečně našel zvuk který mi vyhovuje. malá hezká krabička, která se bez problému vejde do každého basového kufru. Za mě nejlepší ve všech směrech. Peněz nelituju, lituju toho, že jsem ho nekoupil o několik let dříve.

Aktualizace 12/2023: mám doma pěknou řádku basovejch předzesilovačů, ale vždy se vrátím k sansampu protože to je prostě univerzální zvuk, kterej sedí úplně všude....

So I finally got around to trying this somewhat legendary effect/DI. I have very mixed feelings about it.

Pros:

-Very good build quality.

-Good quality sound for going amp-less straight to the mixing desk if you're looking for this specific kind of bass sound.

-Very easy to use, excellent manual.

-Excellent connectivity: thru/unbalanced/balanced.

-Option for using phantom power instead of 9v.

Cons:

-The clean signal coming out of the balanced xlr is not quite as good as on a dedicated DI box like a Radial J48. The clean side of the BDDI is somewhat less open and powerful sounding by comparison. To be fair it's a VERY subtle difference but still noticable.

-The effect sound is not very versatile. If you need this kind of sound it's great but you won't get ANYTHING other than a sort of mic'ed Ampeg SVT+810 vibe out of it. It has that hollow/boomy quality that I'm not a huge fan of with SVT rigs. Sometimes they're great but I normally prefer a less "baked in" sound. Or at least the possibility to tweak the sound more. Everything you get out of the BDDI are variations over the same theme.

-The sound from this box has been used so much that it actually feels a bit dated. If this is the sound you're really looking for then sure it's great. If not I would get something else instead.

-The jack sockets are a bit too tight for my taste. This is probably a good thing if you've got it permanently installed on your board but if you need to insert jacks using one hand in a tight spot it gets really tricky. Not a huge problem but it got surprisingly annoying really fast!

-It's very expensive for what you get. You can buy a small AMP for this kind of money! And there are plenty of other preamp pedals that sound great and are a lot more versatile.

My verdict:

If this is 100% the sound you want, sure it's great. If not I think it's much too expensive for what you get. It's a fun little addition to my bass&studio gear collection but I honestly don't think I will be using it as much as I thought. I actually like the drive characteristics a lot but I wish there was a way to disconnect the speaker simulation. It's got that hollow Ampeg 810 vibe that I'm not a big fan of. I would probably use it a lot more if I could have used it as a regular stomp box/preamp for the overdrive/eq but without the speaker sim.

Before getting this, I had used a Zoom B3 as my main practice tool/headphone amp. I had come to a point where I knew what kind of bass tone I like and figured that a Bass Driver would get me there. Also, I like the possibilities for live use, even though I don't really play live anymore. I was also considering a Darkglass Alpha Omega, which had just come out at the time, but I was worried that it would be less versatile and too modern sounding. The Bass Driver seemed like a safer choice, and more of a solid platform to build on.

I don't think I can say much that hasn't been said many times already. It is not really a neutral sounding box that will give you the pure sound of your instrument, but it is also far from a one-trick pony. Anything from gritty rock tones to warm vintage tones. Some people would argue that the programmable version is more useful, but I am more a "set it and forget it" type of player who doesn't like to tweak too much.

I am mostly a bedroom player and use it as a headphone amp on my computer, in combination with a small interface (Behringer UMC204HD). Via XLR, you don't even need a separate power source for the pedal since it can operate on the interface's phantom power, which saves a bit of cable mess.

I'm sure there are equally good and cheaper alternatives for a quiet practice solution, but I love that I can get a great sound during practice while also being able to use it live, should I ever need to. I guess for most people it's the other way round.

Great sound, especially if you like more vintage tones. Built like a tank. Flexible in use. 10/10 would recommend!