Sansamp Bass Driver DI+

edgebass5 · 05-09-2005, 10:25 AM

Okay, this is a piece of gear that's talked about quite frequently, so its about time it had its own review thread.

Sansamp Bass Driver DI+

Manufacturer: Tech 21

Features: 4.5/5
Very feature loaded for such a small device. One instrument input, one affected output (post), one unaffected output (pre), one XLR/DI output, phantom, line or battery power supply, on/off switch (preamp), level, blend, bass, treble, presence, drive controls. I didn't give it a perfect 5, simply because it does not have a mid control. While many people complain about this, if you're judicious with your bass, treble and blend controls, you can have as much mids as you'd like.

Sound (preamp): 3.5/5
Very very very warm. Reminiscent of an all-tube amp. If you A/B the device with a real all-tube amp, its obvious which one is which, but this thing does a great job of recreating an all-tube amp's tone, but in a much smaller, much lighter and much cheaper package. The sound can easily become muddy if you're not judicious with the bass tone controls. Also, this is not the "quickest" preamp ever made. It does not pickup signal transients with lightning fast speed. In comparison to my BBE BMax (which is ridiculously fast) this thing is the sonic equivalent of a snail. The treble control is fairly tame, and even at high settings does not become harsh or put a lot of "hiss" into your signal. The presence control is a bit tricky. If you add too much your tone turns into an immediate "clank" machine, and adding more will easily create a lot of "hiss" in your signal. No mid control, but combine judicious cutting of the bass and treble bands, and use of the blend control, and you can have as much mids in your signal as you'd like.

Sound (DI): ?/5
I gave this a '?' rating because its too tricky to give an accurate review. I'll explain why and then you can form your own opinion. When the preamp is turned on, it delivers the preamp's tone to the board/PA. If you want this tone to hit the board, I would give this thing a 5, simply because it gets the signal there, and does it very well, with phantom power as well! Now, if you disengage the preamp, it delivers the signal to the board, but it still colors the tone, despite the preamp being disengaged. The sign of a good DI is how transparently it can deliver your signal to the board. In this regard, this preamp gets a 2 in my opinion. Engaged, good, disengaged, bad. If you like the tone of the Sansamp and you want it to hit the board, you'll be just fine. However, if you're only going to use this thing for its DI functions and don't like the preamp, I'd look elsewhere because this is easily the least transparent DI I've ever heard.

Sound (overdrive): 3/5
The overdrive on this thing sounds pretty good. Not like a digital or transistor driven overdrive, but very much like a 12AX7 preamp tube being overdriven by cranking up the gain knob on a tube preamp. The reason I only gave it a 3 is that its not a versatile overdrive unit at all. Even at its maximum setting, it can only create a mild overdrive. That being said, the unit was never intended to be a full-on distortion unit, so my point about versatility might be irrelevant. If all you're looking for is an overdrive unit to add some "grind" or "grit" to your tone, this thing will do it, and do it very well.

Portability: 5/5
A complete non-issue, the device is very small, and very light.

Reliability: 5/5
This thing is built like a tank. Heavy gauge metal casing (not plastic), heavy-duty on/off switch that will resist many stomps.

Overall: 4/5
I really like this unit for two purposes. To add a bit of warmth and grit to my ultra-clean toned BBE preamp, and to serve as a DI to get my signal to the board, before it hits my amp in recording situations. I wish the output voltage was high enough to drive a power amp without boosting the signal at some point. Apparently on the newer versions they have increased the output voltage to allow it to drive a power amp sufficiently.

Manufacturer's alternates:

RBI (rackmounted version of the Bass Driver DI, with the addition of a few more output options and a dedicated mid control)

Programmable BDDI (same as the BDDI, but with 3 preset channels for seamless analog tone switching between 3 presets)

Other alternates:

MXR M-80 (very similar, but with overdrive on a separate channel from the preamp, and a much more "modern" tone, described by many as being very "nu-metal")

Hartke Bass Attack, Aguilar DB 924, Sadowsky Outboard, J-Retro Outboard (very similar, but with no overdrive)

Wintermute · 05-09-2005, 02:49 PM

((Please post a link to any new reviews in the review index. Great review though.))

Radiobass81 · 05-09-2005, 02:51 PM

Great review.

edgebass5 · 05-09-2005, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wintermute

((Please post a link to any new reviews in the review index. Great review though.))

Review index link posted

(thanks for the reminder). I'll try and post more gear reviews as I have time to write long posts (I'm posting while I'm at work

)

mikespahn · 05-19-2005, 12:19 AM

has anyone tried the rackmount version of this? i have been very curious about it but have been unable to find a store with one for me to try out.

edgebass5 · 05-19-2005, 12:39 PM

Its essentially the same thing, but it has a dedicated mid control as opposed to a relative one. There are a few more outputs on the back for different situations, but the core tones available are pretty much identical to the BDDI.

morpcat · 05-21-2005, 05:30 AM

Good review edge.

Distorted Vision · 05-23-2005, 01:27 PM

/pops head back into Bass forum

I've been after one of these babies for a while, and it seems like it would be suitable for me. I want one before I go to uni, but I'm not prepared to pay full price (£180), so I'm keeping an eye on eBay.

That is, unless anyone here is selling one? I know 6 string demon sold his to Jaco about a year ago.

edgebass5 · 05-23-2005, 01:32 PM

^^^Keep checking ebay, the talkbass.com classifieds section and on bassgear.com

kilian · 05-24-2005, 05:28 AM

Are there other things like the sansamp with the following things:
- mid control (I like to have a decent control there)
- more settings than on and off (more switches)
- overdrive may be in it..

edgebass5 · 05-24-2005, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kili

Are there other things like the sansamp with the following things:
- mid control (I like to have a decent control there)
- more settings than on and off (more switches)
- overdrive may be in it..

Mid control is present on the BDDI, its just relative. If you turn down the bass and treble and use the blend knob judiciously you can have as much mids as you want. I've heard people argue that they like to boost bass treble and mids, but that's just ignorant. All that will produce is a volume boost. The BDDI does have a mid control in my opinion, so does every other 2-band EQ.

The MXR M-80 has the overdrive functions on a separate footswitch so it can be used independently. That being said, the overdrive is really crappy on that unit (IMO).

kilian · 05-24-2005, 01:52 PM

Thank you!
Than my eye is still on the sansamp BDDI

I want to cut the mids though.

edgebass5 · 05-24-2005, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kili

Thank you!
Than my eye is still on the sansamp BDDI

I want to cut the mids though.

To cut the mids on this unit, simply boost the bass and treble knobs a bit, and that equates to a mid cut.

kilian · 05-25-2005, 04:15 PM

^I hope so. But I will check one out before I actually buy it so.. I usually cut the mids a bit and boost the bass and treble. So that should be allright then

Thanks!

edgebass5 · 05-25-2005, 05:06 PM

^^^One thing to be aware of with this unit. There's a treble and a presence control. Lately I've determined that the treble control gets everything in the ballpark of 1khz and the presence knob gets everything above about 2khz, so be careful how you adjust those knobs.

kilian · 05-25-2005, 05:11 PM

^^ I still have to find one here around.. they are not SO expensive as I thought. But I will check it out before I buy one. I am still fiddling around and want to keep every way open

edgebass5 · 05-25-2005, 05:39 PM

I think you'll like it very much, especially with your affinity to the mid-scoop type of sound, I think this device does that VERY well. One thing that I definitely don't like is that with the treble control bottoming out at around 1khz, if you boost it too much, your tone can become overly nasal and clanky in a hurry. I typically run a slight bass boost, a slight treble and presence cut and a slight drive boost and..... wow..... just..... wow.....

kilian · 05-25-2005, 05:42 PM

HA ok

And the 3 presets are also a pretty good plus for the thing! I might get one as a gift if I get past my exams.. (when I put in some of my own money)

Thanks for all your help dude

edgebass5 · 05-25-2005, 05:56 PM

3 presets... So you're looking into the programmable version. I have no experience with that model, only the single channel version. Should be the same though (as far as tone is concerned).

kilian · 05-26-2005, 01:45 AM

It must be.. It uses the same technology etc. And it has the same functions

Quote:

The all-analog circuitry features the same controls as its single channel predecessor: Drive, Bass, Treble, Presence, Blend and Level.

I guess so.

05-09-2005, 10:25 AM	#1
edgebass5 overpriced trendy garbage Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,603	Sansamp Bass Driver DI+ Okay, this is a piece of gear that's talked about quite frequently, so its about time it had its own review thread. Sansamp Bass Driver DI+ Manufacturer: Tech 21 Features: 4.5/5 Very feature loaded for such a small device. One instrument input, one affected output (post), one unaffected output (pre), one XLR/DI output, phantom, line or battery power supply, on/off switch (preamp), level, blend, bass, treble, presence, drive controls. I didn't give it a perfect 5, simply because it does not have a mid control. While many people complain about this, if you're judicious with your bass, treble and blend controls, you can have as much mids as you'd like. Sound (preamp): 3.5/5 Very very very warm. Reminiscent of an all-tube amp. If you A/B the device with a real all-tube amp, its obvious which one is which, but this thing does a great job of recreating an all-tube amp's tone, but in a much smaller, much lighter and much cheaper package. The sound can easily become muddy if you're not judicious with the bass tone controls. Also, this is not the "quickest" preamp ever made. It does not pickup signal transients with lightning fast speed. In comparison to my BBE BMax (which is ridiculously fast) this thing is the sonic equivalent of a snail. The treble control is fairly tame, and even at high settings does not become harsh or put a lot of "hiss" into your signal. The presence control is a bit tricky. If you add too much your tone turns into an immediate "clank" machine, and adding more will easily create a lot of "hiss" in your signal. No mid control, but combine judicious cutting of the bass and treble bands, and use of the blend control, and you can have as much mids in your signal as you'd like. Sound (DI): ?/5 I gave this a '?' rating because its too tricky to give an accurate review. I'll explain why and then you can form your own opinion. When the preamp is turned on, it delivers the preamp's tone to the board/PA. If you want this tone to hit the board, I would give this thing a 5, simply because it gets the signal there, and does it very well, with phantom power as well! Now, if you disengage the preamp, it delivers the signal to the board, but it still colors the tone, despite the preamp being disengaged. The sign of a good DI is how transparently it can deliver your signal to the board. In this regard, this preamp gets a 2 in my opinion. Engaged, good, disengaged, bad. If you like the tone of the Sansamp and you want it to hit the board, you'll be just fine. However, if you're only going to use this thing for its DI functions and don't like the preamp, I'd look elsewhere because this is easily the least transparent DI I've ever heard. Sound (overdrive): 3/5 The overdrive on this thing sounds pretty good. Not like a digital or transistor driven overdrive, but very much like a 12AX7 preamp tube being overdriven by cranking up the gain knob on a tube preamp. The reason I only gave it a 3 is that its not a versatile overdrive unit at all. Even at its maximum setting, it can only create a mild overdrive. That being said, the unit was never intended to be a full-on distortion unit, so my point about versatility might be irrelevant. If all you're looking for is an overdrive unit to add some "grind" or "grit" to your tone, this thing will do it, and do it very well. Portability: 5/5 A complete non-issue, the device is very small, and very light. Reliability: 5/5 This thing is built like a tank. Heavy gauge metal casing (not plastic), heavy-duty on/off switch that will resist many stomps. Overall: 4/5 I really like this unit for two purposes. To add a bit of warmth and grit to my ultra-clean toned BBE preamp, and to serve as a DI to get my signal to the board, before it hits my amp in recording situations. I wish the output voltage was high enough to drive a power amp without boosting the signal at some point. Apparently on the newer versions they have increased the output voltage to allow it to drive a power amp sufficiently. Manufacturer's alternates: RBI (rackmounted version of the Bass Driver DI, with the addition of a few more output options and a dedicated mid control) Programmable BDDI (same as the BDDI, but with 3 preset channels for seamless analog tone switching between 3 presets) Other alternates: MXR M-80 (very similar, but with overdrive on a separate channel from the preamp, and a much more "modern" tone, described by many as being very "nu-metal") Hartke Bass Attack, Aguilar DB 924, Sadowsky Outboard, J-Retro Outboard (very similar, but with no overdrive)

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05-09-2005, 02:49 PM	#2
Wintermute There Can Be Only One Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Lancaster, UK - Coldest place in the Universe Posts: 13,885	((Please post a link to any new reviews in the review index. Great review though.))

05-09-2005, 02:51 PM	#3
Radiobass81 El Cartero de Neruda Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Puerto Rico Posts: 19,425	Great review.

05-19-2005, 12:19 AM	#5
mikespahn bassist Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: PA Posts: 190	has anyone tried the rackmount version of this? i have been very curious about it but have been unable to find a store with one for me to try out.

05-19-2005, 12:39 PM	#6
edgebass5 overpriced trendy garbage Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,603	Its essentially the same thing, but it has a dedicated mid control as opposed to a relative one. There are a few more outputs on the back for different situations, but the core tones available are pretty much identical to the BDDI.

05-21-2005, 05:30 AM	#7
morpcat MX Techie - Share & Enjoy Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Singapore Posts: 5,872	Good review edge.

05-23-2005, 01:27 PM	#8
Distorted Vision Synchestra Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Bristol Posts: 4,853	/pops head back into Bass forum I've been after one of these babies for a while, and it seems like it would be suitable for me. I want one before I go to uni, but I'm not prepared to pay full price (£180), so I'm keeping an eye on eBay. That is, unless anyone here is selling one? I know 6 string demon sold his to Jaco about a year ago.

05-23-2005, 01:32 PM	#9
edgebass5 overpriced trendy garbage Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,603	^^^Keep checking ebay, the talkbass.com classifieds section and on bassgear.com

05-24-2005, 05:28 AM	#10
kilian well hell.. oh? Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Netherlands, Delft Posts: 11,333	Are there other things like the sansamp with the following things: - mid control (I like to have a decent control there) - more settings than on and off (more switches) - overdrive may be in it..

05-24-2005, 01:52 PM	#12
kilian well hell.. oh? Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Netherlands, Delft Posts: 11,333	Thank you! Than my eye is still on the sansamp BDDI I want to cut the mids though.

05-25-2005, 04:15 PM	#14
kilian well hell.. oh? Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Netherlands, Delft Posts: 11,333	^I hope so. But I will check one out before I actually buy it so.. I usually cut the mids a bit and boost the bass and treble. So that should be allright then Thanks!

05-25-2005, 05:06 PM	#15
edgebass5 overpriced trendy garbage Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,603	^^^One thing to be aware of with this unit. There's a treble and a presence control. Lately I've determined that the treble control gets everything in the ballpark of 1khz and the presence knob gets everything above about 2khz, so be careful how you adjust those knobs.

05-25-2005, 05:11 PM	#16
kilian well hell.. oh? Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Netherlands, Delft Posts: 11,333	^^ I still have to find one here around.. they are not SO expensive as I thought. But I will check it out before I buy one. I am still fiddling around and want to keep every way open

05-25-2005, 05:39 PM	#17
edgebass5 overpriced trendy garbage Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,603	I think you'll like it very much, especially with your affinity to the mid-scoop type of sound, I think this device does that VERY well. One thing that I definitely don't like is that with the treble control bottoming out at around 1khz, if you boost it too much, your tone can become overly nasal and clanky in a hurry. I typically run a slight bass boost, a slight treble and presence cut and a slight drive boost and..... wow..... just..... wow.....

05-25-2005, 05:42 PM	#18
kilian well hell.. oh? Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Netherlands, Delft Posts: 11,333	HA ok And the 3 presets are also a pretty good plus for the thing! I might get one as a gift if I get past my exams.. (when I put in some of my own money) Thanks for all your help dude

05-25-2005, 05:56 PM	#19
edgebass5 overpriced trendy garbage Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10,603	3 presets... So you're looking into the programmable version. I have no experience with that model, only the single channel version. Should be the same though (as far as tone is concerned).