Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver Deluxe

it is a good looking unit, black, 6 programmable slots,
fx sends.
I have been playing bass guitar since 1980, mainly rock and in a lot of bands and gigs with plenty of recording, also i am a sound engineer.

I initially used my friends sans amp bass driver D.I Unit on our new album, this was awesome, so decided to buy the deluxe model for gigging at £239 from digital village (uk) i read some reviews and it seemed fine.

great sound, programmable, fx sends and return

unlike the D.I the duluxe when gain, presence and treble went past 3 o clock it started to oscillate/feedback, very unpleasant high pitch whine!even thru headphones at very low levels ! so i sent it back thinking it was a fault, so they sent me another,which had the same problemos,i compared it to the D.I and the D.I version did not have the same problem! so sent it back and am going for the D.I Unit instead.i own an 18 month old fender precision bass with no probs!

THE Construction/Quality IS EXCELLENT.
strong metal finish and the knobs are well sturdy

i have no problems with anything else only the feedback issue!so be very carefull!
i emailed tech21 and they said:-

Thank you for your Bass Driver purchase. Since the Deluxe version uses digital control to remember the knob settings, you can't just transfer the physical settings from the original Bass Driver to the new unit. In your example 3:00 on the Bass Driver does not equal 3:00 on the Deluxe. Due to the way the circuitry works, 3:00 - 4:00 is basically maximum, so a 3:00 setting on the Bass Driver will most likely be about 1:00-2:00 on the Deluxe.

I know from experience that setting the Drive, Presence, and Treble on the original Bass Driver to max (or near max) will result in self oscillation, so that sounds about right if it is happening on the Deluxe with maxed settings.

There are other factors that may contribute to this type of oscillation. Pickups that are not potted properly tend to oscillate with high treble and gain settings. If the oscillation goes away by turning the volume control off on the bass, the problem may lie elsewhere (pickup potting, inadequate grounding or ground loops in the system).

Proximity of the bass to the speaker cabinet or monitors may also magnify this problem.

Where the Bass Driver is connected in the chain may cause oscillation to occur. For example, it should not be connected to the send and return of an effects loop of an amplifier.

Improper setting of the level switches on the Deluxe can also cause oscillations.

Feel free to email me any more information on your setup in order to diagnose this problem. If you do have the opportunity to check out the units head to head, try modifying the settings on the Deluxe by ear and you should be able to match them up as they do have the same exact analog circuitry in the signal path.

But i just do not trust the unit anymore!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

The Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver Deluxe is a complete DI and bass control pedal for use in the studio or on the stage. The pedal is an analog one that serves as a preamp for your bass, a DI, and an overall bass rig home base. It's got 1/4" connections for two separate inputs, an FX send and return, a parallel output and an XLR output for using this as a direct input box. It's not rackable as it will sit on your pedal board.

UTILIZATION

I really like the amount of control you get with the Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver Deluxe. Since I don't own it I don't know all the ins and outs in terms of the four foot switches, but basically it gives you every option possible when it comes to routing. It also has controls for drive, bass and treble control, presence, blend, and overall level. The FX loop connections make it possible to set up your other pedals around it and have a true clean sound when not using them.

SOUND QUALITY

The overall sound of the Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver Deluxe is outstanding a DI box. The amount of control is very welcome as it really acts like a bass preamp with a great amount of routing options for using this with an amplifier and effects. Just send the XLR output to your recording device or PA and you're good to go with a clean and professional sounding bass tone!

OVERALL OPINION

The Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver Deluxe is definitely a pedal for professionals who are looking for an all purpose hub for their bass rig. It works well both in the recording studio as a fabulous DI box, but also as a home base for your entire rig. Just having the pedal on it's own will probably be enough of a 'rig' for most users, as it's that versatile. Bass players should definitely check this thing out!

If you are a bass player and don't have a good bass amp and the house doesn't want you to bring in your big 8x12 cabinet and could care less to mic you up in a small club or even a situation where stage sound is an issue then there is still hope. All you need is one of these floor drivers to help push your bass guitar's natural body through to the sound mixer.

This is an all analog system that allows you to bounce around from different presets allowing the user to have a multiple sound options. Though it doesn't have tubes in it it is still a very warm and natural preamp bass driver.

Bass Driver Deluxe Applications

* Take a SansAmp Bass Driver into the studio and plug directly Into the board for premium tones without miking.
* Gig with a SansAmp Bass Driver running it directly through the house PA without using a separate amp.
* Set-up with a SansAmp Bass Driver, power amp and speaker cabinet, and simultaneously run directly through the house PA for planet-dominating sound.

UTILIZATION

ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Take a SansAmp Bass Driver into the studio and plug directly Into the board for premium tones without miking.
Gig with a SansAmp Bass Driver running it directly through the house PA without using a separate amp.
Set-up with a SansAmp Bass Driver, power amp and speaker cabinet, and simultaneously run directly through the house PA for planet-dominating sound.
Operable with a 9V alkaline battery, optional Tech 21 DC2 power supply, and via phantom power.
Measures 9-7/8"l x 5-1/4"w x 2-1/4"h

SOUND QUALITY

This floor preamp allows a bass guitarist to choose from four selections of sounds and push his bass playing through the house without having to lug around a hug rack and stack of equipment. There is a built i effects loop which allows the user to selection external effects such as other distortion pedals, delays, chorus, etc. This helps a musician play comfortably without having the stress of having one generic sound all night long at the gig.

This unit does sound pretty good for what it is. It works with any bass guitar and any style of music. The tone is warm but not tube warm so if you are looking for that tube warmth this is not going to be you thing. This is a function unit that sound great and helps push the tone where simple pickups can only go so far.

OVERALL OPINION

At new these units come i right at around $269, which is a heck of a price for this unit. There are other manufactures that build similar items such as Mark Bass, Ashdown, Eden, and Aguilar and all do about they same operation so choosing one can be a little bit of a task. I would recommend this unit to any looking for a good bass direct booster and doesn't want to spend a whole lot of money to get it done. This is a great unit that will help out in a pinch.

Preamp pedal simulator format but not as low.
Fully analog system except for the presets digital assignment.
Large connectivity, two instrument inputs, effects loop send return, exit 1 / 4 Parallel (the untreated), Exit 1 / 4 the treaty and receiving XLR phantom power supply, power supply 9V battery and also by type transformer 9V pedal.

UTILIZATION

Nothing complicated to use, no different from other models that have already been well tested, you turn the knobs when you got the sound is ok and you Edict
A small addition to 2entrées instruments and FX loop but nothing complicated.

SOUND QUALITY

This preamp amp simulator is a reference, having wanted to get one There's a number of years I gave in front of a seller and went with a black bean I used 3 times and have sold after the right amount of dust accumulated on the card.
Here I have one and the big surprise is the additional option of the effects loop editable and frankly I'm not near me past.
Outside the loop There's also two instrument inputs, with their three assignable for each sound and see his 6 for a single instu which is my case, there is a Parallel output 1 / 4 that was not the programmable version.
The Deluxe is aptly named.
I plug it a deluxe 4 JB a Stingray 5 and a passive vintage Schecter no surprise, the sound is huge with very firm bass on my amp Harke HA 3500, I return branches on the loop at all and here it sounds better transistor that of the hybrid low-end, low end blur, before buying another head made a little tour and tried this config it's worth it.

OVERALL OPINION

I recently but it really seriously and seen improvements made to my sound, finished for the moment the project to replace my amp head and everything else that happiness studio work and very pro Quiet, I'm on stage Parr any eventualitée with engineers on site.
For me the most brought to the deluxe version will satisfy a lot of both pro and amateur musician, it's my box to do everything, I feel blocked and all that any function with a very great quality, no gadget and very very well thought out.
I was tempted by the EBS model but I am on a proven model, from my experience of the Pod, finite risk products and aging poorly.
I consider the report qualitée unbeatable price (200euro USA), this version is currently difficult thing discoverable in France (330Euro), but it is still in the catalog.
I would do on that choice.