Help me choose a SansAmp!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Leeking
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Leeking

Leeking

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I was looking around the site on bass direct recording and one name keeps coming up -- "SansAmp Bass DI".

So I made a search for SansAmp and find it to be a good DI box for gtr and bass.... which is what I need for my recording setup now.... :)

my question is which SansAmp box should I get....
should I get a Bass DI for bass, GT2 for e.gtr and Acoustic DI for acoustic gtr.....
OR, get a SansAmp classic for everything!! (that'd be great!)

I have never seen/tried a sansamp before, so need all your valuable opinions! :)

so far, I record direct with my ZOOM GFX707 to a BEhringer602a...

I planned to upgrade to a Yamaha DG-stomp ->BEhringer MIC2200 preamp.

so guys, which Sansamp????? thanks a million! :)
 
If you are planning on eventually buying the DG Stomp, then I would buy the Sansamp Bass D.I. or a Bass POD for recording bass guitar. I use the Sansamp PSA-1 for guitar and I like it a lot but I'm not impressed with it on bass. It doesn't seem to work well at the extremes of the instrument. That's why I bought the Bass POD. I've never owned the Sansamp Classic or GT2 so I can't really comment on them.

I've never recorded with the Sansamp Bass D.I. but many professionals use it in the studio and it's got a great reputation. Buying two devices IS more expensive than buying one that will cover both instruments, but if you do your options will expand and your instruments won't sound like they are running through the same processor. A set-up of DG Stomp and a Sansamp Bass D.I. would be fantastic in my opinion.

The Johnson J-station has models for both instruments and is less money (in the US it's quite inexpensive). I would definitely try it out if you can find one.

I've probably complicated things for you. Sorry about that Leeking. :) Good luck.
 
i have several years of experience with and own the GT2, Bass Driver DI and a Bass POD Pro (owned for three months) and POD Pro.

both of the San Amps devices are worth having, especially the Bass Driver DI. the Bass Driver DI is valuable in both the studio and live. but, I find the Bass POD is much more versatile for studio use. I’ve never used the Bass POD live.

my recommendation is go for the Bass POD if your main goal is recording (many more tones and options available). but, I don’t feel you’ll find the Bass Driver DI disappointing, either.

-kp- :)
 
Leeking:

Here's my personal impressions of the SansAmp products:

I use both the PSA-1 and the GT2 and find them both to be excellent amps/emulators. Especially because I am a fanatic when it comes to how an amplifier reacts to my playing. The SansAmp products react to my playing nuances better than any modeling amp I have tried.

I have a strong desire for a good raw tone without effects. After I get a good raw tone, I then consider what effects I might add (if any). The SansAmp products give me a good raw tone that reacts well with my playing. If you desire obtaining the best raw tone possible for guitar, I would strongly suggest the SansAmp products.

It doesn't seem like you would be looking at the PSA-1 because of the price range that you appear to be looking at. Also, my only beef with the PSA-1 is that it can get a bit noisey. Aside from that, the PSA-1 is much more versatile for raw tone than any modeler I have tried.

The GT2 is also excellent for raw tone. While I don't think anyone would mistake its emulations for Fender, Marshall, or Boogie, I would say the same thing for all amp modelers. That being said, current modelers, including the GT2, do give excellent tones. You may also want to consider the SansAmp Classic, which I've heard is more versatile than the GT2.

Of note: I've had my GT2 longer than the PSA-1. I would NEVER consider getting rid of it. Even in light of the fact that I also own a Boogie (great raw tone) and recently sold my 2120 (bad raw tone).

Regarding bass, I have not used my SansAmp products for bass. I use my Art PhatBoy. Then again, my main axe is guitar. That being said, I use the PhatBoy for the effects. Especially compression. Not to say that the PhatBoy is great, or even as good as the Bass POD. Only to say that it is adequate for my needs and that you may want to consider if you need effects in your amp modeling/emulation when making you decision.

Good luck,
Matt
 
i took the plunge on a bass driver a few weeks ago, and i can indeed vouch for the sounds it can produce. admittedly i'm still teaking and trying things out, but it does produce some great sounds straight into the board.

i was dubious of the hype when i was considering getting one, but i think it's pretty well justified.
 
I played a Fender Precision bass through the Bass Driver at a Guitar Center. The signal went into an amp. I liked the tone, but as I played with the knobs it appeared that the unit generated a lot of noise.

I played a Fender Jazz bass (I own a JB knock-off) through the Pod into headphones and was really impressed, but it too had noise issues. I then played a really awesome Rickenbacker 8 string bass through it and about wet myself! I still had noise issues.

Again, my preference would be the Pod for overall versatility, but the Bass Driver is nice too. I'm just concerned with noise. Can someone verify this one way or the other? I'm going to purchase one or the other eventually.
 
Hey CMiller,

i've used the Bass Driver DI a lot and yes depending on the settings, it can generate some hiss. but i've not found that to be a problem once i settle in on the final settings. the Drive control when jacked seems to give the biggest noise problem.

i'm not hearing the Bass POD noise. is there some noise, yes, but it's not been an issue in my recordings, at all. i've been pleased with the noise floor on my Bass POD Pro. i've returned to some earlier recordings and ran the Bass through the Bass POD, and what a difference. i feel the Bass POD fits nicely into a lot more recording situations than does the Bass Driver DI. but for live, i'm still inclined to go with the Bass Driver DI.

-kp-
 
I use a Fender Jazz w/ the Bass POD and a 350-watt PA and I haven't noticed any noise(and I use cheap cables). I like both the Bass Driver DI and Bass POD, but I'm glad I bought the B-POD because I like the LA-2A modeled compressor and it's also a very cool device for running drums and synths through it. I'm not crazy about the effects for bass guitar but they work great when I run drum machine and synth sounds through it.

I read that the tube preamp preset was modeled after the Alembic BF2 preamp, the same pre that David Gilmour used on his classic recordings. I've been running my guitar into my B-POD and then into the Sansamp.....sweet.:cool:

There are so many options for recording bass, who the hell knows what to use. A lot of people swear by tube preamps and direct boxes like the Demeter and Countryman, using the direct out of a good amp, and I've heard some people even get crazy and mic an amp. Reading Bass Player magazine is a good way to find out what methods the pros are using.
 
Leeking,

I have a Sansamp Bass DI and the GT2 as my original intent when buying my 4 track cassette was to do everything direct (to keep me from getting kicked out of apartments and the expense of mic's....)

Any way I also had read the Sansamp Bass Di could be used with "good" results for acoustic guitar and drum machines but this is definitely in the context of home demo quality stuff. As primarily a bass player I found the Sansamp Bass DI a little flat by itself on bass ( I liked my live sound much better) but it was better than going with no ouboard pre-amp. I have since found excellent results running the DI through an ART TUBEPAC and then into the board and have used for acoustic guitar with some reverb and or chorus it can sound quite nice.

Reguarding the noise issue I have only encountered problems when turning up the presence (higher treble EQ) and with too much gain or incorrect gain staging. If I am carefull with setting up the various gains in the chain and use a noise gate to eliminate a little hiss before the guitar or bass part comes in the noise is negligible.

I believe you will notice the most improvement in sound quality when using passive equipped basses but they also can add improvements to active basses. One other idea on you bass DI versus practice amp is to get the Bass DI and when you can afford it an inexpensive used practice amp. If the speaker is in good shape but the "sound of the amp" is not to your liking you can run the Sansamp DI as the pre-amp through the effects loop input and just use the power amp of the practice amp. I have done this on some small church gigs where I had to use a "house amp" that was very flat sounding. I always take it with me me but I prefer to run my DI from my SWR amp to the house if I bring my amp.

You might look for them used on e-bay etc I have seen them for 50% of retail.

Scott
 
THe GT2 eminates an ampeg SVT and Bassmans,as well as many hot guitar amps Ive been using it and it does fine as an amp simulator. you also have a choice of mic placement emination. I highly reccomend it if you play guitar as well.
 
I have both the Bass Driver DI and the ART Tube PAC.They are both good,solid,useful devices for bass guitar.I've played on the Bass Pod Pro a few times and think it has merit as well,but personally there's not enough of what it offers that I'd actually use to justify the purchase. YMMV
 
Wide Awake said:
A set-up of DG Stomp and a Sansamp Bass D.I. would be fantastic in my opinion.
Click to expand...

I agree W.Awake.... :)

thanks for all the info guys, keep 'em coming! :)
 
r&b, hip-hop, reggae

i've been using the sansamp bass DI for over a year now. i had an ibanez 300dx (lefty, BTW) and the sansamp really improved the sound and provided a low-down warmth that i just didn't think i could get out of the 300dx.

Now, i have a Conklin "groove tools" 5-string. the sansamp doesn't improve the sound as much (i guess it's a better bass, a righty BTW), but it still provides a certain warmth and works well as a pre-amp. the caveat is that i still need additional gain from my mixer pre-amp.

Since i play bass intensive music, i want that bottom but it can't be muddy.
 
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