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mynan

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So can you guys tell me the answer to this? For an active bass is a passive or active DI a better choice? I've always sort of thought active bass, passive DI. Passive bass active DI. Is this theory wrong?

You are correct...but any combination will work, so preference is a factor.
 

Powman

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But! I had the rackmount version...I actually wouldn't mind to get the stompbox version so I can change my tone between songs. The rackmount version only has one "memory" so to speak...I didn't want to start fiddling with dials between songs.

So I am on the lookout for a used one...;)
 

LawDaddy

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I haven't seen this mentioned yet, but I have a Line 6 Pod X3 Live that I gig with as a guitar player. I run straight to FOH or through a Mesa 20/20 power amp/cab setup, or both, depending on the venue.

I also play bass and love the bass models. My Stingray strung with flats sounds killer through the fliptop model. My bass-playing daughter loves the SVT model for the Dirnt tones.

To my ears, the bass models actually seem more real than some of the guitar models; some of the bass amp/cab/mic setups are uncanny in their response/feel. Check it out.
 

oli@bass

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But! I had the rackmount version...I actually wouldn't mind to get the stompbox version so I can change my tone between songs.

Understandable, but the RBI sounds better and is more flexible than the PBDDI, which has no mid control (!).

I haven't seen this mentioned yet, but I have a Line 6 Pod X3 Live

In my opinion, all the SansAmp's blow away the Line 6 stuff. Yes, there's much more settings and different simluations, and additional effects on any Line 6 and you can even update them and load new amp models, but they always sound... disconnected. While the SansAmp is more or less doing just one thing, but that with authority. Same principle as with the StingRay. Which seems to appeal to me. A lot. :D

PS: One thing about the Line 6 -- it's much more usable the way you run it (direct to FOH) than when you want to go into an amp for stage sound and direct for FOH.
 
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meeder2

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Apr 10, 2007
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My D.I's

Avalon U5 @ Church
Radial Bassbone. On the road!

The bass bone has an active side and a passive side for two
basses. Effects loop and tuner output, it is a low-level preamp
too.
 

LawDaddy

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Understandable, but the RBI sounds better and is more flexible than the PBDDI, which has no mid control (!).



In my opinion, all the SansAmp's blow away the Line 6 stuff. Yes, there's much more settings and different simluations, and additional effects on any Line 6 and you can even update them and load new amp models, but they always sound... disconnected. While the SansAmp is more or less doing just one thing, but that with authority. Same principle as with the StingRay. Which seems to appeal to me. A lot. :D

PS: One thing about the Line 6 -- it's much more usable the way you run it (direct to FOH) than when you want to go into an amp for stage sound and direct for FOH.

I've heard some great things about the SansAmp stuff, just never tried one yet. The VT looks really interesting, especially for my teenager who's into Green Day and such. It seems to be getting rave reviews all over.

The risk of running direct to FOH is you are totally at the mercy of the system and engineer. I played a gig recently for a large festival (several bands) so I *ahem* assumed there would be a quality set up - I was wrong and wished for my amp the whole time.

With a good engineer, they love players going direct and it works out great. Our drummer has an electric kit he uses for intimate venues, at those gigs the entire band is going direct. The stage volume is zero, amazing.

I agree with you on simplicity; if I only played bass I would likely find a DI box that does a great Ampeg B-15 fliptop (I play blues) and leave it at that.
 

Powman

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Understandable, but the RBI sounds better and is more flexible than the PBDDI, which has no mid control (!).



In my opinion, all the SansAmp's blow away the Line 6 stuff. Yes, there's much more settings and different simluations, and additional effects on any Line 6 and you can even update them and load new amp models, but they always sound... disconnected. While the SansAmp is more or less doing just one thing, but that with authority. Same principle as with the StingRay. Which seems to appeal to me. A lot. :D.

I agree with you about having one really good tone...but the Markbass has 2 mid controls. And a DI out with its own separate volume knob. So I am not too worried about the loss of mid control on the stomp box version of the Sansamp.

I figured I might run the Sansamp in front of the amp rather than throught the effects loop. That way i get to use the mid controls on the Markbass. Or am I wrong???:confused:
 

Cory

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Aug 26, 2009
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Kerrville, Texas
I've been using a Radial JDI. I have recently been using an Aguilar DB900 Tube DI. I like it A LOT! It with my SR5 is a nice fat sound.
 

oli@bass

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I agree with you about having one really good tone...but the Markbass has 2 mid controls. And a DI out with its own separate volume knob. So I am not too worried about the loss of mid control on the stomp box version of the Sansamp.

I figured I might run the Sansamp in front of the amp rather than throught the effects loop. That way i get to use the mid controls on the Markbass. Or am I wrong???:confused:

That's ok, and might work well for you. I just had a very particular setup with certain requirements in mind when I put together my rack:

  • powerful but light and flexible setup
  • SVT style tube overdrive on all the time
  • ability to tonally shape overdriven signal without affecting dry signal
  • combine dry and overdriven signal for stage and FOH
  • ability to run dry and driven singal to the mixing console separately or combined
  • use of the Amp's EQ exclusively to adjust my stage sound and not affect the bass signal going to the FOH

Therefore I decided for the MarkBass F1 and the SansAmp RBI. The F1 is set to have the EQ section behind the D.I. output section and the FX loop run in parallel (50/50).

I have a PBDDI for my "small & movable" rig (reduced pedal board and MarkBass Minimark), where it is used as you suggest: Before the amp input. It works but it took me quite some time to get settings that don't have too much mid scoop: The trick is to run gain a bit higher and turn bass and treble down, and always remember that the settings of all the controls have an impact on each other.

All that said: I want the SansAmp for their nice (direct) overdrive sound and not to use them as D.I. I always use the D.I. on the MB head. In a studio, I'd probably not use any of that but go to a good tube driven D.I. and then reshape the bass sound later during mixing. Or, if money allows, just record a hot running SVT stack at 130dB along with the dry signal :D
 
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projectapollo

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Aug 13, 2009
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Knoxville, TN
SansAmp Bass Driver

Advice from you more experienced guys -- I'm using the Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI - straight into our PA (we've gone in-ear and eliminated the bass amp on stage). I now have sooo many tone controls between the SansAmp and the active EQ on my Bongo and 25th - that I'm a bit lost in finding the best approach. For now, I've settled on keeping the bass/treble on the SansAmp flat - use those controls on the bass -- and pretty much just use the Drive control tube amp simulation to give me an amped sound to warm up the MusicMan.

Of course, I do play around with the SansAmp - go big bass and drive and presence - and blend it in -- when I am being a metal rock star in my living room. That is cool, too.
 

Powman

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There's a -20 dB pad at the back. Press that. Keep controls on bass relatively flat. Turn up "Drive" to about halfway. Turn blend at 50/50 to keep some of that MM sound. Then turn up whatever of the two output volumes you are using to the right level.

Use the tone shaping on the Sansmap more than the bass.

Thats what I did before I stupidly sold my Sansmap.
 

DaddyFlip

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Oct 21, 2009
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Hamburg, AR
I use the DI on my G-B ShuttleMAX 12.0 to feed a powered subwoofer having it's own electronic crossover and level control. This is alot of fun! It scares the dogs, though.
 

projectapollo

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Knoxville, TN
I will try this. The SansAmp manual suggest keeping the blend at 100% affected output. I will try the 50/50 approach. Thank you!!! I have the SansAmp and the Line 6 Bass Pod xt and trying to figure out the best approach. The SansAmp is way simpler but the Line 6, once you strip of all the effects from the presets, has some very nice amp/cab sounds, too. Only a few really useable ones, but those ones are pretty nice.
 

Powman

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I will try this. The SansAmp manual suggest keeping the blend at 100% affected output. I will try the 50/50 approach. Thank you!!!

Yeah, its weird eh? But when you are at 100% you hear none of the Music Man tone. This way you get a blend of the two and it sounds really nice.

It was someone else on this AWESOME forum that suggested this to me. Hopefully this person will identify themself so he can get the deserved credit, not me.
 
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