Question Tech 21 VT bass deluxe or bass driver DI?

[AlexBongoCrazy]

I need preamp/DI for gigs so i can just go straight into the mixing board and a lot of guys on here have said to go for one of these two so now I need to make my decision. So should I get the VT bass deluxe or bass driver DI?

 

[syciprider]

The VT can get dirtier than the SABBDI and has a mids control which some folks like. I have a SABBDI but my tone goals are well within its capabilities. I set it flat so the sound is just like my Ray but distorted.

Note that both pedals will color your sound a little bit and you can't dial that out.

 

[stu42]

I have the VT Deluxe and love it. I also use it for going direct and since i got it the sound guy is loving my sound a lot more. I also love the way it sounds in front of my amp and, honestly, I never turn it off. It has a lot of range and the controls are extremely sensitive so there's a bit of a learning curve to it but once you get the hang of it you can get some very, very fat and juicy sounds from it.

A friend of mine tried both the VT Deluxe and the Bass Driver DI. He liked both but said that the VT was a bit easier to dial in.

 

[Holdsg]

Just adding that if you want mids control, you can get the SA paradriver DI for a few bucks more than the BDDI. That's what sold me on that one.

 

[syciprider]

IME, the mids isn't really a big deal unless the tone goal is a Tube Screamer like mid hump. Like I mentioned above, I just find what sounds like the flat setting, which varies from bass to bass, and use my onboard EQ to adjust my mids.

ETA: It's hard to go wrong with either pedal really or the Para Driver but if more dirt is desired then the VT is it.

 

[AlexBongoCrazy]

I guess I did want an overdrive pedal before too, but can I get a variety of clean tones too from the VT? If the answer is yes then I guess that i should go for the VT?

 

[sometypeofplay]

I've never used the VT, so I can't comment on it, but the BDDI has been in my pedal board for years. I find it invaluable for adding some grit and warmth to my sound. It also has a blend knob, so I can dial in varying degrees of my clean signal and not run a completely saturated signal to the FOH. I have found that the eq can be a little overwhelming, and dial both the bass and treble back to about 9 o'clock, maybe a little more bass depending on the room.

 

[stu42]

You can definitely get a variety of clean sounds from the VT. I've never used the BDDI so I can't compare but it's probably fair to say that the VT is built with the intention of having more ability or options for coloring your sound more than the BDDI - given that the VT is part of their "Character Series".

Here's a great YouTube vid that shows the VT bass pedal - this is the non-deluxe model. The Deluxe model gives you the same tones but more features (XLR out, 6 presets, etc)

YouTube - Tech 21 Character Series VT Bass Pedal Demo

 

[MattOfSweden]

I guess I did want an overdrive pedal before too, but can I get a variety of clean tones too from the VT? If the answer is yes then I guess that i should go for the VT?

Oh yes, you can get loads of great sounding clean tones as well from the VT - not super transparent clean tones though, there is always a Sansamp colouring present. I used to have a BDDI but it was replaced by a VT when they came out. Love the character knob on the VT but sometimes miss the blend knob of the BDDI a little.

Both are good choices!

 

[Aussie Mark]

The VT is more versatile IMHO.