@howard Yeah, I bought the Ampeg right after I got my first bass 8 months ago (a passive Mustang). Its pretty good for that sound from that bass. And blending the backing track is easy. The -db pad is a weird ass horizontal jumper inside and underneath - instead of a simple switch.
The “Scrambler” circuit is useless as you noted. I try to think of it as a good headphone amp, but at that size etc the Zoom B1-4 beats it with it’s drum machine, etc. I got it new-in-box for $100, so I think I can break even on it. That’s the plan and how I justified impulse buying the SansAmp
I have a question about the Tech 21 SansAmp Character Series VT Bass DI I just got yesterday.
I’ve been playing around with it, and have discovered that I can turn off my Rumble 500 amp head and 115 cab, and just play though the PreSonus studio monitors I recently acquired. Obviously, they don’t have the same power, but…
Theoretically, does this mean I could sell my amp head and cab, and just buy a large and powerful speaker to hook up to the Tech 21 pre-amp?
Sorry if this is a lame question, but all this pre-amp, amp head, cab, etc stuff is still somewhat of a mystery to me.
P.S. I hope this is the correct thread in which to ask this question
that’s exactly what I do : I run the Bass POD Pro into the DAI and then into the KRK VXT8 monitors. I don’t have a bass amp since I sold the Ampeg, one year ago. I don’t need an amp right now because I only do studio stuff, but I will eventually get an amp when I’ll have to play with other musicians. still, the “preamp into monitors” thing works perfectly well.
Okay @terb and @eric.kiser , but again, couldn’t I play with others or perform on stage with the pre-amp hooked into a mixer and a large and powerful speaker?
Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. I remember awhile back in another thread perhaps, @howard talked about doing that exact thing. So, how about if I got a PA? Isn’t that just a big speaker?
One thing to note on @PamPurrs’ question: don’t you still need a way to drive the large speaker? The monitors are active, so they have a built in amp. I guess if you’re going with a PA speaker, those are also powered, so that works. Then comes the question of sound quality vs your rumble head and cab…
This thinking eventually goes full circle. The PA @PamPurrs linked to is a 1x15”. That will give you at best the same sound as a 1x15” cabinet and likely not quite that because the cabinet isn’t as big as a bass cabinet. To make a PA sound as big as a bass cabinet it needs to be that big. Usually we end up adding subwoofers to PA if we want it to go that low, which is essentially adding a bass cabinet.
actually there are what we call FRFR cabs which are more or less a PA in an amp format. it’s made for a very linear and transparent amplification. those things are designed to be used with modeling preamp primarily (Line 6, Kemper …) but yeah it amplifies like a PA.
No Pam, there is no advantage to doing this for you, because to get a PA that will replace the amp you have, it won’t save you anything in money or size.
It makes sense for me because I will need a PA anyway for other instruments and vocals, so this will save the guitarist and I from needing amps. But that’s the only reason.
That said - this also allows me to not have an amp now, which is nice. I haven’t had an amp for going on two years now, using studio monitors instead (both phones and speakers.) It’s much much more flexible for me.
Been pretty well covered here, but it IS a route many bands are taking. My friend who is a Sound Engineer and a drummer has his band go like this. Instrument>Headrush pedalboards (the Tech 21 would work same way)>DAI>PA system. The DAW works as the mix board. They sold all their amps and even when they play live they bring their system and set it up that way.
The PA in your case would basically just replace the monitors you just bought.
I mean, Tech21 chose the name “Sans Amp” for a reason
Many good tone coloring preamps can stand in for an amp these days. The ValveDrive sounds like a tube amp. The VT Bass DI sounds like a tube amp. The Darkglass VMT Ultra (and may of their others) sounds like a tube amp. Etc.
Even the BDI-21 sounds better than most people’s actual amps, until you spend a lot. Just throw a cab sim on there and it sounds great.
And amp/cab sims sound even better than the preamps. So yeah, dedicated instrument amps are more or less dead to me until I have roadies.
