buying bass DI, need suggestions

snoopy23 · Post by **snoopy23** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 7:58 am

Hey y'all!
I am looking to pick up a decent bass di for my modest studio and would like some input from the vast optoplex of sound gurus big and small. I am considering going for a Sansamp, but I am not sure which one will work the best for my needs, those being 1) a nice, fat, mixable bass sound always on hand 2) versatility, and 3) relatively inexpensive (like about $100). I have been seeing some Fishburn bass di's online and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with those either? I don't have a lot of money and want to spend it as wisely as possible.
Thanks!
Snoopy

Babaluma · Post by **Babaluma** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 8:19 am

avenson audio small di

not versatile but sounds AMAZING and is cheaper than you require.

if you can spend more then i'd suggest the avalon u5 for versatility, but the dry sound imho is about the same as the avenson.

Aquaman · Post by **Aquaman** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 8:46 am

Can't go wrong with a Radial JDI. Nice fat Jensen xformer, great sound.

Watch out for the sansamp bass di - it's a pretty decent box for gritting up the bass, but it's NOT a DI - it will not pass a clean signal even in bypass mode.

We ended up having to ask the bassie to retrack a couple of bass parts on the last album I engineered because of a bit of distortion/noise on the attack of each note. Grrrrr! *shakes fist in sansamp's direction*

argonautlabs · Post by **argonautlabs** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 9:04 am

+1 on the radial JDI or anything with a jensen or other decent transformer.

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 9:12 am

Sansamp
MXR Bass DI (which has a mid knob unlike the Sansamp)

no first hand experience here but from what I have read but the Avalon u5 also might be an option you are looking for

E.Bennett · Post by **E.Bennett** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:03 am

the cheaper radial pro di sounds good.

Nick Sevilla · Post by **Nick Sevilla** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:12 am

snoopy23 wrote:Hey y'all!
I am looking to pick up a decent bass di for my modest studio and would like some input from the vast optoplex of sound gurus big and small. I am considering going for a Sansamp, but I am not sure which one will work the best for my needs, those being 1) a nice, fat, mixable bass sound always on hand 2) versatility, and 3) relatively inexpensive (like about $100). I have been seeing some Fishburn bass di's online and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with those either? I don't have a lot of money and want to spend it as wisely as possible.
Thanks!
Snoopy

This is not cheap, but you will be able to use it on other things :

Summit Audio TD100.

http://www.summitaudio.com/

I did the beta testing on their prototype, using Chris Squire (of Yes), and Yes, it sounds amazing. I was able to record 4 tracks at once of different bass sounds, and it both gave us a great DI sound, and also allowed us to use mic cabinets, and effects at the same time, whilst leaving the DI clean and separate. It was a lot of fun to blend these four signals together. (2 mics, DI and FX)

Cheers

kayagum · Post by **kayagum** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:57 am

Aquaman wrote:We ended up having to ask the bassie to retrack a couple of bass parts on the last album I engineered because of a bit of distortion/noise on the attack of each note. Grrrrr! *shakes fist in sansamp's direction*

And what's so wrong with that?

Seriously, a decent compressor/limiter in front of a Sansamp (really, any sansamp) is a good combo, and solves for this if you're trying to keep everything absolutely clean. I use the Maxon CP101 for exactly this application.

If you're doing bass, I think it's hard to go wrong with the Bass Driver.

Recycled_Brains · Post by **Recycled_Brains** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:35 am

Aquaman wrote:Watch out for the sansamp bass di - it's a pretty decent box for gritting up the bass, but it's NOT a DI - it will not pass a clean signal even in bypass mode.

I've used both the Sansamp Paradriver (I own this one) and the Bass Driver, and I have to disagree. In my experience, the Sansamp is perfectly capable of passing a clean signal, whether in bypass or active. You just have to have the drive knob turned down, and if you don't want the EQ coloration, keep those controls at 12 o'clock.

I've used mine many times in bypass, or active, or either, or with the blend control at 100% dry, or 100% wet, and in all those instances, I've been able to get a clean signal.

Honestly, I think the distortion kinda sucks on those unless you use it VERY sparingly, so I rarely use it for that, but I like the EQ a lot. The Paradriver has a selectable midrange frequency control, so it's a little more 'tweakable' than the Bass Driver. IIRC, it's the same circuit as the rack-mount RBI model, but in stompbox form.

I've very briefly used the Radial ProDI (passive, non-Jensen xformer), and thought it sounded fine.

Honestly, if I had the money to blow, I'd definately buy the TAB/Funkenwerk V71 DI, but it's not cheap.

The GT Brick sounds great too.

crow · Post by **crow** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:23 am

I also like the Avenson Audio small di quite a bit.

ott0bot · Post by **ott0bot** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 11:19 am

I have an ART Tube Mp Project series mic pre/di that I've used on several bass tracks and been pretty happy. If you're using a dAW then some post compression and eq will help shape your sound. There are also the regular Tube MP's that go for cheap....they actually sound pretty good and work perfect as a di for other instruments as well.

If you had the cash that Summit Audio one is a stellar way to go. Also the REDDI is amazing...but yeah....it's like 6 times the price you want to spend. Also I've found using a leveling amp like the FMR audio RNLA really allows you to shape a bass sound and give you variety when micing the amp isn't an option.

Just found this link on the U5 vs REDI post:
http://www.basstasters.com/preamps/
samples!

kingmetal · Post by **kingmetal** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 11:55 am

I really like my Sansamp Bass DI - but I'm a bass player so a lot of it for me is having that control. It's also slightly outside of your budget, but I'm going to have trouble getting bass tone I like without one.

adam · Post by **adam** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 6:24 pm

ott0bot wrote:I have an ART Tube Mp Project series mic pre/di that I've used on several bass tracks and been pretty happy. If you're using a dAW then some post compression and eq will help shape your sound. There are also the regular Tube MP's that go for cheap....they actually sound pretty good and work perfect as a di for other instruments as well.

Agreed. I have one of the old dual MP units and use it for bass DI more than I use my Funkenwerk V-71. It just sounds better a lot of times, I don't care what the price tags of the two say.

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:49 pm

My default bass DI for the past year has been my Digital Drummer Yamaha PM-1000 channel. It's got a 1/4" input and I can go out through a transformer. Input and output levels. No EQ, though, as it is a talk back mic module.

Anyway, it's double your budget for a single channel of racked PM-1000, however if you find one with the EQ it would be even better.

Jeff

ballpein · Post by **ballpein** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:52 am

I want to chime in here against the sansamp stuff. They work and they're easier to mix, but they also will make every bass track you ever record sound like a sansamp. I know a lot of people really love them, but to me they just sound a little sterile, generic and lifeless. Even with cleanest settings, the bass DI imparts it's own tone - great if you like that tone, but it's not what I would call clean. I find the compression that it imparts is un-subtle and very one-trick-pony. I would much rather capture a clean signal and compress later.

I like the previous suggestions of the Radial, the el cheapo Art Tube for a woolier tone, or just direct into your favourite preamp. Get a nice clean, dry direct track.... compress later, a little loving eq, and mix in some reamp. Maybe not as quick as a sansamp, but way more flexible.

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buying bass DI, need suggestions

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