Morning gang-

I've been using a Line6 Bass Pod for several years, and although it sounds great when recording, it's always lacked a little "something" when playing live. Except for a grand total of 3 customized settings, I rarely if ever use any of the other amp models or effects....mostly just a small shot of compression and a little drive when needed. Favorite amp models are the Bassman, the Twin Reverb, Mesa Boogie 400, and the Tube Amp setting.
The rest are pretty useless live. Great for recording, tho...

With our current setup, I'm not even using an amp anymore, I'm piped direct from my Pod thru a direct box then into the FOH (front of house mixer and amps) Mackies.
We've had several bass players come and go over the past year, but now the second lead player from band "A" is playing bass until we get another bassist for that band. (I'm in the "B" and "C" bands.)
He's an excellent bassist, and a major gear head.

So anyway, he shows up with this direct box/amp modeler called a Tech 21 SansAmp.

Talk about a great live sound, man- this one rocks! Tech 21 programmable bass driver/DI

Now I'm thinking of going that route, especially since that can be used with an amp if you need it, or as is, as a direct box and boost. I have yet to hear a digital amp modeler sound as good as a tube drive, but this one is amazing.
So, that got me to thinking....are there any true tube direct boxes? Yep- if you're willing to toss down 7 c notes. A bit high for me. But basically it's a tube preamp/DI box all in one. I have seen an Avalon unit for about 500 that has a tube, but it's not specifically for bass, so I don't know if it'd be capable of handing the low end.

My question to you live players and others with knowledge of live sound, are you familiar with the Tech 21 stuff, what do you use, would a tube DI box be worth it, have you tried it, etc etc.

Before I go selling my Pod, some other excess equipment, etc and trying to come up with the change for the SansAmp, I thought I'd see if anyone knew how much better or not a tube DI box would be.

As always, your comments are appreciated!

Later
Tony Y

I have used a SansAmp in the studio before and in my opinion, it killed my tone. The tone I hear plugged in straight from my bass is exactly what I want on most of my recordings unless I'm going for something different like an octaver or envelope filter. I always use a passive DI for PA or studio recordings.

The SansAmp 21 is what they're using for the bassist for the contemp. svc at church, but they've mentioned to the bassist that he could bring his rig in and use it for prescence on stage where he's standing, and the elec. gtr will do the same, since everything but the acoustic piano, acoustic gtr, and voices are plugged in.

Bruce-
Unless you guys have an acoustically excellent room, I'd be willing to bet you'll start having volume issues when the bass guy brings in his rig...I have yet to see a bassist who can get it loud enough to satisfy himself without blowing out everyone around him.
In all things moderation, right?
'Cause the lead guitarist, well, he's worse in the "more me" category, so he'll need to notch it up, then the vocalist can't hear, then the piano player starts banging it louder, then the drummer gets out of hand...you know how it goes.

Yet another reason for the in-ear monitors, aside from the fact that bass amps are notoriously hard to mike- it gives me the control to hear myself as hot as I want to in the mix without blowing out the rest of the gang.

Anyway- thanks for responding, glad to see you're using the SansAmp successfully. I'm still on the hunt for a bass tube preamp/DI that I can afford, I'm still thinking that would be the tone I'm looking for; the old Fender Bassman and Twin Reverb stuff. Nothing quite like it.

I'd love the REDDI from what I've read, but I don't have the luxury of 700 clams at the moment to spend on gear. Yet So, the SansAmp is looking better at the moment.

Later-
TY

Tony, You do have a point with the volume issue, but what the sound crew is doing is repositioning the column mains that are right now hangin' from just the ceiling in the center of the aisle, to spreading or basically have just one in the center, and the others spread rt/lt front and center of the sanctuary, and the Subs stage left and right. They're finally getting the singers to understand the use of in-ears and headset mics, part of the reason is the singers with all due respect are not pros, and they're not used to the tech stuff, and feel insecure when not holding a mic in their hand, or a box on the floor for them to hear. Now, the techs are investing in buttkickers for the rhythm players' individual platforms and will be repadding the wall behind the stage, which will allow the bass and guitarist to use their amps for ambience and feel along with the buttkickers. Basically the only monitor boxes up front with be the little ones on the podiums for speaking.

yeah, I've heard of those buttkickers, but never have seen them in use. Not so sure they would help us that much, but maybe...since jamming on stage with amps gets air moving and pumping, it may help with replacing that pumping and vibrating feeling.
That's one thing one of our drummers said he missed, was feeling the bass more than hearing it.

It's nice to be missed

It's just as important to feel vibration and frequency as to hear vibration and frequency.

Well, I'd like to have one of those buttkickers under the drummer, and me have a foot trigger for it, so I could slam him one evey once in awhile just for fun!

Got an email today, Musicians Friend is having their scratch and dent sale starting today- best price I'd seen on the Tech 21 SansAmp was 209, consistent at all the online stores. Picked one up today for 161, plus free shipping to boot.

If you guys/gals are needing anything, this is the way to buy gear that's warrantied like new even though it may have been slightly used or has scratches and such.

Things like in-ear Shure E3's for 99 bucks. Direct boxes for 29. etc.

later-
TY

I support Tony's endorsement. I too take advantage of their deals. Good stuff Maynard!