It didn’t take me a year of using it to find the tone, I had it a year before I started using it after the first gig (the only gig I’ve ever done without back line, which is why I brought it). Tried it on and off over the following year, but only made 6-7 times. Back then I didn’t know the benefit of using a pre amp in front of a pre amp, so I’d just use it every now and then but it mostly stayed in the bag as a back up if needed.
I must admit the VTBass DI is more immediately satisfying, but I also found it more of a tone changer, which is why I loved both but kept the BDDI.