longtimefred Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I have just had my first rehearsal with my Tech 21 Sansamp Para Driver DI and as i had to travel a bit to get there i borrowed a friends old Peavey 2x10 combo with a 15" Laney cab as extension which was in the rehearsal room. I havent used a solid state amp in years as i fell in love with valves and never looked back but after setting the sansamp to the SVT settings i could have well been fooled that i had my trusty V4 and Ampeg cab behind me. It just sounded incredible and it has really made me think - Do i actually need all this big heavy valve gear when i just got the sound i love from a little box!! Obviously i would need an amp and cab etc but my view that you NEED valves to get a grindy rock sound has been rather altered and i dont really know what to do about it. I mean, its great showing up for the big rock show with all the cabs in the world and the backline looking massive, thats part of rock n roll but then i think - i gotta carry this sh*t everywhere and i hate doing that! I guess i will only know when i plug it into the V4 next and if it wipes the floor with what i used tonight then i know i will have to keep it but if it aint no different, i could end up in a whole world of mess and......... might even sell the Holy Grail that is the V type V4! I'm rambling now and need to go to bed, just needed to vent! Will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan670844 Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Sansamps are great they do a really good job of a tube sound. I use one a lot of the time these days, as stage monitoring is so good these days. I used a tech 21 Landmark while I was working in the states it's basically sansamp and a very high quality power amp in a small head unit. I have never seen one in Europe but they are fantastic amps. I wish I had stolen it now haha! Their cabs are good too. If you ever want to sell you V4 I will buy it for the studio, a great amp, heavy though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimefred Posted July 19, 2011 Author Share Posted July 19, 2011 Yeah I'm loving the Sansamp right now. I will have to try my rig properly with it as I got the feeling it's gonna sound incredible all together and that will force me to lug the bloody stuff around! Haha. Thinking of selling the V4 makes me cringe a little inside so we shall see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Sansamp > Lightweight head > 2x 2x10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimefred Posted July 19, 2011 Author Share Posted July 19, 2011 Argh!! stop putting thoughts in my head!!! Specially ones that seem to be the way forward! Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 I've always used pedals to get the sound(s) I want out of mediocre amps. You might tell the difference between your valve rig and a pedal when you're playing alone, but int he context of a band with distorted guitars - who's going to hear those nuances? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 [quote name='longtimefred' post='1308993' date='Jul 19 2011, 12:19 PM']Argh!! stop putting thoughts in my head!!! Specially ones that seem to be the way forward! Lol[/quote] Sansamp > Mesa Strategy 400 in for sale = TRVE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimefred Posted July 19, 2011 Author Share Posted July 19, 2011 Christ that would sound good. I love the big Mesa stuff. But the £200 price tag to re valve them is just too painful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Should be able to revalve for about £120, and won't need it often. Since it is coming from Umph, it will have been checked over and stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 [quote name='cheddatom' post='1309000' date='Jul 19 2011, 12:26 PM']I've always used pedals to get the sound(s) I want out of mediocre amps. You might tell the difference between your valve rig and a pedal when you're playing alone, but int he context of a band with distorted guitars - who's going to hear those nuances?[/quote] As I recently discovered not many people could hear much of my bass, once guitar and drums kicked in, when I used a BDDI. The sound guy who owns the rehearsal room we use was amazed by the sound of my VT2 compared to the Sansamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 when I say "nuances" I mean subtle differences in harmonic overtones and distortion etc, not a big mid scoop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimefred Posted July 19, 2011 Author Share Posted July 19, 2011 [quote name='bartelby' post='1309313' date='Jul 19 2011, 04:17 PM']As I recently discovered not many people could hear much of my bass, once guitar and drums kicked in, when I used a BDDI. The sound guy who owns the rehearsal room we use was amazed by the sound of my VT2 compared to the Sansamp.[/quote] I was a little worried about this with the BDDI as the sound of th sansamp is very scooped to start with so I bought the PDDI which has the semi parametric mid range. No chance of that being missed in the mix, the thing is as clear as a bell. Totally agree with you cheddatom, once the band have kicked in, you could be playing through anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I notice you're in stoke... If you need to try out any pedals you're welcome to PM me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Personally there is a difference between what a tiny box can do and a valve amp. At one point I was running a Orange HTC120 into two 4x12, but very overkill, however I soon learned that the difference becomes rather lost in a mix. The para driver is 100% better pedal than the bass driver aswell. I miss mine from time to time. It's a shame they no longer produce them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimefred Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hey Tom, are you Tom from no logo? If you are then I have spoke to you a good few times at the old Stoke rock scene gigs n stuff. I used to be in Long Time Dead if that rings any bells. If you ain't then ignore me! Lol. PRIME - totally agree with you about there being a difference between the two when Playing without the band and from what I experienced the other night at rehearsal with using the SS amp with the pedal, the difference is not noticeable at all! I think I have solved my problem as well. I think I am just going to have to buy an Ampeg PF500 with the 2 matching cabs to use for rehearsals and small gigs and keep the big stuff for bigger shows and recording as I can't bring myself to sell any of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimefred Posted August 4, 2011 Author Share Posted August 4, 2011 Well i have seemed to have solved my problem. I have put my Ampeg HLF up for sale as i have acquired a Trace Elliot V Type 4808 Combo and am going to be getting hold of the 1153 compact 15" cab to go with it. With this set up i can run the V4 with both or either of the speaker cabs, or use the V Type combo on its own or with the 15" cab depending on what i need and when. This is perfect for me as i now have a rig with 5 different ways of using it and is nice n small enough to fit in my boot! It aint lightweight as the combo comes in at a nice 42Kg and for something the size of a shoebox is just crazy! But it sounds INCREDIBLE!!! Cant wait to get it all together. Its gonna be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axemanwayne31 Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 If you like the SVT tone, try the Tech 21 Sansamp Svt Bass pedal. I have an old handmade solid state amp by VAJ Electronics. These guys do the servicing for HH Amps. The head i have is a 300 watt head and i run dutch made cabs branded Koch. I have a 2x12 and a 1x15. The pedal transforms it into a Ampeg and blindfolded, you'd swear it was an 8x10 behind you. The downside to my rig is that bug bearing weight of the cabs. I did try an Orange Terror Bass 1000 and one of the Isobaric 4x10's.......that was very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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