Tech 21•NYC: SansAmp PARA DRIVER DI with electric guitar

[Deenowze]

Is there a difference between this and the bass driver DI?Can you use this one with a bass?

[moronslave]

Can I put this after a multieffects pedal? Has anyone tried that, I mean mixing digital with analog? I have a Zoom multi effects and hoping this device might help enhance the tone more.. At present it sounds so digitalized:) Thanks

[Matffer]

I was looking for something to give me that "crunchy" bass sound and that's just what I needed, thanks a lot for the help!

Greetings from Brazil !

[andrewt248]

Holy crap! That actually sounds GOOD. Not quite an amp, but much better than I was ready to give it credit for! Many varied tones out of it, too. Thanks Burgs!

[ZooRiot]

GREAT!!! I've done a ton of recording with an older sans amp. I wondered about the newer ones. Loved when you broke into the Mick Ronson lick.

[spalmer718]

Do you think this would work well after one of their character pedals direct to PA for additional tone shaping and the XLR output? Or would that be overkill?

[NIMHFS]

fantastic video!  thanks a bunch.

[SwampDudeJr]

Can you get some old school Metallica, Tool or Primus tones with this baby? I'm going to get it anyway, but I'd like to know if I'm gonna need an extra dirt box to get there or with this would be enough. I'm playing through a VHT special 6 and a schecter c1 (with humbuckers and coil tap) and I'd like to use this as my "preamp". I'm also a big fuzz fan, so thanks for pointing out this pedal likes them as much as I do.

[BLXVISION]

love all the vids burgs! Dion

[marcellopacifici]

Hi Brett, I really like your reviews and your daughter is so sweet, you definitely have to learn her how to play guitar!

A little question about this box, have you had the chance to try it with bass, acoustic guitar and other instrument than electric guitar?

Thanks Ciao from Italy, Marcello

[marcellopacifici]

@marcellopacifici Sorry, just saw the other 2 videos!

[DaCheat611]

Just picked this up a week ago for my Bass. Holy jesus is it awesome. It's a must have!

[pentagonoenllamas]

Anyone know if the RPM has as much overdrive as the Para Driver?

[nousndthem]

Can you set it to be crunchy and by playing lightly get it to sound clean and then when digging in more will it go into the distortion?

Can you back off the volume knob of the guitar when it's set to distort and will that decrease in output from the guitar make it sound a bit cleaner?

Those two things are going to be a make it or break it for anyone that is used to a good tube amp.

[BassPlayer44444]

Great video man! Hey I play guitar and I had a quick question could you play a gig with just this without an amp if it provides the tone I want?Thanks!

[OnzaJK]

Actually emulates a valve amplifier pretty well, the selectable mid frequency makes it interesting as well. Might have to get one!

[arex82]

ALL THE YOUNG DUDES!! :D

awesome demo.. youve sold me!

[mephigog]

Just got mine in the mail today, good lord i love it. I just want a good analog distortion pedal in addition to this, because the boss distortions I have sound a little crappy.

[DarkMedievalTimes1]

Man, that pedal is like a swiss army knife for musicians, how more versatile can you get?

[dewalwalers]

excellent demo...well explained

[cablelvs]

Brett, congrats again... I need your help again... I bought Nova System, but to play it straight into PA-> active speakers , it doesnt sounds good. Some told me about DI box, so do you think that is pedal that you showed is the solution for me ??? So I set - Guitar - Nova S. - Para Driver - PA - Active speakers ...Also some told me about behringer ULTRA-G GI100, this would be the same case ??? Thanks a lot and congrats (again)

[plastikoo]

amt ss-20 or sansamp para drive di?

[StStu]

is it possible to put effect pedals in front of this?

[anandvemuri]

For use with an electric guitar, would you recommend the paradriver or gt2?

[Burgerman666]

@anandvemuri I'm sorry but I haven't tried the GT2. They wouldn't send it to me. :(

[pentagonoenllamas]

@anandvemuri A bit late I guess but I personally would recommend either. With the GT2 you can get a variety of sounds, some of them similar sounds to what is shown on this video. I think this one has a bit more of kind of its own character since the GT2 tries to imitate certain amps, but any of them should be satisfactory.

[holdsg]

Nice playin burgerman, and your spokesmodel is adorable. I am seriously considering this pedal for bass, and you posted a good review for that one as well.

[xKyoshu]

This pedal is good for AC/DC!

[Russel473]

Hell yeah, nice to hear some 1200 mgs you be playin, unless they were just sampling that from money for nothing. Meh. Cool.

[Whyrendog]

Is it better to out XLR or are is that just more convenient for you? I mean is there a downside to using it TS?

[Pyn2000]

@Whyrendog Symmetric cables (like XLR) should be used whenever possible. Elements in your signal chain (like your interface) can then cancel the noises that act on the particular cables (look up "symmetric cables" on google for details). TS cables are NOT symmetric, so any noise that acts on them becomes part of your signal. TRS cables (sometimes called "stereo cables") are also symmetric, but a 1/4" jack input on your interface does not garantuee support of symmetric cables. To sum up: Use XLR!

[Burgerman666]

@Pyn2000 Yeah! Now there's an educated tip. Thanks Pyn2000!

[ChrisW12208]

I would like to see a vid where someone did a full song and using this only for guitars and bass. I bet it would sound awesome. Nice vids though Burgerman

[jpsherk]

is there also a SansAmp Bass DI driver video?

[Burgerman666]

@jpsherk Not from me. You'll have to shoot a quick email to Tech 21NYC and ask them to have me do one. That's how it works, you see..

[snowdoguk]

ahhhh Mott the Hoople... all the young dudes...first album I ever bought was MtH Live at the Hammersmith Odeon.... great demo and sounds like a cool box

[ddaazz85]

Great review, and great unit.

I want one of these, but its a bit out of my price range, around $500 AUD

Would you recomend ordering the sansamp para driver cheap from the US and have the sansamp only running off batteries?

Do batteries last long?

[Whyrendog]

@ddaazz85 $200 on eBay free shipping, should ship ask around.

[ddaazz85]

the sansamp para drive sounds amazing....... i love it...... i need one..... i must buy it

i will buy it :)

[97teledlx]

I too am a Mick Ronson fan. Unfortunately never got to see him live. Excellent demo - I wish I had your ear for setting tones. Need to watch your other two videos. :-)

[torkee69]

PLS help me :(

I plugged my jacks on the input and output.(operating with a 9v battery).

It does make a sound when i played my guitar but when I turned the footswitch on,the LED isnt illuminating. Still it makes a sound but isn't changing.

The Batteries are new ones.

BTW is the Sans amp Para Driver DI operable with the boss adapter series?(PSA 120S)

specs of Boss PSA-120S:

input:100-200V~ 50-60hz 250ma

output:9v=0.5A 4.5W

[Burgerman666]

I think you had better email Lloyd or someone at their support office. I'm not authorised or qualified to help, unfortunately. I just demo them. :)

[torkee69]

@torkee69 yep he entertained me pretty fast. :)

i have a question though,in your opinion,where can you put the Sans Amp on a pedal board?is it guitar>sansamp>tuner or the last at the chain sansamp>amplifier?

heres my effects chain in order: tuner>wah>distortion>trem>phas­er>delay.

thanks for the reply :)

[torkee69]

i purchased this pedal today..

HELP!!!

I plugged my jacks on the input and output.(operating with a 9v battery).

It does make a sound when i played my guitar but when I turned the footswitch on,the LED isnt illuminating. Still it makes a sound but isn't changing.

The Batteries are new ones.

BTW is the Sans amp Para Driver DI operable with the boss adapter series?(PSA 120S)

specs of Boss PSA-120S:

input:100-200V~ 50-60hz 250ma

output:9v=0.5A 4.5W

thanks for the reply..

[andrenighthound]

good representation! I own one too. II intially purchased one to use as a preamp to record accordian with a built in pickup. I took off my fuzz pedal and eq pedal of my guitar pedal board because I get both of them sounds from this one box. I

[torkee69]

im trading my boss GE-7 to this.

i am a starter for this kind of stuffs :D

thanks for the review! :)

[HammondB200]

does this get rid of hum. it's really weird, my kind of hum decreases if i touch a metal piece?

[skateflip132]

@HammondB200 your amp & or guitar problaby arent grounded correctly

[cinnystick]

Thats a grounding issue. Check your pedals and patch cords.

[mixineer]

Mick Ronson lover here too! :-)

Nice demo man, thanks!

[SheldonCary]

Thank you so much for reviewing this! I am sold. But before I purchase it, I have a question, I am currently recording with the Line 6 UX2, and it's absolutely horrible. I live in an apartment, so I can't exactly run a tube amp miced for a good tone. So should I run this pedal to a mixer to the computer for this tone? Thanks for the video!

[Burgerman666]

Yep. run this straight to your sound card and you should be fine. Good luck. merry Christmas and thanks for tuning in! :)

[ASJerrell]

I never say this about pedals, but I really think that distortion sounds ridiculously good. And there was a huge amount of tones in between that were wonderful. Definitely an overlooked, underrated, and secret weapon of a pedal for electric guitar.

[psixozoidid]

Thanks from Russia!) good review%)

[mephigog]

Thanks for posting, I was looking for a review of this pedal since last summer.

[Xixo]

I wish there were an electric bass demo with the PDDI, good video

[Burgerman666]

There will be. I intend to do it this weekend. ;) I just hope my bass playing cuts it!

Thanks for watching.

[ForHisGlory27]

If you connect this right into a PA system to a mixer, do you need the power source? or will it power up because its connected with the xlr

[Burgerman666]

It can be phantom powered as long as there is a phantom power facility at the other end. Most mixers and many interfaces now have this facility.

[beatnikcafe]

I'd love to see a head to head demo of the GT2 and the Para DI.

[Burgerman666]

Sorry man, I don't have a GT2. It would be a cool shootout though. :)

[xntrickk]

interesting, i have the GT2 and was always curious what this model did exactly

[Pinstripedtie]

What the hell do you need a fuzz box for???? TheSansAmp overdrive sounds much better by itself!

[Burgerman666]

I'm just showing that you can stack other pedals before it. That's all.

[thesoj]

I have the older version of this the Sansamp Acoustic DI.

I still use it direct (no real amps) for all my clean guitar sounds, and then add a old Tech21 Double Drive for extra drive.

[beatnikcafe]

Can this pedal be used in an effects loop using the 1/4" ins an out and still have the XLR send the "amped tone" to the recording deck?

[1713162434]

burguer man does exist any diference between this one and a sansamp classic?

[Burgerman666]

Yes, there are quite a few differences. This has phantom power and parallel outputs for starters. Hence the name. It does feature SansAmp circuitry but its controls are less focused in terms of preset options compared to the classic which has jump switches with predetermined EQ and gain settings built into them. The PDDI can also be used as a straight up DI. They both have their merits. :)

[roccotanto]

love the tech 21 stuff, and the acoustic para DI pedal is one of my faves for acoustic gigs. it truly IS a swiss army knife of tone!

[emgcarra]

I´ve got one of those years ago, to my acoustic guitar...it is in the box, somewhere in the studio...Now I ´ll give it a try with electrics, to see what´s going on...

[willievega]

A good tool for the studio

[Burgerman666]

Yep. And and an instant amp and DI for the stage, too. Very handy.