Tech 21 SansAmp VT Bass DI

The Tech 21 SansAmp VT Bass DI is a multi-functional bass DI pedal with tube emulation and a DI output, made by Tech 21, whose SansAmp line has become a go-to piece of gear for many bassists and engineers both onstage and in the studio¹. It is built around Ampeg-style voicings, with SVT-style and flip-top-style (B-15) settings, and it carries XLR and 1/4-inch outputs plus a parallel output for feeding an amp or another device alongside the DI¹.

Lineage: from the Character series to the VT Bass Deluxe

The VT Bass DI did not appear from nowhere. Premier Guitar's reviewer describes Tech 21's designers as having "been tinkering with their toys by splicing the DNA of their previous products," and the new VT Bass DI as born from that experimentation¹. Its closest relative in the line is the VT Bass Deluxe, which No Treble reported in 2010 as "a 6-channel programmable version of their SansAmp Character Series VT Bass pedal," expected in late April or early May of that year².

The Deluxe shows the family shape. It functions as a pre-amp or stompbox with any amp or combo, a power amp and speaker cabinet, and as a DI with any mixing console. Its controls include Drive, a 3-band active EQ and Level, with a 1/4-inch instrument-level input and 1/4-inch and XLR outputs with selectable levels. Tech 21 described it as bringing together "the warmth of an all-analog signal path and the convenience of digital recall"². The VT Bass DI takes the same SansAmp approach in a simpler, single-channel package.

Controls, outputs and power

The pedal's controls are straightforward. The Level dial adjusts the overall output¹. On the back panel and inside, the connections and power options are where the box earns its keep:

XLR and 1/4-inch outputs¹
A parallel output, for sending signal onward without leaving the DI path¹
An easy-access battery compartment¹

The related VT Bass Deluxe runs on phantom power, an optional 9V DC power supply, or a 9V battery². The VT Bass DI's easy-access battery compartment points to the same battery-friendly design¹.

What reviewers said

Premier Guitar's verdict on the VT Bass DI was short and positive: "A solid pedal packed with practical features"¹. The reviewer used the SVT-style sample setting found in the manual and found that although "The VT Bass DI might pride itself on Ampeg-style shape shifting, but there are far more layers to this onion," suggesting the pedal covers more tonal ground than its Ampeg associations imply¹.

Tech 21's pedals have drawn positive notices from reviewers. Bass Musician Magazine's review of the SansAmp VT Bass DI summed it up as "A solid pedal packed with practical features"³¹.

At a street price of $209 at the time of Premier Guitar's review, the VT Bass DI sits in the same territory as the rest of Tech 21's SansAmp bass line, which also includes the SansAmp Bass Driver DI V2, the SansAmp Programmable Bass Driver DI and the VT Bass¹.

Videos

**Tech 21 SansAmp VT Bass DI Demo**
The Bass Channel

**Tech 21 - SansAmp VT Bass DI**
Bass Stuff

**Tech 21 VT Bass DI Demo**
Oliver Tobyn

Questions

What is the difference between the SansAmp VT Bass DI and the VT Bass Deluxe?

The VT Bass Deluxe, introduced in 2010, is a 6-channel programmable version of Tech 21's SansAmp Character Series VT Bass pedal, with Drive, a 3-band active EQ, Level, 1/4-inch and XLR outputs with selectable levels, and digital recall of presets over an all-analog signal path. The VT Bass DI is a simpler, later single-channel box aimed at tube-style emulation and direct recording, with a parallel output and an easy-access battery compartment.

Does the SansAmp VT Bass DI run on a battery?

Yes. Premier Guitar's review notes an easy-access battery compartment on the VT Bass DI. The related VT Bass Deluxe runs on phantom power, an optional 9V DC power supply, or a 9V battery, and the DI follows the same SansAmp pattern of flexible power.

What outputs does the VT Bass DI have?

Premier Guitar's review lists a parallel output alongside XLR and 1/4-inch outputs, which the reviewer called an impressive array of connections for a pedal of this size. The XLR out lets you send a balanced signal to a mixing console, while the parallel output can feed an amp or another pedal.

What do the SVT and flip-top settings emulate?

The VT Bass DI's settings lean on classic Ampeg bass amp voicings. Premier Guitar's reviewer used the SVT-style sample setting found in the manual, and the review describes the pedal as offering SVT-style and flip-top-style settings, the flip-top being the Ampeg B-15. The reviewer noted there are far more layers to the pedal than its Ampeg-style shape shifting alone.

Is the VT Bass DI related to the SansAmp Character series?

Yes. Premier Guitar's review describes the VT Bass DI as descended from Tech 21's previous products, splicing the DNA of the SansAmp and the Character series pedals. The VT Bass Deluxe was explicitly a 6-channel programmable version of the SansAmp Character Series VT Bass pedal.

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