Just a comment. Both the BDDI vs B7K and this video feature the darkglass with the grunt switch on the flat position most of the time. This results in the thinner/edgier or less bassy tone that many people comment on. Take these videos with a grain of salt. These boxes are all swiss army knives and the circuits interact very specifically for each pedal. The blend knob is key to achieve a fuller sound with darkglass products since the circuitry is naturally Low Pass filtered and the EQ affects the distortion. You guys also have to take into consideration that both the BDDI and the VT Bass are designed to emulate a full bass rig, while the Darkglass pedal's are distortion/overdrive boxes with an optional cab sim at the end. Finding the right cab for your sound is also not only possible but very important. Doug Castro (Darkglass' CEO) also mentioned on Talkbass that the grunt switch is essentially a shelving that allows low end content to pass through to the distortion circuitry and it interacts with the drive and harmonic content and results in added perceived bass. I personally own a B7K non ultra and complained about the lack of bass until I read Doug's comment and started backing off the blend to allow more clean bass and treating the distortion as a separate thing altogether. Just an observation. Theres way more to these pedals that can be possibly shown in a sub 10 minute video.
The Darkglass sounds scooped, but to me it sounds like it's scooping out the unneccesary, muddy, woofy mids while keeping the cutting mids in shape. 2:45 is the biggest example for me.
These two pedals are both very good. At higher gain settings, I prefer the Darkglass, but overall the Tech21 wins because of its fat low end and its versatility.
I have the VTDI and the Vintage Microtube Deluxe. For me the VTDI is an always on preamp and I use the Darkglass for some drive when needed. The speaker sim of the VTDI smooths out the Darkglass very nicely. A good pairing.
in both camparisons so far the tech 21s are far superior to my ears. darkglass sound thin and synthetic relatively. i only liked it with the grabber, which has a fat tone to its nature, guess that compensates it kind of. no hate for darkglass though, the harmonic booster is a nice pedal.
@@TheEchelon and get the same result any day. There is no low end in Darkglass that SansAmp has, but 5 years ago everybody complained about SansAmp low end.
You must own a tech 21 lol. They are both fantastic for what they are, but from my experience "if" one must be superior then it goes in favor of the Dark Glass hands down. From build quality to overall versatility and beyond.
The Darkglass seems to be always scooped .. that maybe sound good alone .. but in a band situation, it is not always a good thing. On the other hand, the VTBass seems to handle better clean tones
Same with the Sansamp BDDI. The saturation you get with the drive knob right before breakup is great, but once it's noticeably clipping it's a buzzy mess
the Darkglass seems overall more versitile but when you compare them side by side with similar eq settings the VT sounds better. I'm sure you could tweak the Darkglass EQ to sound better. Overall I give the win to the Tech21 because it is half the price and it sounds great!
I love this series. Never stop do ALL preamps then compressors. Please. Thank you Cheers Btw. A lot closer matched in this one, I think Darkglass was paying closer attention to the vt bass when creating this one. Harder choice for me this time. Vt Bass 👍
Im a darkglass user. I have had the Microtubes 900 head, currently have the 500 head, and have at one time also owned the Alpha Omega Ultra pedal. I also used to have a Sansamp. Darkglass has a very distinct sound. No matter what of theres you buy, they fit a certain tone. Someone that loves the Sansamp wont like the Darkglass tone, although I think someone that likes the darkglass tone, can find something that works and sounds well on a sansamp. I think Darkglass makes a better product, but that VT bass is more universal and can make a larger group of players happy.
I believe that the philosophy behind the two brands is the key. IMO Tech 21 never pretended being a bass distortion pedal maker ...while Darkglass was born from the desire of making the ultimate bass distortion pedal (at least that's what I read from a interview with his founder). I have a Sansamp, a B3K and a Vintage Microtubes..and I believe that they are very different tools and they can't compare. The Sansamp is a staple in bass tone and I use it for getting basic bass tones to work with. I use it for go ampless in some gigs. I use Darkglass to get the distortion tones which I can't get from the Sansamp . The B3K excels for high gain metal tones. Depending on the situation I use different options..no one is better than the other.
Once again I'm going with the Tech21. They both have their plus and minuses. The Darkglass is very versatile tone wise but it always sounds like it's scooped and nasally up against the Tech21. The Tech21 holds itself together really well until it hits really high gain and then it gets a little messy. The cab sims didn't do much for me on either one. I have better IRs on my HX Stomp. Tech21 by a hair on this shootout!
I have the Stomp too, I find the Sansamp and Darkglass models each sound pretty accurate! The Stomps' Darkglass model through my rig sounds better than it did on this video. Looking forward to trying them both together in the same preset.
Between the two, even if I have a serious Tech 21 bias, I think the Vintage Ultra has a tiny bit of an extra edge. Seriously love this series, keep up the awesome stuff!
I have said this before and I will state it again: It is not a fair comparison to put the knobs on both pedals at the same positions and compare which sound is better (i.e., which sounds more 'fat', 'round' etc). Example: In the beginning when all EQ knobs on both pedals are at noon position, the VT Bass sounds fatter. This is due to different frequency centers. If you want the same fat sound on the Darkglass, you need to push the low frequency (100 Hz) knob! As someone who has used both pedals in a live band situation, the Darkglass is the superior pedal. This is because it has better and more flexible mid-frequency controls which are an absolute must if you want to cut through a full mix. Also the VT Bass has usable drive only up to a certain point, beyond which it just farts out. The Darkglass on the other hand really shines in the drive department - in my opinion it has a more realistic amp-like tone, and never turns your bass into a boomy wall of sound unless you have the bass knob fully cranked up. Sound engineers hate it when that happens, and from my experience, will simply cut out the extra low frequencies to balance the overall sound. I think the only true comparison in this video comes on at 07:50 , and I honestly prefer the Darkglass in that.
If they're just running it straight out of the pedal, yeah. I've never felt like darkglass were intended to sound best as a DI. In front of an amp would sound way better.
@@codyhansonbass Yeah, I have an HX Stomp with realistic (to me) Sansamp and Darkglass models through my amp. They sound equally good but different, the Darkglass sounds much better through my rig than on this video.
As always Darkglass sounds way more edgy and modern but this specific model seems to deliver a fuller tone than usual. On the other hand the SansAmp sounds more natural to me but also more clanky and can't really compete at high gain. Different flavors for everyone but i'll choose the Darkglass on this one.
I have to go SansAmp this time. The Darkglass just sounds so thin and I don't like it comparatively, which is great for me because I though about selling my SansAmpVT to buy the Darkglass vintage
The VT is definitely my preference. Much fuller sound whereas the DG seems to lack bottom end in many of the examples shown. That being said, I own a VT rackmount so I'm completely biased. Also, I'm not saying the DG is completely without any merits. Sounded pretty awesome with the Ripper bass - reminded me very much of the bass tone on the very first QOTSA album. I dunno, it's a bit like comparing a Ferrari and a Lamborghini I guess. It's more a case of personal preference than which one is ultimately 'the best'. But if you held a gun to my head and told me to pick one, I'd reach for the VT.
Thumbs up for the VT Bass Di, it's the most versatile tool I have for the studio and live applications. The darkglass maybe fits better for Djent and other genres where the mids in the bass pretty much not exist. The Darkglass's cab sim sounds more realistic tho
I think you should compare them in a mix. And also, it may be better to show more sounds whit the nobs turned in a meaningful way, not just one nob at a time. Furthermore on the VMT I think that the attack and grinde switch should be on in order to complete with the VT DI on some tones. I'd go with the vintage ultra
think the VT sounds INCREDIBLE as a tube amp sim and for a pushed clean. Love the distortion on the Darkglass but I think it sounds better as a boost. VT wins.
Thank you, but comparing with knobs in the same place doesn't help me at all. (plus you had attack switch on for the Darkglass for several takes). I would prefer if you could try to go for a specific "sound" using one pedal and then the next. Which pedal can get me there??? to a Motown sound, a Meshuggah sound, a Sabbath sound. Ya know? Anyway, keep up the good work.
I’m going with the VT bass, but there are some features with the Darkglass pedals that I like mainly the ability to change cab sims and the EQ (I prefer the graphic EQ on some of the DG pedals). I wish I could have the sound of the VT bass combine with the X ultra for the compressor and EQ options (yes I know the X ultra wasn’t in the video but it’s my favorite of the Darkglass pedals)
Tech 21 VT BASS for this again. But I thing that Darglass pedals sound great as pedals before an amp and a cab! But for now, although I never tried any tech21 product I think it sounds better for my music - bass taste. But I love my B3k pedal!! Keep going guys!!
Nace Kon You can use only the clean section in the darkglass and it’s actually more versatile than the vt for this part. I have both and you can really match the tone of the vt with the darkglass
VTBDI > DG VTU That was actually far closer than the previous one. Tech21 product again sounds beefier and fuller. I'm starting to wonder whether it has anything to do with XLR output being used rather than miking a cab.
VTBass DI: vintage style overdrive, bass and low mids get distorted... Microtubes Ultra: modern style overdrive, highs get distorted living bass and low mids clean. I like them both and use both in my board. VT Bass DI as a always on low-gain preamp and the Darkglass as a on/off overdrive... But if I had to choose just one, it would be the VT Bass!
I think the best possible answer, especially for recording, is to use the Tech 21 for the clean, and the Darkglass for the dirt and the mega beef. You need two channels. You simply do: Out of the compressor du jour into the Tech 21 VT bass DI, recording the DI out, taking the direct out signal and feeding it into a Darkglass of your choice (mine is the B7K black beast) to record the distortion and get results that are insanely awesome. The X-Ultra is a cool idea, but you can find some issues during the mix. This gives you a lot more to work with and is killer.
From what I'm hearing in this video I like the VT bass much better, fuller more vintage-y vibe. However, what is missing from these comparisons is how they each sound in a mix, because that could completely change my opinion.
Vintage Ultra pedal. Absolute weapon and so much more versatility and tone possibilities. It's also much clearer and the distortion you can dial in is endless.
Unfortunately you are not using the latest Darkglass Vintage Ultra V.2 or the BK7 Ultra V.2 model for your 2020 Shootout. The Version 2 pedals have the Cab Simulation feature. This is the money switch when going direct. I drove 4 hours to Sweetwater to compare the bass DI pedals. My first priority was a great clean tone via the direct out. I was able to compare all of the major brands. I compared the Darkglass V1 verse V2 and it was no comparison, the cab sim is what sold me on the pedal. So after hours of trying the difference brands my only choice was going to be what model Darkglass to buy and I chose the B7K Ultra V2. I owned a SansAmp for years and was happy with it but as everyone knows we are always looking to change/improve our tone. My cover band members and Praise team members have all complimented me on my new tone. With the 4 toggle switches and the Cab Sim, which can be changed via software, I can tweak my tone like never before. I feel that your 2020 shootout is misrepresenting the latest products available and because of that people will miss out on some great products.
You're running the VT on the flip top character setting, where I feel like the darkglass EQ wise sounds more like an SVT, if you wanted a more accurate comparison, you would want to set the character knob on the VT to 9oclock
This style of demo is more about the bass/player than the pedal. I'd appreciate it if you could just keep it to one bass and go through the full spectrum of tones/options on the pedal to get a better idea as to what the differences are. I already know what j and p pickups sound like.
Tech 21 wins over all. Though the Dark Glass does have a lot of different useable tones, Dark Glass seems fairly thin, whilst oddly well balanced. But in the end the Tones I would want would be the Tech 21.
I’d be really interested to hear your take on the DG Harmonic Booster. Maybe try some before and after blends with some of the recent overdrive and preamp pedals you’ve showcased on your channel or even the different drive sections on their V2 heads? That’s something I’ve been really looking for but can’t find anywhere.
Darkglass, it distorts better and sounds clearer overall. The VT sounds a bit muddy in comparison and has a flatulent quality to the distortion. Really not bad overall though, especially for the cleaner tones.
The VT Bass wins. I agree with others that the Darkglass sounded better in certain contexts. I really liked it with the Gibson Ripper and a pick. But ultimately, it's just too mid-scooped for me. The VT is fuller and more natural sounding.
Tech 21 VT stood out but I didn't see the Blend option adjusted on the Darkglass. I would have liked to have heard that fully wet. Also I think they need to be tested in a mix. In my experience the bass might sound terrific on it's own but when in a mix everything changes.
If you own a Rickenbacker 4003, the VT Bass is absolutely essential as it really brings out the Ricky's mid-range growl. The two go together like steak and fries.
I've owned the Darkglass Vintage Ultra, the Omega, and both versions of the B7ks. I liked the Omega the best as it sounded the most neutral to me. I personally can't stand the dramatic mid bump the Vintage Microtubes stuff imposes on the sound. Perhaps good to kick in when you want to stand out in a solo but as an always-on pedal, the Sansamp wins for me!
Darkglass. It sounds clearer and more versatile. For straight-up middy Ampeg goodness, the VT sounds better, and with all the knobs flat, the Darkglass sounds scooped. But the Darkglass seems to have nice mids when you twist the knobs. And something about it makes me trust the sound more. But if all I wanted was an old-school SVT or V4 sound, I'd be tempted to go for the VT. I have the smaller 4-knob Darkglass Vintage Microtubes, and I love how it has the "era" knob that I can just spin until it sits right in the mix. The full DI-Preamp doesn't have this, but it seems like you can get what you need.
well, the darkglass sounds more modern, and the vt nails a 100% the ampeg sound, though the fuzz/distorted sounds at 2:45 makes my vote go for the darkglass, that did not sounded good at all.
I think they both sound thin and brittle with too much hi EQ dialed in, they both need low end dialed in for my liking. Personally I use the VT Bass with a Darkglass Hyper Luminal Compressor, into my GK Fusion 550, Great tone!
Tech 21 VT for the win: harmonically rich, tonally complex, very tube-like.
Again Tech21. Darkglass always sounds so synthethic to me.
Finally someone who thinks the same as I do about darkglass
Well, it makes sense. Tech 21 is an amp simulator, darkglass are distortion.
have to agree.
They are a bunch fakes .. period ..
same here
Just a comment. Both the BDDI vs B7K and this video feature the darkglass with the grunt switch on the flat position most of the time. This results in the thinner/edgier or less bassy tone that many people comment on.
Take these videos with a grain of salt. These boxes are all swiss army knives and the circuits interact very specifically for each pedal. The blend knob is key to achieve a fuller sound with darkglass products since the circuitry is naturally Low Pass filtered and the EQ affects the distortion.
You guys also have to take into consideration that both the BDDI and the VT Bass are designed to emulate a full bass rig, while the Darkglass pedal's are distortion/overdrive boxes with an optional cab sim at the end. Finding the right cab for your sound is also not only possible but very important.
Doug Castro (Darkglass' CEO) also mentioned on Talkbass that the grunt switch is essentially a shelving that allows low end content to pass through to the distortion circuitry and it interacts with the drive and harmonic content and results in added perceived bass.
I personally own a B7K non ultra and complained about the lack of bass until I read Doug's comment and started backing off the blend to allow more clean bass and treating the distortion as a separate thing altogether.
Just an observation. Theres way more to these pedals that can be possibly shown in a sub 10 minute video.
The Darkglass sounds scooped, but to me it sounds like it's scooping out the unneccesary, muddy, woofy mids while keeping the cutting mids in shape.
2:45 is the biggest example for me.
I find that to be the case with my vintage deluxe pedal, it scoops out the kids a bit, but only the frequencies that would make a PA system explode
These two pedals are both very good. At higher gain settings, I prefer the Darkglass, but overall the Tech21 wins because of its fat low end and its versatility.
I have the VTDI and the Vintage Microtube Deluxe. For me the VTDI is an always on preamp and I use the Darkglass for some drive when needed. The speaker sim of the VTDI smooths out the Darkglass very nicely. A good pairing.
Same
Both are amazing pedals but the Tech 21 once gain kills it! The Tech 21 sounds more organic and has got that low end mojo.
in both camparisons so far the tech 21s are far superior to my ears. darkglass sound thin and synthetic relatively. i only liked it with the grabber, which has a fat tone to its nature, guess that compensates it kind of. no hate for darkglass though, the harmonic booster is a nice pedal.
Because it's a DI recording. Put the darkglass in front of an amp with cab and it's very different
@@TheEchelon and get the same result any day. There is no low end in Darkglass that SansAmp has, but 5 years ago everybody complained about SansAmp low end.
@@ВладимирХрамов-з4н the pedal doesn't affect low end if you don't set it up to cut
You must own a tech 21 lol. They are both fantastic for what they are, but from my experience "if" one must be superior then it goes in favor of the Dark Glass hands down. From build quality to overall versatility and beyond.
The Darkglass seems to be always scooped .. that maybe sound good alone .. but in a band situation, it is not always a good thing.
On the other hand, the VTBass seems to handle better clean tones
@@kangsk8er Yes you can dial the sound you want, both sound good, I'm just pointing out that one is by default scooped and dirtier..
But if you ask me, I tend to prefer what sounds good to my ears with the default settings.
Kenneth Quiroz what is „the default set“?
@@KaltOhm all at the middle (5 or 12 o clock) and the blend knob all the way
@@kennethquiroz5066 and why is that default? So if you buy an Eq. you set everything in the middle? XD
The Tech 21 sounds great at low gain but really seems to fart out at higher gain and hotter pickups while the darkglass seems great.
I agree with you, seems less like overdrive, more like a hard clipped stock stereo out of Honda from the 90s. Farty low end, brittle highs.
Partly due to how the character knob deals with the signal - it is set up to give fuzz like tones which are always less previsey
Same with the Sansamp BDDI. The saturation you get with the drive knob right before breakup is great, but once it's noticeably clipping it's a buzzy mess
With the character knob turned up to 5 O'clock and the bite switched on, the drive will not sound farty at all, guaranteed ;)
the Darkglass seems overall more versitile but when you compare them side by side with similar eq settings the VT sounds better. I'm sure you could tweak the Darkglass EQ to sound better. Overall I give the win to the Tech21 because it is half the price and it sounds great!
I love this series. Never stop do ALL preamps then compressors. Please. Thank you Cheers
Btw. A lot closer matched in this one, I think Darkglass was paying closer attention to the vt bass when creating this one.
Harder choice for me this time.
Vt Bass 👍
Im a darkglass user. I have had the Microtubes 900 head, currently have the 500 head, and have at one time also owned the Alpha Omega Ultra pedal. I also used to have a Sansamp. Darkglass has a very distinct sound. No matter what of theres you buy, they fit a certain tone. Someone that loves the Sansamp wont like the Darkglass tone, although I think someone that likes the darkglass tone, can find something that works and sounds well on a sansamp. I think Darkglass makes a better product, but that VT bass is more universal and can make a larger group of players happy.
Basturd Werkz sorry to hear that you have lost so much money using the garbage they put out
I believe that the philosophy behind the two brands is the key. IMO Tech 21 never pretended being a bass distortion pedal maker ...while Darkglass was born from the desire of making the ultimate bass distortion pedal (at least that's what I read from a interview with his founder).
I have a Sansamp, a B3K and a Vintage Microtubes..and I believe that they are very different tools and they can't compare.
The Sansamp is a staple in bass tone and I use it for getting basic bass tones to work with. I use it for go ampless in some gigs.
I use Darkglass to get the distortion tones which I can't get from the Sansamp . The B3K excels for high gain metal tones.
Depending on the situation I use different options..no one is better than the other.
Once again I'm going with the Tech21. They both have their plus and minuses. The Darkglass is very versatile tone wise but it always sounds like it's scooped and nasally up against the Tech21. The Tech21 holds itself together really well until it hits really high gain and then it gets a little messy. The cab sims didn't do much for me on either one. I have better IRs on my HX Stomp. Tech21 by a hair on this shootout!
I have the Stomp too, I find the Sansamp and Darkglass models each sound pretty accurate! The Stomps' Darkglass model through my rig sounds better than it did on this video. Looking forward to trying them both together in the same preset.
Between the two, even if I have a serious Tech 21 bias, I think the Vintage Ultra has a tiny bit of an extra edge. Seriously love this series, keep up the awesome stuff!
I have said this before and I will state it again: It is not a fair comparison to put the knobs on both pedals at the same positions and compare which sound is better (i.e., which sounds more 'fat', 'round' etc). Example: In the beginning when all EQ knobs on both pedals are at noon position, the VT Bass sounds fatter. This is due to different frequency centers. If you want the same fat sound on the Darkglass, you need to push the low frequency (100 Hz) knob! As someone who has used both pedals in a live band situation, the Darkglass is the superior pedal. This is because it has better and more flexible mid-frequency controls which are an absolute must if you want to cut through a full mix. Also the VT Bass has usable drive only up to a certain point, beyond which it just farts out. The Darkglass on the other hand really shines in the drive department - in my opinion it has a more realistic amp-like tone, and never turns your bass into a boomy wall of sound unless you have the bass knob fully cranked up. Sound engineers hate it when that happens, and from my experience, will simply cut out the extra low frequencies to balance the overall sound.
I think the only true comparison in this video comes on at 07:50 , and I honestly prefer the Darkglass in that.
Tech 21 looking pretty good in these comparisons...
If they're just running it straight out of the pedal, yeah. I've never felt like darkglass were intended to sound best as a DI. In front of an amp would sound way better.
@@codyhansonbass Yeah, I have an HX Stomp with realistic (to me) Sansamp and Darkglass models through my amp. They sound equally good but different, the Darkglass sounds much better through my rig than on this video.
That bass at 5:30.... what strings are those?
As always Darkglass sounds way more edgy and modern but this specific model seems to deliver a fuller tone than usual. On the other hand the SansAmp sounds more natural to me but also more clanky and can't really compete at high gain. Different flavors for everyone but i'll choose the Darkglass on this one.
Agreed
I've never liked the SVT sound, so that was easy! I do own a Mesa Bass 400, which is a lot more cutting than the waterlogged SVT overdrive.
I have to go SansAmp this time. The Darkglass just sounds so thin and I don't like it comparatively, which is great for me because I though about selling my SansAmpVT to buy the Darkglass vintage
It's all in the adjustment of the DG. You can make it as fat as you'd like.
The VT is definitely my preference. Much fuller sound whereas the DG seems to lack bottom end in many of the examples shown. That being said, I own a VT rackmount so I'm completely biased. Also, I'm not saying the DG is completely without any merits. Sounded pretty awesome with the Ripper bass - reminded me very much of the bass tone on the very first QOTSA album. I dunno, it's a bit like comparing a Ferrari and a Lamborghini I guess. It's more a case of personal preference than which one is ultimately 'the best'. But if you held a gun to my head and told me to pick one, I'd reach for the VT.
Thumbs up for the VT Bass Di, it's the most versatile tool I have for the studio and live applications. The darkglass maybe fits better for Djent and other genres where the mids in the bass pretty much not exist. The Darkglass's cab sim sounds more realistic tho
I think both are versatile and generate great tones. T21 wins for overall better tones here, easier to read layout, and better price. Thx for the vid!
For me the VTDI. Great Vid! BUT: The speakersim on the VTDI only affects the wet signal. To compare the two the blend has to be set fully clockwise.
I think you should compare them in a mix. And also, it may be better to show more sounds whit the nobs turned in a meaningful way, not just one nob at a time.
Furthermore on the VMT I think that the attack and grinde switch should be on in order to complete with the VT DI on some tones.
I'd go with the vintage ultra
Please do a 2024 DI shootout
think the VT sounds INCREDIBLE as a tube amp sim and for a pushed clean. Love the distortion on the Darkglass but I think it sounds better as a boost.
VT wins.
Thank you, but comparing with knobs in the same place doesn't help me at all. (plus you had attack switch on for the Darkglass for several takes). I would prefer if you could try to go for a specific "sound" using one pedal and then the next. Which pedal can get me there??? to a Motown sound, a Meshuggah sound, a Sabbath sound. Ya know? Anyway, keep up the good work.
On this one... I'll go with Tech21!
Definitely the sansamp in this one
are you going to try the Tech 21 Q/Strip???
no distortion...but a absolutely killer clean preamp DI
the VT Bass is the better on for me
This was a close one. For me it's VT bass that wins, delivers more natural tube-like sound. Darkglass sounds more harsh and edgy.
I’m going with the VT bass, but there are some features with the Darkglass pedals that I like mainly the ability to change cab sims and the EQ (I prefer the graphic EQ on some of the DG pedals). I wish I could have the sound of the VT bass combine with the X ultra for the compressor and EQ options
(yes I know the X ultra wasn’t in the video but it’s my favorite of the Darkglass pedals)
Darkglass Ulta Vintage, but the Tech 21 VT Bass DI did great too.
Tech 21 VT BASS for this again.
But I thing that Darglass pedals sound great as pedals before an amp and a cab!
But for now, although I never tried any tech21 product I think it sounds better for my music - bass taste.
But I love my B3k pedal!!
Keep going guys!!
As a VT Bass DI user I might be biased, but... VT Bass DI for me :)
I prefer the VTDI for clean to slightly broken up tones and then the VMT for more distorted sounds
Tech 21.again. It provides a rounder sound with more low end.
A Darkglass always sounds like a Darkglass.... not sure if that's a good thing.
Darkglass for me. Good even delivery on all the settings.
VT Bass DI!
Tech 21 toda la vida!!
WHATEVAH!! The VT is a preamp/amp simulator and the Vintage Ultra is really an overdrive... Apples to oranges
Nace Kon You can use only the clean section in the darkglass and it’s actually more versatile than the vt for this part. I have both and you can really match the tone of the vt with the darkglass
VTBDI > DG VTU
That was actually far closer than the previous one.
Tech21 product again sounds beefier and fuller. I'm starting to wonder whether it has anything to do with XLR output being used rather than miking a cab.
Great vid dude! Love your channel!
Tech 21 for all the reasons already stated below
VTBass DI: vintage style overdrive, bass and low mids get distorted... Microtubes Ultra: modern style overdrive, highs get distorted living bass and low mids clean. I like them both and use both in my board. VT Bass DI as a always on low-gain preamp and the Darkglass as a on/off overdrive... But if I had to choose just one, it would be the VT Bass!
Darkglass for me. I just love their clankiness.
I think the best possible answer, especially for recording, is to use the Tech 21 for the clean, and the Darkglass for the dirt and the mega beef. You need two channels. You simply do: Out of the compressor du jour into the Tech 21 VT bass DI, recording the DI out, taking the direct out signal and feeding it into a Darkglass of your choice (mine is the B7K black beast) to record the distortion and get results that are insanely awesome. The X-Ultra is a cool idea, but you can find some issues during the mix. This gives you a lot more to work with and is killer.
1 vote for the VT Bass.
For me, at 1:16 that is THE tone. Jazz bass along with the settings you used on the pedal.
I would love it if you guys did a comparison between the Tech 21 Dug Pinnick DPX3 vs the DarkGlass Microtubes ULTRA-X
What kind of bass is playing at about 5.30? The orange one. What an sound!!!!
From what I'm hearing in this video I like the VT bass much better, fuller more vintage-y vibe. However, what is missing from these comparisons is how they each sound in a mix, because that could completely change my opinion.
Vintage Ultra pedal. Absolute weapon and so much more versatility and tone possibilities. It's also much clearer and the distortion you can dial in is endless.
Unfortunately you are not using the latest Darkglass Vintage Ultra V.2 or the BK7 Ultra V.2 model for your 2020 Shootout. The Version 2 pedals have the Cab Simulation feature. This is the money switch when going direct. I drove 4 hours to Sweetwater to compare the bass DI pedals. My first priority was a great clean tone via the direct out. I was able to compare all of the major brands. I compared the Darkglass V1 verse V2 and it was no comparison, the cab sim is what sold me on the pedal. So after hours of trying the difference brands my only choice was going to be what model Darkglass to buy and I chose the B7K Ultra V2. I owned a SansAmp for years and was happy with it but as everyone knows we are always looking to change/improve our tone. My cover band members and Praise team members have all complimented me on my new tone. With the 4 toggle switches and the Cab Sim, which can be changed via software, I can tweak my tone like never before. I feel that your 2020 shootout is misrepresenting the latest products available and because of that people will miss out on some great products.
Actually, both of the Darkglass pedals have been V3.
You're running the VT on the flip top character setting, where I feel like the darkglass EQ wise sounds more like an SVT, if you wanted a more accurate comparison, you would want to set the character knob on the VT to 9oclock
Can't really go wrong with either one but I'm going with DG. The Gibson Ripper with the DG sold me.
This style of demo is more about the bass/player than the pedal. I'd appreciate it if you could just keep it to one bass and go through the full spectrum of tones/options on the pedal to get a better idea as to what the differences are. I already know what j and p pickups sound like.
Funny enough but this is what I always liked about them, their consistency. Would also like it in those demos.
+1 Tech21 VT Bass DI
Are we hearing the XLR output of the pedals running straight into an interface during the whole video? The Darkglass sounds amazing to me!
Tech 21 VT is just phenomenal ❤
Tech 21 is FAR BETTER, as always with their products
Tech 21 wins over all. Though the Dark Glass does have a lot of different useable tones, Dark Glass seems fairly thin, whilst oddly well balanced.
But in the end the Tones I would want would be the Tech 21.
I’ve had both, they are great. Now I have the VT di and vintage micro tubes pedal.
What strings do you use on that Corvette at the end, sounds awesome!
VT Bass hands down
greatly preferred the DG, thanks for the comparison.
The VT bass is fantastic. Wish they still done the rackmount and 500 amp.
I’d be really interested to hear your take on the DG Harmonic Booster. Maybe try some before and after blends with some of the recent overdrive and preamp pedals you’ve showcased on your channel or even the different drive sections on their V2 heads? That’s something I’ve been really looking for but can’t find anywhere.
Darkglass, it distorts better and sounds clearer overall. The VT sounds a bit muddy in comparison and has a flatulent quality to the distortion. Really not bad overall though, especially for the cleaner tones.
I have to go with the VT for this one
Tech 21 for me! again! 😁
keep in mind that the sounds you hear in this video come out of the XLR output. the sound can change, especially with overdrive
Darkglass Vintage! But Tech 21 sounds always Great!! :)
The VT Bass wins. I agree with others that the Darkglass sounded better in certain contexts. I really liked it with the Gibson Ripper and a pick. But ultimately, it's just too mid-scooped for me. The VT is fuller and more natural sounding.
For me the darkglass wins this one, the VT bass that extra something from the sansamp
Pretty happy with Tech21VT Bass DI , Throughout
I have the tech 21 vt pedal (not the di) and I pair it with the Darkglass bk3 pedal and it sounds epic!
Contrary to the last one, it's going to be Darkglass VU for me!
VT Bass 01 can't switch between preamp only and drive, which is a bit useless, I think. Or did I miss something there?
Looking forward to hearing how my new VT (delivery tomorrow) works with my Hyper-Luminal and Harmonic Booster. Should be fun!
Don’t know what IR is being used on the VU but I ended up at the 3Sigma AGU810……..My VT deluxe cannot even touch it, not scooped at all
VT bass in a close one.
Tech 21 for the win! Dark glass is also great, but always has a metal vibe while the Tech21 seems more versatile to me.
Wait am I slow or was there a point where you tried to make thr VT sound like the DG regardless of knob position?
Tech 21 VT stood out but I didn't see the Blend option adjusted on the Darkglass. I would have liked to have heard that fully wet. Also I think they need to be tested in a mix. In my experience the bass might sound terrific on it's own but when in a mix everything changes.
Hi all, dumb question. Does this version of the Vintage ultra have a cab sim? Thanks.
If you own a Rickenbacker 4003, the VT Bass is absolutely essential as it really brings out the Ricky's mid-range growl. The two go together like steak and fries.
both are cool, but i prefer darkglass so far, sound more ... clear ?
I have both. Tech 21 VT easy for me.
DG wins here for me. The speaker sim on the VT chokes the high end too much, while the DG remains retains clarity.
Why not showing a clean signal for a base comparison???
those last 2 sounds in parallel would be huge
I've owned the Darkglass Vintage Ultra, the Omega, and both versions of the B7ks. I liked the Omega the best as it sounded the most neutral to me. I personally can't stand the dramatic mid bump the Vintage Microtubes stuff imposes on the sound. Perhaps good to kick in when you want to stand out in a solo but as an always-on pedal, the Sansamp wins for me!
Darkglass. It sounds clearer and more versatile. For straight-up middy Ampeg goodness, the VT sounds better, and with all the knobs flat, the Darkglass sounds scooped. But the Darkglass seems to have nice mids when you twist the knobs. And something about it makes me trust the sound more. But if all I wanted was an old-school SVT or V4 sound, I'd be tempted to go for the VT.
I have the smaller 4-knob Darkglass Vintage Microtubes, and I love how it has the "era" knob that I can just spin until it sits right in the mix. The full DI-Preamp doesn't have this, but it seems like you can get what you need.
well, the darkglass sounds more modern, and the vt nails a 100% the ampeg sound, though the fuzz/distorted sounds at 2:45 makes my vote go for the darkglass, that did not sounded good at all.
I think they both sound thin and brittle with too much hi EQ dialed in, they both need low end dialed in for my liking. Personally I use the VT Bass with a Darkglass Hyper Luminal Compressor, into my GK Fusion 550, Great tone!
@7:33 Oh snap, I didn't know Corky from Life Goes On plays bass!
Tech 21 😍😍😍