Tech 21 VT for the win: harmonically rich, tonally complex, very tube-like.

Again Tech21. Darkglass always sounds so synthethic to me.

@nategin9009

4 жыл бұрын

Finally someone who thinks the same as I do about darkglass

@codyhansonbass

4 жыл бұрын

Well, it makes sense. Tech 21 is an amp simulator, darkglass are distortion.

@Rick-pi9zn

4 жыл бұрын

have to agree.

@officialgmusic

4 жыл бұрын

They are a bunch fakes .. period ..

@BigMuff75

4 жыл бұрын

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.

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.

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.

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.

@Timulus70

4 жыл бұрын

Same

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!

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.

@ryangoodrow8829

Жыл бұрын

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

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 👍

Great vid dude! Love your channel!

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!!

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!

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

3 жыл бұрын

Because it's a DI recording. Put the darkglass in front of an amp with cab and it's very different

@user-yn4yu8tt2v

2 жыл бұрын

@@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.

@ileutur6863

2 жыл бұрын

@@user-yn4yu8tt2v the pedal doesn't affect low end if you don't set it up to cut

@charlesbr7684

Жыл бұрын

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.

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.

@officialgmusic

4 жыл бұрын

Basturd Werkz sorry to hear that you have lost so much money using the garbage they put out

@esposoman

3 жыл бұрын

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.

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.

@mrwagner01

4 жыл бұрын

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.

@ewanwilson3694

4 жыл бұрын

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

@joshstarkey8883

4 жыл бұрын

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

@Phillisteum

4 жыл бұрын

With the character knob turned up to 5 O'clock and the bite switched on, the drive will not sound farty at all, guaranteed ;)

greatly preferred the DG, thanks for the comparison.

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!

@jesuguru2394

4 жыл бұрын

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.

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

Are we hearing the XLR output of the pedals running straight into an interface during the whole video? The Darkglass sounds amazing to me!

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!

Is the footswitch on the VT Bass soft-switching or hard-clicking?

What strings do you use on that Corvette at the end, sounds awesome!

Tech 21 looking pretty good in these comparisons...

@codyhansonbass

4 жыл бұрын

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.

@jesuguru2394

4 жыл бұрын

@@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.

I’ve had both, they are great. Now I have the VT di and vintage micro tubes pedal.

VT Bass 01 can't switch between preamp only and drive, which is a bit useless, I think. Or did I miss something there?

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 is just phenomenal ❤

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

@kennethquiroz5066

4 жыл бұрын

@@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..

@kennethquiroz5066

4 жыл бұрын

But if you ask me, I tend to prefer what sounds good to my ears with the default settings.

@KaltOhm

4 жыл бұрын

Kenneth Quiroz what is „the default set“?

@kennethquiroz5066

4 жыл бұрын

@@KaltOhm all at the middle (5 or 12 o clock) and the blend knob all the way

@KaltOhm

4 жыл бұрын

@@kennethquiroz5066 and why is that default? So if you buy an Eq. you set everything in the middle? XD

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.

Darkglass Ulta Vintage, but the Tech 21 VT Bass DI did great too.

Hi all, dumb question. Does this version of the Vintage ultra have a cab sim? Thanks.

Is there any speaker simulation loaded in Tech21 ? I don't hear the difference

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)

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.

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

I would love it if you guys did a comparison between the Tech 21 Dug Pinnick DPX3 vs the DarkGlass Microtubes ULTRA-X

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.

keep in mind that the sounds you hear in this video come out of the XLR output. the sound can change, especially with overdrive

Pretty happy with Tech21VT Bass DI , Throughout

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.

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

Darkglass for me. Good even delivery on all the settings.

both are cool, but i prefer darkglass so far, sound more ... clear ?

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.

I prefer the VTDI for clean to slightly broken up tones and then the VMT for more distorted sounds

That bass at 5:30.... what strings are those?

Tech 21 toda la vida!!

On this one... I'll go with Tech21!

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.

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

Tech 21 for me! again! 😁

Darkglass for me. I just love their clankiness.

Out of all bass preamps-di's i ve come across, VT bass has probably the best all around sound for my taste. I feel it has better clank than all other tech 21 stuff, but it can also sound tubey and warm.VT bass for me on this one.

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 had a similar experience w/ Tech21 vs DG, but took a different tack: I got hella scoop from my Tech21 dP3x, and combining that with a b7k was RIDIK, so I went the other direction with a drive pedal, the Bogner Ecstacy Blue, and let the Tech 21 do the comp and eq. This is for a Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI, so I wanted a tone in between bass and rhythm guitar. I like Darkglass, but I haven't been able to get it to sound like anything but Meshuggah - which I love, but I need my pony to have a few more tricks.

Looking forward to hearing how my new VT (delivery tomorrow) works with my Hyper-Luminal and Harmonic Booster. Should be fun!

Both sounds great, I'd prefer the Darkglass if I'd play only metal, but my vote goes to the TC for it's versatility and more natural sound

Can't really go wrong with either one but I'm going with DG. The Gibson Ripper with the DG sold me.

I have to go with the VT for this one

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.

Tech 21 for the win! Dark glass is also great, but always has a metal vibe while the Tech21 seems more versatile to me.

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.

@joshstarkey8883

4 жыл бұрын

Agreed

@faithnoman2635

4 жыл бұрын

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

@richardselby1711

2 жыл бұрын

It's all in the adjustment of the DG. You can make it as fat as you'd like.

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.

WHATEVAH!! The VT is a preamp/amp simulator and the Vintage Ultra is really an overdrive... Apples to oranges

@antonycharest4719

4 жыл бұрын

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

both are superb, darkglass so versitile but I choose VT Bass Tech 21 for my ears 🤩😍

As a VT Bass DI user I might be biased, but... VT Bass DI for me :)

No cab sim on the DG used here right? Wonder how the new version would work.

@TheBassChannel

4 жыл бұрын

Cab Sim was used. This is the latest version. (V2 with AUX in)

@tylerwmbass

4 жыл бұрын

The Bass Channel Cool thanks for the clarification - sorry if I missed it in the video!

I have the tech 21 vt pedal (not the di) and I pair it with the Darkglass bk3 pedal and it sounds epic!

I just started using the Darkglass Vintage Deluxe and like it a lot, but that VT sounds nice. Not so much at higher gain though. The Darkglass definitely sounds more compressed.

The thing I liked most in this video, has to be the Death Wish Coffee shirt...as a barista and bassist, I went from a fan to a very big fan. On a side note, great video and playing!

@TheBassChannel

4 жыл бұрын

Death Wish Coffee rules!

Contrary to the last one, it's going to be Darkglass VU for me!

What kind of bass is playing at about 5.30? The orange one. What an sound!!!!

Ahh i don’t know which to buy. Ampeg scr or tech 21.

Definitely the sansamp in this one

The best channel

For me, at 1:16 that is THE tone. Jazz bass along with the settings you used on the pedal.

This one was difficult. I find these both extremely useful. It’s a tie for me.

VT for the win again!! This is surprising, but the AB comparison shows how much more full tech21 products sound. Way better for the mix!

Darkglass Vintage! But Tech 21 sounds always Great!! :)

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.

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

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.

Darkglass sounds better to me. Cool videos, thanks guys!

+1 Tech21 VT Bass DI

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.

Knobs up, the VT sounds way better and more full, but the distortion on the Darkglass has a lot more clarity and definition. I have the Vintage Deluxe and the B7K, and I often have to boost the low knobs on them to get that girth going when recording direct. Seems like the VT has that dialed in better with the knob at noon. I think the Darkglass stuff is a little more versatile though, since you can shape the distortion characteristics with the attack and grunt knobs - you can really dial in a sonic signature there. But I think for straight up, meat-and-potatoes hold-it-down bass playing, the VT gives you that sound with no hassle.

Tech 21 😍😍😍

Tech 21.again. It provides a rounder sound with more low end.

I have both. Tech 21 VT easy for me.

I have an old vtbass pedal and a brand new darkglass microtubes x ultra. The vtbass work perfectly with my p/j bass, less with my spector euro 5lx. The darkglass struggle to be satisfying with both to my ear : make the sound narrow, like a tube, but a fat tube, with harsh high ends. Vtbass give more space to the sound, more alive. The vtbass plus the darkglass is interesting, definitely not for pop ballad kind of mood, brutal!

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!

The clear winner for me was the Tech21. It seemed to breathe more than the Darkglass. I’m not saying the Darkglass wasn’t great because it really was in the last part where there was more of a match with the preferred settings. I would gravitate more towards the Tech21 but both are great pedals in their own right

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!

Why not showing a clean signal for a base comparison???

Actually you've got great sounds out of both them!

VT Bass hands down

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.

Please do a 2024 DI shootout

Once again, it’s the Tech21 for me.