TECH 21, THE COMPANY
Tech 21 was formed by a guitarist possessing the unusual combination of a trained ear and elec-
tronics expertise. In 1989, B. Andrew Barta incorporated Tech 21 and made his invention commer-
cially available to players and studios around the world. His highly-acclaimed SansAmp™ pio-
neered Tube Amplifier Emulation in professional applications for recording direct and performing
live, and created an entirely new category of signal processing.There have since been many entries
into this niche, yet SansAmp continues to maintain its reputation as the industry standard.
In addition to a full line of SansAmp models,Tech 21 also offers effect pedals; battery operable
MIDI footcontrollers, the MIDI Mouse and MIDI Moose; as well as “traditional” style amplifiers for
guitar and bass. Each product is thoughtfully and respectfully designed by B. Andrew Barta himself
with the player in mind.
Tech 21’s goal is to provide you with flexible, versatile tools to cultivate, control, refine and rede-
fine your own individual sound.We take great pride in delivering consistent quality sound, studio to
studio, club to club, arena to arena.
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
SansAmp Programmable Bass Driver DI and SansAmp Bass Driver Deluxe combine the warmth of
a 100% analog signal path with the convenience of digital programmability in a super simple, play-
er-friendly stomp box format. Our proprietary technology captures the rich, natural harmonics
and sweet overdrive characteristics inherent to tube amplifiers, and does so even at low volume.
SansAmp delivers the same dynamics, responsiveness, and sound quality of massive pro stage rigs
in a portable, programmable pedal.
The ease of operation allows you to make changes on the fly, at the gig, even during your per-
formance --without having to take this manual with you.There are no complex formulas or
numerical calculations to learn, so there’s nothing to get in the way of your creative flow.
Independent footswitches put your favorite tones right at your feet, from warm vintage to Sumo-
sized overdrive. Custom actuators provide a smooth transition between channels for instanta-
neous switching, so you can dance to the music instead of your gear.
APPLICATIONS
WITH BASS AMP:
Run the 1/4” output of the SansAmp directly into the input of the
power amp input, a.k.a. “effects return” (if applicable), of an amp.This will bypass the tone coloring
section of the pre-amp and will defeat the amp’s master volume.
NOTE: BE SURE the BASS GUITAR VOLUME is OFF --BEFORE you turn on the
amp. Then
slowly increase the volume of the bass. If it’s too loud overall, check that the 1/4” Out
Boost switch is disengaged (up) and then edit your presets accordingly. If it doesn’t get loud
enough for you, engage (depress) the 1/4” Out Boost switch to add 10dB.
Or, you can run the SansAmp into the front input of an amp. Be sure to keep the Level of
SansAmp close to unity gain, so as not to overload the amp’s input, which could result in undesir-
able distortion.
Tips for setting up your amp when using front input:
1. Plug into low gain channel or input.
2. Turn off Bright switch.
3. Turn presence control (if applicable) to 12 o’clock or below.
4. Set tone controls as flat as possible.
TO DRIVE A POWER AMP:
Run the output of the SansAmp into the input of a power
amp with an input sensitivity of -10dB to 0dB.Then use the master volume control of the power
amp to adjust your stage volume.
TO RECORD DIRECT:
You can plug directly into the input of a mixer/recorder and use
the on-board sounds of the SansAmp. Bear in mind, full-range systems yield a wide frequency
response.Therefore, you may need to adjust the EQ settings of the SansAmp to compensate.
THE INS AND OUTS
Standard Audio Procedure:TURN
(SansAmp)
ON FIRST.TURN OFF LAST. To avoid
unwanted and potentially speaker-damaging “pops” when connecting or disconnecting any equip-
ment, always mute mixing board and/or turn down amp volume before plugging or unplugging!
WARNING:
DO NOT run the speaker output of any amp directly into the SansAmp. Severe dam-
age to the amp and/or SansAmp may result.
SIGNAL LEVEL TO INPUT
SansAmp Bass Driver is designed to accommodate instrument level signals to the Input, such as
the output of a bass, the output of distortion pedals, etc. Signal level to Input should be close to
that of a standard electric guitar (approx. -10dB / 250mV). NOTE: Hot pickups will increase the
gain structure of the SansAmp Bass Driver.
[Deluxe] IN A (MAIN):
1/4-inch 1 megOhm, instrument level. Use as your main input when
using a single instrument. Also switches battery power on/off.To avoid battery drain, unplug when
unit is not in use.
[Deluxe] IN B:
1/4-inch 1 megOhm, instrument level. For second instrument.
[Deluxe] PARALLEL OUTPUT:
1/4-inch buffered, unbalanced direct output. Instrument
signal passes through, UNeffectd, to the input of your stage amplification system or tuner.
1/4” INPUT:
1 megOhm, instrument level. Also switches battery power on/off.To avoid bat-
tery drain, unplug when unit is not in use.
BALANCED XLR OUTPUT:
Balanced 600-Ohm low Z output. Sends effected or
bypassed signal to mixing console/recorder.
XLR Out Pad Switch: -20dB pad to match the output to equipment with
different input level requirements. In the line level (up) position, the output
is 0dB. In the instrument level (down) position, the output is -20dB.
1/4” OUTPUT:
Unbalanced 1KOhm low Z output. Sends effected or
bypassed signal to amp rig or power amp.
1/4” Out Boost Switch: +10dB boost to match the output to equipment
with different input level requirements. In the instrument level (up) position,
the nominal output is -10dB. In the line level (down) position, the output is 0dB.
PHANTOM POWER
Allows you to “tap into” the power of a suitably equipped mixer. As the 3-conductor XLR sends
the audio signal to the input of a mixer, the mixer sends voltage back to the unit via the same 3
wires, eliminating the need for an external power supply. Consult your mixer’s owner’s manual for
set-up instructions. For live and studio use, let the engineer know your SansAmp is phantom
power operable.
NOTE: Minimum 24V DC regulated phantom power supply, however, 48V DC regulated is recom-
mended to optimize headroom and illuminate LEDs.
PHANTOM & GROUND CONNECT SWITCH:
When engaged (depressed), the
ground connects and unit will accept phantom power through the XLR Output. Disengaged (up),
the ground of your stage system and other interconnected gear is lifted/isolated from the ground
of the mixing console.
With a mixer only: If you are plugging your bass into the Bass Driver and taking the XLR
Output to a mixer --and do not have any other grounded equipment connected in the
setup-- you will have to engage (depress) the switch to connect the ground and activate the
phantom power.
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