Would you choose the Fender Downtown Express or the Ampeg SCR-DI? Timestamps 1:23 Ampeg Unboxing 4:56 Fender Unboxing 9:00 EQ Comparison 14:55 Drive Comparison 18:34 Guitar Centre Downtown Express Offer 19:50 Head to Head Comparison
@@NeoBalkanacMan unfortunately no, but I would definitely recommend Tech 21 VT Bass D. I. if you want to use the phantom power from your mixing console or recording interface to also power your preamp/direct injection box. I prefer using phantom power when recording instead of using AC which, ime can sometimes be noisy or possibly even create ground loop issues and interference with other equipment.
Features fender, tone ampeg But for the sake of including a compressor at the price point. It's too limiting ( ha! see what I did there!) as far as control is concerned. And control is what seperates an effective stage or recording compressor from what many pedal compressors are.....toys. I'm too old to play with toys anymore. You are best saving and getting a boss or mxr bass compressor. If you absolutely have to have one on a pedal. Better yet buy an older s/h DBX rack mount for less than the price of a mid priced pedal.
thanks, this was one of the best comparison videos I've seen. And you gave a piece of information about the Ampeg that no one else has highlighted, about the jumper for active bass signal. Thank you!!!
I feel like the ampeg respects the frequencies of a bass, where it's probably going to fit in a mix whereas the fender is much more extreme in it's choices, probably a lot better for something where the bass is the forefront of a band.
I feel like all of this probability guesswork is probably not going to provide solid evidence. Nevertheless, I do appreciate emotional statements for what they are.
Listening to them with my eyes closed, and not the best speakers at the moment, I find myself preferring the Fender. I think it sounds especially nice with the classic tones. I'm surprised by how many in the comments prefer the Ampeg’s distortion-not that they're wrong, but to me the Fender sounds warmer and more musical. I guess that's what happens when the distinctions are subtle. They both sound good to me.
Both look solid and generally have a similar EQ. The Fender packs a full rig and is perfect for beginners. I personally like the Ampeg - the Scrambler sounds better to me; has AUX-IN + Headhphones-Out; and I prefer having an external compressor.
Fender has more features, but in the end, I prefer the sound of Ampeg. And the Fender doesn't have a Blend knob (in the overdrive). I like the Blend way of thinking.
I have the ampeg and I don't know how I survived years of gigging without it. Just breaths life into my bass set up without it it sounds crap now. Will never stop using it.
Do you use it in practice too? I'm wondering if it's great into a practice amp or anything like that. I don't need it for home use, my amp is the same circuitry. Just curious how you've used it?
Given the type of music I like to play, and the type of bass I play (Yamaha TBRX 304) I definitely would go with the Fender. The Ampeg is unbeatable if you go for the vintage sounds (well, Ampeg + P-bass, what else?) but for a more flexible sound I definitely prefer the Fender. In fact, it is now very close to being on the top of my priority list.
Thank you for the review. I like what both pedals do, but I love what de fender does and how it sounds. The EQ is more musical, the compressor is useful and the distortion has a lot of range.
Greetings, how has the pedal been treating you? Interested in this for a regular church gig. I've heard a few people complain the signal isn't hot enough running from the XLR to the board. Has this been a problem for you at all? I play an active Yamaha. Thanks!
bassguitar1919 I actually use a Yamaha tbrx304 in my church too, I would recommend it but I personally think that it’s designed for basses like a fender jazz or p bass because of the eq but I will perform well
@@blochsmaster8214 thank you sir, good to hear! I like it because of the inclusion of the compressor and overdrive. I am needing a good DI preamp as we don't use any amps on stage, just in ear monitors.
. I am super happy with my Fender Downtown. It's just what I need. All in one. I never leave it at home when I go out to play, together with my Boss TU3 tuner they are my faithful companions.
The Ampeg for me, great for passive bass's & great for recording, quality built, not bothered about the Scrambler but the rest is great to use live or if recording... very close to the classic Ampeg sound.. ⚒️
I am half way through and already very impressed with ur presentation! Just had to pause and comment. New subscriber!! And I would choose the fender just from what I’ve seen this far. But let’s finish the video.
john gattas thank you, Sir! Very much appreciated and I’m glad you enjoyed it and like the format. Always happy to hear it’s working for people! And of course, thank you for subscribing! T
Tyler Spicer - TJS Bass - You are very welcome. Thank you for the content. I know how much effort you put in. On a different note, have you come across a pedal that has EQ with built in reverb, looking to downsize. 😉
Hey John! My go to versatile pedal is the HX stomp. It’s my Swiss Army knife on small pedalboards and I can use it in all sorts of contexts. If I need Eq it’s there. If I’m flying it’s my amp in a box as well as DI. If I’m playing solo bass or jamming compositional ideas are home, it’s my looper, reverb and delay. Honestly a phenomenal tool to have access to, and whilst it’s expensive, I think it more than pays itself back. Other than that, I can’t think of anything off the top of my head that has reverb and EQ that isn’t a multieffect. Something like an acoustic guitar preamp might be the closest you could get to both on one pedal, but the EQ’s going to be better suited to guitar than bass tone-shaping. Let me know if you want more detail or anything! T
Up until the last tonal settings section at the end I would definitely have gone with the Ampeg. The Ampeg generally won for me on layout and sounds in nearly every section. The Overdrive on the Fender may slightly pip the Ampeg at points. But both are really pleasing. In fact, both the Ampeg and Fender pedals gave nice amp like tones as you would expect and hope, but which in some preamp pedals may not always be the case. The inclusion of a compressor section in the Fender does give an added amount of versatility. But for me, I think I will go for my initial impressions. Looks and Layout - Ampeg (Ergonomically much better) Individual Sound - Ampeg Think my criticism of the Fender unit, is there is too much going on which would be confusing at a gig in the dark. Really good unit. And as I say I was increasingly impressed with the Fender by the end & know would be pleased with. But for me I would still prefer to have the Ampeg. But both are musical and both are great.
I'd pick the Fender at this point, my Ampeg BA-110 has the whole pedal as it's own Preamp and the Scrambler as well. It's spot on Ampeg Tones. The Fender seems like a very useful device. Maybe when I venture out to play with others I can get the Ampeg to take my sound anywhere, since I already have the Ampeg as my base, bass tone. My Ampeg amp doesn't have the hi and low switches though. I'm fairly new to bass. Barely over 1 year of lessons and practice. I love it though. I dig your channel, it's produced well, no nonsense and to the point informative. I liked, subscribed and smashed the bell!
The AMPEG, to me, had a more commercial sound in the EQ section. The AMPEG distortion is more musical. The compressor does I nice job on the FENDER but I prefer my DBX and URIE models.
Hey thank you for this wonderful review.. really digging that Fender pedal...ummmm is it possible for you to tell me how to use other fx pedals like chorus or Reverb with it???
Played for a couple of years the Ampeg SCR-DI, never liked it in a live setup. Didn't test yet the Fender, but being basically a custom Aguilar pedal, I am sure it sound decent.
The HD800 has a character of it's own, even when set flat, so are we hearing the pedal EQ in it's true form? I do like the Downtown sound but it's missing the headphone and aux in of the Ampeg which is a shame.
Steve Wilson I suppose not, but you are hearing the direct comparison between the two, through the same test-bed, and distortion direct is just not pleasant. The distortion is the primary reason I chose to mic this video. I do get your point though! But hopefully this is useful all the same. T
Yeah it's relative after all and I'm sure a lot of folk will be going via amp anyway. Something tells me the Fender has cab emulation built in when going direct? Well I bought the Downtown after your review and am very happy with it!
Find a 2 year old video comparing preamp drivers, and for some reason the Ampeg is still one of the only pedals out there with an Aux input and a headphone jack. Making thr Ampeg the near perfect ampless practice rig out there. Those features alone give the Ampeg a niche nobody else has tried to capture.
there's also the fact that you can blend the aux input into the headphones, so you can even hook it up to a monitor live, and then into an in ear. You can mix the bass sound into your own preference...
This is a great review! @21:30 That's it, that's the sweet spot for me. However, they sounded almost identical. Then you added the drive, yep I'm sold. But I can't decide what one I'm sold on.
Hi. Loved the video.. Looking to get the Fender ASAP. But I do have one question. I know nothing about power supply's... You said about the power you needed to power it, what would you recommend for the ac.. Thanks..
Joe Mccambridge thank you man, much appreciated! If you’re just powering the Fender or one pedal, a standard 9v power supply should do a good job, products like the One Spot, TC Electronic, Electroharmonix should do absolutely fine. If you want to power more pedals it’s best to run a power supply with multiple isolated outputs, something like a cioks or MXR DC brick. I hope that helps! T
@@TylerSpicer that you... I just thought the way people where talking I would need a special one.. I have a 9v adapter for an old zoom pedal. So hopefully that will work.. Thanks again..
In my opinion, if you already have an amped, get the fender. The ampeg one is literally the exact same than my RB-210 amp. So for more versatility, I would go with fender.
Hey! Does the Downtown EQ seems to affect the same frequencies as the Rumble 800's? I want that pedal because I need a compressor and like the mute switch on it too. But I already have the Rumble 800 and wonder if Ill have too much of the same sound in the end. Thank you!
Hey! I don’t think they’re voiced that similarly... The bass EQ id say is the same but because it’s 3 band rather than 4 like the Rumble, the mid and treble EQs are at different frequency points. T
Great demo! Just two questions: when you compare the eq section.. The fender downtown is set at maximum volume, the ampeg half. So different output? I also play upright bass.. Which preamp would you choose? I own a portaflex 500 amp. Thanks!!!
Massimo Domenici I just set them so that I was hearing the output about the same. I think 50% is unity gain for the Ampeg whilst the Fender has to be all the way up to be unity gain. I would go for the Fender for upright. I’ve never sound Ampeg EQs to really work out for upright for me - Theyre much better tailored for electric bass. The eq on your Portaflex is the same as the SCRDI so makes more sense to get the Fender to me and have a wider range of sounds. Let me know if you need to know anything more and thank you for the support! T
@@TylerSpicer I completely agree with you, the fender should be a better choice..with a different eq range..so not have a copy of my amp. Thanks so much for the prompt and comprehensive reply👍👍👍👍👍💪💪💪
@@TylerSpicer ...hi, sorry for sneaking in, but I also was curious about this whole output thing. I used to have an SCR DI, but now I have an Eden WTDI and a Hartke Bass Attack 2 to run both my P and J basses which have different output due to the pickups. For what I heard in this video as on other videos too, I prefer the Fender sound a little more. But, since I use the DI on my pedals to drive a powered speaker at church, I need to be sure that I wouldn't have to push the speaker too hard to match volume levels. What do you think??
Nice demo! I'm honestly digging the Fender more than the Ampeg this time around. Lightweight, classier-looking, and personally I feel it sounds better.
I would go with the Ampeg. While Fender knows bass guitars, Ampeg knows bass guitar tone. Also, does the Fender Downtown Express have an Aux In? If not, that’s a deal breaker.
Thanks for the unboxing. I needed to know if the Downtown Express came with a power supply. The product description doesn't say. Fender sounds better, BTW!
Used both and the Fender OD is fantastic, otherwise however the Ampeg takes the win by a mile. I hate to say that because being a Fender guy I wanted to love the Fender DE, but the compressor on the Fender DE is not going to be good for most, in short "sonically" it really sucks lol. Both are nice at the price point, but the Ampeg would definetly better suite most players hands down.
Well it is addictive, Let’s see The VR and Micro cL minis, My beloved classic BA-115, (my go to day a day amp) and my beloved 1961 Fliptop porta flex which I’m very proud of own. Considering it’s pedigree! Good job on the review! As I said, I love the narly thing on Ampeg
I think the fender does it for me. I'm just getting in to the bass and I think the combination of effects on the fender outclass everything else, especially for the price. I also just really like the way it sounds, the Ampeg sounds a bit too sterile for me at times.
Forgive my ignorance - so can I run the line out directly into my PA system to be used as an amp. At the same time run the XLR out directly into my interface for recording purposes? If so, will the tones that I’m hearing through the PA system be similar to what’s actually recording? Thanks!
Hi everyone!! I hope you be really well!! I want to ask you something.. for recording videos with an interface.. the downtown would work well?? Somebody can say about the XLR?
It’s a quality XLR. Nothing spectacular but there would be no issue recording and using this as a preamp. It’s just not going to add anything from the XLR output itself (like you get with transformers in the DI chain etc.) T
Fender ticks all the boxes for me. Eq, drive, di, and compressor. Nearly bought it. I chose to spend nearly double on another brand with more eq options. (This is the only pedal I’ve seen where you can select all different functions with your foot individually when playing) Now re watching this vid I’m wondering is double the money double the value? It’s not. I really don’t like the name though! FENDER WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING! Yeah so my ego played a role too in the choice. It’s a great pedal if you can climb over your ego.
I have one and the only drawback is the switch to use a active bass : a -12db is so dumb. I modded it took me half a hour and 1 couple of scrapped parts.
Did anyone else think the Fender distortion sounded too fake/digital, while the Ampeg sounded more like a Russian muff? I think Ampeg sounds really classic and if I want all the other features it is best to buy them separately, not in a combo deal. Points for Fender in that it sounded warmer with the treble set low which gives the classic Fender P bass tone... So I think Ampeg wins it for me this time.
Both are great. I’d def get the ampeg cause of its classic tone and versatility. Personally I have the TC spectra drive and I LOVE that thing... super slept on.
Tyler Spicer - TJS Bass used it for about a month and man I can’t live without it. I got it used Pre owned as well for a great price. I also love how compact it is compared to other DI. Still very sturdy and you can feel it in the weight. I also love how you can get different bass tones with the tone print option. Not to mention the great sound quality with the headphones and aux.
I liked them both. Would use Ampeg for a Precision, since it sounds more "vintagey" to my ears, but Fender for a Jazz, since it sounds more modern and worked better with slap. The big plus on the Ampeg for me was the drive, it sounds amazing (if not pushed too hard), but the big minus was on the mid width, it's too wide and made the bass tone unusable when you brought it down - differently from the Fender mids which didn't cut that much of the spectrum out and still respected the tone of the bass.
Wow the Ampeg sounds so much better and more musical than the Fender in the end when you play the songs. The Fender almost hurts my ears with it’s hollow, booming tone while the Ampeg sounds really tasteful and colorful.
Ampeg has a lot of character, but only the preamp part, the scrambler part is not good. Fender is pretty much average, compared to Ampeg and to the competition in general.
Why no usb? It does not make any sense, honestly, both on practicality you would skip the audio interface at home, and in the quality, since analog is going to be transformed into digital somewhere in the chain, why not do it at the start? Send a digital signal to your digital PA and you will avoid a lot of troubles to start with in your gigs.
Jose Araujo I imagine both the increase in price in making the units and the quality of the USB converter they’d put in if it was cheap. These are very much gigging pedals to my mind, rather than studio units! I can see the benefit if they chose to do so for some people, but in general I think the price increase would destroy their sales. They’d also need to integrate stereo out for monitors etc if they included A/D. Whereas something like the HX Stomp already has the outputs integrated, and are all digital. T
Ampeg sounds better. Fender is more versatile. Ampeg would work best for a hard rock bassist especially in de-tuned "doom" or "stoner" style but the Fender would work well for a more modern bass player.
@@greatlaw6393 I love them. I split my basses between 2 BA110's. 5string, fretless, 4 short, 4, long. Each has there own settings, high mids on one, very high mids on the other. I treble on bottom, bass on top. For me better stack mix. Also I stereo slit the 2 to my '74 Ric, "ric o sound", and make appropriate settings to each. Using the 2 drive, tone, treb. bass. mids. Can be set separately. Again I love them. If I was still gigging....I would have bought 2 more. Bridged to all 4 and use the extra 2 for monitors. What do you play bass wise.
I use a pair of AKG stereo headphones through mine. You get the cone to headphone difference...but over all good reproduction. Several of the songs on my channel are recorded directly from the headphone jack. The guitar as well, works nice for that too. Smooth clean tones. Even driven. The 10" and 8" would make a sweet little set.
I agree they’re not the best drives, out there, but I think they definitely can do a job... I think those looking at this type of product probably wouldn’t be as fussy and looking more for convenience! T
@@Mr.Steve-O I've done some research on the Ampeg SCR DI & pictures show it does have a 500 m Amp 9-12 V connection power connection to it , so it just doesn't take batteries. I read a lot of poor reviews on this unit so I purchased the Sansamp Base Driver DI V2 instead , it had nothing but positive reviews on it .😎🎸👍
Would you choose the Fender Downtown Express or the Ampeg SCR-DI?
Timestamps
1:23 Ampeg Unboxing
4:56 Fender Unboxing
9:00 EQ Comparison
14:55 Drive Comparison
18:34 Guitar Centre Downtown Express Offer
19:50 Head to Head Comparison
is it possible to power the fender Downtown express via phantom power?
I run both! Can get any sound I want.
@@NeoBalkanacMan unfortunately no, but I would definitely recommend Tech 21 VT Bass D. I. if you want to use the phantom power from your mixing console or recording interface to also power your preamp/direct injection box. I prefer using phantom power when recording instead of using AC which, ime can sometimes be noisy or possibly even create ground loop issues and interference with other equipment.
Which one will you pick?
Features fender, tone ampeg But for the sake of including a compressor at the price point. It's too limiting ( ha! see what I did there!) as far as control is concerned.
And control is what seperates an effective stage or recording compressor from what many pedal compressors are.....toys. I'm too old to play with toys anymore. You are best saving and getting a boss or mxr bass compressor.
If you absolutely have to have one on a pedal. Better yet buy an older s/h DBX rack mount for less than the price of a mid priced pedal.
Really loved how in depth the review was... Your style of comparison of each section was fantastic. Loved it
thanks, this was one of the best comparison videos I've seen. And you gave a piece of information about the Ampeg that no one else has highlighted, about the jumper for active bass signal. Thank you!!!
I feel like the ampeg respects the frequencies of a bass, where it's probably going to fit in a mix whereas the fender is much more extreme in it's choices, probably a lot better for something where the bass is the forefront of a band.
I feel like all of this probability guesswork is probably not going to provide solid evidence.
Nevertheless, I do appreciate emotional statements for what they are.
@@tiltil9442 Nice one champ
Listening to them with my eyes closed, and not the best speakers at the moment, I find myself preferring the Fender. I think it sounds especially nice with the classic tones. I'm surprised by how many in the comments prefer the Ampeg’s distortion-not that they're wrong, but to me the Fender sounds warmer and more musical. I guess that's what happens when the distinctions are subtle. They both sound good to me.
Both look solid and generally have a similar EQ. The Fender packs a full rig and is perfect for beginners. I personally like the Ampeg - the Scrambler sounds better to me; has AUX-IN + Headhphones-Out; and I prefer having an external compressor.
I agree - the Ampeg has a classic tone that makes it hard to go wrong! T
I own the Ampeg SCR-DI. Never used the scrambler again after I experienced the huge volume drop
Ampeg for me, I like more its tone and the overdrive in the lower settings (the way I use it) sounds better to me
Fender has more features, but in the end, I prefer the sound of Ampeg. And the Fender doesn't have a Blend knob (in the overdrive). I like the Blend way of thinking.
Just bought the Ampeg! Love it!
A great pedal to have in the collection, and classic sounds!
I have the ampeg and I don't know how I survived years of gigging without it. Just breaths life into my bass set up without it it sounds crap now. Will never stop using it.
Do you use it in practice too? I'm wondering if it's great into a practice amp or anything like that. I don't need it for home use, my amp is the same circuitry. Just curious how you've used it?
Ampeg for me, full of character IMHO
Nice demo! Really loved the Fender Downtown eq section. I think that i'll take the Fender over the Ampeg.
I think the Fender EQ covers a wider ground than the Ampeg, for sure! The Fender is a lovely pedal and a total bargain! T
Given the type of music I like to play, and the type of bass I play (Yamaha TBRX 304) I definitely would go with the Fender. The Ampeg is unbeatable if you go for the vintage sounds (well, Ampeg + P-bass, what else?) but for a more flexible sound I definitely prefer the Fender. In fact, it is now very close to being on the top of my priority list.
Picked up one yesterday based off this comment. I like more Michael league sounding tones but with the sound of a live performance
Thank you for the review. I like what both pedals do, but I love what de fender does and how it sounds. The EQ is more musical, the compressor is useful and the distortion has a lot of range.
Love the demo I personally own the downtown express and I’m in love with it
Greetings, how has the pedal been treating you? Interested in this for a regular church gig. I've heard a few people complain the signal isn't hot enough running from the XLR to the board. Has this been a problem for you at all? I play an active Yamaha. Thanks!
bassguitar1919 I actually use a Yamaha tbrx304 in my church too, I would recommend it but I personally think that it’s designed for basses like a fender jazz or p bass because of the eq but I will perform well
@@blochsmaster8214 thank you sir, good to hear! I like it because of the inclusion of the compressor and overdrive. I am needing a good DI preamp as we don't use any amps on stage, just in ear monitors.
. I am super happy with my Fender Downtown. It's just what I need. All in one. I never leave it at home when I go out to play, together with my Boss TU3 tuner they are my faithful companions.
I bought the Ampeg! Hands down a better setup. Pure SVT sound.
Can't go wrong with Ampeg when it comes to bass! T
I got one on Thursday and I absolutely love it. Admittedly I am a huge ampeg tone fan boy...
The Ampeg for me, great for passive bass's & great for recording, quality built, not bothered about the Scrambler but the rest is great to use live or if recording... very close to the classic Ampeg sound.. ⚒️
I've heard the Ampeg Classic Preamp is basically this pedal without the Scrambler. I'm not a fan of the scrambler myself.
I am half way through and already very impressed with ur presentation! Just had to pause and comment. New subscriber!! And I would choose the fender just from what I’ve seen this far. But let’s finish the video.
john gattas thank you, Sir! Very much appreciated and I’m glad you enjoyed it and like the format. Always happy to hear it’s working for people! And of course, thank you for subscribing! T
Tyler Spicer - TJS Bass - You are very welcome. Thank you for the content. I know how much effort you put in. On a different note, have you come across a pedal that has EQ with built in reverb, looking to downsize. 😉
Hey John! My go to versatile pedal is the HX stomp. It’s my Swiss Army knife on small pedalboards and I can use it in all sorts of contexts. If I need Eq it’s there. If I’m flying it’s my amp in a box as well as DI. If I’m playing solo bass or jamming compositional ideas are home, it’s my looper, reverb and delay. Honestly a phenomenal tool to have access to, and whilst it’s expensive, I think it more than pays itself back. Other than that, I can’t think of anything off the top of my head that has reverb and EQ that isn’t a multieffect. Something like an acoustic guitar preamp might be the closest you could get to both on one pedal, but the EQ’s going to be better suited to guitar than bass tone-shaping. Let me know if you want more detail or anything! T
Up until the last tonal settings section at the end I would definitely have gone with the Ampeg.
The Ampeg generally won for me on layout and sounds in nearly every section. The Overdrive on the Fender may slightly pip the Ampeg at points. But both are really pleasing.
In fact, both the Ampeg and Fender pedals gave nice amp like tones as you would expect and hope, but which in some preamp pedals may not always be the case.
The inclusion of a compressor section in the Fender does give an added amount of versatility.
But for me, I think I will go for my initial impressions.
Looks and Layout - Ampeg
(Ergonomically much better)
Individual Sound - Ampeg
Think my criticism of the Fender unit, is there is too much going on which would be confusing at a gig in the dark. Really good unit. And as I say I was increasingly impressed with the Fender by the end & know would be pleased with. But for me I would still prefer to have the Ampeg.
But both are musical and both are great.
Tough choice, really. 👍🏼
2:05 Stuff like this more often than not replaces a board entirely, rather than being added to one.
Nice touch mentioning the weight, tho!
I like Fender better, deal breaker for me is it does not have aux and headphone jack; battery enabled would be sweet too; version 2 please
This video helped me confirm that I want the LR Baggs Stadium Bass DI, thanks!
I think the Fender sounds better on the Jazz and that the Ampeg sounds better on the P with flats. Great vid. I might just go ahead and by the ampeg
I'd pick the Fender at this point, my Ampeg BA-110 has the whole pedal as it's own Preamp and the Scrambler as well. It's spot on Ampeg Tones.
The Fender seems like a very useful device. Maybe when I venture out to play with others I can get the Ampeg to take my sound anywhere, since I already have the Ampeg as my base, bass tone. My Ampeg amp doesn't have the hi and low switches though. I'm fairly new to bass. Barely over 1 year of lessons and practice. I love it though. I dig your channel, it's produced well, no nonsense and to the point informative. I liked, subscribed and smashed the bell!
The AMPEG, to me, had a more commercial sound in the EQ section. The AMPEG distortion is more musical. The compressor does I nice job on the FENDER but I prefer my DBX and URIE models.
The Ampeg EQ is a sound that we’ve come to know for decades and that’s the first think I think with any of this range of Ampeg EQs! T
It seems like the Tech 21 Dug Pinnick pedal gives you all of this plus a tuner in a smaller package. It does cost more though. Awesome demo video!!
Hey thank you for this wonderful review.. really digging that Fender pedal...ummmm is it possible for you to tell me how to use other fx pedals like chorus or Reverb with it???
Played for a couple of years the Ampeg SCR-DI, never liked it in a live setup. Didn't test yet the Fender, but being basically a custom Aguilar pedal, I am sure it sound decent.
The HD800 has a character of it's own, even when set flat, so are we hearing the pedal EQ in it's true form? I do like the Downtown sound but it's missing the headphone and aux in of the Ampeg which is a shame.
Steve Wilson I suppose not, but you are hearing the direct comparison between the two, through the same test-bed, and distortion direct is just not pleasant. The distortion is the primary reason I chose to mic this video. I do get your point though! But hopefully this is useful all the same. T
Yeah it's relative after all and I'm sure a lot of folk will be going via amp anyway. Something tells me the Fender has cab emulation built in when going direct? Well I bought the Downtown after your review and am very happy with it!
Find a 2 year old video comparing preamp drivers, and for some reason the Ampeg is still one of the only pedals out there with an Aux input and a headphone jack. Making thr Ampeg the near perfect ampless practice rig out there. Those features alone give the Ampeg a niche nobody else has tried to capture.
there's also the fact that you can blend the aux input into the headphones, so you can even hook it up to a monitor live, and then into an in ear. You can mix the bass sound into your own preference...
This is a great review! @21:30 That's it, that's the sweet spot for me. However, they sounded almost identical. Then you added the drive, yep I'm sold. But I can't decide what one I'm sold on.
Hi. Loved the video.. Looking to get the Fender ASAP. But I do have one question. I know nothing about power supply's... You said about the power you needed to power it, what would you recommend for the ac.. Thanks..
Joe Mccambridge thank you man, much appreciated! If you’re just powering the Fender or one pedal, a standard 9v power supply should do a good job, products like the One Spot, TC Electronic, Electroharmonix should do absolutely fine. If you want to power more pedals it’s best to run a power supply with multiple isolated outputs, something like a cioks or MXR DC brick. I hope that helps! T
@@TylerSpicer that you... I just thought the way people where talking I would need a special one.. I have a 9v adapter for an old zoom pedal. So hopefully that will work.. Thanks again..
No problem! Just make sure it’s centre negative and DC. T
@@TylerSpicer again thank you
In my opinion, if you already have an amped, get the fender. The ampeg one is literally the exact same than my RB-210 amp. So for more versatility, I would go with fender.
What strings do you use on that bass? sound's good
Downtown by far. Well done Fender!
Hey! Does the Downtown EQ seems to affect the same frequencies as the Rumble 800's? I want that pedal because I need a compressor and like the mute switch on it too. But I already have the Rumble 800 and wonder if Ill have too much of the same sound in the end. Thank you!
Hey! I don’t think they’re voiced that similarly... The bass EQ id say is the same but because it’s 3 band rather than 4 like the Rumble, the mid and treble EQs are at different frequency points. T
@@TylerSpicer alright! Would you recommend it still or there are better options on the market at the same price?
Great demo! Just two questions: when you compare the eq section.. The fender downtown is set at maximum volume, the ampeg half. So different output?
I also play upright bass.. Which preamp would you choose? I own a portaflex 500 amp. Thanks!!!
Massimo Domenici I just set them so that I was hearing the output about the same. I think 50% is unity gain for the Ampeg whilst the Fender has to be all the way up to be unity gain.
I would go for the Fender for upright. I’ve never sound Ampeg EQs to really work out for upright for me - Theyre much better tailored for electric bass. The eq on your Portaflex is the same as the SCRDI so makes more sense to get the Fender to me and have a wider range of sounds. Let me know if you need to know anything more and thank you for the support! T
@@TylerSpicer I completely agree with you, the fender should be a better choice..with a different eq range..so not have a copy of my amp. Thanks so much for the prompt and comprehensive reply👍👍👍👍👍💪💪💪
Massimo Domenici No problem always happy to help! T
@@TylerSpicer ...hi, sorry for sneaking in, but I also was curious about this whole output thing. I used to have an SCR DI, but now I have an Eden WTDI and a Hartke Bass Attack 2 to run both my P and J basses which have different output due to the pickups. For what I heard in this video as on other videos too, I prefer the Fender sound a little more. But, since I use the DI on my pedals to drive a powered speaker at church, I need to be sure that I wouldn't have to push the speaker too hard to match volume levels. What do you think??
Nice demo! I'm honestly digging the Fender more than the Ampeg this time around. Lightweight, classier-looking, and personally I feel it sounds better.
Thank you man! I think the Fender is a really nice product, and co-designed with Alex Aguilar, so it has heritage!
I would go with the Ampeg. While Fender knows bass guitars, Ampeg knows bass guitar tone. Also, does the Fender Downtown Express have an Aux In? If not, that’s a deal breaker.
Ampeg with my Earnie Ball Music Man Stingray 5. Unbeatable!
A classic combination! T
Indeed !!
Thanks for the unboxing. I needed to know if the Downtown Express came with a power supply. The product description doesn't say.
Fender sounds better, BTW!
Used both and the Fender OD is fantastic, otherwise however the Ampeg takes the win by a mile. I hate to say that because being a Fender guy I wanted to love the Fender DE, but the compressor on the Fender DE is not going to be good for most, in short "sonically" it really sucks lol. Both are nice at the price point, but the Ampeg would definetly better suite most players hands down.
Thank you for the comparison dude 🔥
Kurniadi Setiabudi you’re very welcome! Thank you for watching and supporting! T
im an ampeg user i own one, and 4 other Ampeg amps. love them all
That’s awesome! Which 4 amps?!
Well it is addictive, Let’s see The VR and Micro cL minis, My beloved classic BA-115, (my go to day a day amp) and my beloved 1961 Fliptop porta flex which I’m very proud of own. Considering it’s pedigree! Good job on the review! As I said, I love the narly thing on Ampeg
The overdriven tone on the ampeg sounds so much better. The fender overdrive will be drowned out in a full band mix.
I think the fender does it for me. I'm just getting in to the bass and I think the combination of effects on the fender outclass everything else, especially for the price. I also just really like the way it sounds, the Ampeg sounds a bit too sterile for me at times.
In the end it is what "you" want for your sound. Me, I do not want that Fender sound. I want that Ampeg sound.
It’s often so hard to argue with that Ampeg sound.
Thnx 4 great test Fender All The way💀💀💀
Nice walkthrough on both pedal's would be nice to hear a p bass as wellkeep up the good work
Forgive my ignorance - so can I run the line out directly into my PA system to be used as an amp. At the same time run the XLR out directly into my interface for recording purposes?
If so, will the tones that I’m hearing through the PA system be similar to what’s actually recording?
Thanks!
Quite simply, yes to all of that! T
Thanks for the reply. Purchased!
Hi everyone!! I hope you be really well!! I want to ask you something.. for recording videos with an interface.. the downtown would work well?? Somebody can say about the XLR?
It’s a quality XLR. Nothing spectacular but there would be no issue recording and using this as a preamp. It’s just not going to add anything from the XLR output itself (like you get with transformers in the DI chain etc.) T
Ampeg for me tone wise. Just seems to hit the tones I like more. The Fender has a tone of great features though but would buy the Ampeg.
Fender ticks all the boxes for me. Eq, drive, di, and compressor. Nearly bought it. I chose to spend nearly double on another brand with more eq options. (This is the only pedal I’ve seen where you can select all different functions with your foot individually when playing) Now re watching this vid I’m wondering is double the money double the value? It’s not. I really don’t like the name though! FENDER WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING! Yeah so my ego played a role too in the choice. It’s a great pedal if you can climb over your ego.
I have one and the only drawback is the switch to use a active bass : a -12db is so dumb. I modded it took me half a hour and 1 couple of scrapped parts.
Bro, you really talk. You should have a podcast.
Did anyone else think the Fender distortion sounded too fake/digital, while the Ampeg sounded more like a Russian muff? I think Ampeg sounds really classic and if I want all the other features it is best to buy them separately, not in a combo deal. Points for Fender in that it sounded warmer with the treble set low which gives the classic Fender P bass tone... So I think Ampeg wins it for me this time.
That’s a nice analysis! I agree with a lot of it! T
I don't do live but I would use one as an Amp in a box if they'll work that way.
The Ampeg is very nice, but I would take the Downtown Express over it all day everyday. Quite an easy choice IMO.
Both are great. I’d def get the ampeg cause of its classic tone and versatility. Personally I have the TC spectra drive and I LOVE that thing... super slept on.
The TC really goes under the radar! I need to give that a try soon - especially given it has Spectracomp built in! How long have you been using it? T
Tyler Spicer - TJS Bass used it for about a month and man I can’t live without it. I got it used Pre owned as well for a great price. I also love how compact it is compared to other DI. Still very sturdy and you can feel it in the weight. I also love how you can get different bass tones with the tone print option. Not to mention the great sound quality with the headphones and aux.
Ron Guillermo The fact it has toneprint must make it crazily versatile! I don’t know how it’s gone under the radar generally... T
When you mix both you can get a crazy distortion 😃
I liked your video,great stuff,love your voice too ,it’s really soft and not in your face ..
I prefer fender downtown i have it and its beast
Ampeg wins the day for me!
It’s a classic tone for a reason. It works so well!
I had the ampeg. Didn't really like it compare to Trace Elliott. Just got the Downtown to try it.
Thoughts on the downtown?
@@highkoo98 I dig it so far has more boost than the other. Just wished had a headphone out that is pretty much it. Waiting to try the GK version
whoa, 18 minutes into this, what am i listening to anymore.
The P-Bass almost sounded the same through both pedals and all the settings.
I liked them both. Would use Ampeg for a Precision, since it sounds more "vintagey" to my ears, but Fender for a Jazz, since it sounds more modern and worked better with slap. The big plus on the Ampeg for me was the drive, it sounds amazing (if not pushed too hard), but the big minus was on the mid width, it's too wide and made the bass tone unusable when you brought it down - differently from the Fender mids which didn't cut that much of the spectrum out and still respected the tone of the bass.
Ampeg for me
I like the fender the best but the compressor was super noisy. I would just use a different compressor but everything else was nice.
Wow the Ampeg sounds so much better and more musical than the Fender in the end when you play the songs. The Fender almost hurts my ears with it’s hollow, booming tone while the Ampeg sounds really tasteful and colorful.
Like #837th and Subscribed. Thanks for your video👍
I just prefer the Ampeg sound more between these two.
Ampeg 🥰
I think the fender as the eage on the ampeg
Ampeg for me!
Fender is more clear and quite tone
that Canadian accent is very nice, Fender the only thing has good are the guitars for sure Ampeg is the best
Lol. Fender has made very fine amplifiers for decades along with guitars and basses.
Killer 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
The first mod would be a 9v input jack!!! $0.25 part left out of a $170 pedal.. WTF
Fender all day
ampeg for ever !!!❤
Classic for a reason! T
I would prefer the Fender EQ
well, but I'd like to hear songs playing or complete riffs
Ampeg has a lot of character, but only the preamp part, the scrambler part is not good. Fender is pretty much average, compared to Ampeg and to the competition in general.
FENDER HANDS DOWN!! better drive better overall bass volume. AMPEG sounded harsh
Why no usb? It does not make any sense, honestly, both on practicality you would skip the audio interface at home, and in the quality, since analog is going to be transformed into digital somewhere in the chain, why not do it at the start? Send a digital signal to your digital PA and you will avoid a lot of troubles to start with in your gigs.
Jose Araujo I imagine both the increase in price in making the units and the quality of the USB converter they’d put in if it was cheap. These are very much gigging pedals to my mind, rather than studio units! I can see the benefit if they chose to do so for some people, but in general I think the price increase would destroy their sales. They’d also need to integrate stereo out for monitors etc if they included A/D. Whereas something like the HX Stomp already has the outputs integrated, and are all digital. T
Here's my Downtown Express and my free review
Go!
th-cam.com/video/8JYKHYmnkr8/w-d-xo.html
Ampeg sounds better. Fender is more versatile. Ampeg would work best for a hard rock bassist especially in de-tuned "doom" or "stoner" style but the Fender would work well for a more modern bass player.
I actually use Ampeg for jazz and soloing, and funk.
@@andrewgocken517 Hi! What do you think about Ampeg in jazz and pop music? Is it cool with headphones? I want buy it for home practicing.
@@greatlaw6393 I love them. I split my basses between 2 BA110's. 5string, fretless, 4 short, 4, long. Each has there own settings, high mids on one, very high mids on the other. I treble on bottom, bass on top. For me better stack mix. Also I stereo slit the 2 to my '74 Ric, "ric o sound", and make appropriate settings to each. Using the 2 drive, tone, treb. bass. mids. Can be set separately. Again I love them. If I was still gigging....I would have bought 2 more. Bridged to all 4 and use the extra 2 for monitors. What do you play bass wise.
I use a pair of AKG stereo headphones through mine. You get the cone to headphone difference...but over all good reproduction. Several of the songs on my channel are recorded directly from the headphone jack. The guitar as well, works nice for that too. Smooth clean tones. Even driven. The 10" and 8" would make a sweet little set.
Ampeg
a sadowksy bass and a good amp and youre gonna mess it up with those pedals - WHY >?
The drive tone on both didn't sound right, each on its own way...
I agree they’re not the best drives, out there, but I think they definitely can do a job... I think those looking at this type of product probably wouldn’t be as fussy and looking more for convenience! T
Mid point observation. Choose the fender. I need distortion and compression.
Fender sounds and look better. Nice socks
The Ampeg does not have a 9 volt power supply? WTF Who in the 22nd century want to be constantly purchasing batteries!!! 🤬
Agree, mind blown !!
@@Mr.Steve-O I've done some research on the Ampeg SCR DI & pictures show it does have a 500 m Amp 9-12 V connection power connection to it , so it just doesn't take batteries. I read a lot of poor reviews on this unit so I purchased the Sansamp Base Driver DI V2 instead , it had nothing but positive reviews on it .😎🎸👍
Sansamp stuff it the way to go! T
@@TylerSpicer agree. I have the sansamp classic for guitar and I love it, so the Sansamp Base Driver DI V2 should be just as Awesome
!!! 😎👍🎸🎶🎵🎶
The ampeg can use a 9-volt power supply or battery
I couldn't make it to the end with that annoying background noise!
Ampeg sucks!
Both pretty awful
Is it just me who hears the Fender close to the Aguilar's preamps?...correct me if I'm wrong, but that kind of tone seems strange to me