As most of the comment section I'm very much surprised with the results but Sansamp definitely wins for me. I wonder how It would do against DG Vintage Ultra though.
Really didn't think I'd say this going in, but I'm leaning toward the SansAmp on this one. The Darkglass gets a little tight and nasally. The SansAmp sounds a bit fuller. Just my personal preference though.
The Darkglass shines when actually playing in a rock/metal band. If I have learned anything playing rock and metal, it's that the tone your bass has alone is not how it will sound playing behind a wall of distorted guitar. You really need a bit of kick to get a driven, articulated sound or you'll just drown in the mix as this warm hum.
For a soloed bass, I really prefer the sansamp, which surprised me. It might be more useful to hear both in a mix/band context, though. I'm looking forward to the rest of this series.
The attack is thing you usually need a DI blend for, so to be the amp side of that blend, you might want the tube type shaved transients. Not putting my opinion here, but just applying logic.
For the sound that I'm looking for, the Darkglass blew me away. I just wish their products weren't so damn expensive 😫 Which is why I'm sticking with the SansAmp
If you love thick heavy hitting bass get the dark glass . This video don’t impress me at all cause they don’t even know how use settings . It’s like having Maserati and only using 3 gears
A note about this comparison, the Sansamp when "flat" has a pretty hefty mid cut and a nice high roll off baked in which is, IMHO, why it sounds immediately better in the intro comparison. The B7k is much flatter in it's frequency response but you can easily make it sound much more pleasant like the "flat" sansamp by cutting 500 or 750Hz to taste and rolling off the treble a little. Using the attack boost and lowering the drive a bit to compensate for the gain works well to bring back the presence like the Sansamp. I personally love both and the Sansamp has a character which I really like for low gain settings (it's an industry standard for so many years for a reason!), but you can make the clean sounds a LOT closer than is shown off in the intro.
Well said. I would also like to add that the two pedals aren't anywhere close when it comes to function, because the sansamp has a completely different cab sim tone. People are comparing them like one is trying to replace the other
I vote Sansamp. The Darkglass has great clean and high gain sounds, but I prefer the Sansamp for low and mid gain sounds which I personally find more useful
This is the best answer tbh. I was a massive fan of Darkglass for my low tuned riffa, but Sansamp is getting it right with everything else (highly distorted riffs sounds like bullcrap)
@@ethereal8655 I'm sure it wasn't intentional, but I think they really played much more into the Sansamp's strengths. I love the way it fills out the low end and adds subtle saturation (and compression it kinda sounds like? Really curious to know what goes on inside the thing) but as soon as it's really noticably breaking up it's in that "bullcrap" zone as you put it. Not terrible, but you can certainly do better for a distortion tone. Darkglass, on the other hand, has their distortion and EQ dialed in perfectly to maintain clarity with high distortion, and/or low tuning, and sit well in a mix with distorted guitars. There are good low gain settings for it too, but that's its pretty much unrivaled specialty.
Have you ever tried the Sansamp by yourself ? Because I don't know why but every demo video I've seen of it make it sound like absolute shit for distorted tones (this video being thé only one that was close to good). But I own the Sansamp RBI (which is supposed to be the BDDI in a rack format) and it's absolutely killer, doesn't sound near as muddy !
Tech 21 by a country mile. I've had my SansAmp Bass Driver since 1996 and it still runs as if I bought it yesterday. They have cracked the code of giving your bass tons of sweet juice and grind, but you'll still be able to blend into the mix with all the other instruments.
I'm in love with Sansamp tone since 2005 or so when I was mesmerized with Nightwish bass tone on their album "Century Child". I saw that pedal in the Marko Hiettala live setup and since then I wanted one. I've been using a Bass Drive Deluxe for years. It's a great Preamp, a good overdrive and a DI. Usually I plug it straight FOH. Recently I wanted a diferent overdrive flavor, so I set good clean tone in the Sansamp and simply put a Boss ODB3 in front of it. It takes pedals very well.
Depends on the application always. This makes me sad to say since I own the B7K, but the Sansamp overall sounded better to me in this comparison. Gonna have to get one to add to my board
Even though I own a Tech 21 Sansamp for over 4 years now and I love it, and the pedal in this comparison it might sound better on its own, I must say that since I started playing with my current Metalcore band I long to be able to get a tone similar to Darkglass. It's no secret and no surprise that Darkglass has perfected the Metal tones for bass. This line of pedals from Darkglass handles overdrive match better than any other, being able to keep your fullness while your super crisp high end cuts threw with the amount of dirt of your preference. Sansamp is more organic and might achieve a similar tone for metal but it will do so through Mid manipulation in order to retain a super crisp high end and in the process you will lose your low end. This Darkglass pedal its more of a one trick pony compaired to the Sansamp but it does that one trick flawlesssly. Darkglass can handle extremes much better than the Sansamp, and the Sansamp handles more balanced situation better than this Darkglass line. It depends on what type of music you are playing.
I’ve owned both. I’ve used Sans Amp since the late 80s. Sans Amp is great if you are in a vintage metal cover band or you think bass tone peaked in 1994. Which isn’t a slam, it is a thing for some people. The darkglass is hyper modern (almost to a fault) but it is fantastic and cuts through the mix FAR better. That said, if you want a clean tone, the darkglass kinda on.y gets to “a little grit” and no cleaner. But virtually any non-jazz band today wants a little bit of grime in the bass. I find myself using the darkglass way more.
Those guy don't play vintage metal and he definitely get a thick and clanky tone out of his gear. Only an LTD or ESP PJ/Forest and a Tech21 SansAmp Bass Driver there
Thank you for the comparison. I´ve been gravitating towards Sansamp for a while now and this confirmed my decision! It sounds so warm and growly, Darkglass sounds much more abrasive. Yes, I admit, I am not a fan of heavy distortion, so that may be the reason why just a little overdriven Sansamp wins for me.
Yeah you'll love it. The Sansamp is perfect IMO when the drive is set slightly before obvious distortion, but enough to add saturation. Then use the blend knob to keep some clarity. The B7K shines for really bright tones, and clarity with low tuning and heavy distortion.
The B7K is relatively scooped from what I can hear, but the Sansamp seems even more guilty of that. I don't have a B7K, but I do have a Sansamp, and I rarely use it with the blend knob much past halfway because any more and it's like, "whoa, where'd my bass go, it's all muddy lows and shrill highs." Anything even close to mids just completely drops out. I love my Sansamp, it's great for filling out the low end in a natural sounding way, but I always use the blend knob sparingly to keep some clarity and presence. (Not the presence knob, presence as in you can hear me.)
@@joshstarkey8883 I'm basing my statement from this video. You are correct If you want to scoop the mids with the SansAmp you can, especially because version 1 does not have a mid pot.
Currently awaiting a B7K I recently ordered. I will be comparing it to a VT Bass DI which I what I normally use. Sansamp sounds better on most settings surprisingly.
Sansamp keeps the depth too the tones always...DG stuff always thin and nasally (unless that's your thing). Josh and his Warwick Sansamp combo - perfect to MY ears.
Wow... why can’t all pedal shootout videos be like this? Usually they just fiddle around with both pedals aimlessly, but you have an excellent system here. Playing each with the same knob configurations shows the character differences and trying to match the tone of the other shows which one is more versatile
For cleans, the Darkglass. For distortion, the SansAmp. For aesthetics, the Darkglass. Comparisons like this are really difficult, because what works for one person may not work for another. I'm more interested in hearing a wider range of opinions from players who would take each unit and set it to the "best possible" tone they can get out of it, according to their personal preferences, rather than meaningless EQ sweeps and "all knobs at 50% settings" comparisons. My suspicion is that I like the Darkglass modern style of EQ better than the SansAmp vintage style of EQ, but that I like the SansAmp vintage style of dirt better than the Darkglass modern style of dirt. Sadly, the SansAmp pedal is so ugly, looking like something designed by an amateur in the 1970s, that I can't bear to look at it, while the Darkglass is gorgeous, sleek, and elegant. So, given that I don't really even use dirt on bass, my vote has to go to the Darkglass.
@@codygrey9612 " Sadly, the SansAmp pedal is so ugly, looking like something designed by an amateur in the 1970s, that I can't bear to look at it " SHE FUKIN COOKED MY BRAINS
As a lot of beginners starting to use the sansamp, you tried to turn the presence knob without the blend... And it doesn't work. The knot is only in use with the gain setting so you have to at least use a little of blend to hear a difference👌
Darkglass. But don't like the blend pot so high as shown in the playoff. The Sansamp did better tones in the demo, but the B7K can do great warm tones as well.
I know this is an older video, but I think the bass channel neglects to observe that the xlr output of the sansamp is EQed to simulate a bass cab. B7k ultra version 1 doesn't have that feature.
The baked in mid boost of the Darkglass helps to cut through when playing live. The Sansamp blends into the mix and definitely has a more traditional sound that works great in the studio. The Darkglass crunch reigns supreme.
Sansamp..I did a little research on both and for me cost helped push the Tech21 to the front at almost half the price. But as far as sound goes, the Sansamp has that sound I'm looking for.
I used to own the Sansamp with 3 presets, I really regret getting rid off it. I later bought a Darkglass, and while it did its purpose in the projects I played in, I really miss the Sansamp. 😭
I owned the rackmounted SansAmp RBI and VT. The blend control doesn't separate the clean and drive. It blends the input from whatever clean'/drive signal you dial into the SansAmp. That's where Darkglass wins. The clean and drive can be blended with the Darkglass.
Thanks for this great shootout! I'd say the sansamp takes this round. It sounds fuller and rounder. The Darkglass has fantastic overdrive, but sounds thin to me. That's kind of its thing though. I may be a bit biased because I own a sansamp, however, I only use it as a pre-amp for my passive basses. I get my dirt elsewhere.
As a slap player, I am very happy that you eventually showed these product under slap play. For slap, they both show equal, but amazing tone qualities.
Sansamp Are the following DI’s in the battle? Noble DI Aguilar tone hammer Fender Downtown Express Simplifier Bass Station Sadowsky SBP 1 Palmer bass pocket amp EBS Micro Bass 3 Marleaux Tonwork bass preamp Mesa Boogie Subway plus Basswitch IQ DI Radial Bassbone OD Harley Benton Custom line bass DI expander
For more aggressive types of sounds, Darkglass 100%. For all the rest, definitely the Sansamp. So my vote goes to the second. However, this is like comparing potatoes and apples...I like them both!!!
Seems like the Darkglass has a better range and you can dial in a more precise sound. I listened at full volume, then went to guitar center and tried it myself. Darkglass all the way.
So I'm going to say from an all around stand point I'll give this one to SansAmp... I'm a huge DG supporter but I have used both before. The SansAmp sounds more versatile for different styles... I think the DG pedal sounded better when everything was set flat and for sure with the slap demonstration.
Don’t think this really showcases the full potential of the B7K Ultra very well. The programmable IR Cab Sim slays the Sansamp in that category. The EQ range of the Darkglass is a lot broader, so trying to set it similar to the Sansamp isn’t going to be as simple as putting knob positions close to the same. The sweeps and tolerances are different. Not saying I’m in love with the B7K Ultra, but it certainly doesn’t seem like it was shown to its fullest here.
SansAmp all the way. Did you use a VU meter or anything to match the levels? A +3dB volume boost is all you need to make something sound superior in an A/B test sometimes. That said, it is more than volume that is different, there are clear differences in the overtones and it sound like a more smooth but lower cut low pass filter on the SansAmp.
Sans Amp has a fuller tone. The DarkGlass is too glassy and thin sounding. The Darkglass reminds of someone playing their bass through a bull horn, megaphone. It is just too much mid-high end sound in the b7k. DarkGlass has a long way to go to before they match the fullness in tone of the Sans Amp.
Ely Pelowski That’s because the SansAmp is made to emulate an Ampeg head and 8x10cab, and the B7K is meant to go before a head and cab, allow the cab to round it right off. They shouldn’t really be compared, more combined
i own a sans amp and i have to say, the character of the drive on the b7k is way better but the sansamp wins in every other category, plus it’s half the price!
Finally TWO PEDDLES THAT DONT SUCK. haha you had me at the first 37 seconds of jamming as a Bassist myself I actually think there pretty even Stevens on where you can go with sound and tone control
I was busy finishing up with cooking during the first half of the video, so I was just listening to the sound. And in each round I liked SansAmp more. It has a brighter tone to my taste and I think it is more versatile. Stoked to check out next videos!
This comparison may be unfair... a better "similar device" comparison would have been the Sansamp and Darkglass Vintage Ultra. In this vid the sansamp sounds smooth and round when clean but fails at distortion ( if that was the intended goal). The DARKGLASS B7K Ultra Excelled at distortion but fell short with a big clean low end. The DARK GLASS VINTAGE ULTRA has a rich smooth lowend with some good distortion. Re-due vid request, next time please use the Sansamp vs DARKGLASS Vintage Ultra... that would be a fair duel. Peace.
Even though the B7K sounds amazing and definitely does things that the Sansamp cannot, i have to go with the Sansamp. The potential of that pedal is so much more than was showcased in this video. Sansamp all the way!
The b7k sounds warmer but not necessarily better. I prefer in general the tech 21. More versatile. The b7k blows in heavier music but I could just have one I prefer the sans amp
Thanks for the video Chris I just have to say this. Physically matching the knobs on both units obviously creates two totally different sounds. Don't know if that was fair? Having said that, sansamp blows away the dark glass. Can't believe that thing sounded so bad.
As most of the comment section I'm very much surprised with the results but Sansamp definitely wins for me. I wonder how It would do against DG Vintage Ultra though.
Really didn't think I'd say this going in, but I'm leaning toward the SansAmp on this one. The Darkglass gets a little tight and nasally. The SansAmp sounds a bit fuller. Just my personal preference though.
sansamp is goated, can't go wrong with it. also built like a tank
Get both 😉
The Darkglass shines when actually playing in a rock/metal band. If I have learned anything playing rock and metal, it's that the tone your bass has alone is not how it will sound playing behind a wall of distorted guitar. You really need a bit of kick to get a driven, articulated sound or you'll just drown in the mix as this warm hum.
For a soloed bass, I really prefer the sansamp, which surprised me. It might be more useful to hear both in a mix/band context, though. I'm looking forward to the rest of this series.
The SansAmp sounds wayyyyyy better. The notes, and the initial attack have way more definition.
The attack is thing you usually need a DI blend for, so to be the amp side of that blend, you might want the tube type shaved transients. Not putting my opinion here, but just applying logic.
too twangy
sansamp totally! darkglass is cool for metal , but sansamp has it all,
For the sound that I'm looking for, the Darkglass blew me away. I just wish their products weren't so damn expensive 😫 Which is why I'm sticking with the SansAmp
Sansamp plus ibanez ts9 👌
Exactly!
Wal Bass Walnut MK2 with Sans Amp Distortion and Ampeg PF500 or SVT Classic is the best combo for dirty tone
If you love thick heavy hitting bass get the dark glass . This video don’t impress me at all cause they don’t even know how use settings . It’s like having Maserati and only using 3 gears
Hands down the SansAmp. Every setting on the BK7 made it sound like Periphery.
Lol!
Lolll
and boy do i hate periphery
It works only with dingwall bass and sounds like periphery, with classic/vintages design basses this pedal is not working.
@@kost.9423 what ? From where did you find that information lol. I have try a B7k on a P bass it sound great (even if I do not like the B7k)
A note about this comparison, the Sansamp when "flat" has a pretty hefty mid cut and a nice high roll off baked in which is, IMHO, why it sounds immediately better in the intro comparison. The B7k is much flatter in it's frequency response but you can easily make it sound much more pleasant like the "flat" sansamp by cutting 500 or 750Hz to taste and rolling off the treble a little. Using the attack boost and lowering the drive a bit to compensate for the gain works well to bring back the presence like the Sansamp. I personally love both and the Sansamp has a character which I really like for low gain settings (it's an industry standard for so many years for a reason!), but you can make the clean sounds a LOT closer than is shown off in the intro.
Well said. I would also like to add that the two pedals aren't anywhere close when it comes to function, because the sansamp has a completely different cab sim tone. People are comparing them like one is trying to replace the other
@@ileutur6863Exactly!
I vote Sansamp.
The Darkglass has great clean and high gain sounds, but I prefer the Sansamp for low and mid gain sounds which I personally find more useful
Darkglass for clarity, distortion and Iow tuned riffs, Sansamp for cleaner and warmer tones
This is the best answer tbh.
I was a massive fan of Darkglass for my low tuned riffa, but Sansamp is getting it right with everything else (highly distorted riffs sounds like bullcrap)
@@ethereal8655 I'm sure it wasn't intentional, but I think they really played much more into the Sansamp's strengths. I love the way it fills out the low end and adds subtle saturation (and compression it kinda sounds like? Really curious to know what goes on inside the thing) but as soon as it's really noticably breaking up it's in that "bullcrap" zone as you put it. Not terrible, but you can certainly do better for a distortion tone.
Darkglass, on the other hand, has their distortion and EQ dialed in perfectly to maintain clarity with high distortion, and/or low tuning, and sit well in a mix with distorted guitars. There are good low gain settings for it too, but that's its pretty much unrivaled specialty.
Have you ever tried the Sansamp by yourself ? Because I don't know why but every demo video I've seen of it make it sound like absolute shit for distorted tones (this video being thé only one that was close to good). But I own the Sansamp RBI (which is supposed to be the BDDI in a rack format) and it's absolutely killer, doesn't sound near as muddy !
Sansamp +1, much more versatile, B7K is great but not for everything.
Tech 21 by a country mile. I've had my SansAmp Bass Driver since 1996 and it still runs as if I bought it yesterday. They have cracked the code of giving your bass tons of sweet juice and grind, but you'll still be able to blend into the mix with all the other instruments.
So difficult! Love the natural bass tones of the Sans Amp, but that's Darkglass distortion can't be beat!
Except for the distortion comparison, SANSAMP all the way. The Darkglass overall sounds like it’s underwater. Just not as clean…
Tech 21 Sansamp.....More natural sounding.
I'm in love with Sansamp tone since 2005 or so when I was mesmerized with Nightwish bass tone on their album "Century Child". I saw that pedal in the Marko Hiettala live setup and since then I wanted one. I've been using a Bass Drive Deluxe for years. It's a great Preamp, a good overdrive and a DI. Usually I plug it straight FOH. Recently I wanted a diferent overdrive flavor, so I set good clean tone in the Sansamp and simply put a Boss ODB3 in front of it. It takes pedals very well.
Just keep in mind that the Darkglass is twice as much as the Sansamp
lol
Depends on the application always. This makes me sad to say since I own the B7K, but the Sansamp overall sounded better to me in this comparison. Gonna have to get one to add to my board
The Tech 21 sounds more natural to me. Which is definitely a good thing,since they try to emulate real amps.
I've never really been crazy about the sound of Darkglass stuff. But I always got love for companies that got love for bassists
I stack my sansamp with my b3k...and now with my x7 ultra. They sound dope af when dialed in together. Best of both worlds
Hey there, you work your Bk3 as a distortion effect I guess, I am interested to buy a bk3 for this reason, but wondering if is worth the money
The Sansamp is just in a league of its own. It is the most essential part to my bass rig and tone. It's all you'll ever need.
Even though I own a Tech 21 Sansamp for over 4 years now and I love it, and the pedal in this comparison it might sound better on its own, I must say that since I started playing with my current Metalcore band I long to be able to get a tone similar to Darkglass.
It's no secret and no surprise that Darkglass has perfected the Metal tones for bass. This line of pedals from Darkglass handles overdrive match better than any other, being able to keep your fullness while your super crisp high end cuts threw with the amount of dirt of your preference. Sansamp is more organic and might achieve a similar tone for metal but it will do so through Mid manipulation in order to retain a super crisp high end and in the process you will lose your low end.
This Darkglass pedal its more of a one trick pony compaired to the Sansamp but it does that one trick flawlesssly. Darkglass can handle extremes much better than the Sansamp, and the Sansamp handles more balanced situation better than this Darkglass line. It depends on what type of music you are playing.
SansAmp all the way for this one in each settings. But I guess that the Darkglass sounds awesome for contemporary metal.
I’ve owned both. I’ve used Sans Amp since the late 80s. Sans Amp is great if you are in a vintage metal cover band or you think bass tone peaked in 1994. Which isn’t a slam, it is a thing for some people.
The darkglass is hyper modern (almost to a fault) but it is fantastic and cuts through the mix FAR better.
That said, if you want a clean tone, the darkglass kinda on.y gets to “a little grit” and no cleaner. But virtually any non-jazz band today wants a little bit of grime in the bass.
I find myself using the darkglass way more.
Those guy don't play vintage metal and he definitely get a thick and clanky tone out of his gear. Only an LTD or ESP PJ/Forest and a Tech21 SansAmp Bass Driver there
Same for me, best of both world with a IR as a bonus!
Sansamp fo sho!!!! Punchy, round bottom end, warmth and body! The Darkglass doesnt come close!
For the first time ever, I prefered the Sansamp.
It sounds much better in this demo, but I don’t know how they compare in a mix
Sansamp sounds thick and smooth. What a bass should be.
"what a bass should be"
you sound like a quality guitar player
Definitely the Sans Amp. It's a more subtle tone, and warmer feeling.
The Sans Amp was more full sounding to me. The dark glass was cool but that new Tech21 Geddy Lee DI-2112 at NAMM sounded really bad ass.
SansAmp!!! Thanks for helping with my decision as I was looking at both
Thank you for the comparison. I´ve been gravitating towards Sansamp for a while now and this confirmed my decision! It sounds so warm and growly, Darkglass sounds much more abrasive. Yes, I admit, I am not a fan of heavy distortion, so that may be the reason why just a little overdriven Sansamp wins for me.
Yeah you'll love it. The Sansamp is perfect IMO when the drive is set slightly before obvious distortion, but enough to add saturation. Then use the blend knob to keep some clarity. The B7K shines for really bright tones, and clarity with low tuning and heavy distortion.
'abrasive' is a nice adjective
yes, but with the Darkglass you have the Clean Preamp and a Distortion Pedal and a really good CabSim imo. So for mir +1 for Darkglass
6:07 That's the sound I have in my head when I think of a tube bass amp. Sounds like Rex Brown playing through his SVT.
SansAmp hands down!
But the whole series is going to be extremely interesting. Can't wait for the next episode!
Sans Amp, interesting faces starting at 3:00 minutes
With absolutely zero question about it, Sansamp wins everytime
SansAmp is the best to my ears!
I made my Darkglass 500 V1 head sound soooo much better by using my Sansamp! The two together are magic!
SansAmp is clearly the winner. Darkglass Microtube has a crazy mid scoop that will make you disappear in the mix.
The B7K is relatively scooped from what I can hear, but the Sansamp seems even more guilty of that. I don't have a B7K, but I do have a Sansamp, and I rarely use it with the blend knob much past halfway because any more and it's like, "whoa, where'd my bass go, it's all muddy lows and shrill highs." Anything even close to mids just completely drops out. I love my Sansamp, it's great for filling out the low end in a natural sounding way, but I always use the blend knob sparingly to keep some clarity and presence. (Not the presence knob, presence as in you can hear me.)
@@joshstarkey8883 I'm basing my statement from this video. You are correct If you want to scoop the mids with the SansAmp you can, especially because version 1 does not have a mid pot.
Currently awaiting a B7K I recently ordered. I will be comparing it to a VT Bass DI which I what I normally use. Sansamp sounds better on most settings surprisingly.
Sansamp pretty easily! Helps I played one for years and years right into the board.
Sansamp keeps the depth too the tones always...DG stuff always thin and nasally (unless that's your thing). Josh and his Warwick Sansamp combo - perfect to MY ears.
Yeah I always love the Warwick with a sans amp❤❤ fucking love it
Anthony Farrish hahaha thanks man. He's four now and 118lbs - cane corso mastiff. Best dog I've ever had. Thanks again man
darkglass stuff into Sansamp = Boom !! I like the setting on 6:48 but with a bit more drive..
I liked it
I'd go for the Sansamp. The Darkglass has a lot going for it, but it has that distinctive sheen. The Sansamp has chunkier, more integrated tones.
Wow... why can’t all pedal shootout videos be like this? Usually they just fiddle around with both pedals aimlessly, but you have an excellent system here. Playing each with the same knob configurations shows the character differences and trying to match the tone of the other shows which one is more versatile
For cleans, the Darkglass. For distortion, the SansAmp. For aesthetics, the Darkglass. Comparisons like this are really difficult, because what works for one person may not work for another. I'm more interested in hearing a wider range of opinions from players who would take each unit and set it to the "best possible" tone they can get out of it, according to their personal preferences, rather than meaningless EQ sweeps and "all knobs at 50% settings" comparisons. My suspicion is that I like the Darkglass modern style of EQ better than the SansAmp vintage style of EQ, but that I like the SansAmp vintage style of dirt better than the Darkglass modern style of dirt. Sadly, the SansAmp pedal is so ugly, looking like something designed by an amateur in the 1970s, that I can't bear to look at it, while the Darkglass is gorgeous, sleek, and elegant. So, given that I don't really even use dirt on bass, my vote has to go to the Darkglass.
All of the matches in Round 1 are fairly brief, but Rounds 2 and 3 will include more “Best Possible Sounds”
Well, I'm not 100% sure if you're the one to talk about looks
....who cares about what a pedal looks like?...
@@codygrey9612 " Sadly, the SansAmp pedal is so ugly, looking like something designed by an amateur in the 1970s, that I can't bear to look at it " SHE FUKIN COOKED MY BRAINS
As a lot of beginners starting to use the sansamp, you tried to turn the presence knob without the blend... And it doesn't work. The knot is only in use with the gain setting so you have to at least use a little of blend to hear a difference👌
Darkglass. But don't like the blend pot so high as shown in the playoff. The Sansamp did better tones in the demo, but the B7K can do great warm tones as well.
I know this is an older video, but I think the bass channel neglects to observe that the xlr output of the sansamp is EQed to simulate a bass cab. B7k ultra version 1 doesn't have that feature.
Surprised how much more I really liked the sansamp, considering how popular the Darkglass is.
The baked in mid boost of the Darkglass helps to cut through when playing live. The Sansamp blends into the mix and definitely has a more traditional sound that works great in the studio. The Darkglass crunch reigns supreme.
Darkglass, has a wider range of customisability with the different mid eqs. More clarity too imo
its crap
Definitely a close one but I’m gonna have to go with the SansAmp on this.
Sansamp..I did a little research on both and for me cost helped push the Tech21 to the front at almost half the price. But as far as sound goes, the Sansamp has that sound I'm looking for.
I used to own the Sansamp with 3 presets, I really regret getting rid off it. I later bought a Darkglass, and while it did its purpose in the projects I played in, I really miss the Sansamp. 😭
You Sir, should get just another one. Life is short.
I owned the rackmounted SansAmp RBI and VT. The blend control doesn't separate the clean and drive. It blends the input from whatever clean'/drive signal you dial into the SansAmp. That's where Darkglass wins. The clean and drive can be blended with the Darkglass.
I love the dirt and grid of Darkglass but it’s not very versatile such as the Sansamp...
So Sansamp
This is the comparison that I was waiting for!!
Thanks for this great shootout! I'd say the sansamp takes this round. It sounds fuller and rounder. The Darkglass has fantastic overdrive, but sounds thin to me. That's kind of its thing though. I may be a bit biased because I own a sansamp, however, I only use it as a pre-amp for my passive basses. I get my dirt elsewhere.
As a slap player, I am very happy that you eventually showed these product under slap play. For slap, they both show equal, but amazing tone qualities.
I've got both. Either one will give you a great slap tone.
This is a hard one to pick I love both of them. Tho I'll have to go with sans amp
I vote SansAmp and I need to get one for sure! For me it's already a winner
was NOT expecting to like the Sansamp the most but I guess it's a legend for a reason! Sansamp all the way!
That was a suprise! The Tech 21 for sure.
Sansamp
Are the following DI’s in the battle?
Noble DI
Aguilar tone hammer
Fender Downtown Express
Simplifier Bass Station
Sadowsky SBP 1
Palmer bass pocket amp
EBS Micro Bass 3
Marleaux Tonwork bass preamp
Mesa Boogie Subway plus
Basswitch IQ DI
Radial Bassbone OD
Harley Benton Custom line bass DI expander
That Sansamp is incredible! Thanks for sharing this.
I like both. I was surprised to be diggin' the Sansamp a bit more though. Great videos guys, you rock!
Sansamp. Also, this dude knows how to make a bass sound gnarly before processing without using a pick.
SansAmp.But I have SansAmp and B3K on my pedalboard and they sound great together.
Much to my surprise, SansAmp in this round.
For more aggressive types of sounds, Darkglass 100%. For all the rest, definitely the Sansamp. So my vote goes to the second. However, this is like comparing potatoes and apples...I like them both!!!
Seems like the Darkglass has a better range and you can dial in a more precise sound. I listened at full volume, then went to guitar center and tried it myself. Darkglass all the way.
I have both on my board, depending upon which bass I am using. But if I had to use just one it would be the Tech 21.
So I'm going to say from an all around stand point I'll give this one to SansAmp... I'm a huge DG supporter but I have used both before. The SansAmp sounds more versatile for different styles... I think the DG pedal sounded better when everything was set flat and for sure with the slap demonstration.
Sansamp.
Darkglass is fantastic for metal, but not much else. I'm a huge fan of theirs, but the sansamp is just more versatile.
Love the sansamp as a preamp, as an always on pedal even though I use the B7K for my drive tones
Don’t think this really showcases the full potential of the B7K Ultra very well. The programmable IR Cab Sim slays the Sansamp in that category. The EQ range of the Darkglass is a lot broader, so trying to set it similar to the Sansamp isn’t going to be as simple as putting knob positions close to the same. The sweeps and tolerances are different. Not saying I’m in love with the B7K Ultra, but it certainly doesn’t seem like it was shown to its fullest here.
The Darkglass Microtubes B7K Ultra is the clear tone champ by my ear.
Sansamp always. DG is rad but Sansamp has it hands down
That crispy (and clearer) tone you got from B7K when playing the low B section starting @ 2:10 was a huge win in favor of Darkglass.
I prefer the Sansamp Bass Driver DI Hands down..
SansAmp all the way. Did you use a VU meter or anything to match the levels? A +3dB volume boost is all you need to make something sound superior in an A/B test sometimes.
That said, it is more than volume that is different, there are clear differences in the overtones and it sound like a more smooth but lower cut low pass filter on the SansAmp.
+1 for the SansAmp. Had mine for 20 years. Love it!
Sans Amp has a fuller tone. The DarkGlass is too glassy and thin sounding. The Darkglass reminds of someone playing their bass through a bull horn, megaphone. It is just too much mid-high end sound in the b7k. DarkGlass has a long way to go to before they match the fullness in tone of the Sans Amp.
Depending on the bass you are playing. I have no problem with lack of low end with my MusicMan StingRay basses.
Ely Pelowski That’s because the SansAmp is made to emulate an Ampeg head and 8x10cab, and the B7K is meant to go before a head and cab, allow the cab to round it right off. They shouldn’t really be compared, more combined
@@jobelewis6416 Makes sense. Nice reply
@@jobelewis6416 DG isn't trying to sound like sansamp. DG distortion is a modern bass distortion and my ears are a little old school for it.
Good pun bro.
2 years late, but, and it's the SandsAmp all night :)
I'm surprised how many votes the Sansamp has, thought Darkglass was so trendy it would kill it all. But as a proud owner i'll vote sansamp too !
i own a sans amp and i have to say, the character of the drive on the b7k is way better but the sansamp wins in every other category, plus it’s half the price!
Finally TWO PEDDLES THAT DONT SUCK. haha you had me at the first 37 seconds of jamming as a Bassist myself I actually think there pretty even Stevens on where you can go with sound and tone control
I was busy finishing up with cooking during the first half of the video, so I was just listening to the sound. And in each round I liked SansAmp more. It has a brighter tone to my taste and I think it is more versatile. Stoked to check out next videos!
This comparison may be unfair... a better "similar device" comparison would have been the Sansamp and Darkglass Vintage Ultra. In this vid the sansamp sounds smooth and round when clean but fails at distortion ( if that was the intended goal). The DARKGLASS B7K Ultra Excelled at distortion but fell short with a big clean low end. The DARK GLASS VINTAGE ULTRA has a rich smooth lowend with some good distortion. Re-due vid request, next time please use the Sansamp vs DARKGLASS Vintage Ultra... that would be a fair duel. Peace.
To my ears I have to give it to the Sansamp. I'd really like to hear a comparison between the Darkglass and the Tech21 dUg Pinnick signature pedal.
SansAmp all the way; the punch is unmistakable - kicks ass, especially with this Warwick Corvette.
Even though the B7K sounds amazing and definitely does things that the Sansamp cannot, i have to go with the Sansamp. The potential of that pedal is so much more than was showcased in this video. Sansamp all the way!
I wonder which one did Josh actually liked more and why ? Cheers Josh, you re a beast !
The b7k sounds warmer but not necessarily better. I prefer in general the tech 21. More versatile. The b7k blows in heavier music but I could just have one I prefer the sans amp
SansAmp. Thx for the vid. Next new pedal
I must say sansamp for this one! Even if I love darkglass and have the amp I just prefer vintage tone
Both are great, but the Darkglass sounds more modern and the Sansamp indeed more vintage or warm. I would go for the Darglass though.
Thanks for the video Chris I just have to say this. Physically matching the knobs on both units obviously creates two totally different sounds. Don't know if that was fair? Having said that, sansamp blows away the dark glass. Can't believe that thing sounded so bad.
Sansamp +1. For what it's worth, the Darkglass sounded great overdriven but the Sansamp sounds sooooo cool to me in those blended clean/driven riffs
preferred the Darkglass overall.
They are both great, but the Tech 21 sansamp just sounds better. This will be a great series!! Awesome job Chris. 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Sansamp has been the rock bass guitarists choise for 40 years