SansAmp.. the plug-in or hardware?

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 9:48 pm

Hey guys --

I'm extremely interested in purchasing SansAmp.. and noticed you can either purchase the external hardware from Tech21 or the plugin version from Bombfactory....

I'm wondering if there is a difference between the two and which one i should go with?

Thanks in advance ---

J.

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 6:03 am

Greetings J,

I'd say it depends upon the rest of your set-up and how you intend to use it.

I don't have any experience of the plug-in, so I can't offer any relevant comments on it, but I do have the PSA-1 hardware (second-hand from John Entwistle's studio) and it's so good I'm planning to get another (plus an RBI) as soon as I can afford it.

HTH

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 6:44 am

It's PSA 1.1 now. I can hardly wait to try one out. Thumbs Up

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 1:52 pm

I have the Bombfactory SansAmp plug-in. I've done some experimentation with it by recording a clean guitar and trying to get different tones with it. I never was too happy with the tones I could get out of it for the guitar part although if a client wants a vocal distortion or something of that nature I go to the SansAmp first. I tend to like what it does to vocals.

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:19 pm

What up - I have used the plugin version multiple times. I haven't had much success using it as the main source for a guitar sound, but when I've used it to dirty up a bass track, it sounds great. I also used it recently to add some grit to an acoustic guitar/vocal track that was recorded with a single room mic.... the plug kinda helped give that lo-fi shoe box recorder sound I was looking for.

I also know that when I was interning at a major studio here in Nashville, a prominent engineer used the hardware version all the time on some big name female artists...

Anyway...

I hope that helps.

D.

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 6:22 pm

Thanks so much for all your replies!

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 6:49 pm

Actually... someone told me the SansAmp TRI-AC sounded really great too....
and considering it's only about 200 dollars or so.. and the PSA 1.1 is about 700 dollars...

..which one would give me more bang for my buck?

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 7:12 pm

No question, the PSA 1.1. Hands down. It's totally pro level gear. You are far better off making the extra investment now and then ownnig a piece of studio quality gear IMO. You can walk into any studio or gig with the PSA 1.1 and people will go, "Nice!" instead of "Uh-oh..." Smile

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 7:27 pm

But what if it's just my little home studio that only i'm recording in...
is it still better to get the more expensive one?

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 1:43 am

If there's anyway at all you can afford it then absolutely. No question about it. The PSA 1.1 is a studio quality piece of gear. Anytime you can get studio quality gear you are way ahead of the game. One thing about music is that you grow, and if you get the PSA 1.1 you will not outgrow it. It's a great piece of gear and I plan to buy one myself in the new year. It's near the top of my list.

At one point or another the PSA has been in the rack of practically all the big touring names in modern guitar. Make sure to try one first though, maybe you won't like it. Not everyone does. But for a home studio it can't be beat.

If you can't afford it then the lower priced hardware unit may be OK, I'm not sure, definitely head into a guitar store and play one before you shuck out the cash. Some bargain gear like the POD 2.0 are superb, some, like "Guitar Rig" are garbage. You just have to try it out and see. One thing about the PSA 1.1 is that a lot of really good engineers use them, so at least you know it's not going to turn out to be garbage.

If it were me I'd wait, save up, and grab the PSA 1.1 for sure. The better your gear, the better your playing will sound to people. Thumbs Up

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 7:15 pm

i second the pod 2.3 upgrade. the clean sounds are Remarkable in my ho.

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 7:47 pm

Yes, it's cheap too. I upgraded the EPROM in my POD 1.0 to POD 2.3 for like $50. Thumbs Up

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