Is the SansAmp DI-2112 All You Need for Bass?
Image courtesy TECH21NYC
Before I dig into the DI-2112, I want to thank Andrew at Cosmo Music in Richmond Hill Ontario for working to arrange for a short term review unit. This review would not have happened without his support.
I’ve wanted to review the SansAmp DI-2112 preamp for some time. Yes, partly because it is Geddy Lee’s signature offering, partly because as a bass player (in my case, an alleged bass player), Geddy Lee has been a major influence for me and partly having seen Rush live since I was a young ‘un, I was so impressed by the sound when Geddy moved from a wall of amps to a preamp into Palmer Speaker Simulators and replaced the wall with washing machines, way back in 1996.
This device comes from the good folks at TECH21NYC who were one of the first, if not the first, companies to deliver a highly functional and great sounding amplifier simulator. While the DI-2112 is often found in the pedal section, it isn’t a pedal. There are no foot switches on it. It is a smaller version of the SansAmp GED-2112 Rack Unit.
Overview
What this device is, to my mind, is a desktop sized preamp designed to go right into a board, or direct to the house PA. You can connect it to FRFR speakers if you wish as well, but my evaluation was conducted almost entirely into an interface to a DAW, with a very short proof of concept that it would run an FRFR. Of course, you can also run the outputs to inputs on a power amplifier or separate power amplifiers and from there to traditional bass cabinets. This is not an effects pedal and is not designed to be run into the front (preamp) of a bass amplifier.
The unit is a dual channel unit with the clear intent that both channels are always on, and you use the blend control to define the mix between the channels that go to the balanced XLR outputs. Balanced outputs are plainly appropriate because you want the quietest noise level and the ability for longer cable runs.
The Drive channel, marked 1, uses al the controls in the green section of the device. Immediately I saw the value of the variable mid-shift point as a means to get very different tones from a single instrument. Unlike some bass pedals, the Drive control really delivers the sound of an overdriven tube amp. There are no tubes in the DI-2112, it is an all analog design without any digital section. To me, it sounds like tubes. The Deep channel. marked 2, has its own level control as well as a saturation control which when turned up boosts the low end when using clean tones. It puts extra meat in the sandwich.
As there are dual outputs, there is ground lift button if you get hum (I did not encounter that). There is a -20dB PAD for the XLR outs if the core level is too hot, and a +10 dB PAD if you use the ¼” outs. I did not use those. There is also a selector for the Drive side that switches from drive to tight. the Tight switch adds more definition in a cleaner setup and puts more snap in when you have a more overdriven tone. Finally there is a mute button to kill the output signals when you wish to.
Image courtesy TECH21NYC
The rear panel has a single instrument in. The rack GED-2112 has two switch selectable inputs suited for players switching basses during a set. There is a direct out for a tuner. Then there are the two sets of outputs. The output pairs deliver the same thing, just that the XLR jacks are balanced out, and the ¼” TS jacks are unbalanced. Please note that the current unit uses a different rear panel than pictured, now called the Mix / Drive out. If you use both ¼” outputs it provides the Drive channel signal, if you only use one, it provides the Mix signal.
Image from the DI-2112 Updated Manual
The unit needs 9v of power but it is recommended to use 18v. More power gives the user more headroom. The majority of my testing used a third party dedicated 9v supply, but if I owned the device, I would definitely purchase an 18v capable supply. In my world, more headroom is always a good thing.
I sometimes get a dirty look, when I say RTFM. It means Read The (your choice of F starting words) Manual. The DI-2112 is short, well written and includes a number of recommended settings for different sounds. The YYZ example, is very compelling as far as I am concerned.
Image taken from DI-2112 Updated Manual
Testing Setup
I am very fortunate to own one of the first Fender Geddy Lee Signature basses. There have been a number of iterations since the first one. Mine was made in Japan, and like every Fender MIJ instrument that I have encountered, it is a great build. Many years ago I changed out the factory pickups as I was not happy with their response and so for nearly twenty years my bass has been using a pair of Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Jazz Bass Pickups. They are hotter than the factory pickups and I prefer their sound. My bass is black with a maple board and black block inlays in case that matters to someone. For the recordings volume and tone were at ten.
I plugged the bass directly into the DI-2112 using a Pig Hog cable. Good cables make a difference in sound, as I have proven to myself using a signal analyzer. You should do what you like, but I confess to being very picky about cables. I ran the Drive XLR out to the XLR input on channel 1 of my Clarett+ 8 Pre interface and the Deep XLR out to the XLR input on channel 2 of the interface. The interface is connected to the Mac Pro that I use in that location for recording, and the DAW in use is Logic Pro. No processing was done in the Clarett+ or in the DAW. All example tones are as they came out of the DI-2112.
This makes for a very simple setup and minimizes any losses in the signal chain.
My Experience Playing and Recording
As I was going direct, what I heard was the sound coming through a calibrated pair of KRK studio monitors, which served for the initial recordings, although when I did the final mix and export, I used the far superior and far more expensive FOCAL studio monitors.
I have always liked the sound of the Geddy Lee Jazz Bass, and I am very comfortable with the fit and feel of that bass’ neck. The sound while recording was really pleasing. It had the warmth that I like, plus grit as I used the drive side while retaining the poppy punch when playing up the neck. Personally, I prefer the sound of single coils on a Jazz bass, and the neck pickup of the Seymour Duncan set is reverse wound so the entire kit is noise cancelling when both pickups are in use.
I know this bass very well and so it felt comfortable right away. The examples are nothing particularly special, they just serve to give you an idea of how great the DI-2112 sounds.
Example 1 : Both channels with all knobs at noon, levels matched on the Clarett+
Example 2 : Drive set to 3 o’clock all other knobs at noon, levels matched on the Clarett+
Example 3 : Deep channel Saturation at 5 o’clock, all other knobs at noon, levels matched on the Clarett+
Example 4 : All controls at noon, different Mid-shift settings between 170Hz and 3000Hz
Example 5 : All controls at noon, three positions of the Blend knob, fully minus, noon, fully plus
Example 6 : All controls at noon, Tight switch In, Tight switch out
Image courtesy TECH21NYC
You can decide for yourself whether you like the sound from the DI-2112, however I like it very much indeed. My closest comparison would be the MicroBass 3 from EBS. The GED-2112 has an effects loop as does the EBS unit but the DI-2112 does not, and I would prefer to have one than not. The EBS also has a built in compressor whereas neither of the DI-2112 or GED-2112 do, but that matters a lot less to me, as I tend to use plugins for selected rack mount compressors when mixing. What I do like a lot about the DI-2112 is that I don’t need to add a channel strip in post as a given. One always can, but I find the tonal flexibility of the on board controls to do a lot of the hard slogging up front. I would always prefer to get it as right as possible prior to recording. Others will have different perspectives.
Wrapping It Up
The Canadian MAP for the unit is $499 which makes it less expensive than a tube combo, but more than some solid state or digital amplifiers. I don’t see a lot of point in comparisons as doing so is very much apples to grasshoppers. The DI-2112 was designed with an intent and a purpose. It is not built to be an amp sim, and while there is cabinet simulation in the unit, it is not an IR based tool. If you want to be able to simulate multiple different amps and different cabinets, this is not what you are looking for. However, if you want an incredible sounding preamp with powerful and easy to use controls for recording or direct to PA, I rate this unit very highly indeed. If you are interested in getting one for yourself, please reach out to Cosmo Music. If the physical store is not convenient, they do ship across Canada and can get all the TECH21NYC products. If you are in the USA, please reach out to my friend James Ridings at Sweetwater if buying in the USA is more convenient for you.
Thank you as always for being a part of That Guitar Lover. You can support the channel by becoming a Patreon member by clicking right here. Please send in your comments and questions, I read and respond to all. Thanks again, and until next time, I wish you all the very best.
