Para Driver Di Power Amp

**oldane** · 03-07-2012, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Klatu

Can anyone compare the Sansamp Para Driver DI to the Empress ParaEq?

On paper, it looks as though the Empress can do everything the Sansamp can do with added versatility. I don't have experience with either, but I would like to get some sort of tone shaping device to use with my solid state amps.

I have experiences with both. They don't serve the same purposes.

The Empress ParaEQ is a parametric EQ and nothing else. The Sansamp ParaDriver DI can be considered a complete and versatile preamp, offering a tube like tone quality, and it works well in the FX return channel of the amps or directly into a PA system, a recording mixer or a powered PA speaker. Both are analog units.

The Empress ParaEq is parametric on all three bands (bass, mid, treble) - that is adjustable center frequencies and the choice of narrow, normal or broad band width. It has boost, but it is a CLEAN boost. The tone will sound just as clean no matter how high you set the boost. Thus it will not warm up a sterile sounding solid state amp. It's EQ only, but as an EQ it's more flexible than the Sansamp ParaDriver DI. The sound quality is good, and it is very transparant - doesn't "steal" tone like digital units does.

The Sanasamp ParaDrive DI offers progressively more break up as the drive button is turned up. With settings up to around 11:00 o'clock the sound is percieved as warmed up in a tube like way. Above that, audible break up is apparent. It has both a normal 1/4" output jack and a balanced XLR output with phantom power which means you can omit the annoying "wall wart" for 9V powering if your amp provides phantom power. Most PA systems and recording mixers - and the AI amp head - does that. It has a "blend" knob with which you can mix the "dry" signal with the processed signal from the ParaDriver DI. It doesn't have adjustable center freq's for the bass and treble knobs, but the fixed center freq's for these two bands are well chosen - bass 80Hz, treble 3.2kHz. The mid range center freq is sweepable from 170Hz to 3.5kHz. The sound quality is excellent - much more "direct" than a digital effects unit.

**Klatu** · 03-07-2012, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by oldane

I have experiences with both. They don't serve the same purposes.

The Empress ParaEQ is a parametric EQ and nothing else. The Sansamp ParaDriver DI can be considered a complete and versatile preamp, offering a tube like tone quality, and it works well in the FX return channel of the amps or directly into a PA system, a recording mixer or a powered PA speaker. Both are analog units.

The Empress ParaEq is parametric on all three bands (bass, mid, treble) - that is adjustable center frequencies and the choice of narrow, normal or broad band width. It has boost, but it is a CLEAN boost. The tone will sound just as clean no matter how high you set the boost. Thus it will not warm up a sterile sounding solid state amp. It's EQ only, but as an EQ it's more flexible than the Sansamp ParaDriver DI. The sound quality is good, and it is very transparant - doesn't "steal" tone like digital units does.

The Sanasamp ParaDrive DI offers progressively more break up as the drive button is turned up. With settings up to around 11:00 o'clock the sound is percieved as warmed up in a tube like way. Above that, audible break up is apparent. It has both a normal 1/4" output jack and a balanced XLR output with phantom power which means you can omit the annoying "wall wart" for 9V powering if your amp provides phantom power. Most PA systems and recording mixers - and the AI amp head - does that. It has a "blend" knob with which you can mix the "dry" signal with the processed signal from the ParaDriver DI. It doesn't have adjustable center freq's for the bass and treble knobs, but the fixed center freq's for these two bands are well chosen - bass 80Hz, treble 3.2kHz. The mid range center freq is sweepable from 170Hz to 3.5kHz. The sound quality is excellent - much more "direct" than a digital effects unit.

If you could have only one tone shaping pedal, which would you choose?

**jorgemg1984** · 03-07-2012, 01:57 PM

In theory the Para EQ has more EQ choices but the Para DI has a tube emulation circuit that can warm up solid stae amps. So it's between more EQ flexibility or warming up your tone I guess.

**oldane** · 03-07-2012, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Klatu

If you could have only one tone shaping pedal, which would you choose?

In a heartbeat, the Sansamp ParaDriver DI (but there may of course be others out there that I don't know about).

**Frank67** · 03-08-2012, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Rustic

- the tone controls (especially the midrange) interact with the boost/tube emulation control so set this first. Anything more than 10:30 or 11:00 and you'll start getting into distorted territory
- midrange EQ point set at about 750HZ seems optimum for a jazz box
- the controls are very sensitive and it is definitely better to CUT frequencies rather than boost them

Many thanks for these hints (also to oldane!). I think after some more trying I also arrived that the conclusion that the eq point at 750 Hz suits my taste best in terms of arch top jazz tone. It would be a different story for rock - there i probably would prefer more sparkle and home in on 1100-1200. But going 750 Hz, blend knob fully or almost fully open and drive knob set to just below the breakup point gives an awesome fat jazz tone and one can still dial out the boomy bass. ... great piece of equipment.

**jorgemg1984** · 03-09-2012, 06:56 PM

So I went to the shop today and tried the Para Di - unfortunatelly with a Mesa Boogie 4x12... so not the best route but allmost all guitar stores here seem to hire retardeds - they probably don't know I can order from Thomann with a 30 day trial...

Anyway I liked it. I couldn't test the Tube Emulation as good as I wanted but the clean boost / EQ part of it worked very well with that amp so I am going to get one . it will also make my small pedalboard usable for acoustic and electrics. When I have it I will test it seriously and then give my review - the best part was the EQ, seemed very powerfull except the treble knob which I kind of suspected but you can do anything in the mids and the bass helps a lot with my boomy X-500.

**jorgemg1984** · 04-18-2012, 12:11 PM

Update: got the Para DI (a friend of mine knows the dealer and got me a very good price). First it sounds great with my Ovation Custom Baladeer trough the jazzmaster ultralight and an 1x12 EV cab with Henriksen Tweety (so good I am not selling the Tweety anymore, since the AC-60 is always on my car so the Tweety is my acoustic "amp" at home know). I had the pre on the ovation removed and the Para DI sounds much better... I am curious to hear it trough the PA with the Ovation and also as just a DI for other acoustic I have.

But so far it seems to be doing it's main goal - this is replacing my BBE Acoustimax with a much smaller footprint. The rest is bonus... And so far the rest seems to be also good, this is with my archtop. I mainly use it as a clean boost (which I wish it would boost a little more) and some extra EQ in case I need it (not that needed with the JMUL but it might be important when I get a second jazz head). It sounds very good for that and actually I like the mids at 400hz as in my JMUL and my Shape EQ.

Funny thing I didn't like the drive knob so far... but for what it's doing so far and assuming it's as good trought the PA it´s a winner!

**keith** · 04-18-2012, 12:49 PM

I'm not familiar with the Ovation Custom Baladeer but I'd guess it has a piezo pickup in it? I have a Martin acoustic that has a piezo also and the great thing alone about the Para Driver DI for me was the ability to get rid of that piezo shimmer and bring out the acoustic sound of the guitar. Just that was worth it even though I don't use the acoustic often and mostly play through and archtop. I also use it for a boost during solos with the jazz box.

**oldane** · 04-18-2012, 01:15 PM

Glad you like it. I was one of those recommending it, so I feel I might be responsible if it was a disappointment. It may take a little while before you get your favorite settings dialled in.

**jorgemg1984** · 04-18-2012, 03:58 PM

The funny thing about the Ovation is the pickups are very good even being piezzo but the preamp was terrible apparently. I removed it because it was a pain to change batteries and always used external pres anyway and the guitar even without the Para DI sounds so much better just with the pickups... but the Para DI really helps dialing different sounds and cleaning the piezo sound, can't wait to try it with a PA!

Oldane you're the main reason I got it and I was almost positive I was going to be happy - as I said if it sounded as good as the BBE it would be already great because it fits in my small pedalboard. Thanks for all your help!

I still have to mess more with the EQ with my archtop and to do a little more experiment with the drive function, the pedal certainly has a learning curve. I would also like to try it with a power amp trough a guitar cab, let's see if I can get one loaned. If I can make it work with electrics then this is a must have for all jazz players who like acoustics!

Edit: Two things I would like (the first I already knew before buying it): mute function; eq knobs "stopping" at center position.

**Rustic** · 04-19-2012, 12:46 PM

I'm also very glad you like the pedal. I've discovered it's killer, and essential, for my nylon which has an undersaddle peizo.

The drive control is tricky, it interacts with the blend and the midrange control in a way I can't quite describe. I find I can push it up to about 11:00 before it starts giving 'tube distortion' and isn't useful for jazz or bossa.

**jorgemg1984** · 04-19-2012, 01:45 PM

Thanks Rustic, my final test will be with a PA, which I hope it will be soon. If it sounds good with my acoustics that way it's already a winner!

Today I continued to mess with the EQ and discovered the bass control with my archtop and JMUL with an EV closed back cab can add some bass and body to the sound without boomyness... another excellent feature. The treble control does not seem very effective with electrics but it works good with acoustics.

I still have to mess with the drive knob, it changed the clean sound of the pedal a lot (even before distortion). It sounded artificial which it does not sound with it off - the sound of the guitar amp stays intact with the pedal on, what changes is only what you make the EQ change!

I will keep you all posted.

**Bushwackbob** · 04-19-2012, 02:49 PM

In contrast, I use the drive at about 12 o'clock and love it at that setting. I have a Lonestar Special, for which it does not add or help very much, but use it with an Acoustic Image Ten2, for which it is the proverbial match made in heaven...

**jorgemg1984** · 04-19-2012, 04:04 PM

I have heard a lot about the magic between the drive function and AI but with the JMUL I didn't like it (so far), maybe because the amp already has a lot of tube feel.

**jorgemg1984** · 04-19-2012, 06:42 PM

By the way, with the output set to "line" instead of "instrument" I have an extra useful 10db of boost... my JMUL is still far from overdrive with this. Do you think I can damage the amp in any way with this?