Behringer BDI21 V-Tone Bass Driver DI Box

I purchased it to use as a pre-amp for my bass guitar, as the guitar itself didn't seem to put out enough signal to be adequate for my amplifier. Not only did it provide the extra boost I wanted, it has a couple of settings for more or less bass and a few other simple adjustments. I purchased the bass version (this one) and also the regular model. Both work well. They do use batteries, and I am trying to find cables so I can hook them to the power out on my amplifier...

I purchased the Behringer BDI21 V-Tone Bass DI Preamp as part of my quest for that iconic vintage Rock & Roll tone. Specifically, I aimed to capture the Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb" Bill Wyman vibe, minus the fuzz. I'm a fan of the vintage Ampeg growl and Wyman's rolling bass tone, similar to what you hear in "Emotional Rescue."The BDI21 V-Tone does an impressive job of getting me in the ballpark. Paired with my Ampeg BA-110 V2, which has the Scrambler Overdrive, it delivers that extra growl I'm after. Using my MIM Fender Jazz Bass, this setup provides an affordable and good-sounding rig that's ready for small to medium venues, thanks to the BDI21's DI capabilities.If you're playing larger venues, you might have already invested in a SansAmp, but this box is more than capable and performs as advertised. It's important to note that the louder you can play, the more value and dynamic range you'll get from a unit like this. At lower volumes, the effects are less pronounced, but it's still a solid performer.

I will preface what I am about to type by saying that although I have been playing bass for 17 years, I am realtively new to audio engineering and digital recording, so please forgive any techncial innacuracies.Just got the BDI 21,and have learned that does quite a lot for small box at minimal cost.The amp emulation capabilities are subtle, but you can get just enough tube compression to take the edge off and get a fairly tight, smooth, and controlled sound (with just enough growl when needed). Nothing amazing here, but it does the trick.What the description does not mention is that the BDI21 also works as a signal splitter. There are two outputs (balanced XLR and unbalanced 1/4" line out), and they can work simultaneously with no noticable signal loss (even in bypass mode). I use it to send a nice clean signal to the audio interface/mixer using the balanced XLR output, and another signal to a dedicated bass amp using the 1/4" (to be used as a personal monitor). I can add whatever effect pedals I want to the monitor line and still send a clean signal to the DAW. It would be worth the $30 if this was its only function, but the BDI21 does a lot more.The BDI21 does work as preamp, but it is not an especially powerful preamp unless you crank the drive knob. This is actually a good thing, as most XLR inputs on mixers and audio interfaces have a built in preamp. If BDI21 preamp were very powerful, you would get a lot of extraneous noise by doubling up on preamps. The BDI21 XLR output going into a mixer or audio interface XLR input with built-in preamp generates no noticable extra noise, and is ideal for recording. The signal is crystal clear. I get a much cleaner signal this way than going 1/4" direct from the passive p-bass into the preamped 1/4" instrument input on the audio interface (true in both amp modeling and bypass mode). Any extra noise generated by going through 2 preamps is way more than compensated by the balanced XLR.I'm not saying the BDI21 does not work as a preamp at all. It does boost the signal just enough to use the 1/4" line level inputs on a mixer/audio interface. When you use the 1/4" out of the BDI21 into the line-level inputs on the mixer/audio interface, the signal level is relatively low, and there is tons of overhead (it is almost clip-proof; also ideal for recording). You get a litte more noise in this configuration, but much less chance of clipping when you are whaling on the low E, so it is a fair trade. If you are going to slap and pop or play very volume-dynamic music, this is a good way to go. You can always boost the signal in the DAW when mixing the recording (or crank the gain on the PA when playing live).All in all, a very cool little box. The amp modulation is nothing to write home about, but it is pretty good, and all the other amazing features more than compensate for any shortcomings in that department. For $32, there is no reason not to have this little guy in your bag of tricks.

IMPORTANT: The Blend knob only works with the DI (XLR) output going into a PA or interface. If you plug this pedal from the 1/4" output directly into an amp and turn up the Blend, you will get a lot of noise because it creates an impedance mismatch. If you plug directly into an amp you have to keep the Blend all the way down. If you're new to DI boxes you may not know this. The user manual doesn't mention it. Your pedal is not defective if this happens.This is a great pedal because you can adjust your tone, it's an active DI box with ground lift, and the price is great. Even when it's in bypass mode the DI is active. There is no on/off switch.