Behringer Bass V-Amp Pro

It's not that easy to get good sounds out of a mfx unit, at least for a relatively newbie like me (in the bass field). I mean, to use the software and the parameters is really easy in the vamp pro, but getting usable really nice sounds takes time and patience. Good thing is that the leds indicate you the actual situation of the parameters.

I use the vamp as preamp for a Hartke HA2500 and a BX410 box, connected in the return loop. So I'm not using the preamp of the hartke (which sounds good, btw, but I need more sounds).
My bass is a jazz Squier Vintage modified, which I like a lot.
It's not noisy, only in the really high gain field you get hiss and fsss, but like every amp.
I don't use too much the effects, so I don't have an opinion, but when I tried them for guitar, I don't have complains.
So far, I've managed to get good sound alla Burton, Harris, Glover's, and some others.
I've spent some time with the stomp boxes, and if you take your time you will need probably no aditional distortion boxes. But it's not easy.
Be careful with the input volume (D+E, then TAP so you have input volume), as my bass can saturate the input stage (to my surprise) if you go beyond a limit (more than 100 if I remember correctly)

I rate this "only" a 9, because I still think you can get better than this, but once you are in a room with a drumkit, you loose some ability to distinguish tones ;)

If you use it to record in a PC, the speaker simulation is fine, in fact I like it very much.

I bought it second hand, one year ago, I don't gig, but I use it regularly (every day, in fact). No problems so far. If I had a gig, I would ALWAYS bring a spare unit (stompbox, of whatever), no matter how good/expensive/boutique was my equipment. If something can go wrong, will go wrong.

No experience on this field.

While I have a background in classic music (violin) I play now mostly hard rock and metal (Iron maiden, metallica, megadeth, deep purple, you know that noise ;)). So far, if I can not be as good as Harris or Glover, is my fault, not my gear's fault.
I've been playing bass for a year, and this unit has been great help to learn bass sounds. I paid around 120 euro, and I would buy it again without any doubt. I also have the guitar vamp2, which is also great. Whit these two, a sequencer, a micro and a drum pluging, and you have in your hands something useful to play and record music. Years ago, not so long, this gear was absolutely out of reach.

Maybe there are better units, I guess there are, but if you are thinking about saving weight, money, or increasing capabilities, you should check it. If you are building your equipment, you must check it, you won't regret.

Forget the Manual... it is difficult to apply as a step by step instruction guide. I think it really lets the product down in that way, because as you have seen with other reviews... it is a terrific unit.

In general though, if you are not completely retarded, you can get through setting up, storing and using this unit well.

Layout is good.

This is where the unit really excels... and for the price... you just can't go past the value for money that this unit puts out.

Excellent reverbs and ambience. The delays are a little limited, but unless you're Steve Vai or are completely experimental... the delays that the unit employs will be sufficient. All the sounds are full bodied and true to the instrument... This is to say that this unit WILL NOT rip out all the natural inherent tones of your instrument. Instead it will compliment and enhance them.

I'm a bassist as well as a guitarist and I find that the flexibility of this unit is awesome.

All Amp models are particularly impressive. There really isn't one that is weak. There is also the flexibility of going completely dry... no signal processing.

I must disagree with the other who say that the stomp box models cannot be accessed through the front panel... THEY CAN!!!! Just read the manual carefully.

I must admit... the first unit broken down...

The slightest of hums were filtering through the PA desk ever so slightly... I think this is what some people are complaining about...

But Behringer were very good in replacing the unit altogether.

Excellent!!!

Go and Buy one for yourself.

Behringer will back their product.

I love my unit!!!

I like this unit, but the manuals are useless, if not less than useless. I've had ideas about how things work, gone to the manual, gotten confused, tried the wrong thing, and then just did it the way I thought it should be done and it's worked. I've learned to just play with the thing to see what it can do. Forget the manuals.

There are 1,000 settings on this thing, and after using it for about 6 months, I use about 5. Once they find the sounds they like, I suspect most players will do the same. It'll just take a bit of experimentation to find those sounds.

This question is why I decided to write a review.

A lot of people are talking about noise, and I can't identify. What noise? Seriously, this thing is dead quiet for me. No hum, no buzz, nothing. Not unless I have the settings and amp absolutely cranked, and even then you can do damage control with the 'denoiser'. I suspect there might be pickup/V-Pro/head/amp compatibility issues that will only arise in some cases. Not mine though. Maybe I got lucky?

Re: settings

I love the Ultrabass setting but it's an interesting sound you have to get used to. It's not really 'ultra' so much as it appears to be a layering of octaves, if that makes sense. So the note can splinter over the octaves as it rings out. It's a cool sound, but it's not for everyone.

The other effects are interesting as well, though I find myself coming back to a limited few. The Ambiance setting is really nice, and combined with some of the amp settings (like Jazz Tone/Bottom End/Tube Preamp), will give you a nice mid-range rock sound. The P-Funk'n is especially nice if you play a guitar through your bass rig, as I sometimes do. (This FX unit is also great for guitar players.) I find most of the FX are clean and useful, but I've settled on a limited few - maybe 5 or 6.

One thing I really love about this unit is that it standardizes my sound. We don't have a space of our own, and I try not to bring a rig to gigs, so this unit pretty much guarantees my sound stays more or less the same, as long as I keep the amp head dials at mid-range.

It allows me to literally put a pair of bases in the back seat of the car, stick the V-Pro on the floor and head out. Easiest set-up ever.

No problems yet, knock on wood.

Never had to deal with them.

We play both heavier music and Floyd-ish stuff. I've got a Fender acoustic, a Peavey Millennium, an old Fernandes, a Frankenstein I made from Fender and Ibanez parts, and my main bass, a Frankenstein I made from Washburn bass and Fender guitar parts. I've also got a Dean guitar I sometimes use. I've been playing off and on for about 15 years.

I would absolutely replace this unit if anything happened to it. I made a little hard-shell rack mount for it, and it goes everywhere with me. It's so simple to use (once you discover your sounds), and it gets all the chords and crap off the floor so that you can just play and not worry about stepping on anything.

I would definitively recommend this unit for anyone. You can pay more and get something with higher quality sounds, but most people won't need to go that route. This is an inexpensive and sturdy option for people who need some FX without breaking the bank - or their backs.

Fairly easy to use out of the box. Many presets are over the top, but there are plenty off good sounds right out ot the box.

The manual is a bit terse and unclear on many topics like the various live vs studio modes, or "live eq" that is mentioned but never defined. The windows software that can control the unit is not mentioned.

Did you know that the VAMP Pro has stomp box emulation that is not mentioned in the manual, and is apparently not accessable from the front panel?

There is software avalible on the behringer site that unlocks features unmentioned in the manual. Get it here:

http://www.behringer.com/LX1-B-PRO/index.cfm?lang=eng

If you use the software for for the VAMP Pro, the operation of the unit becomes much clearer, and the features unavalaible on the front panel (stomp box, additional effect parameters) are visible. The software presents an much simpler virtual front panel. Also, many effets are more configurable in the software than they are from the front panel.

It sounds fine to me.

The power button was loose in the box, but it snapped back in. I'm not sure this unit is very robust.

I am a beginner that has been playing for about 1 year. I have a Fender bassman 150 and a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz.

I plug the guitar into the VAMP, and plug the analog outs of the VAMP into the effects return on the bassman, essentially using the VAMP as the preamp.

I was wanting to get some more sounds, and a noise gate.
I bought on price alone, and did not compare with other similar units.

I am completly happy with it.

Great sounds right out of the box! The presets are very nice and I really dig the chorus and delay options

I am using this with a Crown power amp running a 2 X 10 cab w/ a tweeter.I have also been using it straight into m,y Mac recording with a Digi 001 unit.Live,I use it with an Ibanez CTBN fretless 5 string and a 10 string Chapman Stick.The Sticks crips highs and super rich and percussive lows are faithfully reproduced.I can get a really nice "acoustic" tone with a bit of chourus and delay for my Stick during solo work.My Ibanez's fretless "mwah" really sings with the "Ambience" effect in the mix.
I agree with most of the other reviews as to the onboard tuner being a bit touchy.I just use my chromatic tuner.

I have used this many times on many gigs and have not had any problems.The light-weight contruction is a back saver!

Never had to use it except for finding out where to get a firmware chip,but they were most helpful and professional.

I play a blend of jazz,new age,world,and prog.The Bass V-Amp delivers on all pistons.I use it along with the FCB1010 but must admit that I am at a lost with all the MIDI stuff so I just use the presets. I did ,however,program it to access the looping feature.I dig this feature but would like to see a bit more recording time than the measly 12-15 secs.As mentioned before,the tuner could be better.The manual is not the best,but a quick search of the web got a lot of my questions answered.
I had recently been using a Gallein Krueger RCB200 but it started to die on me.Now I will use my V-Amp exclusively.
The value is top notch.Sure,there are other units with a lot more bells and whistles but the price is the rub.The Bass V-Amp has great tones,presets,ease of use,great editing software,a classy look,and ya get a sticker!Well,maybe the sticker is not a deal breaker...

Ranks right up with the harder units out there, Midi interface makes it easier from a laptop

Hmmm, kinda mixed on this one...I guess it depends on what type of music and at what volume level we are talking about. The overall sound quality and the models are good, I am just incompatible with the note breakup/noise at the end of briefly sustained notes...it seems like the unit decides for me that I am finished with a note and cuts it off for me. For quieter type things where the bass is a featured instrument, this is quite noticeable and disrupting to me, kinda like I have a noise gate set too high. However, if you are playing in a metal/thump type band, it would not matter very much at all.

No problems so far

Haven't even needed it

Overall, it is a lot for the money, and except for a few minor personal preferences, it would serve many purposes well

The catch is that this thing pretends to be easy to use as you've got dials for the basic presets such as bass, treble, etc. Then you find out that there are many, many hidden prefs that need to be dealt with in order to get a good sound. So the V-Amp's greatest drawback is that it lacks a proper text display. So I'd recommend to buy a midi cable and connect the V-Amp to your computer's gameport. Behringer's free editor software not only makes tweaking VERY easy, it also lets you access many controls you simply can't access by any other means (e.g. some effects have up to 7 parameters, but only 2 can be accessed by the front panel controls)

Some people here seem to think that only "low budget bassists" are able to like this box. I play an Alembic Rogue custom 5-string (among others) and amplification gear in the same league, and I still like the V-Amp very much. It has some drawbacks like a marked silence when switching programs, but I've encountered things like these in much more expensive units too. As for the FX section, using the editor software helps a lot (see above)

I play 40 to 60 gigs a year and have used the V-Amp for approx. 8 months. No probs so far

A very solid piece of equipment, especially for the price, which is rediculously low (in Germany, it sells for a third of the price of a Line 6 Bass Pod Pro). Sound is very good, especially with the ampeg models, versatility is great. I haven't used it in a studio yet, but I wouldn't worry to do so

It is easy to adjust this thing (when you fiddled around with it and learned to know it) to give an awesome sound for playing a Cliff Burton solo on bass to play the Theme from Shaft. The manual is okay but could be better.

I use the Behringer BX4500H head, with a 1500 Watt slaveamp, two Mach subwoofer speakers and a Peavey speaker. I play with both a Samick cheap-bass and a ESP LTD B154 bass. It sounds awesome.
The unit is a little bit noisy when using some effects. The effects sometimes seems to have a life on their own, but it's nothing compared to how loud i play :D
There are a lot of powerful effects. You dont have to buy any effectpedal anymore. This unit has it all. Chorus, flanger, Ultrabass (Behringer's Octaver effect), Reverb. People complain about there are no actual overdrive settings. But they have just overseen all the gainmodels. They sound awesome for a Cliff Burton solo or some death-metal.
I really like the ambience effect, and the amplifier simulations. There are also speakercabinet simulation, but i don't use them.

It seems quite solid. It's not a thing you have to walk on like a pedal.
I would use it on a gig without a backup, since there are no high-effect components which generates a lot of heat that can cause meltdown.
It is also very easy to transport. You can easily carry it in a bag, and take your bike to a gig if you don't need to carry anything heavy.

Never needed. But they are very kind and helpful. (That's what i've heard)

I play primarily rock and metal like Metallica and AC/DC. There are not a lot of soundmingling with AC/DC, but it gives me around all the sounds i need for playing Metallica.
I also play a lot of other music. It also have some awesome sounds for slapping. You get almost every sound you want with every bass you have, with the amplifier and speaker simulation.
I have been playing for 4 years now. As i said before: I use the Behringer BX4500H head, with a 1500 Watt slaveamp, two Mach subwoofer speakers and a Peavey speaker. I play with both a Samick cheap-bass and a ESP LTD B154 bass
If i lost it or it were stolen i would definately buy a new one.
I love almost everything about it.
It help me making music very well.

If you dont get the manual in your own language in the package, go get it at www.behringer.com. It is in a couple of languages.

I have had this unit for about four months and I like it overall quite a bit. Fairly easy to use once you get the hang of it and twist the knobs alot and listen to how you are changing the sound. That seems to me to me the best way to get the most use out of this unit. Even with the "deeper" functions that you can use by pressing and holding the 'tab' button, the best way is to listen to how the sound changes and then save what you like. The manual is OK but really not comprehensive and at times is confusing.

Pretty darn good I would say overall. It has some noise but the Behringer 'de-noiser' works fairly well. The unit DOES have some very pronounced digital type noises that aren't to my liking at all. These just seem to have a life of their own sometimes....but overall it's a great buy for what you get. A straight "distortion" isn't among the effects and I wish they had put that in there. You can get many many types of sounds with this unit. Much better than chaining together several pedals in my opinion.

Seems OK....but, as I said, I have only had it for four months and gigged it twice so....I take care of my bass gear and I expect that this will be OK and last a long time.

I have used the Behringer website to ask a question about the unit and they responded in two days with the answer that worked....

I play rock in two cover bands right now and this unit certainly covers what I need to do and then some. I'd say it is a step up too from the $75/100 dollar range multi floor pedals too. I have been playing bass for ten years now and own a USA P bass and a Peavey Axcelerator bass, both four string models. I use Trace Elliot or Peavey cabs with an Ampeg SVT III Pro amp and ETA power conditioner I'd buy it again as it is a great bargain I think for the average player. As stated by others here, the tuner is twitchy but does work...they should have put more LEDS in there I guess. You MUST create different patches for different bass guitars if you use more than one...the patches I created for my P Bass will not satisfy my active Axcelerator bass and vice versa. The unit has plenty of space to do this easily. If looks mean anything, and they always do I think, this unit looks very cool. Overall a very good buy I think.

It's a bit complicated if you want to use the controls, but with the Behringer editor software (via MIDI) it's dead simple, even better than the Line 6 POD software.

Once you have the software, you barely need the manual.

I had the regular V-Amp Pro and found it too bassy and lacking in highs. So I sold it and got this one.

I use it for GUITAR, not bass (since it has both guitar and bass amp models). I find it much better EQ'ed than the regular V-Amp Pro, it has the proper balance of highs and lows and a lot more EQ options (two controls for bass and two ones for mids). This gives you a TON of tweaking options.

Sound quality? I play mostly extreme metal (with a low tuned baritoned) or just soft cleans (from one extreme to another).

For doom/death metal the Modern Hi-Gain preamp has given me the meanest, heaviest, ugliest, most brutal guitar tone I had ever gotten out of any gear (and I had a lot of it: Boss GT-6, Digitech Genesis 3, SansAmp PSA-1, ADA MP-1 MOD 3.666). It's just a massive, saturated ton e with palm mutes that can move mountains (I throw in the Booster Line Driver stompbox model before the preamp).

For solos, I prefer to use the same setup, but with a bit more bass in the EQ.

For cleans, I throw in the Big Bass stompbox model before a White Panel/Red Panel preamp and I get excellent, sweet cleans. I tried my friend's guitar with an EMG 60 in the neck and it sounded PHENOMENAL!

My usual direct recording setup is:

Agile AB-3500 BK baritone -> Bass V-Amp Pro -> FX loop out -> Alesis DEQ230D -> Rocktron Xpression -> BBE 482i Sonic Maximizer -> back to the Bass V-Amp Pro via FX loop in and then into its ULTRA-G cabinet simulation in L3 mode.

The key to getting a great tone out of this box is to disable all digital cabinet sims and use only the ULTRA-G cabinet sims available on the XLR outputs, it's a night and day sort of difference.

The effects on this unit are good, but limited (e.g. you cannot use reverb and delay and chorus together). I got a Rocktron Xpression for effects and don't use the Behringer ones, very happy with the total results.

This is one of the most underrated GUITAR preamps! Don't be misled by the BASS name, the guitar preamps in this unit are better sounding than the ones in the regular guitar V-Amp Pro, EQ'ed quite differently (much better in my opinion).

I give it a 10 for pure preamp sound, but 8 if you take into account the weaker effects which require an extra fx unit.

So far very reliable. Seems to be build like a rock, very solid.

No experience so far. Did not need it.

I play doom/death metal and alternative/clean...two very different styles (Napalm Death one moment, Cocteau Twins the other). This unit does them both very well (especially the cleans are very, very warm, not digital at all).

Overall, I went througn the POD XT and a ton of other digital modellers (and solid state and tube preamps as well). Tweaked them for hours and days. With this unit I found a great tone in about 2 days.

With the Rocktron Xpression (or any other good stand-alone FX unit) it's a killer combo. I hope Behringer will improve the effects in the next version (basically they sound good, but you can't use them independently of each other) and they could kill the competition. This unit costs a fraction of the price of a POD Pro XT and has the same ins/outs (or more), a mono pre-FX loop, a stereo post-FX loop, XLR outs, global EQ, full MIDI control, software editor...for $169??? ($105 for me used). C'mon, killer deal...and the sound is both total metal mayhem and sweet clean heaven at the same time. Best $105 I ever spent on gear.

Pretty easy to use on the dial up of basic sounds - most functions are available from the front panel - Amp type, tone, basic effects and compressor (oh and tuner). I use it for recording via SPDIF and can control it by midi (not something I use a lot). Like my Pod 2 sometimes things require a bit of extra thought (re effects) but basic sounds setup is very easy.

I have a Gallien Kruger150B for live work but use this to DI my bass (Fender Precision Deluxe) into my computer recording rig. I find the sounds very good for bass (again I couldn't really get a great lively sound either through my PoD2 or via DI without really working it) With this I dialed up the sound I wanted and went. I haven't tried to do comparative sound emulation but really it seems to come up with any sound that I want it to i.e. setting it up by ear not by what it says on the front panel alone. I use the SPDIF output most of the time and it gives a great punch sound where I want it. Usually when recording I do not have to apply any additional treatment over the clean sound.

Happy with it so far however I have noticed a hum coming from the case of the unit. Maybe its because it has been left switched on since I bought it - over a year!

n.a.

Cover a huge range of styles - Rock, Punk, Jazz, Indie, Pop, 60s. Very happy with the sounds that I get from this.

I bought this predominantly for recording and am convinced that it represents so much more value than the Pod Bass. For guitar though I would never use it - the PoD is awesome for that and the VAmp leaves me cold but for bass - excellent

This unit comes with some pretty bangin presets, and editing those are generally easy. Once, you figure out how to work the damn thing. The manual made better toliet paper than it did help me figure out the beast, but at least it had one ....I guess.......

I play all kinds of different styles, from Metal to jazz, to funk, to etc,etc,etc.I'm playing an OLD Cort jazz knockoff with crappy pickups and electronics. I was amazed at how the v-pro made my shitter sound so good. I have yet to play it through a real cabinet yet, and am eager to do so. I really love the NuRock(Flea)preset and the Jamie J.

I haven't had this bad boy for long, but I know Behringers reputation for make killer stuff at good prices. I never back up anything for playing live. That take all the fun out of it. If is breaks on stage , then it DIES on stage.

Hope I don't have to.

Overall I think my bass V-pro will cure all the amp head woes of my past. I'm gonna run this thing straight to a power amp and straight to a cab and DI to the board. For the money you really can't beat it. Line6 seems to think their shit don't stink as they bend you over for $500-$600. One thing that I wish it had was a better way to skip banks with out the foot controller. And, a better manual.

I can't imagine how you could make an easy interface for such a complicated device with just a few buttons, knobs, and LEDs. But they've done a decent job. It comes with some good patches pre-programmed, and it is very simple to make modifications to them --- there are knobs dedicated to tone, drive, amp model, etc. Deeper editing is also not unreasonably difficult, but is much easier using their pc software. If you hook the thing up to your computer via a midi port and use their freely downloadable software, editing is just as simple as can be.

I have played guitar for a long time (over 20 years), and I play many different styles (jazz, pop, rock, blues, folk, etc.). A lot of amp modelers do a good job with heavy overdrive tones, but few of them do good clean tones or mildly distorted tones. Most units I've worked with are so noisy that you have to use a noise gate even on clean tones, and mild distortion results in beating harmonics which make an unpleasant edgy sound.

Unlike other more expensive competitors, the v-amp pro is very quiet. Without any noise gate, with the volume turned all the way up, I don't hear anything when my guitar volume is turned all the way down --- unless you've got a magic pickup you will be limited by the noise of your guitar rather than the v-amp pro.

The v-amp does a great job on the high-gain/high-distortion end, and does a much better job than most amp modelers I've used at the mild bluesy distortion. I've never gotten a completely satisfactory low distortion tone (to my taste) out of the v-amp, but I am very picky --- I've only gotten a low-distortion tone I was completely satisfied with out of a few amps/modelers, and all of them had tubes and cost in excess of $600! But what I have gotten is very usable, and the best I've heard in any product less than $600.

The included effects are well rounded. I've read some complaints about the effects in this unit, but I have been pretty satisfied. In particular I've read a few comments which trash the reverb on the v-amp. I've been using an amp with an authentic spring reverb for the past few years, and have developed a taste for it. The unit's spring reverb emulation isn't perfect, but it is actually pretty good --- good enough that I am not willing to drag my amp into the room when I record a track. The auto-wah is very responsive and sounds really nice.

The standard cabinet models sound great through the headphones, but you need to remember to turn it off if you are actually going through a guitar amp. The standard cabinet simulations are not bad when I record directly from the line or digital outs into my computer sound card. I found the Ultra-G cabinet simulation to be kind of muddy when I go right to the recorder, but for reasons I don't understand it sounds pretty sharp when connected to my P.A. speaker/amplifier.

At this price, you have to think that there are some cheap components inside the box. But, so far I have had no problems. I haven't taken a look inside, but the case is solid metal, the connectors and buttons seem solid enough.

I've never had to deal with the company. I have heard from others that they tend to give good support.

I have been playing for over 20 years. I mainly play through a strat and a deVoe archtop. I play a broad range of styles, and this unit gives me excellent tones to use in all of them. I am not completely satisfied with the mild-distortion blues tones I have been able to produce, but I am happier with these tones than with the blues tones I have been able to get from any other sub $600 unit I've played with.

The many output formats are a great feature. I especially like the sp/dif output, which appears to work flawlessly with my M-audio sound card. The free software makes editing patches very easy.

I wish that it had a more informative display --- I would rather remember my patches by a name than a number. The lack of a foot controller is also a minus --- but for the price of a pod, you could purchase a v-amp and a midi foot controller, and get more switches and pedals than I know what to do with! There is also an annoying lag when you change patches if the patch you switch to has a different cabinet model than the one you were using before. This means that you can't switch cab models as you go quickly from rhythm to lead patches. Of course, this isn't any more limiting that a real amp would be. I haven't noticed any significant lag when I change parameters in a given patch, etc.

This unit has a lot of good sounds inside, and extremely low noise. If it were stolen or lost, I'd pick up another one right away. I am a tough customer, but I've been completely satisfied with this product. I was happy with it the day I opened the box, and I am still happy with it several months later. I still can't believe that they can sell this thing for $170! If you don't need to change patches hands-free within a single song and if you don't need a wah pedal (the auto wah is not bad) then this unit does it all. If you do, then this unit plus a midi pedal board will do it all!

a bit tricky to start off but once you get the hang of the control system its all good and combined with the fcb1010 it makes it much easier

effects are great especially for the price range. the autowah function is soo good i sold my dod envelope filter...

however theres one thing that lets it down and i only found this out once i got the fcb1010 and its switching between effects. there is a delay and a space of silence for about a minit beween effects. i think this rearlly will fault it in live performances

very good no problenms soo far

n/a

not a bad sound atall apart from that one let down i mentioned

The manual is not very comprehensive {probably because it is written in so many languages} and many of the most powerful features are not readily apparent. For example, you have to use the "tap" feature to get to secondary feaures under the hood. On the plus side, the front panel is pretty intuitive and it is easy to tweak sounds to your hearts content.

I know this thing is not the best modeling product out there [e.g., Line6 or Guitar Rig] but I like this box. I agree with some of the other posts here that the bass v-amp pro nails the Ampeg sound. It comes close to nailing a few other amp models as well.

The sound effects are very usable and I think the Delay-Chorus is a stand out. The Phaser is extremely playable and the auto wah/mutron effects can get you near that Bootsy vibe. Overall, the bass v-amp pro is just a lot of fun to play around with.

The set up of the bass v-amp pro is split up among four areas: Bass, Keyboard, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar. Basically, you have setups that are ideal for a bass guitar but could also work well with a sampled electric piano patch or electric guitar. Similarly, you can run your guitar through some of the guitar amp setups to achieve a variety of clean and dirty sounds.

Where the bass v-amp pro shines is in the studio. I run it directly into my roland vs-2480 and it is quiet unless I have a hi gain setting. I can get just about every bass sound from Stanley Clarke to Flea on this thing and just about anyone else in between. Using the XLR outs I obtain a really clean sound. Adding the on board compression allows me to get a signal that sits well in the mix and forgives my often sloppy playing style.

The best thing about the bass v-amp pro to me is the vibe factor. Most models can not capture the teeth grinding appeal of a 500 watt amp cranking a 4x12 cabinet. All you can really hope for is that they capture the character and vibe of the tone they are trying to model. To my ears the bass v-amp pro does capture the character and vibe of many of the amps it tries to model. Therefore, I place it in the category of other cool effects boxes [e.g., Sansamp] that take an input sound and makes it sound better. Thus, I use it on modern keyboards and synths to add a bit of vintage flavor. I use it on guitars in some tracks to create a contrast between other tracks where I used my Podxt Live[for guitars I think Line6 clearly wins the prize for authenticity, but the edge is not so clear in my view with regard to bass sounds. Any many circumstances, I preferred the sound of the bass v-amp pro to that of the bass Podxt]. It also does a nice job on drum tracks in the same manner as Scream works in Reason.

Bottom line- Its a versatile tool to get some really good bass and keyboard sounds tracked in the studio. It has some unique guitar tones [clean and distorted] that work well alone or along side other tracks done with real guitar amps or Line6 products. It can work well for gigging musicians in a small band if you have the patience to set it up properly.

So far so good. I have owned other behringer equipment and have not been dissapointed yet.

They have responded in the past when I had issues.

For the price you can not go wrong! I have tried to record top quality bass players with all kinds of rigs and have not been able to record better sounding tracks than what I am doing now with the bass v-amp pro. The Bass Podxt may have a slight edge in sound quality but to my ears it is not nearly as fun to play[e.g., the bass synth on the bass v-amp pro responds much better than the bass synth on the bass podxt]. Moreover, the bass v-amp pro is designed to be useful for processing keyboards and guitars and costs a fraction of the price of the bass podxt. For home studio use or small local gigs the bass v-amp pro is hard to beat.

First thing you will find out from nearly all multi-effects and amp modelers is: You can NEVER get the sound you want! And Bass V-Amp Pro is not an exception.
The low priced, amp modeler is easy to use. Even without reading the manual you can see that it is the most easy-to-use unit around.
The manual is complete and covers the whole thing.

Sound quality eh? I would say "disappointing" comparing to the rivals and as I have read the reviews, most people who are using it are low budget bassists. But for the price I think the sound is not bad. I think thats not a bad choice for a starter or a low budget bassist. Its good for geting used to amp modellers and effects when you are a newbie but for gig use of pro recording, dont even think of it. Has some funny and digital effects but its childs play.

Not at all!

Not Yet!

I play from Jazz to Punk Rock and Alt. Rock.
As I said before its not a good match for a pro but works for a newbie.
I have been playing bass for 5 years and I use Fender amps, Fender and Ibanez basses and some effects units like BOSS GT-6B.
I bought it just because it was so cheap and bought it used from a friend.
I like the funny effects and I actually used some of them in one of my recordings! But not for a bass line, just for some breaks and fills.
Comparing to POD or BOSS I think these rivals win over Behringer without doubt, but for a higher price. So I think if you found it this cheap #70 go and buy it cause it will help you someday.
The effects are too digital and not real.

Not bad if you are familiar with rackmount units. Editing is easy once you learn to find your way around, but the manual is pretty much useless.

As with any gizmo, all PA's and all rooms will make it sound a little differntly. Tweeking is easy.

Seems good, I rackmount my stuff and try my best to take take of it all.I don't go anywhere without a backup though...no matter what/where I happen to be playing.

I called them up to further check into the volume knob issue as I talked about in an earlier review. The people I spoke with were kind and helpful. Seems that the MASTER VOLUME is intended to work on the earphone and 1/4 inch anolog outputs only. The master volume is not intended to control the XLR output, and there is a reason. This is because the XLR output is meant to be connected to the mixerboard only, and to be controled by the person running the mixer. The 1/4 inch anolog output is for connecting to a power amp or a combo amp and you use the Master volume to control your stage volume WITHOUT changing what is being heard out front of the PA system.

Good unit for the $$$. Has a few quirks, but I learned to adapt or pay $500 more for the Line 6 Bass Pod pro.....hmmmm. See my previous review a few days ago and also come see me at: Bilvis.homestead.com

The manuel,as with most of Behringers products stinks, and it'll take you a while to figure this thing out. Once you do it's not to awful hard to work with but could be easier.

I don't know what some people are listening to when they talk about this unit. I agree it has a lot of different sounds and some fun effects, but once the nifty factor goes away, you are left with some pretty shabby tones. The absolute worst part is towards the end of each sustaining note there is some awful digital breakup/tracking/distorted noise sound that just chokes off every note. I have tried evrything to get this to stop but I continue to hear it no matter what.

Listen close people as it took me a few days to notice it....but it's there.

I've used it on gigs without a backup, but I feel lucky that nothing went wrong.

I play rock/jam and it could be a good match without the bad sound.
I would not buy this again. In fact, I am selling it and picking up the line 6 basspod in it's place.
I chose this unit because of the price to feature ratio. Looks pretty good on paper, but I would advise to spend a bit more and get a quality unit.
Also I bought the midi fcb 1010 footcontroller to try and run this thing....don't even get me started on that disaster.

I found this gizmo pretty easy to use. If you have monkeyed around with this sort of device before you will be zipping through the presets in no time at all. The LED on all the knobs are a great idea to see where the status is on all the knobs. Tweek to taste and save Editing patches takes some time and know how but you'll get it. I thought the manual was REALLY lacking in alot of information.

I use a Schecter c-4xxx > Behringer > BBE 482i Sonic Maximizer > Crown power amp (525 watts per side) > 2x10 + 2x15 cabs. As always some of the presets are good and some of them leave you saying "what were they thinking?" They do this to show ANY units veritality I suppose. Thankfully you can overwrite the useless ones and keep the ones you like. The manual also tells you how to set it back to factory condition so tweek to your hearts content! At the price they are letting the V-amps go now ($180 after tax), if you can find 1 -3 presets that you like, it's cheaper than a mess of pedals by far. I find almost half the presets are pretty good, so in my eyes it's money well spent! Like I said, you can overwrite any you don't like anyways. Some of the presets are SO FRIGGIN' NOISY they are unusable, but alot of the others are GREAT. Finding Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, and John Entwhistle type sounding presets is no problem! I'm more interested in a devise like this for it's amp modeling than for the effects, so if I use any effect, it's set real low.

I keep my stuff rackmounted to protect it, but it seems solid. I have other Behringer equipment and had (mostly) good luck with it. I don't go anywhere without bringing my (original) Line 6 Bass Pod for a back-up though. So far so good!

I haven't had to deal with Behringer so I can't really answer this. Like I said, I've had good luck with Behringer equipment in the past and so have alot of my buds. However, I HAVE heard/read some real horror stories :-).

I've been in and out of bands since the mid 1980's (mostly on 6 string) and now I'm playing bass in a cover band. When I'm not "playing out" I record my originals which is REALLY where my heart is at. If it were lost or stolen I would replace it, for the money you can't really go wrong. I did compare alot of other units, and yes there ARE much better out there. I liked all the outputs ( 2-XLR, 2-1/4, digital outs as well), and I wasn't willing to settle for a "one trick pony" amp either. Cost and REASONABLE quality won me over. I wish it had USB ports but for the money that's asking alot. Behringer nailed the Ampeg sound completly. The effects are useable, but I use effects sparingly anyways. BTW, I do have to say that the MASTER knob only works for the headphones, either that or my unit is defective, I have to investigate this further and get back to you on this. Come see me ans say "Hi" at : BILVIS.HOMESTEAD.COM

As with all f/x and amp modellers, knowing your way around the whole unit is no mean feat. With the Bass V-Amp, its refreshingly easy to instantly dial in an amp with effects and compression in no time at all. However, to edit more in-depth features such as the speaker cabinet and to access some of the other effects, can be rather baffling at first, requiring different combinations of held-down buttons sometimes which can be a pain in the ass if you want to try out different cabs quickly and easily. After a while doing all this is second nature, and different settings and preferences can be dialed in very quickly, but this is one department where the V-Amp lags behind its competitor, the Bass Pod Pro. The manual is extremely badly written, but a few reads will help clarify on how to operate the more long-winded stuff.

The Bass V-Amp Pro is very unique, as it does not just model bass! Indeed, you can also model guitar, acoustic guitar and keyboard, and this is a feature I love. For bass, I use a passive Warwick RockBass Streamer 5 string, and for guitar I use a cheapo Epiphone Les Paul Special II. The bass amp I use is an Ashdown Five Fifteen and for guitar I use a Marshall MG10CD. The V-Amp is also DI'd to my computer. Dissapointingly, some of the bass amp models are very similar sounding, but some of the models are extremely useful and very authentic sounding; I certainly think that the Ampeg models are extremely accurate, and if paired up with an Ampeg cab would actually sound pretty close to the real thing. The Pod has more consistent models and the same level of authenticity, but the V-Amp's guitar models are also excellent, authentic and also more consistent than the bass models. A tip though when using an amp modeller such as the V-Amp is to try and discolour the signal as much as possible, for example, the guitar amp I use is plugged into the CD-in, which bypasses the amp's preamp. The V-Amp is also an excellent recording tool, with more connections than the Pod, and is very easy to work with in this respect. The effects are of very good quality, but likewise with the models (but not to the same degree) they are a bit inconsistent, but I would only say about three of the 16-odd different effects apply. Each effect is vastly editable, and a whole variety of sounds can be easily attained from these set of effects. The manual has a detailed description of each amp and effect, which helps a great deal in trying to achieve a particular sound, so I always have my manual open on these pages when im making new patches.

The only thing this unit has sustained from the amount of abuse I've put it through is a few tiny scratches. This unit has been dropped twice and been through a few very rigorous, loud gigs. The unit does give off a slightly worrying amount of heat, so ventilation is a very good idea when using this unit at loud volume. One of the times I dropped it was at a band practise, and it slid off the top of my amp; it fell on my cable and chopped the cable in half!!! I have no qualms about it breaking when I'm playing it in any situation.

I have asked them questions before about the product and they havent replyed back, god knows what they're like on refunds and more important customer support.

The acid test...if this unit were stolen, would I buy it again? The answer is no, I would probably get a Pod if there were a next time, but at the same time I don't regret at all buying it and at the price you can get it for now (about #155) it really rattles those of the Pod XT (#225) and Pod Pro (#420). If there were anything I would change about it, then I would change some of the models (when I got the unit I was not very well educated on bass amps, but now I know that some of the amps are not to my preference, its only a personal preference). If you have the money for a Pod then get that, but the V-Amp Pro makes an excellent, quality buy laden with features at a fraction of the price of a Pod.

For more information on the Bass V-Amp Pro visit http://www.behringer.com/LX1-B-PRO/?lang=ENG

I give an 8 to the Bass V-Amp Pro because patches can almost fully be edited with the knobs. Of course you have to read the manual and play with it for a little while to know where is what. I've owned the Bass Pod and I must say Behringer really out did themselves in terms of ease of use.

Sound quality! I really don't understand how can people find this unit noisy...not even close to be noisy. Of course if you drive the gain of the Rock Classis (Ampeg SVT) to 8...duh...you get noise...don't ask from an emulation what the real thing cannot even do!!! All amps drive with high gain will produce noise, that's what a noise gate is for and Behringer bundle a very good one with the Bass V-Amp.

The amp models are very good, of course it ain't the real SVT or the real Bassman, but it's pretty darn close. Unless you want to lug around 100 pounds of gear (or more!) the Bass V-Amp is the closest thing to Heaven for a bassist.

The effects are not from out of this world but there are very usable. the Stereo Chorus is lush and full and the ultrabass is even better than a new Boss Octaver pedal (not the old japanese ones from the 80s...nothing beats that).

Conclusion, if you want an SVT, pileup your cash and buy one...if you want a gold mine of tones that weights 7 pounds instead of 100...buy a Bass V-Amp Pro.

The only draw all emulators have is the little silence when changing patches. If playing live keep that in mind...but it's more than manageable, not that much of a draw back if you ask me. I'd rather worry about a 1/2 second silence than about 8 tubes in overdrive that can fail anytime.

I've had good luck with Behringer but I've had the Bass V-Amp for about a week...so time will tell.

Usually if it works for a week , it will for a life time. That kind of stuff breaks very fast if it's going to, unless you drop it in the staircase of course.

Custowhat? I'm in Canada, there is no such thing as Custawhat from Behringer...the guy from Behringer in Halifax is nice though, too bad he always keeps saying "it's been taken care of...we can only wait now" or "I placed the order two months ago and I've been following on it every two weeks!!! There's nothing more I can do..."

I just wished Behringer would give North America the same support they give in Europe...

I'll give it a 2 because Mike is a nice guy!!

I've been playing for about 6 years, in studio and in a band. I have a workhorse, a Yorkville 200b...not loud enough for big gigs but cool for cozy small gigs. For all the bigger venues I had been using a Bass POD until I found this beauty call Bass V-Amp Pro.

I plug the Bass V-Amp Pro in the club's PA and there we go.

Just remember that most people can't even tell the difference between a Bass in the higher frets from a guitar played in the lower frets...stop worrying about haveing the best this or best that...practice and perfect your technique. When setup properly the Bass V-Amp Pro will be all you will even need.

This is Behringer?s Bass V-Amp Pro (BVAP) rack-mountable bass amp/speaker modeling and multi-effects unit. Please visit http://www.v-amp.com/ for a complete list of the specs.

The front panel controls and menu are fairly intuitive for switching patches and basic configuration. Beyond that I would prefer to use the software editor, although Behringer?s editor is lacking compared to others. The unit is best approached head-on as a single lit LED (around the rotary encoders) can appear to be 2 lit LED?s from an angle. The rotary encoders for models have detents but the rotaries for volume, tone and effects parameters do not. They?re all digital controls (I believe) so I?d rather all encoders have detents, seems to make things a bit easier. The tuner is definitely twitchy and could use a few more segments in the display, I won?t even use it. Computer connection is established via MIDI, although USB would be preferable. Particularly since the Behringer software/unit won?t play nicely if you?re chained through other MIDI devices. Also, S/PDIF and AES/EBU in would have been very nice for re-amping and such. All outputs are clearly labeled and there?s a signal path diagram on the top of the unit. Fairly straight-forward stuff.

There?s a REAL difference in the quality of the sound coming out of this unit, depending on which outputs you?re using. I simultaneously ran the S/PDIF, balanced and unbalanced outs into a DELTA 1010 (bass->BVAP->Delta) so I could quickly compare the 3 signals (all stereo). Ah yes, but first the headphones. This unit contains, hands down, the NOISIEST headphone amp EVER!! That was the first output I used, almost making me throw it right back in the box and send it home. Then I cranked up the other outputs? The balanced outs are alright, no noise like the phones but the signal is very muddy, like someone threw some moving blankets over your speaker cab (more below). The unbalanced outs are vibrant compared to the balanced. The sound is much clearer and more defined. The S/PDIF is even more robust than the unbalanced out. However it should sound better, as you?re skipping another DA/AD conversion in the process. Also, the DA converter specs say that it?s not quite what the AD converter is, one more reason you?ll get better sound through the digital outs. The phones/balanced out issue must be related in part to the ?SuperG? mic/cabinet modeling, because these are the two outs (balanced and headphone) which pass through that processor. I guess that some of the cabs actually sound that muddy, but I choose to bypass. IMHO this end of the modeling comes up a little short. The phone-amp still has issues beyond that, as there?s WAY more noise there than anywhere else (or than there should be).

Most models in the unit are of good quality as are most of the effects. Great low end and clean sounds, no complaints! Many models provide good definition and balance throughout the spectrum. The over-driven patches (for the greater part), however, tend to suffer from a cheap, digital sound. The BVAP is definitely not the best in that respect. Some patches have excessive noise to the point that you wouldn?t want to use them, then again so do some amps. Overall you can achieve a good quality of sound with this unit, suitable for live or recording purposes. Some have complained about too much noise, especially for recording. I would disagree. Admittedly, that all depends on your threshold? but do not make the mistake of judging this unit from the headphone out. It is regrettable that there?s so much noise there, I?d even say the phone out is unusable. I tried one unit in a store and it seemed to have the same issue, so I assume it?s something Behringer needs to address.

Switching patches mid song during a live show won?t work. There?s not only a short dropout but also funky, unpleasant digital noise; unless your bass is perfectly silent. This makes the foot controller that much less attractive. While the foot controller seems to be a very capable (and expansive) MIDI controller it?s also about ? of the price of the unit. It would be nice to see Behringer offer a more basic version (bank & patch up-down, bypass and exp pedal), although any MIDI foot controller should suffice.

Sound quality rating ignores the lousy headphone amp, because there is good sound coming through the other outs, which are what you?d use live or in the studio. But the lack of a decent sound from the phones further kills the ?Ease of Use? since I have to run it through my rig to edit patches.

The power cord receptacle is so touchy I?ll either send it back for repair or open it up and do it myself. If the unit is moved even ??, or the power cord is touched it shuts off or resets. There was also an issue with the unbalanced outputs being loose and generating some noise. The S/PDIF jack should be fastened to the rear panel, from the movement of it I?d assume it?s simply fastened to the PCB. Hopefully I won?t need to constantly reconnect it since the amount of movement is not encouraging. Initial quality issues are never a good thing to see, but this seems like some poor QC with connectors, maybe a couple of cold solder problems. I just noticed that the LED?s for the master volume are not functioning at all. Then again, on Behringer?s site the picture shows that the LED?s on the master volume don?t light, there?s a dot on the knob instead. What?s up with that, nine knobs with LED?s and one with a dot? Especially for the master? but I leave it up all the way anyway. Overall, the unit doesn?t have a very road-worthy feel to it? but then again it?s made to be rack mounted and protected from abuse. Theoretically rack gear doesn't get abused. I?ll have to consider this unit reliable until it isn?t. (ala Yogi?;-)

Haven?t dealt with them yet, I need still need the BVAP right now but as soon as I get a chance it?s going back for repairs, which sucks because of the lost time. I don?t want to void the warranty to fix a cold solder issue and the possibility exists that it could be something beyond that.

Comparing the BVAP to other similar units is tricky. Among the other popular rack units to compare this to (for features and sounds) is the Bass PODXT Pro, but considering the price difference I?ve tried to refrain from doing that. I tried to base my ratings and comments (mostly) on how this units fares by itself.

While the BVAP lacks some features that I?d like to see and has some issues that should be addressed in the future, it is a very cost-effective unit :-)

Issues: First, fix the headphone amp!!! Second, a better and more usable tuner, please! Third, a better editor software package. Beyond these things, are digital ins and USB, but for the price I realize that?s a tad unreasonable.

I thought about the Tech 21 RBI, but money was a big issue so the $100 saved made the choice. I wasn?t really looking for a digital unit with effects, (price of PODXT Pro and others $300-700+!!) but my friend turned me on to this and swore that he and his boys have had good luck with Behringer equipment in the past so I couldn?t resist. This is even a stereo unit; where as the Bass PODXT Pro is not. Some will argue whether or not that?s necessary but there are other forums for that? The BVAP offers several modes of operation; stereo, amp sim w/ FX on the right and amp sim w/o FX on the left, bi-amp and other modes. Again, visit Behringer?s web site(s) and then download the manual. The Behringer BVAP does what I needed it to do well and then does a little more. For the money, I?m happy. If I had unlimited funds, I would have gone a different route, but at the moment I consider the $190 money well spent - surprisingly well spent, even. This is a decent unit with models suitable for a wide variety of music and it even accommodates acoustic guitars fairly well also. The BVAP is absolutely great for entry level, although the lack of USB will deter some in that market. Those above entry level may find the lack of S/PDIF and AES/EBU in annoying, among other things. I stated before that it?s hard to compare this unit to others (Roland/Boss, POD, etc.) because of the huge price differentials, but it?s also hard not to ? c?mon they?re right there! The Behringer BVAP stands fine, alone. When compared with some others (if money is no object) the BVAP would probably not fare so well. Bang for the buck? Most definitely! Hence the ?9? overall rating.

I give this a 9 because you CAN plug & play right out of the box. It's not difficult to be up and running in 5-10 minutes. That said...it can get as deep as you care to dive into it. The midi implementation takes some study. Docs need some rewriting.

For the price...it's great. I use an Alvarez Yairi acoustic w/ Martin Thinline straight into it. The 1M input impedance makes it great for a piezo w/o a preamp. I also use an Alesis Midiverb4 in the effects loop (verbs are much better than the effects built-in). Then I feed a Peavey 2600 power amp into two Fender 12" speakers (stereo...in a 70's Pro Reverb cabinet). The sound is awesome.

Caveat...you MUST feed a clean signal into it. If you have any pickup or ground problems in your axe or cord the signal comes through as awful digital noise. Provide a clean input and you get a clean output. Once I resolved my electric guitar's issues...the sound was fabulous!

I've had it for a month now...works fine...all my other Behringer equipment has been totally reliable.

The only issue I have is the upgrade procedures they've instituted for their other equipment (i.e. FCB 1010 midi pedal). It's not an easy web form to get an upgrade. This unit might prove me wrong with the software implementation. I'm basically rating the company's past performance.

I've been a guitar player for 25 years. I've very picky about my acoustic sound. I play contemporary Christian music (and write some). If this were stolen...I'd get another. You can't beat the tone & flexibility for the price. If you only like 2 of the presets...it's a good value. I'd considered the Yamaha MagicStomp (seemed too limited)...and the Pod (too much money...just over my budget). This unit...with the built in DI replaced my 15 band stereo eq and a separate DI box...plus gave me a vast array of options. I just haven't found the time to exploit the all! :-)

My, oh my, people. Behringer is an international company that sells musical gear world wide. Don't be so elitest stupid and expect everything to be in simple english.
Ease of use. No problem. I had this thing up and making sounds and storing presets inside of an hour. Editing is easy. As easy as a POD. I know, I own one. You get what you need in the manual. A basic idea of the amps and cabinets and what the effects do. If you aren't familiar with an auto-wah or flanger go back to your guitar instructor or read a guitar magazine. This is NOT a PLUG & PLAY. You have to initiate some grey matter into the process.
This is really designed for Bass and Keyboard players. You other guys get your red POD or the Blue Behringer V-amp and leave us alone.
Adjust the values by turning a knob, you like it, then press a button. simple!
One thing I really, really like is the fact that I can plug my headphones into the unit with the amps off and play/practice to my hearts content with out distrubing the rest of the world. Helpful for those long winded arguements. This item is worth the price of admission alone!

Did someone say hissing? Turn up gain onanything and you'll get hissing. They have their own noise gate that you can activate called a "Denoiser". I have mine (when needed, set at either 6 or 9 out of a possible 15)and it keeps things sounding pretty. I use mine like this: Bass guitar into a wireless, into the V-Amp unit, and then into a QSC power amp (PLX 1602) l & r out into two seperate cabinets and the balanced XLR into the snake for the house mains. Incredibly versatile this way and the soundman is able to tweak the sound and volume without changing my sound on stage. I like this arrangement very much. The sounds are infinite. What? You want a Ricky, Fender, 70's sound, 80's punk, 60's distorted, no problem. I get a Chris Squier, Geddy Lee, Marcus Miller, Mel Schacher, John Paul Jones sound and even more. It is even quiet enough to use in the studio. I don't get where a few say it's noisey????
The only thing I wish it had was a bypass on the effects. But all you really have to do is turn the effects knob all the way off and then save the adjustment by, get this, pressing 1 (one) button. Hard to use? My foot.

It seems to be able to handle playing almost everynight. i have had mine for two months and have used it for 41 nights. It is a fragile piece of equipment by it's own nature. Handle it like you would your best guitar, savvy?
Our crew and myself liked it alot and we talked our keyboard player into getting one. He can tell his own story, but it has made sound checks easier and volume wars not as abundant. I think he has had it three weeks. Once again, the soundman can get it to do things that you don't like to hear on stage, but you'd never notice. You know some stages are really dull, to expansivem, too thuddy.

Never dealt with them. We'll either fix it ourselves or buy another. So there.

OK be honest with yourself. You find a couple of presets you really like and then you stay with those and store those with different effects. Out of 125 presets I like to use 15. Depends on the gig and the bass I'm playing. I have a bank designated for each bass. It's like having 5 amps on stage. I wish it had a simpler foot switch. Oh that's what roadies are for, I forgot.
This is better than being tied to a one amp sound. I've had a POD since Feb of 2000 and have grown accustomed to this type of gear. I bought this one in March. You can be original more so than with the Marshall or Mesa sound. Hey you can get those two, too.

Pretty easy to use.. you can be up and running in no time.. but tweaking is a bit harder. Most things are easy, a few things you will have to consult the manual on.
It's easy to understand, however, and you should learn quickly.

I'm using a cheapo esp ltd b 50 while I shop for a new bass. Loaded with dimarzio pickups, and very nice Everly bass strings.. it sounds great via the v amp pro.
I see some complain about noise.. hey dummies.. extreme settings produce noise, get over it.
All the effects are pretty damn good.. and you don't lose a great deal of low end with this as you do with some outboard effects.
I use it with a Behringer BX3000T head.. straight into the power amp.
and I run a Legion Sound 8X10 cabinet or an X audio 2X10 cab.
sounds great, really.
I don't do particular artists sounds, but really, if you can't find in in here, you aint lookin' very well.

I've had it a few months now. Not a single problem.

I have no idea.. except that every time I've dealt with anyone from Behringer for anything they were courteous, prompt, and as helpful as one could ask.

It doesn't really matter what I play.. you can get a good bass sound out of the V amp pro for any style. many more than one, in fact.
I've been playing thirty years. This is the last device of it's type I'll need.
I'd buy this again in a nanosecond.
I'd have to say that none of the features right now outweigh the others.. except for personal tastes.. that is, there's no problem with the features it offers, especially for this money.
I like the EQ.. the amps.. the effects.. all of it.
I wish it had a simple footswitch with a couple of features like .. turning things on and off.. or switching from one setting to another, instead of the expensive multi purpose fcwhatchamacallit.
This is as good a unit as I'll ever need.. I record with it.. gig with it.. practice with it..
This thing and a Nady power amp.... MF has them for two hundred bucks.. is all any gigging musician would need. *well.. speakers, too. *s* *
It's really nice for home recording.. I'd take it with me to gig or studio and as a home practice unit, it's peachy.

Boy... a new guy would sure get along with this if he/she would have realistic expectations. You can't get maximum gain or lots of effects without getting noise with ANY unit. This one does just fine.

Buy one. *S*

It's pretty easy to get a "decent" sound out of this unit, I pick a preset and tweak it to taste. Editing is relatively simple once you get used to the way it works. The manual is pretty thin (English version) but it's enough to get started with. I go bass -> V-Amp -> mixing board -> M-Audio Delta 44 on my DAW.

I go straight out of my mixer into the computer for recording, it keeps me from getting evicted for playing late (lol). I have a Schecter Elite 5-string, it's my main bass. The unit is quiet enough, I know some folks have had quality control problems but I lucked out - mine is fine. I don't try to copy another players sound, I have the sound I want in my head and I can get it with this box - that's all I can ask for.

It *looks* pretty solid, but I'd not tow it around with me unless it was racked in a decent protective case. I'd always have a backup, though.. they're cheap enough, buy two.

Never dealt with them. Their Website is OK, though, and you can download extra presets from v-amp.com (along with editor software for Windows).

I have multiple personality disorder (lol), I play bass, guitar, and keys, everything from ambient soundscapes/electronic music to blues/rock and the occasional jazz tune. This box can go from a snappy, poppy sound to a deep sub-bass, so I can find a tone to fit my tunes no problem.

I've been playing bass about 5 years now, since I'm a bedroom musician and don't gig I just have the one box and bass on the bass side of things.

I checked out some other bass amp sims at Guitar Center, but this thing had the best sound for the price (I'm not rich so anything that says Line 6 on it is out of my price range lol). If it were stolen or lost, yeah, I'd get another. I really can't find anything I don't like about it, but maybe I'm easy to please. ;)

Piece is not easy to use. Many options must set with press a magic switching "tap", and some of them can't be changed at all! the only way is connecting the piece to a computer.
Manual in italian contains some little less infos that the english version, so you have to read it in english.
Manual not so clear.

The effects (distortions, rotary delay, reverbs synth) are very good for my taste, and also some simulations of amps and cabinets are goods.
I've experienced little background noises on some simulations, and also a "sound hole" when changing from 1 preset to another.

Good piece for the price paid.
Extreme useful for people who don't have clear ideas on what type of sounds ( amps - cabinets - effects) they prefer.

For so many knobs and possible tones, the v-amp pro is surprising easy to navigate. It doesn't take much to set up your own sounds and save them quickly and easily. I haven't found any of the presets that I really like but they are good for a starting point for a wide variety of sounds. You definately get an appreciation of the wide variety of bass sounds that are possible. It shouldn't take long to figure out the sounds that you like.

I originally bought it to beef up my GK400RB and it certainly did the job. I generally run through the vamp into the effects return of the GK, so I'm just using the power amp of GK to power my cab.. there seems to be heaps more volume this way. When I first bought it I couldn't believe the difference, but I have had several grievances with sound since then. Despite wide EQ shifting available, there is still a few frequencies that really annoy me that just can't be dealt with. It is quite noisy on some settings, but doesn't bother me too much live. When I play a note and change a preset, the sound dies and then restores on the new setting - meaning it would be useless to buy a foot controller to use multiple effects in a single song - the transition is not smooth at all and is very noticeable. Don't know if this is standard or not? I have used it for acoustic guitars as well and again it definately adds something that a traditional DI sound lacks.

Worked fine everytime so far.

Not dealt with behringer but I think they're pretty good in OZ.

I looked at getting a Pod Pro but for the price that behringer sell these things I couldn't go past it. If you're using a basic/moderate amp like I was then this cheap investment definately improves the sound greatly. I've since bought and all-tube monster that blows it out of the water but I still use the v-amp/400RB as a reliable backup rig and its definately worth the money to improve your sound.

The unit is pretty easy to use

Sound stinks, I got hiss so bad I sent the first unit back, the second had less hiss, but was still to much to deal with. Sent it back for a refund.

Can't say, only had it for a week

They told me it was my amp. I tok the whole setup to the Guitar center and they checked it all out for me. They told me to send it back. They also said they no longer deal with Beringer, bad QOS
Buyer be warned

Not worth the time. Will try POD 6 Bass next

Easy to use for basic tone shaping. There are a lot of features that will probably never be used, unless you're a real gadget freak. Comes with maunels in multiple lanquages. PDF files also available on the website. There are 25 banks of 5 presets, that are quite good, very easy to edit them and save your own, just hold the button down for a couple of seconds, like setting a station on your car radio. The effects and amp modeling features are very easy to use and very distinctive.

Sound quality is to excellent on the amp simulations and effects, only very good on most of the presets. Some of the presets are noisey, OK for live use but bad for recording. The good news is there are so many choices that you can find a simillar preset without the noise. I have this unit in a rack with a G-K RB 400. I've also used it with an Ampeg B-2. I play a Gibson Les Paul 5 string with Bartolini pups. Playing classic rock in a working band, I find it useful for that Mountain/Deep Purple/Grand Funk sound. Also very easy to dial in a Yes/Chris Squire tone.

So far so good, will see how it holds up for long term steady use.

Overall this is a nice unit. Reasonably priced with lots of features, even a bulit-in tuner. Once you get used to this thing you're not going to want to play without it. Traditionally there hasn't been a lot of "toys" out there for us bassists. I've tried other effects and stomp boxes over the years, and quickly dump them as gimmicky. This thing really works. Playing live in a band setting it cuts through the mix just fine. A very useful tone shaping tool.

The unit was easy to use out of the box and allowed me to make adjustments while playing live easily.
patches edited easily and saved easily.
The manual was easy to read except the color reference was wrong.
This was an up-graded unit.

I am using a 62 Jaz re-issue and a new Modulus. The unit is noisy even with nothing plugged in. The chorus and funk effects are distorted on lower notes I have stopped using the effects on the unit
I am using a SWR 750 and a 4x10 Eden cabinet. The distortion channels are great and have a lot of control

I have been burned by this unit. It does not hold it's memory after being moved and if there is the slightest voltage drop, it shuts down and does not allow any play through the DI.
I paid under $250.00 and still didn't get value on the unit.

I called and got blown off.
O would love to get .50 back from someone on the unit

I play Classic Rock, I need a higher quality unit. This is great for a non-pro player.
I have been playing for 32 years. I have way too much gear to list and would not replace this if it were stolen. I have already replaced the unit with an Agular pre-amp. I chose this unit because I needed something that day and it was cheap.
If you need a pre-amp save your money and spend the $1,000.00+ on a good unit.

Easy to use, the manual is OK. I bought this about 2 months ago so I think it's the latest revision.

I use mainly Fender basses and a Gibson Thunderbird bass. I've played my '72 Precision mostly through this unit. I also use a Line6 Bass POD (kidney version), and use both exclusively for recording. I have a GK 700RB for live work.

When I first got this unit, I oohed and ahhed over the presets. I also liked the I/O options and the price. But after a few projects I found the the presets didn't sound nearly as nice when mixed with other instruments. It's a universal recording truth that the bass sound will change as you add other sounds. OTOH, the Line6 doesn't sound all that impressive by itself, but hold up in a mix much better. At any rate, I found the Behringer to be a bit muddy and indistinguishable in a mix. After years of tweaking gadgets, I won't spend a lot of time fiddling with a box. If I can't get it fairly quickly I tend to move on, so I can't testify to a truly researched and tweaked patch. Maybe it sounds great tweaked, I don't know. The Line6 tends to need minimal tweakage and is friendlier to adjust in a mix.

The biggest exception to the above is my Gibson Thunderbird played through the "Boney" preset. Sounds _real_ close to a John Entwhistle sound. I think that alone makes it worth the keeping.

It comes on every time I hit the switch. Don't know much about Behringer reliability, most of my gear is more "pro" oriented (no arrogance intended).

Unknown. If it broke I'd probably throw it in the "closet of broken toys". It'd be cheaper to buy another one than to send this on in for repairs ;)

The "Boney" preset is basically the reason I keep this unit active. I don't need an Entwhistle-like sound that often, but it's the closest thing to it in a modeling box I've found. As for the rest of the sounds, well, I haven't really gotten consistent results. The Precision bass sounds really lost but my Jazz basses do a little better. The Thunderbird either sounds great or terrible, but they all tend to muddify in the mix. Given a little patience on my part, I think I could probably get some decent sounds out of this thing, but I've gotten lazy after tweaking innumurable little electronic boxes over the years.

Out of the box it's very easy to use and to dial up a sound. the patches are easily editable, also very easy to store....you do it once by the book and you know it all.

I bought this thing just with one idea in mind (SVT PRO Preamp) and I am not fully satisfied with the preamp.....other wise you get a lot of great sounds easily....much better than my VF-1 and very much easier...sometimes I get a pop when switching the patches but it's not buggin me. I am using it with a sort of custom Jazz bass with an EMG 35DC and then through a Warwick pro fet 4, but I am thinking of changing the warwick to a stereo power amp and Bi-amping it. Until now the sound I really want hasn't shown(I would like Pantera like sound) but i have got a great sound anyway.

I cannot say anything about reliability....had it only for a week, but my other FCB 1010 midi controller has been serving me great so...

I prefer it than my other Boss... you can get lots of different great sound from deepest sounds to high trebly ones. I say I would buy it again not for the truth of the preams it features but for the great sound you can get with it

First things first: this is not as easy to use as they say it is meant to be. There's an awful lot of knobs and buttons, so no matter what there's going to be a lot of fiddling around until you get the sound you want. Editing can be a bit difficult without the MIDI to your pc; if you do hook it up its as easy as you could want it. But again, a lot of fiddling around is needed to get results that you like.

What I wanted when i got this product was something that would give me a variety of sounds. I'm not exactly an authority on the exact sounds of various amps, I just try to achieve the sounds of various players (which of course is affected by your bass and playing style) but I have managed to reach John Myung's sound and Cliff Burtons mad distortion. Does a good impression of Roger Glover's sound as well... and you can get a nice funk sound too with the various models. Overall, it sounds pretty damn good. The FX are good, decent. I just wanted something to add balls to my rig and this does the job pretty well. A solid 8.

Well its made of metal and seems built like a tank. It's been banged about in car boots and scratched here and there and still works like new. And sits on top of my amp head for hours without any ill effects, so as long as you're as careful with it as you should be with any music equipment, it shouldn't present any problems.

Can't say... apparently, according to what i've heard, their USA Support is useless and their European support is excellent... havn't dealt with them myself but since i live in Europe i guess i get the better bargin...

For my various rock and metal needs, it fits the bill quite well. Good FX, nice sounding models, a variety of tones achievable, able to take any Spinal Tap-like disasters reasonably well. In the studio it makes a good direct recording tool, and according to what others have told me it does a reasonably convincing job of imitating the amps the makers claim it to be able to. The Tube Preamp setting is useful and sounds pretty cool, and the Mesa imitation sounds excellent too. I use this with my Hartke 4000 head, and the combination allows me to dial virtually any sound i want it to. However, having said that, if you want that full, balls-out, Ampeg/ Sovtek tube sound, get a tube amp. This sort of equipment is meant for recording stuff easily and using in live situations for those of us who cannot afford the classic amps. But I'm not complaining, i get the sound i want...

Pro
- Editing software makes patch edits much easier
- some of the effects are good
- many options for connection

Con
- Manual is mostly useless, some features are left out
- Adjusting patches thru the front panel is a bit complex

Pro
- it's pretty

Con
- pre-amp is extremely noisy, with nothing plugged in and using headphones there is a tremendous amount of crap in the signal. I tried every combination of possible adjustments to no avail. If modeling hiss and rumble is your goal, this is the unit for you
- As the bass string signal decays a good deal of random signal noise shows up
- presets are pretty much useless assortment bad noises

I e-mailed Behringer with concerns about the first unit I bought and received a prompt reply, unfortunately they told me the noise was due to faulty manufacture and that I should return it for another. The second one was just as bad. Kudos for the quick reply, dings for being wrong.

I have returned one to try a second and now it's going back (thank you Musicians Friend). I wanted a pre-amp to help massage some nice tones out of a Sound Gear 885 and Hartke amp. I really wanted to like this unit but all it does is add noise.

It is very easy to use, especially if you have a Midi Interface so you can tweak with your computer screen. The Manual could be a little better explained, specially due to all the knobs - bottons that you have to press if you don't have a computer interface. It has an excellent explanation of the connections type so you can match impedances and achieve a better sound.

I use a LTD B105 5 string bass. I am not a bass player, although I need to lay down some bass tracks. It is a very nice unit, allowing you to have different configurations for live and recording uses. For example you can choose between A stereo Amp+Cab+FX output, or an Amp+Cab+FX mono + Direct. It ain't noisy, the FX are so so, compared to my Lexicon MPX G2, but usable. The bass models sound good, I have no idea if they sound like the originals, but you can get a wide pallette of tone colors, from ultra low, to growling mids. I also had the Bass Pod, to me this one has better tones to my ears, at almost half the price in a rack format with TR 1/4 Unbalanced outputs, XLR Blaanced, S/PDI, and more.

Seems nicely built. Haven't had any problems with it so far.

I like hard rock, and grunge. This unit can give you a wide variety of tones.