Tech 21 SansAmp RBI

The sound that somes out is raw, and dirty, and distorted. it sounds grungy. sounds great with bass, but i can make it change to make it sound very soft and sweet sounding. very clean.

This little tool kicks. It has amazing tone for a tube emulator.
The features are pretty basic.
(Drive-Presense-Blend-Bass-Mid-Treble-XLR-Volume)
Has the active in it, which boost up bass and treble.
Sounds great with my set up.

Sturdy, enough said.

haven't called them back since i bought it. great preamp.

been playing 3 years now. perfect for any rig that wants to rock out with heavy guitars.
rackmount case 8u and a 6u
furman pl-pro 20 amp conditioner
korg DTR-1000 tuner
sansamp RBI preamp
DBX 215 EQ
DBX 166 compressor
BBE 482i sonic maximizer
Crown xs 500 power amp (1600watts bridged at 4ohms)
Avatar B410 cabinet

It's an analog tube emulation preamp. Sold as a bass preamp, but just as well used for guitar or any stringed instrument. I would have preferred round knobs, but you can go to the Rat Shack and get colored knobs of various sizes that customizes it to your taste.

OK, it can get a bit noisy when the treble is turned up, but since you'll never turn it that high without creating even worse finger noise on the strings, it's probably not an issue, especially for bassists that want to sound like bassists. You can own a truckload of tube amps, or you can own one of these 5 pound boxes. It will also emulate solid state bass amps if that's what you want, because that's what it is. If you want better, you had better think on paying more. If you want just as good sound without as much tonal range, try the BBE MAX for about the same price.

It will probably be working long after your power amp craps out. However, I did not take it apart to examine the internal build quality, but expect it to be good.

These people remind me of Yorkville Sound, which is one of the best companies in the business.

If you have a particular style, then one of the premium tube preamps at a much higher cost will be better for that particular style. If you want value and versatility, this will probably be the best you can do. This is a good preamp to compare the expensive preamps against, because if they can't beat it, you shouldn't buy it.

Simple. A couple of knobs. The only tough part is figuring out which side of the switch puts you on phantom power and which is the ground lift. Other than that, the knobs are very sensitive, both individually and to each other (think mesa: you turn one knob, you might have well just turned them all)

Fender American Deluxe P bass and Warwick Corvette Fretless 5. This thing actually kicks the shit out of the preamp in my SVT4PRO! It cant be described what it does to the tone. Clear, deep bass, and clean treble if you want. Or, if you want distortion you've come to the right place. The presence brings out so many harmonics, and the drive so effectively simulated a clipping tube power amp, that i was scared that my rig was melting down. You can basically go from victor wooten like clean, sensitive feel to the raging snarling glory of an svt that's about to explode. Beware the Kings X Preset if you have a horn loaded cab!

Seems Pretty tough and solid. I'd hate to be without it on a gig, but it seems reliable enough to use it without a backup. Spare 9 volts are a plus, though

never tried

I am truly into all styles of music, and listen to anything. This box takes me into hi fi clear land where harmonics abound and the slightest touch is picked up, all the way to a moan that sounds like satan himself. I wish it had a dedicated mid (although you can get that on the rbi) and maybe just maybe another output so i could send a colored signal to my amp and also a recorder (or additional power amp) without needing extra hasstle. If you play bass, if you play any stringed instrument, buy this! NOW!

IF NOT FOR ANY OTHER REASON, TRY THIS: I PLUGGED IT INTO MY SHITTY ROGUE 20 WATT AMP, WHICH SOUNDS LITERALLY LIKE A FARTING DUCK, AND IT BROUGHT THE TONE BACK TO LISTENABLE. ITS A MAGIC BOX I TELL YOU!
ask me any questions about this product or bass in general.

What could be easier? Turn a few knobs and get your sound.

Our bass player had a couple of these, so I borrowed one and started singing through it. I do a lot of hard rock screaming vocals, and I need something to help me get a lot of sounds for different songs, and for cool vocal hooks. The nice thing about analog knobs is that you can turn them at different speeds and vary the sounds as you are singing, for really unique sounds.

It seems very well made, especially for affordable gigworthy gear.

They were surprised that I sing through it, but they were very helpful with suggesting suitable power amps. I bought a Crown PA amp.

I sling it over my shoulder with a guitar strap and tie the strap to the two front handles. That way, I can turn the knobs while I'm singing. I always missed having an instrument on stage like the rest of the band. Now I have something that looks like an instrument, and nobody else plays one of these like I do. I changed some of the knobs to round ones so that I could turn them back and forth more quickly for better control. I use a Shure SM57 or SM58 microphone most of the time, depending on what's available. They are tough and put out enough voltage to get serious output from the unit. The power cord needs to be tied to the unit to keep it from falling out, and I had to replace mine with a longer one. I think these work much better than the digital units because of the smooth and continuous way you can turn the knobs and control the sound as you are singing. I don't think anybody has ever gotten some of the sounds that I do from this black box distortion thing.

Pretty simple analog interface . . .no complicated digital menus or anything . . just plug it in, dial the knobs, and start playing. since it doesnt have any patches or banks like most digital processors do, its a bit more difficult to recall patches and settings unless you write them down or memorize them - but i usually only use one all-around tone, so it works for me. has 2 outputs so that i can send one out to monitors and one out to recording interface. great for live and studio.

I use this mainly in the studio as a DI for recording bass, and it gets me exactly the sound i want. Its amazing to think that with only a few knobs that you can get a lot of different tones ranging from really modern metal bass tones to vintage-y tones as well. I dont think this precisely emulates other specific amps and sounds really well, but regardless, the tones from just turning a few knobs are quite exceptional and should be enough to cut any gig.

Have only had it for a month in the studio, and has not failed yet. seems very solidly built and even has 'tough' looking rack handles as if it were meant for abuse on the road.

have not had to deal with yet

I own and operate and home studio and this provides all the bass tones i could possibly need for sessions ranging from pop to metal to jazz. Overall, this ia versatile piece of equipment in terms of sound and uses and has a simple interface. I run a modified fender jazz deluxe bass straight into it and from it into my DAW. doesnt need much tweaking to get a great sound. i havent even used it live yet but i have no doubt that it will perform exceptionally there as well.

Really versatile. Easy to get a lot of different tones. Lots of features for the price.

For what you pay, this is about as good as it gets. Since it's solid state, the sound doesn't change with age as much as tube gear. Works best through clean amps rather than bass or guitar amps, since the amp tone is built into the RBI. I play mine through an old B&K 200WPC stereo power amp with the rack handles for easy transport. Works great atraight into the PA system, but I prefer a dedicated bass amp setup.

As good as you can expect for the price. Using really expensive components would up the reliability a bit, but not in relation to the increased cost. I've had mine for over 7 months, and no problems yet.

The tech rep was very helpful when I called for info before I ordered muy unit.

The best bargain in a wide ranging and rugged preamp for cover band players. A studio musician might want something a bit more high class like an Aguilar tube preamp, but the light weight and ruggedness and low maintenance nature of the RBI will appeal to a lot of working musicians as an affordable gigging preamp that gets the job done with no fuss.

Piece of cake to use. Analog, big knobs. Suggested settings provide a tutorial. I hate complicated stuff, I like this.

I bought the RBI to see if it would help me record (direct) slap tone from my wenge bodied Curbow Petite. It does. I'd tried hard to get the tone direct from my Eden WT400, can't. No amount of parametric/semiparametric eq worked. I tryed hard. I need this sound live too, so I put it after the Eden in a rack...with the uneffected out going through my fx's to a Hartke kickback 10. (the Hartke sucked at recording too) Great slap tone, and a buffered line out...helps with 60 cycle. The RBI gives me the slap tone I need (live and recorded)...and I think I can dial it in a bit better with time. I tried it with my fretless Warrior...doesn't seem to work for this, the RBI seems to kills harmonics too (chimes)...but whats good for my slap tone ain't good for my other stuff....and it's easy to turn the Sans Amp off live, and I use a second rig for reenforcing singing tones, and double/triple track recording. Slap tone works for me (but not the suggested setting, carful with it's highs)...good for hard driving rock sound too. I like what it does to the mids...lets me leave more in for my slap tone...but I think that's what kills the chimes/ fretless tone, though I might could dial that in if I had to. I'd give it a 9 or maybe a 10 for what I use it for...but it doesn't seem to be for everything. What is?

If I took a backup for everything I'd have to take a backup van. I've two other Sans Amp things, and my buddies use their stuff. I can't recall one breaking. One of my buddies can break anything...always complains stuff ain't made like it used to be. It's heavy duty.

I called and talked to a fellow named Lloyd before I bought it. Guess it helped, I bought it.

I do a solo act, singing and playing bass, record, and do bands from time to time...playing whatever. I'm into Jaco, Stanley Clark, Percy Jones, the Beatles and Sid Vicious. I have a lot of cool stuff and have been playing a long time. The important thing is the RBI gives me something I need, in a convienient package, from a reliable manufacturer.

Not much said, wont take you more than 5 minutes to figure out

For of all I bought this for my recording studio, in which I record other bands. A large amount of people that come to me have average equipment, so its up to me to either try to make there stuff sound good. Or to buy my own stuff for them to use, Ive gone with the second option, and have a large supply of Vintage amps (including Marshall mesa boogie Hiwatt and so on), also a very large supple of drums new and vintage, plus countless other instruments and amps and so on. So Ive been searching for the great all around get any sound you can imagine Bass amp. I checked them all out Ampeq, Aguilar, Eden, SWR, Ashdown, Mesa-Boogie, and so on. Looking only at there top of the line stuff usually $2,500+ in price for the head and cab. My favorite being Ampeg, and Aguilar, tracked through a $1,000+ Microphone, through either an API, Neve, or Telefunken Mic Preamp, to my 2" 24 track analog machine. Ive heard of the Sansamps, and have even used them in the past (pedal version), but never really gave them the time of day. Until a few months ago When I was tracking with a Gun's N' Roses type band. We used an American Jazz Bass, thought an Ampeg SVT-2PRO, with a 8 10 cab (I think I used a 414 and a d112 Mic on the cab but I cant remember), we also split the bass with a sansamp, when we got down to the mixing stage the sansamp sounded better than the Ampeg did. Which was sort of ironic as the bass player just dropped $2,500 for the ampeg setup at a local Guitar Center, only for the reason that we were going to use it for recording then bring it right back there for a full cash refund (don't you love guitar centers policy for the free 30 rental plan). Needless to say I was very impressed with how a $150 pedal could sound better than the $2,500 amp..... So I went out and bought a RBI for myself, brought it back to the studio for some testing plugged in an old piece of crap Mexican P bass with a bent neck that in any other circumstance sounded terrible, but to my surprise it actually sounded good. Anyways I went right back to the store where I bought the RBI from and immediately bought another one, so I could run a Bi amp set up. Let me tell you this sound completely amazing, I run the Hi's and the mids on one RBI and the low end on the other, and just run them DI right into my console. I love them it takes 5 minutes to get any sound you can think of I wouldn't trade it for anything. The one and only problem which I never need to use anyways, but some of you out there will. Is the drive, when plugged DI it sounds like a 10 dollar distortion pedal strait to a DI, well I guess you cant have everything. Regardless of this one set back I am still giving this unit a perfect 10

Never had a problem

Called them up before I bought the unit to ask some questions, and they were very helpful.

If you looking for something for the studio look no further, but remember the drive wont work correctly through a DI www.aroomstudios.com

it's got a lot of options, but anyone reasonably familiar with audio equipment will find it a cinch. it took me 5 minutes to tweak this with my 3-band active eq on my bass into a good sound. the manual gives suggestions for finding the sound of other bass rigs (ampeg, etc.) and applications (slap, distorted, etc.). the manual should be taken as just that -- a suggestion that you must then build from. it's good for getting ideas but i wouldn't use any of their pre-sets probably. the xlr output is great for clubs and recordings, so that's a plus

i have 2 basses: some peavey bass with active pickups, and a music man stingray 4. it then runs into the sansamp preamp, a carvin ht750 power amp running on bridged into an ancient sunn 6x10 cab with modern speakers (3 ampeg, 3 eminence).

it's not noisey at all to me

the eq is pretty powerful, the distortion is... eh, it's good, but it's not the end-all of distortion effects. i suspect a lot of people looking for a certain tone (overdriven ampeg specifically) will find they can't get it very well from a distortion point-of-view. they'll probably say this sucks. eh, whateva. i like it. the prescence is killer, i think. sansamp stuff usually does a good job with that

since i play modern punk, emo, alternative, whatever music, i find that this amp can't get that overdriven ampeg sound very well, but it does have a host of useable bass tones that i can't beat for the price. i don't realy need to sound like everybody else. i like it, even if it can't do everything particularly well. people who don't like at least one setting on this need to learn how to work an eq

yeah, it seems really reliable. i don't have a backup for it right now, other than a 1x15 combo i keep in case my rig breaks down. i just can't see it breaking; there's nothing on it that would be affected by something i'd do to it as long as i keep it out of constant sun exposure and water

i don't have a warranty, so *shrug*

yeah, i love it, for reasons mentioned above. just don't hold it to the high standards many people hold these to of being able to copy and rig's sound

Dialing in your desired sound is very simple and fast. The manual was informative, easy to understand, and helpful with the sample settings.

I have been succesful with acheiving awesome sound quality through my setup. I am currently running through an Alvarez 6 string bass, Ampeg B4R bass head, and an Ampeg BSE 410 HLF cabinet. I even have the SansAmp Bass Driver DI running through the effects loop on my bass head for solos and tapping licks. The only hiss coming out of my signal is typical gound loop noise. The RBI is remarkably quite. However; if hiss does come out of your signal, you may want to try turning down either the treble our the presence on the RBI. I have been able to duplicate bass sounds from Tool, Metallica, Cannibal Corpse, and Dream Theater. If your gonna use the distortion be advised that the Devil may show up.

I can depend on the RBI without hesitation, and regurlaly use it for gigs. I trust the RBI so much that I do not have a back up.

The customer support is very helpful and informative. I e-mailed them with questions concering the RBI and they surpisingly responed the same day with the ansewers to my questions.

I play in a thrash metal band but also gig with bands of different styles, and have come to the conclusion that the RBI will work with any style. After eight years of playing the RBI is a welcome and permanant addition to my bass rig. I would defintly replace it if it were stolen. I love the sound quality that is made possible through the RBI. There is nothing that I hate about it but I do love the fact that there is a dedicated mid control. I see no reason to compare it to other products; it's a SansAmp. A whole new realm of inspiration has been opened for me, and my band mates could not be happier.