Bass Driver

Name: Bass Driver
Price: 137 USD
Author: Nembrini Audio

by Nembrini Audio · Amp Sim · Multiband bass overdrive and amp sim

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A bass amp plugin from Nembrini Audio built around a model of the Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI, with a 3-band overdrive and parametric crossovers.

It includes a 9-band graphic EQ, cabinets, a parallel DI path and an IR loader, and is on sale for $29.99 (regular $137).

Best for: Bass. Genres: Rock & Indie, Metal.

Keywords: bass, multi-band, overdrive, clean, impulse-response based, hardware emulation, parallel processing, AUv3/iOS, inspired by, 90s, colored, enhancement, gritty, thin.

What it does

Bass Driver is a multiband bass overdrive and amp. Its drive section is modeled on the Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI, split into three bands so the low end can stay clean while the mids and highs distort.

Multiband drive: a three-band overdrive with parametric crossovers; you set the split points and the drive for each band.
Tone shaping: a parametric tone EQ and a presence control for the upper harmonics.
Graphic EQ: nine bands with proportional Q.
Cabinets: four bass cabinet models with four microphone models.
Parallel DI: a clean DI signal with a console-style compressor, blended with the amp and an ambient reverb.
IR loader: blend up to two third-party impulse responses, mixed with the DI pre or post.
Extras: a bass enhancer inspired by the Little Labs Voice Of God for extra low end, and a noise gate.

The current version is 1.0.8. It is on sale, and a demo can be downloaded.

Source: Nembrini Audio product page

When to use it

Bass Driver is a focused bass drive tool, not a full rig. Compared with AmpliTube 5 MAX and Guitar Rig 7 Pro, which cover bass among many guitar amps and effects, it puts everything into one bass chain: multiband SansAmp-style drive, a parallel compressed DI and cabinets. Its crossovers give more control over a clean low end than a single-band drive pedal model. Unlike Neural Amp Modeler, it needs no captures, but it is also a single voice. It is built for drive, so it suits modern rock and metal bass more than vintage clean tones.

Best for: distorted rock and metal bass with a solid, clean low end, and blending grit with a compressed DI.
Genres: rock, metal, punk and heavy indie.
Look elsewhere if: you need clean vintage bass amp tones or many bass amps in one plugin (AmpliTube 5 MAX).

What producers say

User feedback is thin and mixed: one iOS user liked it a lot, while one desktop trial user found it too coloured.

TalkBass thread an iOS user said it "sounds really good" and replaced Nembrini's BlackIce in their rig, though they bypass the iOS cab section and use a separate IR loader.
Criticisms: another TalkBass user who tried the 14-day trial found the presets "super mid scooped" and said it made all their basses sound the same.

Where to buy

Nembrini Audio: $137

Tutorials and reviews

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