Very pleasant surprise 
by Tom Bramhall from Huntsville, AL, August 2008
Music Background:  Bass player for more than 30 years

I initially was looking for the "idiot pre", meaning something different people could plug into an find challenging to mess up their tone. It most emphatically is not an idiot resistant unit and is somewhat tweaky. That being said though, the same could be stated regarding say a Boogie Mark 2C or 4 where you can dial in that absolute holy grail tone and with very minor control change switch to tone to induce projectile vomiting. If you work with this thing you can get all manner of sounds. The suggested starting points for different tones are very useful. Seems to work for live and recording very well, Geddy Lee being someone who can attest to it.

  I Really Like It! 
by Lenny "the meat" Mecca from Dunmore, PA, March 2008
Music Background:  Bassist; 32yrs exp. live and studio

After becoming bored of my dull lifeless bass sound, I decided to try the Sans Amp RBI. I'm glad I did. I put it in my rack, plugged into the power amp in of my head and there was that pizzaz I was looking for. And the more I tweaked the better it got. Many compliments on the FOH sound from other players.In the studio, I still prefer the Avalon U5, but live I stand by my Sans Amp and highly recommend it. Well built and sounds great!

  Listen! 
by The guy from Kingston, PA, October 2007
Music Background:  25 years stage

I wrote many reviews in different places. Try this in any store. This will focus and clear any bass sound. It sounds as if what you have turned your amp toward you instead of facing backwards, or you have suddenly removed a heavy blanket from your speaker. This is the first and last effect you should own for bass. It lets you also go direct to P.A. without using an amp and retain the bass tone. (Hence SansAmp)

USEFUL PIECE OF GEAR 
by JONC. from AKRON, OHIO, May 2006

I AGREE WITH THE LAST REVIEWER THAT THE SANSAMP IS GREAT FOR RECORDING. SOMETIMES IT HARD TO GET THE BASS SOUND YOU REALLY LIKE WITH A D.I., BUT THE RBI DELIVERS IN THE STUDIO. I ACTUALLY PREFER A TUBE PREAMP WHEN PLAYING OUT, BUT WHEN RECORDING, THE RBI GIVES A SOLID, CLEAN AND ADJUSTABLE TONE AND IS VERY QUIET. GOOD INVESTMENT.

Good bass sound made easy 
by Joe Evans from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, June 2005

I have tried many ways of recording bass guitar direct over the last few years without getting the sound I was looking for. Due to where I live, I can't use an actual amplifier so I had been stuck with various software plugs and DI boxes that never quite delievered. The SansAmp RBI immediately made a big difference in the recorded sound. It's doesn't try to emulate different amps like some of the plugs I have tried, but offers a better sound quality than software. You can get close to some of the more famous amps you hear. All in all it sounds more realistic with better dynamics and tone. I love it!

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