Tech 21 SansAmp GT2

[Wizard of Wailing]

    I've read several reviews of this product where people have stated that they've used it as a distortion pedal through an amp.  I'm skeptical of this.  After all, it is called a SansAmp.  Does anyone here have experience with the GT2 as a pedal?

 

[swarfrat]

I have the Behringer knockoff. I"ve only met three or four distortion pedals I really liked.  Tube Screamer, Ratt, Visual Sound's white pedal (Route 66, or is that the compressor), and the Sans Amp.

Having said that, it's still a better pedal into an amp than into the board. Basically the  "sans amp" portion is just filtering designed to emulate a speaker. Running it through a real speaker doesn't really lose anything more.

 

[AndyG]

Sans Amp has become more of a brand name that an actual device.  Tech 21 has a whole "character series" of pedals with the Sansamp moniker. 

For the box to actually work as an amp simulator, it will have the XLR direct output to feed a mixing console.  I have the Tech 21 Programmable Bass Driver on my pedalboard, and actually use it as a stomp box going into my amplifier.  But, since it has the XLR out, and can also use it as a DI box to go to the front-of-house console if I wished.
For what it's worth, I've never used the DI out.  I really like the sound of the Bass Driver as a 3-channel stomp box!