Tech 21 PMDI-20 20th Anniversary Limited Edition SansAmp Para Driver DI Pedal

The SansAmp Para Driver DI evolved from the SansAmp Acoustic DI, which was released in 1997. In 2005, the new design incorporated a Drive control to offer some tasteful edge – just a little or over-the-top, a footswitchable bypass and was renamed the Para Driver.

To commemorate its official 20th anniversary, Tech 21 issued a limited edition of just 500 with a distinctive anodized precision-machined aluminum billet housing and all metal knobs.

Engineered for both recording and live applications, this 100% analog pedal is useful not only with guitar and bass, but virtually any instrument. Its proprietary SansAmp circuitry eliminates the unnatural harmonics of piezo pickups, making it particularly useful with acoustic/electric guitars, as well as upright bass, violin, cello, and viola. The Para Driver DI gives an instrument a natural warmth and presence, as if miking it through a tube pre-amp.

Version 2 has exactly the same tonality and functionality with the addition of two new features: Rumble Filter and Air. The Rumble Filter removes unwanted sub-sonic frequencies that cause boominess and audible handling noises associated with acoustic guitars. The Air button adds top-end clarity and sparkle to acoustics.

Longevity runs in the Tech 21 family, which is certainly not common in the world of electronic music-related products. Like its cousin, the SansAmp Bass Driver that celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024, the SansAmp Para Driver is yet another that clearly has withstood the test of time.