B. Andrew Barta launched Tech 21 in midtown Manhattan and introduced his unique invention to the world — the SansAmp. It was, in fact, the culmination of something he simply wanted for his own personal use. As a performing musician with an electronics background, and whose “day job” was repairing, modifying and customizing amplifiers, Andrew had the expertise — and determination — to make his vision a reality.

Ironically, Andrew never intended on becoming a manufacturer. He initially tried selling his technology to some of the major manufacturers. But they weren’t able to foresee the potential and how much impact the SansAmp would eventually have. (Not so secretly, we are delighted no one bought the idea!)

Unable to abandon his idea, Andrew had to set out on his own. Although this kind of product had never before existed, it took a surprisingly short amount of time to gain acceptance from players. All they had to do was hear it.

Tech 21 pioneered the direct recording movement and created an entirely new category of signal processing. The revolutionary SansAmp tube amplifier emulator was the first device to enable musicians to dial in monster tones and patch them directly to a studio mixer or stage PA. Finally, it was possible to get stunning, consistent tones without futzing for hours and hours to find that elusive ‘sweet spot.’ Instead, the 100% analog SansAmp delivered all of its mammoth sounds from a pocket-sized pedal.

Tech 21 continually strives to offer player-friendly, truly useful, flexible, multi-functional, roadworthy, workhorse products. In a world of planned obsolescence and constant upgrades, many of our products have changed little, or not at all, and are still in production today.