Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

[IMENATOR]

I am a guitar player looking for a good bass tone for home recording.

So I can buy a either "SansAmp Bass Driver DI" or "AMT BC-1", both are preamps and some overdrive and DI for direct connection into recording interface or mixer for a live amp-less gig. On the other hand saving a bit more money I can get a real bass amp Fender Rumble combo 100 or even 200 watts that has EQ options, some overdrive, DI output for the same purposes and of course it can be used for home practice, or even small gigs.

Which one you think would give me the best tone for home recording? I like everything blues, rock, metal.

From my point of view the most "value for the money" is the real amp but not sure about its tone shaping capabilities thru the DI output are as versatile as the other DI boxes i mentioned. Any feedback will be appreciated.

 

[dg27]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

I am a guitar player looking for a good bass tone for home recording.

So I can buy a either "SansAmp Bass Driver DI"

Which one you think would give me the best tone for home recording? I like everything blues, rock, metal.

From my point of view the most "value for the money" is the real amp but not sure about its tone shaping capabilities thru the DI output are as versatile as the other DI boxes i mentioned. Any feedback will be appreciated.

I've been using a SansAmp for years, both when rehearsing/gigging (with an amp) and when recording (without an amp).

For recording, I run two separate tracks into my DAW (Pro Tools) from the SansAmp, one treated and the other direct. I mix the two tracks in Pro Tools. That has given me the best sound overall.

I really don't think you can go wrong with a SansAmp. I never leave home without it.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

I've been using a SansAmp for years, both when rehearsing/gigging (with an amp) and when recording (without an amp).

For recording, I run two separate tracks into my DAW (Pro Tools) from the SansAmp, one treated and the other direct. I mix the two tracks in Pro Tools. That has given me the best sound overall.

I really don't think you can go wrong with a SansAmp. I never leave home without it.

+1

The Sansamp is hard to beat. Short of a great amp, a great room and an expensive DI you're not realistically going to do better. Personally I like the rackmount Sansamps better (specifically the VT and RPM), but it's mostly for a few extra EQ options.

 

[El Dunco]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

Both are equally valid. If buy a good bass amp and some good mics like a D112 or Beta 52, learn how to use them and combine with your direct signal via DI you'll get great results and if you learn about dialing in and mixing the sound with line in devices, you will also get great results. My personal preference is to have more mic'd bass amp signal than DI and I looove bi-amping but for demos I've gotten good results with everything from line in preamps and impulse responses to just straight into the board (which you can get away with when you have a really nice sounding bass and just chuck some compression on there).

 

[dg27]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

A major advantage of using a box like the SansAmp is that you can get two signals: Direct and treated.

A major disadvantage of micing is that adds to the expense by quite a bit, for a mic and an amp that may not be used all that much.

A SansAmp can be used in all situations. I use it at all times. If I am using an unfamiliar amp, I leave the amp flat and use my preferred settings on the SansAmp. I have found that it makes the lowliest practice amp sound great.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

Both are equally valid. If buy a good bass amp and some good mics like a D112 or Beta 52, learn how to use them and combine with your direct signal via DI you'll get great results and if you learn about dialing in and mixing the sound with line in devices, you will also get great results. My personal preference is to have more mic'd bass amp signal than DI and I looove bi-amping but for demos I've gotten good results with everything from line in preamps and impulse responses to just straight into the board (which you can get away with when you have a really nice sounding bass and just chuck some compression on there).

I cannot crank the amp and mic it, silent home recording here, only DI signal. Most likely the Fender Rumble 100 would fit my budget and I would plug the hearphones to make it a silent recording at night thru the amp's DI output. But then I am not sure how others think about this tone compared to the SansAmp for example.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

Sansamp for sure. The rumble 100 wont be loud enough for band jams anyway.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

Sansamp for sure. The rumble 100 wont be loud enough for band jams anyway.

Ahhh, now I am reading the "how many watts" threads. I was missing the point bass sound need lot more power to be loud enough.

 

[dg27]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

For your situation I really think you are better off with something like a SansAmp than with messing with amps and mics at all.

And I believe you'd have greater flexibility with regard to tone with a SansAmp than with the Rumble's DI. I'm a tube amp player and if I must use a solid state amp the SansAmp is crucial.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

For your situation I really think you are better off with something like a SansAmp than with messing with amps and mics at all.

And I believe you'd have greater flexibility with regard to tone with a SansAmp than with the Rumble's DI. I'm a tube amp player and if I must use a solid state amp the SansAmp is crucial.

Yep, I think for home recording purposes that is my best option rigth now. I think I will go for that.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

And it sounds great in FRONT of amps as well, so its a win win

 

[dg27]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

And it sounds great in FRONT of amps as well, so its a win win

I agree.

Tony Dudzik (Pickguardian) recommended the SansAmp to me years ago and I was astonished at how useful it is.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

I agree with the blending options mentioned above; always a good idea!

I track bass slightly differently. My process is:

1. Record the original bass direct into my interface.
2. Reamp the DI bass through a compressor and MXR di+.
3. The MXR's output is split; one output does back into the interface. The other goes into the Power Amp Input on my MESA Dual Rec. It is subsequently mic'd and recorded onto a separate track.
4. Once complete, the tracks are time/phase aligned and then bounced down to a single comp track once I have a blending of the two tracks that I like.
5. I then mult the bass track into two separate busses: Bass Hi and Bass Lo. They are bandpassed so that I have complete control over the relationship between high and low bass frequencies, compression, etc.
6. The Bass Hi and Bass Lo busses are then combined into a single master Bass buss to which I apply automation, saturation, final compression, etc to. This is further combined into a final "Mixbus" aux bus with other frequency-dependent information (but that is another discussion).

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

Hmmm. Sounds like work. I like DG's way better :lol:

 

[dg27]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

Hmmm. Sounds like work. I like DG's way better :lol:

This just in: DrNewcenstein and I agree on something. :doh: Who knew?

I like to keep things simple. If I play the track well and have the two signals on separate tracks I can adjust them if/as needed and blend however much I need of either one without any fuss. I generally have to do very little in terms of post-processing.

If the track isn't played well, all the messing about won't fix that.

I usually record several takes using different basses and pick the pair (meaning of the same performance) I like best.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

Thanks for the tip about doubling the bass, I still want the SandsAmp for a more realistic bass amp tone (and a better bas would help too ) but I just did a small practice recording and did the doubling of the bass and it really made it sound a bit better, more volume yes but more "body" too. I also did this with the "virtua!l kick drum and I like it better. I know mixing is a long process of trial and error but these little simple tips really go a long way.

Edit: This is what I did to "twak" the double track, if I think the volume was too loud in the mix by default then I just reduced the volume of one of the tracks, it worked for me but I don't know it works for others. This made sense considering both the original and doubled track were centered. I guess tracks in L or R may need an equivalent attenuation in the mix.


Other than this, is there a home recording forum you may recommend?

 

[dg27]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

it worked for me but I don't know it works for others

For me the most important rule to remember is that there are no rules. What works on one song may not work on another. But as I said above, I believe in keeping things simple.

Other than this, is there a home recording forum you may recommend?

There are usually forums dedicated to specific DAWs.

I use Pro Tools and have found the Avid Pro Audio Community helpful. That is strictly about Pro Tools though.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

Facebook is your friend these days; very few sites have good, active forums. Look for Facebook groups focused on home recording, which in all honesty is pretty much everyone these days.

 

[dg27]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

Facebook is your friend these days; very few sites have good, active forums.

In my experience, the Avid forum is great. Anytime I have posted a question I received a knowledgeable response within 30 minutes, if not sooner. It is not connected with Avid: It's just users.

 

[GoldenVulture]

Re: Bass home recording: DI Box vs Real Amp DI ?

Thanks for the tip about doubling the bass, I still want the SandsAmp for a more realistic bass amp tone (and a better bas would help too ) but I just did a small practice recording and did the doubling of the bass and it really made it sound a bit better, more volume yes but more "body" too. I also did this with the "virtua!l kick drum and I like it better. I know mixing is a long process of trial and error but these little simple tips really go a long way.

Edit: This is what I did to "tweak" the double track, if I think the volume was too loud in the mix by default then I just reduced the volume of one of the tracks, it worked for me but I don't know it works for others. This made sense considering both the original and doubled track were centered. I guess tracks in L or R may need an equivalent attenuation in the mix.


Other than this, is there a home recording forum you may recommend?

The same sound from two sources at the same volume will combine and sum at 3Db louder.