So I need some advice on a studio setup. With a budget of around $5000 what kind of setup would probably be the best for a studio usage. I'm thinking of an amp, a DI like a pod or avalon, and any effects or effects units. This is just for speculation right now, I am not planning on going out and buying anything right now so just shoot me whatever you got. Money isn't a big deal since it's just theoretical. The reason I would like to know is because someday I would like to eventually open a studio, and I don't have a lot of personal experience recording bass in the studio. Thanks.
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Amp for a studio
- Thread starter pjh2112
- Start date
I'd get a vintage B-15 or B-12, a REDDI DI, an Avalon U5 DI, and a Countryman Type 85 DI. There are others, but I think those would be the best representations of the different types of sounds in use these days.
the Avalon is good but if you've really got the dough at some point, a Millenia Media Origin preamp is the way to go. It's an amazing pre/eq/comp for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you plug into it. then for amp.... well, really depends on what you wanna go for? a good friend of mine uses an old MusicMan head (guitar head from the '70s) into an 8x10" and that smokes for him. but really, if you get a good 10", 12" or 15" combo, something that'll get some air going over a mic then you're set.
the SVT/8x10" thing definitely captures the Rawwwwk tone but then again, you can achieve that with smaller solid state amps as well.
pretty subjective.
but the Mil-Media Origin would be a good investment regardless
the SVT/8x10" thing definitely captures the Rawwwwk tone but then again, you can achieve that with smaller solid state amps as well.
pretty subjective.
but the Mil-Media Origin would be a good investment regardless
Weeeelllll....you can achieve it with smaller tube amps, and there's a couple pieces of solid state gear that do a hell of an approximation. But if I have a nice studio and someone wants an SVT sound, I'm going to bring in an SVT.
no doubt Jimmy, but the sound of a 300watt power section almost blowing through 8 10's does sound different from a 30watt (or whatever) power section almost blowing through a 15" /etc.
that's why i also added the bit about smaller combos being good to use as well.
that's why i also added the bit about smaller combos being good to use as well.
- May 9, 2008
- 4,081
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- Proprietor Springvale Studios
"We already got one you silly English K-nigets!":Perhaps an SVT-rated isolation booth?
Built in 1838 28' X 14' 10" mostly underground 16.5" thick Suffolk red
brick lining 720 Cu Ft of static bass traps + 95 Cubic feet of moveable bass trap/baffles:
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Little labs phase tool is great for a DI/re-amp box Neumann U87 P 48
Mic and an RCA OP-6 Mic pre amp is my favorite all time tube pre.
Neve 33609JD compressor or a Smart C2 is a great bass comp.
"We already got one you silly English K-nigets!":
Built in 1838 28' X 14' 10" mostly underground 16.5" thick Suffolk red
brick lining 720 Cu Ft of static bass traps + 95 Cubic feet of moveable bass trap/baffles:
Invalid Link Removed
Little labs phase tool is great for a DI/re-amp box Neumann U87 P 48
Mic and an RCA OP-6 Mic pre amp is my favorite all time tube pre.
Neve 33609JD compressor or a Smart C2 is a great bass comp.
Mmm... I'd rather go with the box a VT Bass is shipped in.
- Feb 16, 2008
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- John K Custom Basses
in our 24 track analog studio (3M M79's and an Amek M1-neve designed board) we use a good direct box with Urie 1176 compressor. it cops the vintage SVT sound going direct. i have found that mic'ing many of the large bass amps like an SVT don't really translate to sounding like an SVT (except for the authentic "fan noise") and to me, a mic'd b15N actually sounds bigger than an SVT. in the studio, you really don't need the SPL as all it does is overload the mic and it loses the dynamics. IMO, the same goes for mic'ing marshall stacks for guitars (i.e. a 20 watt marshall sounds bigger than a 100watt).
another qucik and inexpensive way that we use for bass is either a sansamp PS1 or an aphex 1402 bass xciter pedal using it as a direct box. i have gotten excellent results with both.
another qucik and inexpensive way that we use for bass is either a sansamp PS1 or an aphex 1402 bass xciter pedal using it as a direct box. i have gotten excellent results with both.
again...
start here:
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and then let your ears dictate the combo of choice.
these are good for the studio:
but so are lottttts of other amps as well.
start here:
Invalid Link Removed
and then let your ears dictate the combo of choice.
these are good for the studio:
but so are lottttts of other amps as well.
Can't argue against the Millenia. Or the SWR for that matter. The more you have, the better you can serve the customer. But there comes a point where it gets silly. You don't need to own every single thing. Pick a few good high quality pieces that give customers great sound and you're golden.
I bleeb I've finally suggested 2 pieces. 1 pre and 1 amp as opposed to your 1 amp and 3 DIs right?
I would love to be in that situation.
So since it's not my money I'm gonna go nuts:
Vintage Ampeg B15
Aguilar DB359 or DB680 + DB728
Aguilar DB412
Ampeg SVT810
SWR Redhead
GK800RB
A-Designs Pacifica
A-Designs REDDI
Avalon U5
Radial JDI
oh yeah, and earplugs too
So since it's not my money I'm gonna go nuts:
Vintage Ampeg B15
Aguilar DB359 or DB680 + DB728
Aguilar DB412
Ampeg SVT810
SWR Redhead
GK800RB
A-Designs Pacifica
A-Designs REDDI
Avalon U5
Radial JDI
oh yeah, and earplugs too
Better listen to Jimmy-he's my fliptop guy.
OK, he is your fliptop guy......but ask Jimmy....he sho as he
ll "isnt your bass player".......hehehe.....Inside Joke.
Had to slip that in there Jimmy.
V
Of course you did 
Pet, is 3 DI's and 1 amp excessive? OK, maybe you could use the Countryman to speaker DI the B-15 and have a DI that sounds like the REDDI, but it's not all that farfetched, is it? Now getting a U5 and a Millenia might be considered a bit of duplication as they have similar qualities IMHO.
Pet, is 3 DI's and 1 amp excessive? OK, maybe you could use the Countryman to speaker DI the B-15 and have a DI that sounds like the REDDI, but it's not all that farfetched, is it? Now getting a U5 and a Millenia might be considered a bit of duplication as they have similar qualities IMHO.
Of course you did
Pet, is 3 DI's and 1 amp excessive? OK, maybe you could use the Countryman to speaker DI the B-15 and have a DI that sounds like the REDDI, but it's not all that farfetched, is it? Now getting a U5 and a Millenia might be considered a bit of duplication as they have similar qualities IMHO.
nope, 3 DIs and an amp isn't excessive, it's just that I posted 2 pieces of gear and you came back with:
"The more you have, the better you can serve the customer. But there comes a point where it gets silly. You don't need to own every single thing."
as for the U5 and Mil-Media being similar... hmmm, not so much. the U5 is a Class A solid state DI with some built in eq curves. the Mil-Media is a "Twin Topology" (Class Tube OR Solid State) recording strip (pre-amp/eq/compressor) so they are different enough to warrant having both at some point in time
the only reason I say a good recording strip and a decent combo is that whenever I go in to track I'm rarely afforded the luxury of more than a single track for bass and it's usually going through some API/Mil-Media or the sort.
