Ampeg 810e Recording

[Sapatown]

Hey comrades!

Will an Ampeg 810e sound good if I run my Rickenbacker 4003 trough it, and then use the output behind to go trough an Interface?
Or am I hallucinating?
Im kind of a n00b, and my 810 is in a different town atm.

I will be getting a PF 800 Head to run it with, maby its possible to go trough the top/head, to get it into the interface, DI?
So I can record while using the cab to get the character of the cab that way, instead of use a mic on it, since I feel like a beginner in recording and mic'ing cabs.

I just want a good bass recording in my little home studio, and my room is not set up, so I will go for DI to catch the best sound. I could just stick the bass DI into my interface...
But will a cab do it better?

Sorry beginner questions guys.

Cheers!

 

[Frank Tuesday]

You can't run a speaker level signal directly into your interface. If you aren't micing the cab, it's not imparting it's sound. Use the DI (xlr) output on your head into your interface.

 

[Sapatown]

You can't run a speaker level signal directly into your interface. If you aren't micing the cab, it's not imparting it's sound. Use the DI (xlr) output on your head into your interface.

Thanks! That was what I needed.

Its also possible to do that without the cab right? To use the head preamp. DI that way.
Will an amp make the sound better, compared to just stick the bass right into the interface?

Will soon have my Ampeg PF 800 head.
Imagine I could use the head and tweak the sound with its pre, and shape the tone that way.

 

[silky smoove]

So I can record while using the cab to get the character of the cab that way, instead of use a mic on it

As @Frank Tuesday correctly pointed out, if you don't have a mic on the cab you're not getting any of its character. A DI removes the cab from the equation.

I just want a good bass recording in my little home studio, and my room is not set up

Using a cab as loud as an 810e in an untreated room is likely a recipe for disaster, but not necessarily.

I could just stick the bass DI into my interface...
But will a cab do it better?

It will do 'different' not necessarily 'better' but possibly 'better.' You could also omit the DI entirely and plug directly into your interface. If you're using a passive bass the latter will likely sound best if the interface has low-Z inputs or inputs that are switchable between impedances.

Its also possible to do that without the cab right? To use the head preamp. DI that way.

Yes

Will an amp make the sound better, compared to just stick the bass right into the interface?

It will potentially sound different, but not necessarily better. It's all contextual.

Imagine I could use the head and tweak the sound with its pre, and shape the tone that way.

You could if you have the amp's DI in the post position. You're printing an additional EQ curve in doing so, for better or worse.

 

[Frank Tuesday]

You don't need the cab if you're running direct out of the amp (unless you have a tube amp, in which case you should check with the mfg or run a dummy load). Just run bass to the input, then the XLR (or effect loop output) into your interface.

Will it sound better? Nobody knows. It will sound different. You could take a direct line from your bass and a second line from the amp and compare the two. Use the one that works better in the mix.