Issues Recording Bass Guitar Into An MPC Live

[Mannas]

So I'm trying to run a bass guitar directly into the and MPC Live record basslines. I ran it into a DI box and then into the input of the MPC which has line level inputs but the sound is like 20db too low. I thought the point of the DI was to bring that up to line level? Did I miss something? I saw there are active and passive DIs too. This one is a passive. Do I need an active one? I also tried to run through my amp and out the headphone jack since there is no line out but there is a light hiss from the amp. Sound is a much better level and dynamics are much more noticeable but the light hiss is there. Any suggestions?

 

[okcrum]

DI boxes are usually unity gain, so they'll be instrument level out. If you need line level, use a preamp or a post-preamp output from your amp.

 

[Mannas]

Thank you! I appreciate the help and clarification. I was confused. So what exactly does the DI do? Is it only necessary if you're going straight to a mixing board?

So I would need to go bass to preamp to MPC line ins? Or bass to DI to a mixer to line ins? I'm trying to minimize the amount of things I have to get there as space is limited.

Would something like this work? Any other suggestions that might be around $100 or less? I could stretch to $200 if needed but trying to minimize cost.

 

[silky smoove]

DI boxes are usually unity gain, so they'll be instrument level out. If you need line level, use a preamp or a post-preamp output from your amp.

+1

The purpose for using a DI box is to account for an impedance mismatch, or if you need to get from 1/4" TS to XLR without any weird noise becoming part of the signal path.

 

[DirkP]

DI Boxes usually have mic level in order to connect them to mixing desks that often provide phantom power for the DI box. The main reason is to provide a good and clean symmetric signal over longer cable runs.
You need something with line level out. Many cheap bass amps have line level out. Many cheap mixer have a hz-in for bass or guitar and a line level out.
If you could find a Sansamp pedal used it would be a good investion. These have both a DI-out (mic level) and a line level out.

Love my MPC live. Besides everything else, some of the effects - esp. the filters - are interesting for bass.

 

[byacey]

Most DI boxes attenuate the signal anywhere from 10 to 30db, and sometimes even more if it has a speaker level option. Unity gain would present too high a signal to the mic level preamp in many cases, causing clipping.

 

[And I]

The art tube mp would work, it's a little noisy though.

Is there no input gain on the MPC? I saw this somewhere.

"Rec Vol knob and level control in audio record mode"

 

[DirkP]

The art tube mp would work, it's a little noisy though.

Is there no input gain on the MPC? I saw this somewhere.

"Rec Vol knob and level control in audio record mode"

It has input gain, but no mic or hz in, only line-ins. The larger MPC X has mic-preamps.