If that were true there would be no sense listening to a song recorded through a $2000 preamp on a $100 stereo. Sonic character and fidelity are not the same things. A good or bad mix is a good or bad mix at various bit depths and resolutions and on a variety of playback devices. These days probably 99% of what I listen too is either mp3 or streamed, it's not very high fidelity, but the character of the sound and the mix are very important.
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Bassbeater,
Think about it...is that $2000 better spent on some fantastic preamp or a better interface (that probably has really nice preamps already)? Unless you think that $100 interface has some bitchin' magical character, why bother?
Think about it...is that $2000 better spent on some fantastic preamp or a better interface (that probably has really nice preamps already)? Unless you think that $100 interface has some bitchin' magical character, why bother?
Go straight to the board. Work with the engineer to get the sound you want. If you are using a DI and/or a preamp and make any adjustments while recording, the engineer will immediately become the Tasmanian Devil on you.
Digital recording has huge dynamic range....100 dB or so. You can easily prevent any clipping when recording. I'd only use the outboard if it was some awesome compressor that had a very cool coloration. Digital compressors can be far superior to analog ones, esp. if they have look-ahead options.
Getting back OT, I don't think compressing before the interface would help the OP. In fact before buying a compressor, I'd just buy a better interface
In the end it's up to your ears. For non-critical home recording (the $100 interface is a clue we are talking low budget) the plugins in any DAW are more than capable. Learning to get the best out of what you have is always better than a fishing expedition swapping in more gear.
You wouldn't simultaneously record a track of mic'ed cabinet?
That seems like such a foreign concept to me. Obviously you need a DI for the main sound, but having to add the depth and feel of a speaker cone through plugins seems like so much additional worry.
Uh, the OP is the "engineer" and his "board" is an M-audio Fast Track. That's kinda the whole point of this thread - how he can get better results.
I personally usually do 2 cab mics, A line from my Sansamp and a clean DI. I don't always use them all in the final mix.
I’ve been using the Ampeg SCR/DI. Very happy with it. I’ve also used the Acme Motown DI at a local studio and was happy with that too. My vote: active DI with a preamp.
OK. Just checking. That sounds like the exact process I use, minus the Sansamp.
I nearly always record my pedal board out from the DI and maybe also from a cab mic if needed... I worked hard to get the sound from hardware and I won't be able to reproduce it in the box. There are so many ways to record bass. Really I think the OP needs to just spend some time on a recording forum and then see what he thinks is lacking.
@brianrost. You almost have it right. The cheaper I/O isn't creating the fancy preamp sound, but it can capture it sufficiently. Cheap cameras can take pretty nice pictures of gorgeous models.
@brianrost. You almost have it right. The cheaper I/O isn't creating the fancy preamp sound, but it can capture it sufficiently. Cheap cameras can take pretty nice pictures of gorgeous models.
It's impossible to buy a good sound. Everyone has a different ear for what good sound/tone is. Also, there are a lot of factors that contribute to good sound/tone. Training your ears with your monitoring equipment and knowing how your adjustments in the mix affect what you hear in your monitoring system is the only way to get the sound/tone you seek. It takes a lot of trial and error, and a lot of sampling over and over to get the mix just right. And if you're good, it takes a lot less effort.
You can accomplish the same thing with $50K worth of gear, or a $100 DAW and interface.
You can accomplish the same thing with $50K worth of gear, or a $100 DAW and interface.
I would try different settings on the plug-ins, before investing in more gear, especially if it is only for home use.
