Recording in teeny tiny spaces with a mid size amp...

[Big Hoss]

Okay a few years ago, a 500 watter would have been considered big. Here's the deal...

The music room is a 10x10 bedroom that is overly crowded.

My signal chain is...

Instrument to cable. Either effects box inline, or in effects loop. Presently inline. Zoom B3. Can do amp / cab emulation and bypass my amp all together, but not sure how to monitor.

Amp is a Fender Rumble V3 500 combo with a 210 extension cab.

I have a Behringer XENYX 1202FX mixer that I connect to, and Behringer U-Control UCA222 USB interface and then into the laptop.

I have several connectivity options.

#1. The B3 can be set up to bypass the amp entirely, and output directly to USB, I can monitor via studio monitors, or monitor headphones.

#2. The B3 can be set up to bypass the amp, and output to the mixer, mixer connect via U-Control to USB. Monitoring via monitor connected to mixer.

#3. B3 can be set up in the effects loop of the Rumble, and in turn the Rumble could be mic'ed to record. This sounds like a bad idea in this small of a space. Monitored via the Rumbles speakers.

#4. Same as #3, but the Rumbles XLR out could be used to DI to the mixer. The XLR out as I understand it is post effects, so any overdrive, EQ etc... will be carried through.

I am currently trying to make #3 work, but I get a LOT of echo / bounce in this small space, so I am leaning most heavily toward #4, but I am not sure if that will work the way I think it will.

 

[And I]

a 10x10 room is plenty big to mic a bass amp in. you're most likely going to put the mics a few inches to a foot from the amp. with bass you're trying to capture the sound of the amp, not the sound of the room. you shouldn't get echo/bounce if the mics are the right type of mics and they are placed / positioned well. but in any case something like this may help a great deal if you like the miked sound but need to get the room out of it.

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[silky smoove]

@And I keeps suggesting reflection filters and I keep advising people to do their research before using them. We're turning into an old married couple at this point

In all honesty, close mic'ing the cab with a mic that has a cardiod (i.e. not a hypercardiod, figure 8, omni, etc.) and judicious selection of what's behind the mic and the cab should get this done with little issue or need for purchasing any other gear.

 

[And I]

@silky smoove , we only just met, can't we have the newlywed phase and almost get divorced 3 times first??

Yeah my first thought was to use the right mic and the right placement... i almost never use a reflection filter on an amp. my basement sounds poopy... so if i were to record a vocal or horn down there, i don't want the sound of my poopy room, i just want the sound in front of the mic. i've found the sE Electronics reflexion filter to be very useful. But just as I wouldn't record everything in a dead room, i wouldn't use the reflexion filter on every track. The OP seemed concerned with room sound so I thought it was a worthy suggestion. it's not a silver bullet though.

 

[silky smoove]

Indeed. The shift in midrange frequencies that occurs when using a reflection filter is what concerns me the most. That's often where I want the least amount of coloration. A desirable roll off on the bottom or top is one thing, but changing the behavior of the midrange frequencies of almost any source will quickly change it's timbre. In less than ideal rooms it often comes down to compromises, and in this case it might be the best bet.

I still think a cardiod mic with great off-axis rejection, careful placement, and at worst a movers blanket hanging behind the mic would get it done.