Small Portable Plug-In Recording Tool Thingy? (Help Me Know What This Is Called)

[ASoggyFry]

Noob here. Looking for a preferably small tool or piece of equipment with knobs that you can plug a bass into before also plugging into a recording computer and get pretty much any sound you desire out of it (especially the above two tones; they are my all time favorite). To where you can just record in Audacity or the likes and get your desired tone via the device with the knobs. Hopefully said device delivers a clean and clear tone with no undesired buzz or fuzz.

Also, does something like this exist to where you can just listen through headphones from the device, without a computer involved? As in, you are just jamming into the device with knobs and listening to your bass with it via headphones or earbuds?

Bonus question: With the equipment I'm describing, do any such devices have the ability to make a passive bass active?

Extra noob question: A bass "Di" means direct input, correct or not? Is a direct input or Di the same thing as an audio interface?

(Yes I know I asked about the tone in the first video already on here in another thread; I have noted the devices mentioned there but now am asking here also hoping to find such a device that can also provide the tone in the second video.)

 

[pingvuiini]

Not sure if it will do everything you ask, but the Fender Mustang Micro headphone amp has various amp and effects settings. Although most settings are guitar oriented I've been able to get nice bass tones out of it. It is also an interface and it's pretty cheap at around $100.

 

[silky smoove]

Looking for a preferably small tool or piece of equipment with knobs that you can plug a bass into before also plugging into a recording computer and get pretty much any sound you desire out of it

While this doesn’t technically exist, the closest approximation would be something like a Line 6 HX Stomp on the cheaper end of things, and a Neural DSP Quad Cortex on the more expensive end.

 

[ASoggyFry]

Not sure if it will do everything you ask, but the Fender Mustang Micro headphone amp has various amp and effects settings. Although most settings are guitar oriented I've been able to get nice bass tones out of it. It is also an interface and it's pretty cheap at around $100.

Thanks. Will that allow me to play with different Hz levels and "scoop the mids" and what not?

While this doesn’t technically exist, the closest approximation would be something like a Line 6 HX Stomp on the cheaper end of things, and a Neural DSP Quad Cortex on the more expensive end.

Same question I asked above but to you also. Thanks. And may I ask why such a thing doesn't technically exist? You can't plug your bass into a device that has control/tone knobs and then that device plugs into a computer in which you can record on? Let me know. Thanks!

 

[silky smoove]

And may I ask why such a thing doesn't technically exist?

You asked for a simple device that can “get pretty much any sound you desire out of it.” If such a device existed the manufacturer would be insanely wealthy and all other tone shaping devices would be rendered obsolete. You’re asking too much of a single outboard device. Get a modern DSP-based unit like the ones I cited. For this type of thing you won’t do any better without incorporating a computer into the processing chain.

 

[klyph]

You’re asking too much of a single outboard device

Heh, I don’t know how much time the OP has spent in this forum, But I certainly can’t fault a guy for trying to avoid GAS

 

[silky smoove]

Heh, I don’t know how much time the OP has spent in this forum, But I certainly can’t fault a guy for trying to avoid GAS

Same! If the device in question existed, I would be stoked. So would my bank account

 

[Tosh]

My MOTU Audio Express ($350) has instrument inputs (I can plug in the bass directly) I can use it with headphones (or a PA) without needing to attach a computer or tablet. When it is attached to the computer it is working as a DI, and I use software on the computer to process the sound with EQ/compression/whatever. When it is not attached to the computer, I can use a separate pre-amp pedal ($150) between the bass and the interface, which effectively turns my passive bass into an active one.

An even cheaper rig I have (but not nearly as hi-fi) is a VOX Amplug connected to a RODE AI-Micro (I think it adds up to $150 retail). It's not clean enough for my recording needs, but it is incredibly easy to just plug in and play away.

As stated, there is no cheap "all in one" device, but for $500 (even less, if you shop around) you can get a nice interface + one, two, or three pedals to accomplish the task.

Or, budget be damned - get an SY-1000 and a GK3B pickup

 

[WRM]

For not much money, this will get you a wide variety of tones, easy EQ options, and can be used as a headphone amp or input to an amplifier/mixer:


Unless you want to record, it's really all that you need to listen with headphones.

An audio interface is usually required to convert instrument signals to something that a computer can process, generally only required for recording.

A DI (Direct Injection) is usually used to send an instrument signal to a mixer/front-of-house PA system.