amp + di for bass

[tc4b]

I love the sound of a mic'ed bass cab, but a DI would be great for when my toddler is sleeping.

I was wondering if I could invest in a bass head right now that I could use as a DI, then get a cab for it sometime in the future. Is there a combo that will do the job all right now?

Keep in mind this is for recording only, I don't need tons of volume. Right now I use my ancient mackie mixer as a DI (SUCK) or the pre's on my digi 001 (OK), and when It's important to get a good sound on a track I borrow a friends GK combo and mic it.

Thanks for any help.

 

[tc4b]

Little help...?

 

[ermghoti]

I'd do it the other way around. Running an amp with no speakers is usually unhealthy for the amp. Get sommething like a SansAmp DI, and run it into your mixer when you need to hear it in the room. For more flexibility, you can go SansAmp -> Compressor (I have a EH Black Finger, sounds nice, but unreliable, try a Carl Martin) -> Exciter (I have the Aphex, a little goes a long way).

 

[rayc]

If you're after a valve/tube job running it from the head without a dummy load is REALLY bad so you'd have to buy a power sink as well so the costs would be moving well up. Buy a DI, the Behri Bass DI isn't too bad but then I'm on a thin budget, and get the combo. record the DI then when bub isnt an issue do a double track with the combo - best of both worlds?