recording bass,bass amp to direct??

[madpuppy]

Can I run my bass through my amp, and record direct from a speaker out,maybe into a direct box. I've always liked my amp,wondering what that would sound like(compared to mic'd....recording w/volume is a problem.)

 

[dirtythermos]

No, a speaker out is going to be carrying power to drive the speaker. It may use a 1/4" connector, but it is not the same signal or cable that carries an instrument or line level signal.

 

[sile2001]

Yes, you could use a speaker out, but you would need to get a direct box that can handle speaker level input. Be aware not not all of them can. The direct box steps the power WAY down and changes it to a low impedance balanced signal that you can run into your recorder.

Basses can come out either really good or really crappy direct. I've had good luck going direct from my friend's Gallien-Kruger amp.

 

[Clive Hugh]

A bit of caution here, a speaker gives resistance to the amp and without that the amp will self destruct. What you need to do is one of several things
1. provide the aforementioned DI box but it must be of the speaker simulator type, this lets the amp function as normal and you take a signal from the simulator and record that. So your signal goes- amp- simulator- speaker.

2. What I have is kettle element that came a 32 amps. A friend cut it in half and rewound it to 16 amps and I plug that in the speaker out. I take a sugnal from the first stage out and put that thru a DI box and record that, the advantage of this is it is silent and you can do it in the middle of the night without someone calling the cops. Amp- resistance box. Thats it.
good luck