Dubhghaill Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 I've been looking at buying a preamp for my bass because I'm having trouble getting a decent tone by plugging it straight into my interface. I don't want to spend too much money because I'm only really recording bass for demoing purposes. I really like the sound of this preamp: [url="http://www.monolith-loudspeakers.com/magma-10-bass-preamp.html"]http://www.monolith-...ass-preamp.html[/url] (see the video when he plugs into the A/B socket, not the audio clips) but it will cost a bit too much to buy one and get it delivered to the UK. So ideally I want something I can plug in my bass and ideally have an XLR DI output for recording. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Budget? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 If it's for just recording decent bass tones, then I would highly recommend the Line 6 GX, UX1 or UX2. The newer models (with the black front, not red) come up really cheap second hand and give you full access to essentially a recording interface and a line6 X3 in a small box when using the Pod Farm 2 software included. (Amplifier and cabinet sims, distortion pedals, choruses.. Too much to list!!) I've got a UX1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 http://line6.com/podstudioux2/podfarm.html Pod Farm software for the interfaces mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 The drive is a pile of sh*te if you ask me, but the Behringer BDI-21 is quite a nice preamp, especially for recording purposes. Takes a little while to get it set up sometimes, but it works damn well. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EskimoBassist Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 If you asked this in the effects sub forum I imagine they would say to look at the Sansamp Bass Driver, the MXR-M80 and the Aguilar Tonehammer. I love my M-80 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubhghaill Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 Not really sure about a budget. The Magma one is £500 + delivery + import duty so I'm guessing it would come in at about £700. I'd say I'd like to spend £300 but I would stretch to £400. As for Line6 stuff, I've got a PODxt with the bass add on and I don't really like it. It doesn't sound "alive", it sounds dull and lacks punch. I have POD Farm as well and it sounds the same. The BDDI and the M80 look like the kind of thing I want, but they seem to lack the fullness/saturation that I'm after. I'm only going by YouTube videos though, so I might be wrong. The M80 is definitely the closest so far though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commando Jack Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 What's your live set up? If the amp has a DI, use a dummy load and just take the DI out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 [quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1345027375' post='1772426'] The drive is a pile of sh*te if you ask me, but the Behringer BDI-21 is quite a nice preamp, especially for recording purposes. Takes a little while to get it set up sometimes, but it works damn well. Liam [/quote] Agree. Under £40, but punches well above its weight. I`ve had one of these, the Sansamp, the MXR M80, only one I`ve kept - the BDI21. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkin Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 +1 for the Behringer BDI21 - remarkably good for very little money, IMO. 30 quid from Bluearan http://www.bluearan.co.uk/index.php?id=BEHBDI21&browsemode=category and you'll probably get half that back if you don't like it and decide to sell it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 [quote name='Dubhghaill' timestamp='1345028485' post='1772457'] Not really sure about a budget. The Magma one is £500 + delivery + import duty so I'm guessing it would come in at about £700. I'd say I'd like to spend £300 but I would stretch to £400. As for Line6 stuff, I've got a PODxt with the bass add on and I don't really like it. It doesn't sound "alive", it sounds dull and lacks punch. I have POD Farm as well and it sounds the same. The BDDI and the M80 look like the kind of thing I want, but they seem to lack the fullness/saturation that I'm after. I'm only going by YouTube videos though, so I might be wrong. The M80 is definitely the closest so far though... [/quote] Sorry to hear it, but I have to say I can get waaaay better sounds out of Pod Farm than my M80 - It does need fettling with, yes - but I guess if you really want to spend £300 then maybe look at modelling plug ins instead of you have a decent interface? Start with Ampeg's SVX for decent amp sims for example. If it's also just for demo purposes, then I think the Line 6 stuff is quids in - you can spend the change on other toys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubhghaill Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 Does the BDI 21 have a decent overdrive? The audio clips on the official site don't really sell it to me. I have a half decent interface - the M-Audio Profire 610. It's fine for most things. I've tried the Ampeg SVX VST - it sounds ok but I still can't manage to get a tone close enough to what I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkin Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 [quote name='Dubhghaill' timestamp='1345032861' post='1772579'] Does the BDI 21 have a decent overdrive? [/quote] If you're anywhere near Cambridge you're welcome to try mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Well the only drive I like is that typical amp breaking up sound, and the BDI21 does this easily, with much more left to go on the drive/gain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Once you get it a bit higher than just a little breakup it sounds pretty sh*t in my opinion, more like distorting a solid state pre-amp than a nice drive, but that's just me. Different people might like it (Or spend the time to find a good drive sound) but personally, i don't. As a clean pre though, i absolutely love it. When i was using my board i had it set up for a much warmer, more rounded tone when we were doing more acousticy stuff. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Check these. Great quality: http://www.davehallamps.co.uk/page8.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 [quote name='fatback' timestamp='1345043468' post='1772782'] Check these. Great quality: [url="http://www.davehallamps.co.uk/page8.html"]http://www.davehalla...o.uk/page8.html[/url] [/quote] gotta say DHA all the way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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