Advice Please - Very thin & weak sound when recording DI with GK rb 400

[cisco]

Hi

I am due to do some more recording with my band and Im coming up against the same usual difficulty - whenever my bass is recorded through the DI from my GK rb 400 to the desk the result is a very thin weedy deadish sound

Live, my sound is very punchy and aggressive and recording it sounds nothing at all like it should

So, I was wondering if there is anything I could do about it ?

I am thinking around going 50-50 mic and DI but I am not sure what mic to use?

Also would I be right in thinking I may need a DI box to help the signal - and would the Sansamp Bass Driver be something I could do with?

Questions questions! Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you

Edited December 23, 2014 by cisco

[Kiwi]

There could be a whole load of reasons including a problem with the desk, a problem with the amp, a problem with the DI socket. A bit more elimination is needed before you're likely to get a helpful response on here. Borrow a DI though and see how you go. Play the bass direct through the box as well as plugging a feed in.

[cisco]

Thanks Kiwi I will give it a go - I have probably not been too clear with the post title - the signal is strong enough bit the actual sound is very thin and weedy!

Can post titles be edited?

Edited December 23, 2014 by cisco

[lurksalot]

Yes you can edit the title, if you edit the first post and click 'more reply options' the thread title can be accessed.

do you have a function to set whether the signal is sent pre or post effects ? sometimes any effects that you use in an effects loop can be bypassed , but even then the sound should still be reasonable .

you could try the effects loop out to a desk channel

Some effects pedals like Zoom stuff can DI out before the amp ,

but as Kiwi says if anything is not actually working properly then a process of elimination is the best way forward

[cisco]

Thanks lurksalot

There is no function to set pre or post effects

The DI has been used in a live situation without any difficulty - there just seems to be a huge disparity between live and recorded sound

[Ant]

id try the "send" into a di box and see how that sounds, but if the di works live but not when recording it points to a problem with the recording gear?

[The Badderer]

are you already recording with both a Mic and a DI at the same time already. If so this is something to check
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI9_uLN-YWA

what gear are you recording into?

I would definitely say try going DI straight through a decent DI Box just to see if it some something that your amp is doing.

[vailbass]

you may be sending a post EQ signal to the board; try unplugging your cab and while listening to the input on the board, move the tone controls to see if this changes the sound. If so, then the EQ settings you have for the great sound out of your speaker do not make for a good signal to the board. The Sansamp bass driver is cool, plug your bass into that first and take the XLR out to the board/ use the GK just for live sound; you will be happier, money back guarantee!
A no money solution would be to unplug your speaker, use the GK direct out and adjust the EQ to shape a better tone....

Edited January 3, 2015 by vailbass

[nick]

I use an old GK 400RB too, it's a fantastic little amp.
One thing to know though, is that the 'Direct' out from these amps is unbuffered & comes straight off the power amp.
When you're playing live, I'd imagine you're running that amp fairly hard, which results in that big GK signature growl, what I believe Robert Gallien refers to "hitting the rails" tone. Maybe in the studio, you're not running the amp as high as you would do when gigging?

I'd go with Vail's suggestion, try disconnecting the speaker & run it pretty flat out, see if you're acheiving that tone you're after. Be wary though, these amps get hot!

Edited January 3, 2015 by nick