Running a bass guitar amp and PC into an audio interface

[Discharge]

I think the answer is yes but hopefully one of you can explain this to an idiot!

So I want to run my Laney DBF200H and my PC into an Audio interface and I was using chatgpt to help but it's stating I need to buy Audient iD14 MKII over Audient iD4 MKII because:

The iD4 MkII has one mic pre input and one JFET instrument input rather than the iD14’s extra rear mic/line input options. On the product page, Audient describes it as “1 x Audient Console Mic Preamp” and “1 x JFET Instrument Input.”

That means your Laney connection becomes a bit less ideal:

Best on iD14: Laney FX Send/Line Out → rear line input
On iD4: Laney FX Send/Line Out → mic/line combo input

That still works, but the iD14 is cleaner for this because it is more naturally set up for external line-level gear. Audient’s specs for the iD14 explicitly list line input impedance >8kΩ on its mic/line inputs.

But in my caveman brain I only need one rear mic/line input for the Laney and the PC audio will be coming via the USB-C or am I indeed a dumbass?

I'm using Beyerdynamics 770 250 ohm headphones if that makes any difference

 

[staticV3]

Hi @Discharge! Welcome to ASR.

Not sure what the LLM is on about, as the ID4 has exactly the same Line input that the ID14 has.

The only difference is that the ID14 has two of them where the ID4 has just one.

If all you need is a single channel worth of analog input, then the ID4 will do just as well as the ID14.

 

[Discharge]

Hi @Discharge! Welcome to ASR.

Not sure what the LLM is on about, as the ID4 has exactly the same Line input that the ID14 has.

The only difference is that the ID14 has two of them where the ID4 has just one.

If all you need is a single channel worth of analog input, then the ID4 will do just as well as the ID14.

Hi Static!

Thanks for confirming, it was very confusing and I wasnt sure if I was missunderstanding something!

 

[Discharge]

Hi @Discharge! Welcome to ASR.

Not sure what the LLM is on about, as the ID4 has exactly the same Line input that the ID14 has.

The only difference is that the ID14 has two of them where the ID4 has just one.

If all you need is a single channel worth of analog input, then the ID4 will do just as well as the ID14.

I dont suppose you know of a good way to mount an ID14 mk2 under a desk?

I found these but wondering if there's a better solution:

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VIVO Clamp-on 33cm Above or Below Desk 2-Tier Shelving Unit for Table Accessories, Gaming Devices, and More, Storage Tray, Desktop Organizer, Black, STAND-SHELF2C : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen

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EDIT: Just found this: https://www.thomann.co.uk/thon_top_tray.htm

 

[Multicore]

I don't understand the question. What is it you want to accomplish?

Do you want to capture audio from your bass amp on the PC via the audio interface?

 

[LTig]

Looking at the block diagram (page 9) of the Laney DBF200H its DI output emits the clean signal before any processing. If you want to capture the sound coming out of the speaker you either need a microphone, or a DI box able to handle the signal coming out of the speaker output.

 

[Multicore]

Jumping the gun there, @LTig. Afaict it's not clear yet if OP wants to capture bass on the PC yet let alone if it should be with a mic to get the cab sound, from the amp or maybe just plug the instrument into the ID4 and use effects on the PC.

 

[goat76]

When recording my bass guitar and guitar, I plug them directly into either an external DI box or the DI input in my audio interface. When I'm fully satisfied with the recorded performance, I use a re-amp box to play them back into the guitar amps and record them using microphones. The main reason is to spare my neighbours from constant retakes (as I live in an apartment building), and it leaves room to fiddle with the sound settings on my amp and pedals, and the positioning of the microphones. It also gives me the chance to re-record things if I'm not fully satisfied with the result, without having to start from scratch playing the instrument parts again.

 

[Discharge]

I don't understand the question. What is it you want to accomplish?

Do you want to capture audio from your bass amp on the PC via the audio interface?

Sorry i'm very new to all of this and i'm probably not explaining myself very well, this is what I have in my Audio Interface to do:

[Bass Guitar]
│
└── 1/4" instrument cable
│
▼
[Laney DBF200H front INPUT]

[Laney DBF200H rear FX SEND / LINE OUT]
│
└── 1/4" TS mono jack cable
│
▼
[Audient iD14 MKII input 1 or 2]

[PC]
│
└── USB cable
│
▼
[Audient iD14 MKII USB-C port]

[DT 770 Pro 250 ohm]
│
└── 3.5 mm plug + 6.35 mm adapter
│
▼
[Audient iD14 MKII headphone output]


So I can listen to tracks (And play along) on my PC and hear my bass without disturbing neighbours and record my bassline seperately from the track/drums i'm playing along to. And when im just doing normal PC stuff (YT/Gaming...etc) I dont need to keep plugging in my amp or my PC.

I also need a headphone amp strong enough to power the 250 ohm headphones as my current DAC/Amp (Topping DX1) isnt very good and I have to turn it right up on high gain mode.

I dont want to mic anything up yet but it would be good to have to possibility to at a later point.

 

[LTig]

In this case the ID4 is sufficient, as you need only one input for the bass guitar..

 

[Multicore]

Get a DAW and learn to use it and plug your cans into the id4 and you should be off to the races.

If the id4 really can't drive your cans then the easier thing to do is get another set that it can (pun! Not sorry). Cans that can do the job you need are to be had for well under $100. Using the id4 may afford lower latency than a hifi DAC/amp, likely nothing significant. DACs designed for simple listening don't need to care about latency but audio interfaces do, so I prefer using the id4 for monitor to your cans

The thing I can't say is if the Laney line output level is tied to its speaker output level. If it is then you may not be able to play quietly.

Tell us how you get on.

 

[goat76]

So I can listen to tracks (And play along) on my PC and hear my bass without disturbing neighbours and record my bassline seperately from the track/drums i'm playing along to.

Do you plan to use an amp/speaker simulator software of some sort for a realistic bass sound, or will you be happy to just hear the DI sound while playing along/recording?

 

[Discharge]

Do you plan to use an amp/speaker simulator software of some sort for a realistic bass sound, or will you be happy to just hear the DI sound while playing along/recording?

I wasnt planning to but how would I implement that?

I was looking to get a darkglass anagram later this year for a similar result, but if there's a way of doing it for significantly less outlay then I would be interested.

 

[Multicore]

I wasnt planning to but how would I implement that?

Let's say we simplify things and you just plug the bass guitar into the id4. You set up a track in the DAW to record it. You add to the track a software effect (e.g. VST) that simulates a bass amp and cabinet. Monitor that track in your headphones while recording.

This is quite a common way of doing things and has the advantage of allowing you to adjust or even replace the amp/cab and other effects after you've recorded. There can be a down side: the sound in the headphones is a little delayed by all the conversions and software, sometimes enough to be noticeable and disrupt your performance while recording. This may not be a problem for you. It depends on a lot of things we can't predict.

The alternative, and what I personally use, is all the effects go before the audio interface. In this case I have to get the sound right before recording because I don't change it afterwards. But it means I don't need a computer at all to make the music, I can plug the effects into PA speakers and get the right sound, and there's no problem with latency.

Let's share diagrams (and photos) of our total physical audio system and the whole signal path, with a few words and/or links

"Please understand, however, I (we) do not always expect beautifully prepared/drawn diagrams and/or photos; even hand-written/hand-drawn rough sketch diagrams should work well in the perspectives of this new thread." Diagrams are fun to look at, but also what is the purpose? Especially for a...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I was looking to get a darkglass anagram later this year for a similar result, but if there's a way of doing it for significantly less outlay then I would be interested.

You can get a lot of things for the price of one of those.

Start searching youtube for tutorials on getting started with amp/cab sims and other software effects on the computer. I think you'll find it easier to learn from that stuff, if you find the good ones, than from our answers here.

 

[goat76]

I wasnt planning to but how would I implement that?

I was looking to get a darkglass anagram later this year for a similar result, but if there's a way of doing it for significantly less outlay then I would be interested.

I don't use amp sims myself as I'm only into recording a clean DI signal as possible for reamping/recording it later with microphones, but if I were into playing along with songs, I would probably want it to sound more like how it sounds from a speaker cab. Maybe someone else here has some suggestions on good amp sims you can load into a DAW as a plugin. What plugin to go for depends on what type of music you are into and what kind of sound you are after.

After you have bought an audio interface, I suggest you download Reaper for a free trial. It is a really good DAW, which I have used for a long time. There's definitely an initial learning curve before you get the hang of it, but it's not that hard after watching some videos and some trial and error.

REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits

Here are some examples of heavy bass tone plugins, but maybe you are into something else?

 

[Discharge]

Wish I had found this place earlier, so I didnt really need to buy a practice bass amp!

Thanks for the learning material, i'll get my head around it i'm sure!

 

[Multicore]

Wish I had found this place earlier, so I didnt really need to buy a practice bass amp!

It's possible, if you will only use headphones or the PC's speakers and if you are ok with using software effects.

Many of us, myself included, prefer effects with real knobs and prefer to not depend on the computer to get the sound. Using the FX SEND/LINE OUT your DBF200H can do that. Although so can things like this

 

[Steve Dallas]

The ID4 is all you need. Having said that, I have been in the home recording game for decades and have consistently had problems with Audient drivers for Windows. I mostly use MOTU interfaces instead, which have rock solid drivers. Check out the M2 for your purposes.

 

[Discharge]

The ID4 is all you need. Having said that, I have been in the home recording game for decades and have consistently had problems with Audient drivers for Windows. I mostly use MOTU interfaces instead, which have rock solid drivers. Check out the M2 for your purposes.

What sort of problems have you had with Audient ?

I was mostly favouring them due to the 250 ohm cans I have

 

[Steve Dallas]

What sort of problems have you had with Audient ?

I was mostly favouring them due to the 250 ohm cans I have

Unless I set the buffer very high, I would get pops, clicks, and dropouts. That caused too much latency for tracking guitar and bass with plugins while monitoring. I treid everything and could not make it work. Then I switched to Focusrite and then MOTU and had no problems with low buffer sizes and low latency.