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here's the deal: is it safe to connect the DI output of a bass head to a firewire interface to your computer, no cab hooked to the top, just to plug in to the top and hear the sound on your computer ?

or will it damage the interface/computer because of the wattage ?
i'm thinking it might be alright because after all it's a balanced DI that you'd connect to a PA installation or use for recording DI-style..then again..a PA installation is made for it and can handle it ... so that's why i'm asking you people...since i don't know shit about that stuff.

share your knowledge

As long as your firewire interface has a "line level" input you should be fine. You might check with the bass amp though, to make sure it can't be damaged running the amp without a speaker connected.

The line out is simply a jack socket right? and the same for your soundcard input? If so...

The output is line level, which means your soundcard can handle it.

If you plugged it into the mic socket on your interface it'll be looking for a much lower level signal, but all that would happen is you would vastly overload it. Which would sound crap (digital distortion and that) but you would be hard pressed to break anything.

You might have a problem with the gear expecting different signal levels. You get +4db and -10db. Most likely it'll be fine. Even if its mismatched, you'll just have problems with too much noise or whatever.

It'll be fine, just try it with all the gains turned down, and the level of your amp turned down. Then turn you amp up a little, and slowly turn the gain knob on the interface and see what happens.

I'm assuming its fine for your amp head to work without a cab, im just talking about the I/O setup.

Plugging speaker outputs into line-level inputs is where the trouble begins..

Often, the amps master volume will not effect the DI out (sometimes the DI will have it's own output dial), meaning you leave the head plugged into the cab for safety, but have the master volume down to mute the speaker output.

That said, solidstate amps aren't too delicate or fussy, I don't think running them without a load has ever resulted in anything blowing. Best play it safe if you can, though.

Doog don't even mention that. Cos someone will try it.

I've done it in my more naive years (this is with a SOLIDSTATE amp, bear in mind), never had a problem. Don't do it with a tube amp though, or you may be looking at hefty tech bill for new transformers.

Still don't recommend you do it, though.

Doog wrote:I've done it in my more naive years (this is with a SOLIDSTATE amp, bear in mind), never had a problem. Don't do it with a tube amp though, or you may be looking at hefty tech bill for new transformers.

Still don't recommend you do it, though.

And a lot of other things. Urgh. This is why my little brother will not be allowed to go near my Laney.

That's how that n-jack Julian blew fire out of the back of his bassman, right?

speaker out ??? no way, that'll mess things up i'm sure ! *shakes head*


it's a solid state top, the built in DI is xlr, i'm going to do some more research, i don't want to ruin my interface or amp or whatever, but i think it's quite alright, slowly raising the volume

when you're home recording and you're not micing your amp that's your only option too when you don't want to just plug your guitar into the interface but use an amp eh ? wether you're using an exspensive pro interface or a simple one, i think that's one of the reasons why the amp has a built in DI after all (PA and recording purposes), it's made for that, but i still find it scary to plug a 300watt amp into a little firewire interface, built in DI or not


edit: found this, tho i'ts not an SWR, but anyway

Q: Can I run my amp without any speaker cabinets connected to it?
A: Yes. All SWR amplifiers can be used for recording purposes using only the XLR record out and without speakers attached to the speaker jacks. This is unlike most amplifiers found on the market

i wonder wether the last sentence is just to promote their stuff tho

When I do recorded live sessions we usually either DI the bass or take the DI from the bass amp itself. This just does straight into the line in at the desk. Your interface should be fine. If you are worried just find the manual both, and it should have the specs for the respective maximum outputs/inputs.

heavium wrote:it's made for that, but i still find it scary to plug a 300watt amp into a little firewire interface, built in DI or not

A DI output will come from the preamp, it won't be coming from the dreaded 300w poweramp of doom.

i gave it a try today, in a hurry tho, but it didn't work, i got no sound in Garageband, then i plugged my bass straight into the interface and got sound.. but i might try again when i've got more time, ashdown said it doesn't harm the top to turn it on without a speaker cab, just not too long..i hate heavyass speaker cabs ! bass ruins your back !