Yeah - I've always used TE for my bass (I even used a TE head to run my Stick rig and that rocked as well)

It's a distinctive sound - very crisp, clean and punchy

I have struggled to get a more "warm" rounded tone out of it, but it's still a top-notch stack.

...

Hi there. The U5 is basically a active line box. The V5 is also a mic pre and a re-amping unit. Otherwise they are the same.

Rob makes a very good point about the sound that is being recorded is not the same when coming from a DI vs mic. At this point we are not comparing apples to apples. If you have to choose one or the other and the amp/cab/mic sounds better then go with it. Save money and move on...

However, if you can record both the direct and mic then I would do that so you have the choice to use one or blend them. If doing this you find that the direct sound is unusable I would go get a DI. The DI will help give a better signal to the interface. The U5 is an amazing DI and highly recommended but is very expensive. There are some very nice passive DIs which may give you the tone and sound that you are looking for.

There are also many very nice amp/cab simulators in a DAW so you can always record direct and then put it through the sim to get the amp/cab sound. The sims can sound a bit harsh but something I recently purchased is the Brainworx Shred Spread which has a knob called "Shred" which was designed specifically for smoothing out that harshness in virtual amps.

I personally use the Line6 POD X3 Live. It allows me to record a DI signal as well as the effected signal from the unit. The effected signal is a reference to where I want to take the sound but it sometimes sounds better than the sims I am using which are supposed to be the exact same... I have also recorded my X3 through my AD interface (analog output of X3 to my Tascam interface) and it gives a more "analog" sound which can be more pleasing to the ears but it means more cables and I like to keep things as quick as possible so that I do not lose the inspiration so I stick to the USB cable...

I've typed enough... I hope I was able to give a little insight...

yes - you have all been very helpful!
(Jan sent me many a detailed, informative PMs)

My problem is that I usually can't record with a mic since I live with my fiance and her son. The number of times that I am alone in my house, and in the mood to record, are very few and far between. Hence me stufying the direct route more than what I would normally be interested in doing...

I really do love the sound I get from my basses plugged directly into my TE stack, but to get real good tone out of it I have to play it fairly loud (no problem there - I love doing that !) - but that severely limits my recording options.

Everyone has been extremely thoughtful and helpful in their responses!

And I still haven't decided what to do yet...

Randy

I just realized that you never mentioned the model number(s) of your Trace Elliot stack: that prevented me from doing my usual owner's manual hunt. I can give you a specific recommendation if I can find the specifications for your gear.

i am a professional recording engineer. i scanned through most of the posts in this thread. everything i read was spot on and i liked the points that were made about mics, pres, converters, monitors, etc. it's ALL important and each part plays a big roll in the sound you can achieve.

i think Avalon is top quality. but i prefer any kind of Neve 1073 (or 1073 clone) over the Avalon. Vintech makes a great clone and the Ben Averill is every bit as good as the Neve. I've even used a very cost effective 1073 clone from Golden Age (Pre 73) that believe it or not sounds surprising close to a true 1073. at @ $300 for a single channel it's a great option if you don't have $1500 or more to spend. i'd even take the Golden Age over the Avalon. i just love the sound of the Neve (1073 style). it's creamy and warm with a clean top and full body.

the converters are a critical component, but i love Apogee and advise you stick with that

Good monitors are Crucial. your listening environment is also just as important. i use passive monitors that i strongly recommend. E V Sentry 100A monitors. you can find them on eBay for next to nothing. they are not well known and not the popular name, but i tried a lot of monitors and those monitors sound great AND are very easy on the ears. i mention this because just because monitors may reproduce sound well, they can also be very fatiguing to the ears. when you are listening to something for long periods, you should have monitors that don't burn you out. the E V monitors have a very wide dispersion so they sound consistent no matter where you are. some speakers sound very different when you move your head or if you aren't directly in line with them. you can find a pair of the E V monitors on eBay for under $300 a pair, but you will need a power amp. a crown D75 stereo power amp for @$200 (ebay) is a perfect way to go. the only thing about the EV monitors is i recommend removing the foam from the tweeter. the foam doesn't help. those speakers have paper cone woofers and have nice bottom and dynamics.

Get Logic Pro X. it's basically Garageband but with all the features you want and need. i look at Garageband as Logic LE.

Use great preamps through great converters and then Logic Pro X has really nice plugins. Waves Plugins are also highly recommended. don't forget you need the right monitors, but from a production standpoint, you will have the tools you need and then it's up to you to make the most of them.