Line out for recording?

[sl2lover]

Anyone use their lineout on their head for recording? How does it compare to traditional mic recording?

[Dreamland_Rebel]

standard practice for a lot of studios was mic the cab and also record the line out from the head at the same time. later they'd re-amp that line out or process it and mix it back in with the original mic'd cab.

[Newc]

Not sure about Line6 and other modeling heads, but a miked cabinet and a Line output are always going to sound different from each other.

[markD]

i have taken the line out of one of my heads and used it to feed the input of a line 6 pod 2.0 set with NO amp modelling (tube preamp), but with cab modelling. i have gotten pretty good results. it is NOT my normal process, but when i have needed a different type of tone, it has been very cool.

[sl2lover]

Well I love the tone my amp puts out, and was wondering if it will killed any if I go the line out method.

[Newc]

You'll definitely get a different tone - better or worse or equal is up to you.

The cabinet and speakers play a major role in the sound you hear, it's not just the head. Change the cabinet or the speakers and you change the tone anywhere from slightly to majorly. No one makes a truly "flat" cabinet or speaker that only projects exactly what comes from the head. There's no way to do it. You'll always have some tonal effect from the speakers AND the cabinet material.

Stick a mic in front of the cabinet and again you're introducing something that has its own tonal characteristics. Unless you're prepared to spend thousands of dollars on several different piezo and ribbon mics, you're not likely to get the exact same sound of your cab/speakers into a recorder.

Once you do manage to get the sound into your computer, getting it back out presents yet another tonal change - your PC speakers/monitors are not going to let it sound exactly like your amp.

The best you can ever do is compensate for the speakers/studio monitors, and get your tone mixed well with the other instruments.

No one ever has or ever will get the exact same tone live as they have on record, simply because it's not possible, except in the improbable event that an album is recorded using nothing but samples and modelers and each CD comes with the same preamp and speakers they ok'd the final mix through and said "that's how it's supposed to sound".


There are tons of EQ tricks you can do in the computer to get the sound coming out of your monitors closer to the sound coming out of your amp, but again it will only sound like that in your setup and in those that have the same monitors.

[sl2lover]

You'll definitely get a different tone - better or worse or equal is up to you.

The cabinet and speakers play a major role in the sound you hear, it's not just the head. Change the cabinet or the speakers and you change the tone anywhere from slightly to majorly. No one makes a truly "flat" cabinet or speaker that only projects exactly what comes from the head. There's no way to do it. You'll always have some tonal effect from the speakers AND the cabinet material.

Stick a mic in front of the cabinet and again you're introducing something that has its own tonal characteristics. Unless you're prepared to spend thousands of dollars on several different piezo and ribbon mics, you're not likely to get the exact same sound of your cab/speakers into a recorder.

Once you do manage to get the sound into your computer, getting it back out presents yet another tonal change - your PC speakers/monitors are not going to let it sound exactly like your amp.

The best you can ever do is compensate for the speakers/studio monitors, and get your tone mixed well with the other instruments.

No one ever has or ever will get the exact same tone live as they have on record, simply because it's not possible, except in the improbable event that an album is recorded using nothing but samples and modelers and each CD comes with the same preamp and speakers they ok'd the final mix through and said "that's how it's supposed to sound".


There are tons of EQ tricks you can do in the computer to get the sound coming out of your monitors closer to the sound coming out of your amp, but again it will only sound like that in your setup and in those that have the same monitors.

Ya i understand my tone will be changed as it is natural, but I'm more worried about my tone being shaped drastically...guess I'll find out!

[nitro_D]

Mine doesnt have a line out, just 100w of jcm800 tone lol.

[emperor_black]

Line out if I'm not wrong is coming directly from the preamp. So, its not even your amp's actual sound...which should be after the power amp stage. If you used an attenuator like the weber for example, that has a line out which is supposedly the true tone of your amp. but like NewC said, will still not be "true" since the attenuator itself will inject some tonal changes.

Basically to answer your question, yes, it will souund drastically different. It will sound thin, harsh and trebly. But that's how a preamp's sound is. Its rounded off by the power amp. Unless the line out is After the power amp. Then it might sound better. But it will still not be as good as a cab mic'd because the amp by itself is not moving any air.

[Tim_B]

Mine doesnt have a line out, just 100w of jcm800 tone lol.

+1

an SM58 on a speaker, another to the side, and a 3rd behind the cab .. mix, and enjoy

making the most of the tonal shaping qualities of components that change your sound the way you like.

[Matt_B]

There are some great boxes for getting really good tones direct if you look for them.

ADA used to make the Ampulator which has a 12AX7 to simulate the power section of the amp as well as a seperate section for speaker+mic simulation. They also made the Microcab which was just the speaker+mic sim.

I've managed to accumulate quite a few of these and I won't give them up for love or money.

[MOSHWITZ]

I use the line out of my Engl Savage all the time,,,line out > computer> IR (SIR2, Boogex, Revalver, Kefir, etc)+ cab impulse of choice

MOSHON
DAVE

[sl2lover]

Well my head does attenuate, so i will mess with it some and see what sounds i can get. Still gonna mic record tho...

[Spivonious]

I tried the line out on my old Road King and it sounded thin and buzzy, so the cab was mic'ed from then on.

[Newc]

Miking a cab is dandy if you've got the household for it. If you don't, you need viable options like Line Out and eqing it in the PC.