Problem Recording w/DSP2000 C-Port

[Resistance_01]

Here's my problem: No matter what, my setup won't record distortion well. It sounds extremely harsh, rough, and even ugly.

Here's my setup: Guitar -> Distortion Pedal -> DI Box (Amplifier plugged into DI Box as monitor) -> Recording Interface

Guitar - PRS Santana SE
Dist Pedal - Boss DS-1 (classic orange)
DI Box - Behringer DI100
Amp - Crate 120W combo
Recording interface - DSP2000 C-Port

I'm using the distortion pedal, but I would prefer to use the distortion in my amp. Is there a way to do that with the DI Box? (Technically the amp is an effect & monitor, so how should I set it up?) Regardless, I've tried lots of combos and none of them will reproduce the distortion correctly.

I've been told it's the DI Box, and if the setup is really the problem, what else can you suggest? Right now cost is REALLY an issue, so keep that in mind when making suggestions! Thanks a lot!

[wogg]

Distortion doesn't typically sound very good direct, in my experience anyway. If you roll off some higs with an EQ it might help a little bit. Mic the cabinet if you can, the speaker is an important part of good dirty tone.

[knowdoubt]

Pretty much everything wogg just said. The speaker in a guitar amp has a natural acoustic high & low freq roll off. The same freq response signal that your guitar speaker receives, if played through a full range system such as PA, studio monitors or HiFi would sound excessively bright, brittle & harsh. There are DI boxes that are especially EQ tailored to simulate the response of a guitar cab when using stomp boxes or guitar amp direct outs (Hughes & Kettners *Red Box* is one) & some amps & preamps these days have recording outputs that are specially EQ tailored to simulate a speaker cabs response. These simulators usually consist mainly of a high freq roll of about 12 to 24 dB/octave starting somewhere around 4 or 5 KHz & a low freq roll off of about 12 dB/octave below about 70 to 100 Hz accompanied by a bit of resonant peak boost (roughly 3 dB or so) just before the low freq roll off. That's just the general picture & there can also be critical distinguishing little peaks & dips throughout the pass band but following that general starting point EQ recipe would get you in the ball park to setting up a cabinet simulator EQ in your mixing software for recording your stomp box or amps direct out.

All that being said, if you like the sound of your amp & you've got a half way decent cab mic (SM57 or similar would be nice) just mic it, as already suggested.

[This message has been edited by knowdoubt (edited 08-15-2003).]

[byrdsworth]

Hi there ...there is a forum on st audio stuff including the c-port...I'm sure you'll get an answer there..heres the link http://www.sound-music.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi
cheers
Byrds