distorted bass signal?

I'm not familiar with B3, but could it be the problem is due to the fact that B3 itself is an audio interface, and you're routing it through another audio interface? Shouldn't you plug B3 directly to computer? How are you monitoring - through the B3 or Tascam directly or through Sonar?

Something in your gain stage need to be adjusted. So i would just start form the beginning of your gain stage (signal chain) and make sure at each stage there is no clipping or over saturation of an effect.

If your bass guitar has active pickups, change the battery. Its probably not it, since it sounds good going in, but who knows..
Definitely trace your gain stage, as it is something int here that is doing this

CJ

No, i dont, but you have to look at the whole picture

Thanks,
CJ

you would benifit by using the zoom as an insert effect,so you should be recording dry,no effect,if you are recording wet and then playing back through the zoom again you are doubling the effects load and it will sound like mud,make sure you have proper I/O set up.

I see there are proper ASIO drivers and support for 64 bit systems so you should try using the Zoom as an interface.Why not. You can use 2 ASIO interfaces , just not at the same time. I have even live swapped between 2 interfaces with Sonar running without a problem. Just a warning and the permission to use the new device. This way you can rule out any weirdness from daisy chaining the Tascam. Generally if you don't hear distortion at the interface monitoring, then none should be recorded. I didn't read the manual but I would assume the Zoom has active PU inputs or a switch to pad the signal. Read the manual and see what is said about using active PU.

Oh , OK that's a bother all right. Like I said only 1 device can have it's drivers running. You'd have to switch your monitor cables to the Zoom. Or just swap out to record the bass and use headphones, then swap back when your working on other parts. It's as easy as installing the drivers for the Zoom. Unplug the USB cable from the Tascam and swap it over to the Zoom. Sonar will add the Zoom drivers to it's list. The inactive device will be greyed out. When you swap Sonar will ask if you want to use the new device and all it's in/outs change automatically. Not sure if this is true with all brands, But I used a Tascam us1641 and an M-Audio Fast track pro without a problem. ( long story as why I was doing this )

Your welcome, I'd give it a try as you really won't be messing up your Tascam set up. You don't have to uninstall the Tascam's drivers. Sonar seems to store all info about any ASIO device it has seen and it stays on the Audio driver and input lists. It is just greyed out if that device is not connected. The only hitch I can think of is if your on board sound card try's to take over when you unplug the USB cable. I have my on board cards disabled.

Don't think they use anything different as far as components go. The us1641 is discontinued and replaced with the us 1800. Only reason to go that route is to have more inputs. You want better quality you go with RME. Who knows, the Zoom might be better, hard to say. Did you try it yet?