Sidroe
Don't forget Audiffed GK Amplification Pro 2!! I have all the ones already mentioned and they all are great. If you are looking for the Gallien-Krueger flavor, you can't go wrong there. It was my goto bass amp sim for years and still fills the bill for that special bass tone that others don't fill.

Thanks for everyone's input. I have downloaded the free LE version of Audified's GK Amplification - it is absolutely brilliant! Never heard of these guys before - thanks for the lead! I will probably upgrade to the full version, but my first impressions of the LE version is that it will give me most of what I was after. 
 
There is a lot of choice out there - I totally respect you guys crafting your own tone without a sim - thanks for sharing. 
 
Back to the music...

Audified's GK Amplification introduces too much noise for me, similar to its mediocre counterpart "AmpLion".
it's simply a middle of the road bass amp sim in my opinion. I own the full version of GK (Mark bass as well).
But trust what some people are saying here. you probably own plug ins that are 10X better than GK Amplification. That plug in is simply a shortcut to the real thing (Your good plug ins).

To Chuck's way:
 
When I record my P-Bass, Line 6 Bass or my Custom 5 String they always go "DI" into my LA-610 then dbx 266xs into my RME UFX. The typical chain is then FabFilter ProQ2 (for highpass), UAD Helios EQ, and any of the compressors I have depending on the song. Then when I really want bite I'll add chorus and distortion (via EZMix2's bass chorus).
 
When I record my Alembic (oh, did I mention I have an 1977 Alembic Series I bass? ) I use my F2B preamp into the RME. Because the Alembic can have separate out for the bridge and neck pickups I record separate tracks and may EQ/FX them differently. Or I may record it in mono. Just depends on the song and what I'm after.
 
When I do use bass amp sims I will use IK's Ampeg or Bassman, Softube's Bass Room, Line 6 POD Farm. I do have Recabinet 4 from Karzog but for some reason it does not get much use.

BTW, I have TH3 Full, GR 5 and have never liked any of those bass amps.

I generally use an MXR bass pre-amp/DI as the basis then eq that as required post record. I find it adds something sometimes that software alone seems to lack, especially if there's an envelope filter in front of it.

As for bass amp emulators, the one I prefer is the Ampeg model that comes with Logic Pro, then second best to me is the Amplitube Ampeg B15.

Though as has already been said, a combination of eq and compression alone can produce perfectly good results. As demonstrated by thousands of recordings that were made by plugging the bass direct to the deck.

I use Waves GTR 3, IK Multimedia Ampeg, TH3 bass amps, IK Multimedia Mondo Bass, and my Fender Rumble 25 bass amp and a mic, but I need a better bass head.  Sometimes I don't like the sound of the bass with just the amp other times I don't like to sound using plugins.  What I can count on is using a different position with mic on the amp and then using a plugin.  The positioning of the mic and the right plugin adjustment works.
 
Sometimes, I double up on the bass amp plugins and I get a unique sound that works.
 
 
 
 

I wouldn't even bother with a bass cab unless you have something exceptional. not mention needing a good bass mic such as the Heil PR40 and the Shure Beta 52. using a sure sm58 wont cut it like it does on a guitar amp.
I suggest direct and use something like I use (a sansamp) or your mic pres.
 
With that being said, there are some who swear by vintage techniques (micing a bass cab) but even as far back as Aerosmith's early albums most of the signal your hearing on Hamilton's bass is a direct feed from the Spectrasonics desk in the Record plant studio A. along with his Ampeg B15.
But like I said, micing a cab is something many still swear by. so its only my opinion to go direct for most uses.
 
I know Jay Massina who was the engineer on Toys in the attic recorded my bass amp..no let me correct that (I had a peavey tnt :-) so he used one of his Amps (sorry not a b15). This was back in 1992. If I were to ask him now im sure he is still doing it the same way except for some recordings.

Since we are talking about recording Bass ...
Am I the only hold out here that goes for a James Jamerson type of sound and tone by using a P Bass set up with super old flatwound strings ?
 
 
Kenny
 

Hey Kenny.
A lot of session guys bring a flatwound P bass to jobs.  
I am actually building a Franken 59 P bass with Lindy Fralins and LaBella Deep Talkin' flats to go with all my other basses.
Love that sound through a good DI and mic pre.
Best.
Mark.

Hi,
Sometimes the little studio devil virtual bass amp can help.