As I understand it, bass straight into the board is not uncommon but I'm sure mic'ing an amp would be better.
I do both and record each to its own track. The direct-in bass is very clean - sometimes too clean. So I mix in a little of the mic'd bass cabinet sound to taste and generally like that best. However, when I find myself with only a direct-in bass track, I'll add a little grunge with a plug-in, such as a tape simulator. Again, adjust to taste and EQ to taste; I've found you can often get a sound close to mixing the two aforementioned tracks, and even the sound you hear when playing live (which is sometimes great and at other times, not so much). I almost always like the energy of a live performance best, but the sound of the studio is usually better because you have complete control. These are some of the ways I get closer to the sound I want - the sound in my head.
As for "Voices out of time", try adding a little more in the 150 - 250 Hz range, write the song to thumb drive or CD, and then play it on other systems, such as in your car, a good sound system, etc. The only way I've ever been able to know how well or poorly a song will translate on other systems is to actually play it on other systems. These days, I've added a consumer sound amp in my studio, two sets of consumer speakers (a small set and a larger more expensive set), and then also a really lousy computer amp/speaker from the 90s (it has 2 inch speakers) which I also try in mono. I also listen on a set of cans, but more so because they're more sensitive to things I may not hear on speakers. I've found that, if my songs sound good on all of these as well as my studio monitors, then it will sound good on almost every system. This approach saves me from having to save a copy onto a device just to try it in all those other places outside the studio.
Finally, I'd be lying if I didn't admit I still like to try songs in a vehicle. I'll do that over a week or two multiple times because it makes me really listen and find little things I want to fix. After that, it's done - it has to be, or I'll ruin it by continuing to make changes for ever. Songs are never truly finished, they're just ultimately abandoned. I've found that it's better to do that sooner than later if I feel it's working. I do the same by printing tracks when I feel they're done; that makes me commit, move on, and work other songs.
