Guitar-amp simulation, '15

[ott0bot]

^^Did anyone give it a listen or is it that awful that it demanded silence?

[The Real MC]

I have vintage amps, and I still get decent mileage out of my Vox Tonelab SE for gigging and recording. The SE is great in that it has many decent models of pedals, in fact I don't have ANY pedals in my arsenal. I use my own sounds, the factory presets are useless.

Just today I was swapping tubes in the SE. The Mullard reissue sounds great.

[KennyLusk]

Just to add to the conversation, I always track a mic on an amp but the other day decided to try Amplitube in an Aux bus to see how it could enhance my existing clean track.

I auditioned the Fender '57 Deluxe (amongst other's) and found it to sound really wonderful. Added some pedals like reverb, chorus and analog delay and it was a perfect compliment to my dry track from a mic'd Vox Cambridge 30 Twin Reverb.

I'm definitely going to use Amplitube more to make my guitar tracks more interesting, But the plug sure did sound convincing to my ears.

[New Orleans Steve]

I been going through many of my options here with player / friends. All can be good, But ALL sound better going through a real amp and miced.
70% of the time, If I supply the amp it's going to be either a Peavey Clasic 30 or a Fender Bassman Head (Bassman 70 silverface).
SO, between a Pod, JStation, Boogie VTwin, Boggie Formula, and Tech 21 sans amp combo - I find that going out into the Bassman really makes a difference.
Also, I find that i can cut through the bassman, touch a transparent compressor at line level on the way' to tape' THEN reamp through an amp sim and back in works.
On the return I might just put the sim on an analogur insert loop OR go out to re amp device and then bassman mice'd. Also, I find that If I am doing a dry track with reamping in mind. Again, micing the bassman is better than a clean DI.

[palinilap]

For metal Recabinet is the most realistic I've heard. Tons of gain without sounding mushy. Really captures the feel of high gain amps.

[jckinnick]

Don't think it's been brought up yet. But thoughts on the Kemper? Got to play around with one of those once.. Holy proper sampling batman. Had it sampling a twin reverb we had in the room. Were switching back in forth. Aside from the sound of the switching back and forth the thing was spot on.

I was thinking about getting one of these.

[vvv]

I was just reading on the 'zon about those little Yamahahas - they get pretty good reviews ...

[Randyman...]

Anyone had face-time with the Line 6 Helix yet? Seems really neat and tightly integrated - and even includes an output for amplifier-channel-switching!

The few youtube demos I've seen were pretty impressive. I'll have an opportunity to get one at dealer cost in a few weeks (under $1K)!!! But they don't keep one in stock for demo purposes - so I've had zero facetime with it...

We are currently using a custom PC to run Amplitube3 (and sometimes Guitar Rig 5) into a Marshall 9005 50w x2 power amp into a 1960B - that is a killer sounding rig on its own. Then, we also run an analog split off the guitar DI to a Marshall DSL40C and combine to taste (analog). Actually, I just put an Electro Harmonix Epitome pedal in front of both (Guitar > Epitome Mono input > Left out to DSL40C / Right Out to Brick DI then into PC). The Epitome's stereo chorus and reverb is INTENSE and lush in this setup!

We are also using an FBV Express MK-II footboard to control Amplitube's Stomp Pedal section - works incredibly well! Wah, Volume and 4 assignable Stomp on/offs. Amplitube + FBV Express MKII is Probably about the easiest and best integration from a PC mascaraing as a full guitar rig. There might be more involved and more capable setups - but this is about as functional and simple as one could expect from such a PC setup IMO.

I believe the Helix would offer even better integration, and would also get the DSL40C and 9005/1960B chains in perfect phase alignment (currently, PC/Amplitube is around 3ms latent round trip as compared to the DSL40C).

Seems like the Line 6 Helix has really stepped up their modeling and integration compared to previous generations of Line 6 modelers - but would love to hear reports from yous' guys

[RefD]

for the past few years, when i can't or won't mic a guitar amp, i generally use either a Tech 21 Blonde pedal or Liverpool pedal direct.

and if i'm REALLY in a hurry, i dig out the Digitech DF7 Distortion Factory pedal i got for $20 at a pawn shop and use the "MIX" output.
4 of the 7 models actually sound good!

my old POD Pro processes beatboxes and early 90s hardware samplers now.

[kslight]

I haven't used a Helix but I own an HD500X (bought after the Helix was announced because was way cheap). I'm pretty happy with the results I get with the HD500X though, I have owned probably a dozen different 'real' tube and solid state amps over the last few years and finally settled on this. I have all the extra model packs as well. I like using the fx loop to get my pedals in there...all the fx loops of the Helix would be nice. I also own Amplitube 3 but I prefer this...so I have to assume that the Helix would be a good step up as well.

[mrc]

I've had a vibrolux reverb and oil can delay since '73, and bought them used with a CBS Leslie tone cab and 61 SG. Bought an AC-10c reissue last year, love them, but need to overhaul the old Fender, I heard it starting to fail a couple years ago, and shut it down. I have 4 boxes, including Jerry Dononahue Jd10, a pod with all the plugs, and the Vox Tonelab le. I think it's the best box I've had, and as has been mentioned, the effects are pretty good into a cleanish amp up to cranked, just don't use the amp emulation into an amp, with any box.
Like Roscoenyc said, the UAD amp sims are pretty good. I have a Twin duo, and really like the 2 Marshalls into the A800, 1176A, with a gentle squeeze of Sonnox inflator effect, and the Ocean Way Studios rooms as a reverb like"po
Oplugin on the aux bus. Just enough to give it a tiny touch of space, makes it sound legit. The twin is a sweet little desktop box. There's a reason they call it UAD Crack!
I've been listening to the videos, and the Ampeg Bass amps are on the top of my list. Just adding a few real amped parts to a mix with even the pod stuff direct in helps to sell the emulations...
I got slagged once for mentioning using a compressor into a distortion box, but think about the lone amp without an output control knob, and plugin' into it with just a mxr compressor. You had to fiddle with it to make sounds, but it Happened all over the world, and worked even better with a hardware compressor behind the mic. Just a touch here and the.That would happen going to tape. We don' need no stinking badges, or any rules, for that matter.. I love amps, but not bleeding out of my ears and eyes during guitar part is sweet.

[Randyman...]

I haven't used a Helix but I own an HD500X...

Thanks for the feedback, kslight. Seems like the Helix should be pretty sweet if you already like your HD500 over Amplitube 3!