The Big Guitar Amp Sim Roundup + Review

[telecode]

I can't help but thinking that most, is more trouble than they're worth. You end up just tinkering. Only. With IRL amps, you tinker with the row of knobs for a little while, and the vol knob, and are done.

What is "IRL" ? Real amps? I have no issue working with sims like Neural or IKM. I use them similar to how I used to use real amp setup. You can just load up and tweak a few knobs and away you go or you can tinker with sound and effects forever to get a crazy sound. It's all dependent on what genre of music you are making. I used to use tons of effects and pedals back when i was a lead player in bands and i would tinker for hours on end with pedal settings and muti fx settings trying to get "that sound" and use tape all over the place to mark the correct setting. so glad i don't have to do that anymore as it's all virtual. thats one of the things i like about IKM AT 4 and their vendor branded amps. If you need that Fender sound or that Mesa sound, you just dial up the amp in the correct collection and adjust a few things and away you go -- as long as you don't over do it with the extra effects and keep the essence of the amps sound intact you are 90% of the way there. But I would not trust a sim in a live situation. great for recording.

[Mats Eriksson]

Now, I want that digital fizz on my real tube amp. Without additional effects, or anything. I love the sound. How do I proceed...?

[Tj Shredder]

Now, I want that digital fizz on my real tube amp. Without additional effects, or anything. I love the sound. How do I proceed...?

Just feed it in...
Preamp->laptop or iPad with digital fizz->real tube amp

Maybe you are able to load some digital fizz into a Mod Duo - depends on the fizz you‘re after...

[Faydit]

Now, I want that digital fizz on my real tube amp. Without additional effects, or anything. I love the sound. How do I proceed...?

Use Chinese tubes!

[Mats Eriksson]

Now, I want that digital fizz on my real tube amp. Without additional effects, or anything. I love the sound. How do I proceed...?

Just feed it in...
Preamp->laptop or iPad with digital fizz->real tube amp

Maybe you are able to load some digital fizz into a Mod Duo - depends on the fizz you‘re after...

Without anything, additional...I said ...

[Tj Shredder]

What is the additional you don‘t want? The guitar?

[thumperjack]

Sorry, but SHOW ME. The sound I am talking about and hearing is because of DETAIL stemming from the sound not being interfered with by flutter echoes, standing Waves and room noise. A good studio room allows a mic to capture the sound in pristine detail, putting delay on top of a direct recorded signal will NOT give more detail.

But by all means, post a simple recording, doodle around with a couple guitars panned right and left and SHOW ME, because I WANT you to be right. It would mean you would be showing me a way to do what I have dreamed of achieving for 20 years now. Please be right, please, please show me.

it WILL give more detail if you do it just right, what happens is when it starts to comb filter some peaks are made and some scoops are made, if you line it up right (get it in phase just right) you get the peaks where you want them (extra clarity, extra body) and the scoops line up right as well (scoop the woof, scoop the mud). it's the whole premise of moving a mic around to get it in phase, you're looking for the right spot in between the waveforms to sit the mic so it rests comfortably clear in between the mess.

1ms is basically 1 time foot of space between source and receptor, how far away do you want to be?

do you have a Helix or HX stomp? dual delay (stereo) after the cab, one 7ms the other 8ms, feedback 65%, mix 16%. about 7 or 8 feet back worth of ambience.

another method (like sitting in front of a cab) is simple delay in parallel path, 3ms, 66% feedback at 31% mix. amp in the room. a lot closer up, 3 feet ish.

simulating your ears catching each their own point of reference of the reflections that would be in the room, if you were there

Line 6 custom tone link
https://line6.com/customtone/tone/5256395/

[Pashkuli]

IK Multimedia Amplitube 5 just killed them all.

[sniffbiff]

Hello all,

Gain Stage recently released six Virtual Amps (recreations of very famous high gain tube heads) based on modern Machine Learning / Neural Network approach with in my opinion very realistic tube sound.

The Virtual Amps are available as standalone and VST/AU plugins (one installer for Mac and Windows). The amps also have an Impulse Response Player for cabinet simulation and WAV recording capability in the stand-alone software.

In my option the sound is on par with all SW and HW amp simulations currently on the market (even better for my ears regarding HF digital artifacts, especially with head phones).

The Virtual Amps are free to test them out in demo mode (short interruption via dialog box after a couple of minutes).

More info and sound samples, under:

https://www.gain-stage.com/

Cheers,
Markus

[SLiC]

IK Multimedia Amplitube 5 just killed them all.

Really? I upgraded and its pretty good, but I still prefer Helix and the polyphonic effects that dropped in the last free update are amazing.

[The_Ogre]

Hello all,

Gain Stage recently released six Virtual Amps (recreations of very famous high gain tube heads) based on modern Machine Learning / Neural Network approach with in my opinion very realistic tube sound.

The Virtual Amps are available as standalone and VST/AU plugins (one installer for Mac and Windows). The amps also have an Impulse Response Player for cabinet simulation and WAV recording capability in the stand-alone software.

In my option the sound is on par with all SW and HW amp simulations currently on the market (even better for my ears regarding HF digital artifacts, especially with head phones).

The Virtual Amps are free to test them out in demo mode (short interruption via dialog box after a couple of minutes).

More info and sound samples, under:

https://www.gain-stage.com/

Cheers,
Markus

Haven't heard about this developer 'til now! Will definitely take a look at those ampsims.

[The_Ogre]

Hey guys, if you still not know about the developer Aurora DSP, from Poland, I recommend you to, at least, take a look at their ampsims.

Their first ampsim was Mammoth, launched in 2020, a bass amp, specially if you like heavy stuff and distorted tones (but not only that). And recently (April 2nd) they launched their second ampsim, Rhino, a guitar amp.

I don't know what kind of witchcraft they used to make those plugins, but both are outstanding. As a guitarist, Rhino soon became one of my go to for heavy stuff, even using its internal IRs - something rare inside the simulators for me.

https://auroradsp.com/

PS: I'm not affiliated with the brand, I'm just a happy customer that have a bunch of different developers ampsims.

[The_Ogre]

IK Multimedia Amplitube 5 just killed them all.

Really? I upgraded and its pretty good, but I still prefer Helix and the polyphonic effects that dropped in the last free update are amazing.

Never used the Helix, can't compare them myself. But I definitely think that IK Multimedia upped their game with the Amplitube 5. It's light-years beyond of the Amplitube 4, and on par with some other good stuff out there. Maybe Neural DSP, Aurora Rhino and one or another ampsim could be considered better, but not SO FAR anymore.

[.jon]

An "expert" thread about amp sims without a mention of Neural DSP?

[The Noodlist]

An "expert" thread about amp sims without a mention of Neural DSP?

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