Virtual guitar rig recommendations

[jens]

I get the sense that NI models are sort of like Fractal models, and by that I mean, idealized. Like the team got to points where the actual amps didn’t sound that great and they tweaked the model to make it more to their liking. I could be wrong about this, but that’s my guess.

The lead developer literally answers that in the bit I quoted above (which you subsequently also quoted):

"We’ve even encountered ‘problems’ with our amp emulations, like feedback at certain frequencies for example, only to discover that the real amp actually does the same thing. "

Anyway, it’s been a long time since I’ve owned a hardware amp.

With amps it's for me the same as with most other gear - I have far too much/many...

[zerocrossing]

I get the sense that NI models are sort of like Fractal models, and by that I mean, idealized. Like the team got to points where the actual amps didn’t sound that great and they tweaked the model to make it more to their liking. I could be wrong about this, but that’s my guess.

The lead developer literally answers that in the bit I quoted above (which you subsequently also quoted):

"We’ve even encountered ‘problems’ with our amp emulations, like feedback at certain frequencies for example, only to discover that the real amp actually does the same thing. "

Anyway, it’s been a long time since I’ve owned a hardware amp.

With amps it's for me the same as with most other gear - I have far too much/many...

Sometime in the early 00s, my life started veering away from a lifestyle that could support a hardware amplifier. My music was also getting trickier to do using hardware amplifiers. It was a kind of gentle progression from traditional amp to flat out modeler, with a hybrid Digitech 2120 setup in the middle.

I’m from the Adrian Belew-David Gilmore school of guitar tone, though I’m also a fan of metal monsters. I really like everything. My first good amp was a Vox Buckingham, a weird solid state Vox, that I later traded for an AC30. I’ve always been into lots of pedals and studio effects. That’s why I love Guitar Rig. It’s an amazing sandbox that lets me explore things that I couldn’t do any other way. Amplitube is also very good, but it’s not as flexible, and there aren’t many exotic effects. I do still feel like Amplitube is the one to beat when it comes to dynamics. A lot of stuff gets tone fine, and if you like a really compressed sound, you will be fine, but I think no one gets amp dynamics as good as IK.

[jens]

Well, honestly speaking, there's so many really good amp-simulations these days that for me the difference mostly comes down to workflow-preference. I have Amplitube on my machine, but most of the time I can't be arsed to load it up - TH-U is even worse - I have no idea what these guys were thinking when they came up with the GUIs...
GR? Replacing one amp with another isn't really a straight forward thing here as with these other two, but the interface is overall somewhat better imo - but you can certainly get a lot of great, realistic tones out of any of these.

Dynamics? GR is totally like a real amp. If you want better dynamics than that you have to use Destructor/Axiom as you can set the dynamic behaviour any way you like so you can create amps that react even more dynamically than real tube-amps do...

if all you want is a great amp emulation that reacts to your playing like a real amp does, the super inexpensive Hornet Guitar Kit will already get you there... my personal favourites are the PA Fuchs ones (and Ampegs) though and I add whatever I like as individual plugins.

But if I want to use a suite, the choice is easy - the vfm in GR7 is absolutely insane. It has all the NI Softube stuff (the comps, EQ, reverbs), it has Replika XT, it has Supercharger GT, it has Raum, their modulation-suite, etc. etc. - it's mind-blowing. Plus, the 8 or so ICM amps are absolutely stellar. I totally wasn't expecting to like it nearly as much when I first tried it - I had installed it without expecting much tbh and ended up being kind of swoon...

[miloszz]

I'm going through the options these days trying to decide if I can part ways with my Axe FX III.

Software wise, my choices are coming down to Helix Native - with the latest updates the Orange OR80, Sunn Model T and JCM800 models all sound quite good IMO - and something that plays NAM profiles.

ToneX should be just as capable as NAM but I can't get along with the app - even juicing the input gain at the interface and in the app the clean/edge profiles always sound wrong to me. My impression of the pedal was that profiles wanted a hot signal going in and that seems to be true of the app as well.

[YnJ]

--

[zerocrossing]

Well, honestly speaking, there's so many really good amp-simulations these days that for me the difference mostly comes down to workflow-preference.

On this point, I entirely agree. When I was looking to replace my AxeFX 3, I passed on many excellent sounding options, simply because I didn’t like some aspect of them. I definitely wanted something that did multiple amp paths. I got rid of a perfectly fine sounding Kemper because I missed the dual amp paths of my past. So, that instantly eliminated a lot of great sounding products. I also didn’t want anything that was too limited or closed. I don’t get why Neural DSP doesn’t do a Quad Cortex Native style plugin that’s got all the plugins available in a single plugin like Helix Native.

When I want to create a guitar patch, I want to feel like Neo in The Matrix, in that scene when he’s “loading” himself and Trinity up with weapons to rescue Morpheus, and he says, “guns, lots of guns,” and instantly an insane arsenal of weaponry appears, like the file that it is. I get that not everyone is like me, and that’s why a lot of other options exist. Just know that if you don’t share the same opinion as me, I’m secretly judging you as an inferior human.

[zerocrossing]

I'm going through the options these days trying to decide if I can part ways with my Axe FX III.

Software wise, my choices are coming down to Helix Native - with the latest updates the Orange OR80, Sunn Model T and JCM800 models all sound quite good IMO - and something that plays NAM profiles.

ToneX should be just as capable as NAM but I can't get along with the app - even juicing the input gain at the interface and in the app the clean/edge profiles always sound wrong to me. My impression of the pedal was that profiles wanted a hot signal going in and that seems to be true of the app as well.

There’s that newly free Tonocracy plugin that loads NAM profiles. I felt its models sounded like crap on a cracker, but if you use it to play your favorite NAM profiles, it might work fine. The interface looked nice.

I’ve got a question for you about Tonex. Are you plugging directly into your interface? I find that if I do, I do not get a good result, even if I use my UAD’s Hi-Z input. If I hit a pedal of any kind first, usually a Blackstar HT-5 Dual Tube Drive, it makes a world of difference.

[starlitewalker]

I’m actually selling a full license of amplitube 5 Max for $170 Canadian, $150 for the license, 20 transfer fee, it comes with loads of amazing packs such as mesa, fender, orange etc.. only selling because I use a Roland jazz amp now

[paramita123]

Workflow and sound may make the difference.
I tried many plugins and settled on BIAS FX2,
it doesn't require login in, the presets are vrry good and GUI clear.
I love being able to double click on any elementary and instantly open the selection so can replace items very efficiently, way easier than Amplitube!!
Lots of fantastic amps cabs pedals and effects for anything from acoustic to metal, even processing synths or vocals
Also Midi learn is cool for integration with controllers.
Yeah I love BIAS FX2.

[Magic Russ]

Workflow and sound may make the difference.
I tried many plugins and settled on BIAS FX2,
it doesn't require login in,

When did they change this? It used to and that's one of the things that put me off using it.

[lunardigs]

+1 for the Audio Assault stuff

[paramita123]

Workflow and sound may make the difference.
I tried many plugins and settled on BIAS FX2,
it doesn't require login in,

When did they change this? It used to and that's one of the things that put me off using it.

Not sure if or when they changed it, but been using BIAS FX2 for about 3 years or so and it just opens in my DAW naturally. I think it does establish an internet connection for the online tones features.
Maybe have a go at a demo, I think the main thing is to enjoy sounds and workflow, the feel of the GUI matters very much.
Only thing I can tell you is BIAS FX2 makes me want to play guitar, gets me excited

[The Noodlist]

Software wise, my choices are coming down to Helix Native - with the latest updates the Orange OR80, Sunn Model T and JCM800 models all sound quite good IMO - and something that plays NAM profiles.

Here's a free one that plays NAM and schematic based amps. Account required.
Features.

Tonocracy - Free guitar tone and effects software from Atomic Amplifiers.
https://tonocracy.com/

Tonocracy Combines

Atomic’s all-new, cutting edge SchemAccurate amp simulation, our proprietary ToneSnap gear snapshot technology, and a suite of rapidly growing world-class effects into a single easy-to-use plugin and standalone app.

https://youtu.be/CGsevU9Rh70

[bulevardi]

Yesterday evening I saw this Neural Amp Modeler passing by on Youtube...
https://www.neuralampmodeler.com/

Haven't had the time to test it yet.
Anyone has tried this? What are your findings?

(edit: Oh wait, it already has been mentioned... )

When comparing just amps/cabs, where does NAM fit in among the best?

Also, I use Linux, and I have the following packages available:

NAM
Audio Assault
Tonelib gfx
Aida-x

Which of these is the best, when considering amps/cabs?

Will have to test these others too... seems interesting.

[dan_flash]

If you use Linux, you can now use Guitarix as a VST - https://github.com/brummer10/guitarix.vst

I've not had a chance to test the VST yet but I've used the standalone and LV2 versions a lot and it's a fantastic amp sim. Prefer to use 3rd party cab IRs with it but each to their own of course.