Amp or Amp Sim

asimmd

Hi Guys

I can't use an amp because of the neighbours so i have to D.I. the guitar into Logic Pro X via an Interface.

My question is,I am using Waves GTR3 and Amplitube 3 but would i get a more realistic sound if I had an Amp

with an Emulated out such as a Blackstar,or maybe use an Attenuator,which i have,with another Amp?

Thanks

Alan

ddlooping

Hey Alan.

My uneducated answer would be, nah, I doubt it very much.

ICBM

I'll have to steal this from the Backup Amp thread...

Paulo said:

I got a Joyo American Sound pedal delivered today, here it is direct into pc with a little reverb added

To me that sounds far more convincing than any digital emulation I've ever heard.

guitarfishbay

Does your amp have a series FX loop?  If it does, go from FX send to your interface and use an IR.  In my experience that gives the best tone at low volume, assuming you don't own a Kemper/Axe FX.  I use the stock cabs in ReCabinet, I've got hundreds of other IRs but don't want to faff around testing which one is best.  Remember that your amp will still need a speaker load connected unless it passes sound in standby (it would explicitly say this in the manual if it did).

asimmd

guitarfishbay said:

Does your amp have a series FX loop?  If it does, go from FX send to your interface and use an IR.  In my experience that gives the best tone at low volume, assuming you don't own a Kemper/Axe FX.  I use the stock cabs in ReCabinet, I've got hundreds of other IRs but don't want to faff around testing which one is best.  Remember that your amp will still need a speaker load connected unless it passes sound in standby (it would explicitly say this in the manual if it did).

I haven't got an Amp.

I do have the Redwirez Vox IR's I have not tried ReCabinet.

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM;64153" said:

I'll have to steal this from the Backup Amp thread...Paulo said:I got a Joyo American Sound pedal delivered today, here it is direct into pc with a little reverb added

me that sounds far more convincing than any digital emulation I've ever heard.

This. They do other ones, too including vox, and has a speaker sim in it - just connect it straight up to recording software.

Amt have some ace ones for gainier sounds - the series 2 preamps. They also have a proper valve preamp and speaker sim, but I've not looked into it. Pound for pound, the Joyo wins for clean and breakup. For outright filth, get Amt

Grumpyrocker

Do those Joyo pedals have a speaker sim on all the time? So you can't really use them with a real amp?

ToneControl

I used a large custom-made ISO cabinet with real amps, that worked best

GTR3 and AT3 are the best plug-in amp sims I have heard (along with Guitar Rig). The Fender ones include some excellent patches

However, after using my AxeFx2 for the last 20 months, when I tried to play through the AT3 Fender stuff yesterday, the latency and sound quality were both an issue

What sound are you after? The 90s-made Hughes and Kettner Crunch master and Metal master did what you want in a half-rack box - real valve preamp and a power amp or sim, and speaker sim. About £100 on ebay, I had the set

The Joyo pedals are a good starting point if you want to avoid modelling in the PC/Mac - but I disagree about a pedal being better than any amp sim - I have heard plenty of excellent sim patches, the AxeFx2 is stellar, and the PC/Mac plugins are very good if you get these things right:

1. you MUST use either active pickups or a proper DI. Most interfaces destroy a passive pickup's sound - this is not a subtle difference
2. Ensure your studio monitors / headphones can take the guitar sound - subwoofer, high output power amps
3. Using good IR makes a big difference, as has been said

 

I would not buy a real amp just to DI from it, I tried attenuators and then using speaker sims in AT3, etc. It never sounded better than a good AT3 patch. Using a real speaker in  an ISO cab works. I have some I should get round to selling. With the correct reverb and multi-band compression, they sound excellent

If you can get the cash, buy an AxeFx2, it does all this, plus being able to do almost any kind of guitar gig live, as well as acoustic guitar and Bass. I rarely touch any ampsim plugin in protools anymore

 

asimmd

Thanks ToneControl

I don't use overdrive/distortion that much,i prefer the clean sounds.

In view of the info here I would probably be as well to get some more Redwirez IR's

Fender will probably be the ones to go for.

The Fender Amps in Amplitube 3 are very good,i now have a choice of upgrading from the custom shop

or the Redwirez.

I am using Logic Pro X - M-Audio Profire Interface.

I do like the look of the AxeFx2 but can i justify it for bedroom/hobby use?

Alan

ddlooping

asimmd said:

I do like the look of the AxeFx2 but can i justify it for bedroom/hobby use?

No!!

Unless you really want to.

ToneControl

ddlooping said:

asimmd said:

I do like the look of the AxeFx2 but can i justify it for bedroom/hobby use?

No!!

Unless you really want to.

justification skills only come with practice and dedication. I can offer tuition for £30 an hour 

ToneControl

asimmd said:

Thanks ToneControl

I don't use overdrive/distortion that much,i prefer the clean sounds.

In view of the info here I would probably be as well to get some more Redwirez IR's

Fender will probably be the ones to go for.

The Fender Amps in Amplitube 3 are very good,i now have a choice of upgrading from the custom shop

or the Redwirez.

I am using Logic Pro X - M-Audio Profire Interface.

I do like the look of the AxeFx2 but can i justify it for bedroom/hobby use?

Alan

you unbalanced inputs on that are = 1M ohm it says, so you should be OK

being serious, whether an AF2 is appropriate depends on your budget generally: if you are playing guitars that cost £700+ used, and think the sound of £1k+ amps is worth the cash, then an AF2 is a good move

If you have a semi-pro guitar (Mexican/Korean, etc) and don't want to spend £1000s, AT3 is as good as you'll get I think

 

hotpickups

Grumpyrocker said:

Do those Joyo pedals have a speaker sim on all the time? So you can't really use them with a real amp?

I think it does Grumpy rocker although on the youtube examples they are being used in from of an amp too

asimmd

Well to answer ToneControl's question.

I have just taken delivery of a new Gibson ES-339,my very first Gibson,and my

other guitars are A Custom Shop Strat NOS56 - Original 86 Strat - Mexican Standard

Strat with new neck and gold hardware,and a Simon Neil Strat.

Whether this is a reasonable reason to get an AF2,i will leave you guys to decide.

I have never heard an AF2,and i don't know who stocks them in the UK.

Alan

thecolourbox

The Joyo's do have a sort of speaker sim on all the time however they do still sound excellent into the front of an amp. I bought one to Fender up my Blackstar clean channel, has worked quite well really

ddlooping

If you're going to spend that much you could also look into the Kemper amp profiler.

ToneControl

no one stocks AF2s AFAIK

  - they come mail order from Germany

you have to go to a show or meet someone if you want to try

they are sold on approval though - you can send it back

I doubted they could be much better than AT3, etc. They are much better. Only boutique amps and pedals can match/beat the sounds out of this thing

asimmd

Thanks for the info,i will have a look round their website,and listen to the demo's.

I bet youtube is full of them.

Alan

digitalscream

Get an AMT preamp pedal (or several). They're awesome, especially run with some decent cab impulses.

koneguitarist

ICBM said:

I'll have to steal this from the Backup Amp thread...

Paulo said:

I got a Joyo American Sound pedal delivered today, here it is direct into pc with a little reverb added

To me that sounds far more convincing than any digital emulation I've ever heard.

That sounds lovely !

Fazer

digitalscream said:

Get an AMT preamp pedal (or several). They're awesome, especially run with some decent cab impulses.

the expensive tube ones, or the others like the f-1?