Amp Sim Pedal/DI Box/Multi FX Recommendations Please

Duppy03

I want to do start some new home recordings using an amp sim (not software) instead of traditionayl mixing amp my small amp. So i'm after something  that will sound and feel as authentic as possible to using a real amp with my pedal board in front.

The top of my list so far seems to be a Tech21 Blonde, Trademark 10 or SansAmp GT2. Any other suggestions that I should look up?

Fretwired

What sort of tones are you after? Do you want a lot of FX or a unit that works with pedals?

monquixote

I have a blonde for sale.

Duppy03

@Fretwired My pedal set up is pretty basic, I use an Lazy J Deuce Cruiser, ProCo Rat overdrive, a clone Rams Head Fuzz and USA Big Muff, MXR Carbon Copy Delay and CryBaby Wah.

I'm after light to mid overdrive tones to sound like a pushed (Fender?) amp. So more in the realms of vintage than distorted. I don't desire a lot FX just good tones that sound as real as possible.

Duppy03

@monquixote I could definitely be interested in your Blonde. Feel free to PM me with a price. Cheers.

PolarityMan

Out of interest why not software? I have a sansamp GT-2 and a boss GT-10 and the results i can get in either amplitube 4 or with the free lePou plugins are miles ahead in my opinion, In fact its prob 96% of the way there to my fully mic'ed up sounds. Seems to me if your recording on a computer anyway why would you exclude the best option. I reckon youd have to get an axe-fx / kemper or similar to get a step up i quality over very reasonably priced plugins.

Fretwired

PolarityMan said:

Out of interest why not software? I have a sansamp GT-2 and a boss GT-10 and the results i can get in either amplitube 4 or with the free lePou plugins are miles ahead in my opinion, In fact its prob 96% of the way there to my fully mic'ed up sounds. Seems to me if your recording on a computer anyway why would you exclude the best option. I reckon youd have to get an axe-fx / kemper or similar to get a step up i quality over very reasonably priced plugins.

I agree with @PolarityMan .. the latest AmpliTube Fender 2 pack is awesome.

Duppy03

I'll put my hands up and admit the only 'plugins' i've used are in Garageband and Main Stage, are they gash? Never tried Amplitude. It was more from a workflow perspective really. I thought I might enjoy the whole process more and it be quicker if I was doing it in a more old fashioned way rather than pushing a mouse around. Happy to be put wrong though.

spark240

Kemper....?

Duppy03

Kemper is a bit out my price range unfortunately. I've read that a good speaker sim on a DI box could do a decent job. Just go straight into it from my pedal board.

Has anyone tried on of these Behringer GI100 things?

http://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Behringer-GI100-Ultra-G-Active-DI-Box/2X0?origin=product-ads&utm_campaign=PLA+Shop+-+Behringer&utm_medium=vertical_search&network=google&adgroup=1+-+Product+Level+-+Behringer&merchant_id=1279443&product_id=3780d1&product_country=GB&product_partition_id=111956782639&gclid=CODC-e76vNECFa0W0wodXkQHwQ

Right at the opposite end of the spectrum to a Kemper

Duppy03

Or how about the LANEY IRT-PULSE. They look perfect so long as they could decent lower gain stuff too:

Fretwired

Duppy03 said:

I'll put my hands up and admit the only 'plugins' i've used are in Garageband and Main Stage, are they gash? Never tried Amplitude. It was more from a workflow perspective really. I thought I might enjoy the whole process more and it be quicker if I was doing it in a more old fashioned way rather than pushing a mouse around. Happy to be put wrong though.

Amplitube 4 is a doddle to use and has a simple work flow which is basically Tuner>Amp 1>Pedals>FX-loop>Rack .. you can chose the cab and mic placement and can run one amp or two in mono or stereo.



And I have this and it's awesome ...

stratman3142

Fretwired said:

Duppy03 said:

I'll put my hands up and admit the only 'plugins' i've used are in Garageband and Main Stage, are they gash? Never tried Amplitude. It was more from a workflow perspective really. I thought I might enjoy the whole process more and it be quicker if I was doing it in a more old fashioned way rather than pushing a mouse around. Happy to be put wrong though.

Amplitube 4 is a doddle to use and has a simple work flow which is basically Tuner>Amp 1>Pedals>FX-loop>Rack .. you can chose the cab and mic placement and can run one amp or two in mono or stereo.



And I have this and it's awesome ...

Yes I recently purchased Fender 2 for Amplitude 4 and I'm very impressed.

I used it with my new Telecaster for my entries to this month's Rotm, RawRotm and Sotm, but don't let that put you off

jaysmith

Atomic Amplifire is superb

blobb

AMT worth a look, they have amp sim out. Legend series are well regarded.

Sporky

Duppy03 said:

Has anyone tried on of these Behringer GI100 things?

Yes - I have two. Superb boxes; the speaker emulation is perfectly usable for recording, they're sensibly priced and they're a jolly colour. They can even survive being dropped repeatedly, and they run on phantom power from my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. What's not to like?

I've not used them since getting the Helix, but they're not on the for-sale list because they're just too handy to have around.

Duppy03

@jaysmith the Amplifire looks great, just watched Brett Kingmans demo. A bit out my price range at the moment though. Would it take pedals well too do you know?

@blobb AMT look to do exactly the kind of things i'm after, just as a little confused as to what i'd need. Could I just use a AMT F1 and use the pedals through the loop? The Chameleon CAB CN-1 looks tasty too. Could I go straight from my pedal board into that and out to my DAW?

@Sporky Given the amount of great feedback of heard regarding the GI100 I ordered one myself. It was inexpensive enough to take a chance on. It might work great, it might be cac. It's sitting here on my desk just haven't had chance to give it a go yet. I thought I could try going from my pedals into an Origin Effects compressor as a kind of pre-amp, in the the GI100, then used the XLR balanced output straight into my audio interface. I'll report back when i've had chance to check it out.

blobb

yup.

Duppy03

Got to try out the Behringer GI100 at the weekend and i'm on the fence about wether to keep it.

I tried using it a various amount of ways for a range of results and found that I liked it best when going from pedal board through the GI100 into my audio interface then GarageBand with a Clean Tweed setting.

It's marginally better and more 'real' sounding than just straight from pedal board into audio interface. Everything else I tried was a bit naff sounding. The speaker SIM wasn't too bad in this scenario but I preferred when switched off.

I don't know if i'd be better off sending it back and looking for something that will make a greater difference. Something like the AMT pedals maybe?

One of which I missed out on on eBay at the weekend...

Duppy03

What about a little Fender Mustang I (I have the impulse to duck whilst typing this, like some one might throw a shoe at me). Cheap as chips second hand.

The demos i've watched online sound pretty damn good for the lower gain straight. USB straight in too. Do they take pedals alright?

pintspiller

I practise bass alongside mp3 on my PC via Behringer BDI21 into M-Audio interface. When I play guitar, I just play through a distortion pedal into the BDI21. The Behringer makes it more amp-like than going straight into the M-Audio. A GDI21 would probably sound more like a guitar amp, but when I practise I find technique rather than tone is important.