ToneX One - new release. Mini pedal with Amp Captures, Verb, IR loading etc - Kemper killer?

fnpt

I use IK’s software just to test/ download profiles on tone net otherwise I don’t bother. It’s far from perfect although they have improved it a bit in the last few updates. 

digitalscream

Top tip - you can edit the bass/mid/treble frequencies in the app. I just set them to 150/600/1.5k, the same as the real MP-1, and it really is indistinguishable from (my memory of) the real thing.

I'm a tech guy, and even I have absolutely no idea how they managed to fit all this in there. I think you can still create your own profiles with the ToneX SE software, too. If that's the case, then I can't see how this doesn't eat Kemper's lunch.

DrCornelius

Had my full fat Tonex delivered yesterday and out of the box I was very disappointed - I literally started getting all of the shipping stuff together to return it to Thomann as to my ears it sounded digital and the patches felt lifeless especially through headphones (better through the redsound)

I bought some patches from Amalgan and once Id worked out how to upload them it transformed the unit, especially for the stuff I like (edge of breakup and crunch). Now a very happy camper :-)

digitalscream

DrCornelius said:

Had my full fat Tonex delivered yesterday and out of the box I was very disappointed - I literally started getting all of the shipping stuff together to return it to Thomann as to my ears it sounded digital and the patches felt lifeless especially through headphones (better through the redsound)

I bought some patches from Amalgan and once Id worked out how to upload them it transformed the unit, especially for the stuff I like (edge of breakup and crunch). Now a very happy camper :-)

I do think the trick is to look up the bass/mid/treble frequencies for the original amps and tweak them in the app, to properly bring it to life. It felt great before, but as soon as I did that it was an "OOOOHHHHHH, I get it!" moment.

I think I'd happily gig this with just a delay and a tuner (the onboard tuner's a bit meh). Hell, the cab impulses are that convincing, I might even be OK with going direct.

DrCornelius

digitalscream said:

DrCornelius said:

Had my full fat Tonex delivered yesterday and out of the box I was very disappointed - I literally started getting all of the shipping stuff together to return it to Thomann as to my ears it sounded digital and the patches felt lifeless especially through headphones (better through the redsound)

I bought some patches from Amalgan and once Id worked out how to upload them it transformed the unit, especially for the stuff I like (edge of breakup and crunch). Now a very happy camper :-)

I do think the trick is to look up the bass/mid/treble frequencies for the original amps and tweak them in the app, to properly bring it to life. It felt great before, but as soon as I did that it was an "OOOOHHHHHH, I get it!" moment.

I think I'd happily gig this with just a delay and a tuner (the onboard tuner's a bit meh). Hell, the cab impulses are that convincing, I might even be OK with going direct.

That’s a good idea - there are still some plexi patches that sound a bit woolly and muddy to me so I’ll give that a go 

dangriffiths

Yeh @kennedydream1980 recommended Amalgam captures and they are great - guy is really active too so would definitely recommend.

TheBigDipper

digitalscream said:

Top tip - you can edit the bass/mid/treble frequencies in the app. I just set them to 150/600/1.5k, the same as the real MP-1, and it really is indistinguishable from (my memory of) the real thing.

I'm a tech guy, and even I have absolutely no idea how they managed to fit all this in there. I think you can still create your own profiles with the ToneX SE software, too. If that's the case, then I can't see how this doesn't eat Kemper's lunch.

I'm sure it will stop lots of people from even bothering with the Kemper Profiler Player unless they're already Kemper users. 

I'm the great "analogue amps are best" anti-digital cynic, but I'm really pleased with a full fat Tonex after a few weeks of using it. It's better to play through than any other digital amp I've tried and is the one that's on my board now. But that might be just be because I've belatedly found that I like profiler/capture technology rather than modelling technology.

jamesguitar

TheBigDipper said:

digitalscream said:

Top tip - you can edit the bass/mid/treble frequencies in the app. I just set them to 150/600/1.5k, the same as the real MP-1, If that's the case, then I can't see how this doesn't eat Kemper's lunch.

I'm sure it will stop lots of people from even bothering with the Kemper Profiler Player unless they're already Kemper users. 

I think that could be largely true. I’m still probably gonna get a Kemper Player for some stuff (say a simple rock / pop gig with delays and modulation as well as captures all in one unit). 

Everyone’s use case scenario is slightly different for gear. The BOSS IR-2 created and filled a whole new niche / market and the mini ToneX kinda does the same.

DrBob

Mine arrived today, I have a multitude of questions about the ToneX SE software but they can wait for later, I have a key question about how to use it that may dictate whether it stays or goes back.
The plan was to use it mostly with headphones in the house, I’m not overly impressed with the sound through headphones but the thought does occur that most other kit that offers a headphone out does it off of a dedicated socket so expecting this little box to be able to know what I’m plugging in to it is a bit of an ask. Is there something I need to adjust to make it work better with headphones ? 

jamesguitar

DrBob said:

Mine arrived today, I have a multitude of questions about the ToneX SE software but they can wait for later, I have a key question about how to use it that may dictate whether it stays or goes back.
The plan was to use it mostly with headphones in the house, I’m not overly impressed with the sound through headphones but the thought does occur that most other kit that offers a headphone out does it off of a dedicated socket so expecting this little box to be able to know what I’m plugging in to it is a bit of an ask. Is there something I need to adjust to make it work better with headphones ? 

I’ve not tried it with headphones, but I usually like more verb when I’m hearing a direct sound (you want to avoid it feeling like your ear is a pressed against a speaker cone). I’d also try some different IR’s. Most popular IR’s are close miced, but some get more of a room sound. Although I never owned one, I think Strymon really understood this problem by adding a “room” control on the Iridium.

Amalgam Audio sells a few ToneX One amp packs on his website - those are excellent and have separate IR’s.

Hopefully someone else can offer more advice regarding using headphones.

Bod

DrBob said:

Mine arrived today, I have a multitude of questions about the ToneX SE software but they can wait for later, I have a key question about how to use it that may dictate whether it stays or goes back.
The plan was to use it mostly with headphones in the house, I’m not overly impressed with the sound through headphones but the thought does occur that most other kit that offers a headphone out does it off of a dedicated socket so expecting this little box to be able to know what I’m plugging in to it is a bit of an ask. Is there something I need to adjust to make it work better with headphones ? 

What is it that's not impressing you? 

There doesn't appear to be a way to change anything to tell the Tonex One what it's connecting to, but there are various gain stages to deal with - Global volume (via the Global Settings),  input trim, compressor make-up etc. 

fnpt

I've got mine, I'm using it as a drive pedal in front of my full Tonex and I'm liking it. It definitely sounds better that the modelled drives in the GT1000 Core, particularly the fuzz models which in the GT are unusable.

I've only tried free profiles from Tone Net but may invest in a paid pack if I find something special. My preset list includes:

King of Tone (3 different levels of distortion)

OCD

Timmy

TS

Blues Breaker

OD-3

Klon

Op Am Big Muff

Ram's Head

Vemuram

1986 Pro Co Rat

Revv4

JH Fuzz Face

MXR D+

Schaffer

Plexitone

It takes a while to memorize how to use the mini knobs but then it becomes second nature.

I had to take a snapshot of the preset list to keep in my phone otherwise it's impossible to remember which models are in which order (even with the colour coding).

@DrBob Before setting the Tonex One as a drive pedal only, I've tried mine with headphones and to my ears it's not worse than, say, the Helix. The problem may be the stock profiles, there are other better profiles out there.

dangriffiths

I am using headphones only with it and I think it sounds excellent. Make sure to use good captures of course but I would say adding some of the built in plate reverb mix like 10% and 1 sec decay really helps too

jpttaylor

Slightly novice question, do the captures you download/buy for Tonex have IRs integrated into the capture or do you have to decide which IRs to pair with the capture? I've never used IRs before and trying to find "the best" ones just seems exhausting. 

Basher

jpttaylor said:

Slightly novice question, do the captures you download/buy for Tonex have IRs integrated into the capture or do you have to decide which IRs to pair with the capture? I've never used IRs before and trying to find "the best" ones just seems exhausting. 

Both. 

People like Amalgam sell the same amps as complete captures (amp + cab + mic) as well as amp plus IR sets. You need to be careful when you're buying to be sure you're getting the ones you want. 

In my limited experience, I've been perfectly happy with the complete captures. It's interesting to swap out IRs but I just find that it's more to muck about with, on a product that already has a huge variety of options. 

digitalscream

jpttaylor said:

Slightly novice question, do the captures you download/buy for Tonex have IRs integrated into the capture or do you have to decide which IRs to pair with the capture? I've never used IRs before and trying to find "the best" ones just seems exhausting. 

Some do, some don't - but they're not IRs, they're part of the capture. When you look on ToneNet, just click on one and it'll tell you whether it's got the cab (and which one) included. Most of the good captures have one of each.

springhead

Very tempted.  If they enabled midi control via the USB port that would be wonderful for live use.  Don't know if that's at all likely.

Basher

While we are on the subject, Tone Junkies have just released a free set of 10 captures of a Bad Cat 15 with 2x10 speakers. I find the TJ stuff a bit hit&miss compared to the Amalgam captures but I like most of the Bad Cat and Matchless captures I've heard from most people:

Demo and download link here

jamesguitar

Basher said:

While we are on the subject, Tone Junkies have just released a free set of 10 captures of a Bad Cat 15 with 2x10 speakers. I find the TJ stuff a bit hit&miss compared to the Amalgam captures but I like most of the Bad Cat and Matchless captures I've heard from most people:

Demo and download link here

 I’m mostly using Amalgam captures, but the ToneJunkie free Deluxe Reverb captures are excellent. There’s one with a tubescreamer baked in that I dig a lot (check out their YouTube video demoing the different Deluxe Reverb captures).

Paul_C

I'm in two (or more) minds about getting one.

I really like the sounds I've settled on with my full-sized Tonex pedal, but I'm always curious what two of something sound like, but I don't like mini pedals, so while I could buy one maybe a second big one would suit me better, except I only really use a few patches regularly, and the Tonex One wouldn't take up much room, but I don't like mini pedals, though I do have two Katanas, so I could have them using different patches, but I really don't like mini pedals. 

*sigh*

My favourite patch/capture is a one-off called Shelly's Chichi, which is sparkly and clean and sounds wonderful with a Telecaster (and a US Ultra Strat I was testing for a customer which had Fender Noiseless pickups in).

So I might get one, but I'll probably get a second full-fat one, as I don't like . . . etc. etc.