Amplitube 1 vs Amplitube 2 vs Guitar Rig 2 - CPU Wise

[Pedro Camacho]

Well all of them sound really good but CPU wise which one is better?

I have tested AT1 vs GR2 and AT1 wins in this. It uses half the CPU GR2 uses.

But what about AT1 vs AT2?

Is the sound so much better?

[NoBrain2k]

AT2 does have a more accurate sound and is more versatile than AT1 however the CPU usage of AT1 makes it very useful when you are trying to work quickly on a demo or something.

AT1 seems to have its own sound rather than AT2 which does sound much more like the amps it is trying to emulate. So I think it is really handy to have both AT1 and AT2.

I dont know how AT2 and GR2 compare CPU wise but i reckon there wont be much in it.

[stag]

oi.
AT2 is a hog, but i don't mind it all, cause it delivers the goods very well.
However it depends on the preset, no matter i would say GR2 is more easier on your resources.

[AndrewSimon]

But what about AT1 vs AT2?

Is the sound so much better?

YES

AT2 is not really an "upgrade" like GR1 to GR2, it's a great "new" plug that is 10 times better then AT1.

[Trojan Badger]

I've found AT2 pretty heavy on CPU so far, so I use it in concert with AT1 and GR2. AT2 I use for that perfect loud lead sound, GR2 for weird stuff (just easier to construct a patch) and AT1 for rhythm (and I often have 6-7 guitars on a track)

[kaufi]

AT1 was sooo terrible, it sounds lika all but not like a gained guitar !

[Sascha Franck]

I find the CPU useage of most amp simulators more or less ridiculous. I still haven't activated the AT2 demo (not enough time to actually check it out), but considering that the SimulAnalog suite is rather low on the good old CPU it's making me wonder why AT2 would use up so much more power - I mean, they hired the SimulAnalog dude.

Anyways, right now I'm getting the best virtual amp sounds out of Energy XT, running all sorts of plugins chained, parallely or serially.
Seriously, if you're a PC user and if you're serious about using amp sims, Energy XT is a must. There's no way around it. I can use like any EQ to boost my amp signal (this obviously includes anything with extremely low CPU overhead), then use whatever FX and just save the scenario as a preset. The used routing schemes cannot be reproduced by other hosts easily.

Having said that, my main tool for guitar amp sims inside a computer these days is the SimulAnalog stuff with additional sound shaping plugins. And I don't seem to be running into too much CPU critical situations either (unless I'm using some truly freaked out stuff that is).

[stag]

Hi Sascha:
That's the problem with AT2.
It has a powerfull routing, it's possible to bi amp and apply different fx chains to the
two emulations.
However IMO the most demanding module are the amps themselves. If one apply 5 virtual stomp boxes and 4 virtual rack processors on top its huge, now double that.
I guess the Simulanalog guy is only an engineer not a magician.
The funny thing about it is the amp that models the Boogie sounds like a GS copy cat.
The amp that models the JCM 900, not half as brutish, but replicates very well the rythm channel of JCM 800, however the RAW power of Marshall is unleashed by a Boogie model... off course, close enough, i have still to imagine the air being pumped bettwen my legs and the trousers flaping at the beat but that's okay.

i've dealing with EXT, the guy deserve support, a fascinating program by itself with the sub-host bonus. I don't use it more cause i didn't figure out how to set the markers
on the sequencers to get it to loop shorter segments... i hate manuals... so when i feel like clicking around with the mouse there i'll go. However the routing and the handling of FX and instruments is very clever and well layed out.

[Sascha Franck]

I'm not using the sequencer of Energy XT at all. I'm just using it as a modular sub-host. Which is just perfect for guitar setups. Really, I couldn't imagine working that quick and effortlessly in any other host - as said, when it comes to guitar amp stuff. The best things being that I can use *any* plugin, *any* routing and save the whole shebang as a single patch. A lot of my standard patches use one or two of the SimulAnalog amp models (sometimes GR2 as well), a Paris EQ or posihfopit in front to shape the drive character and another EQ after the amps to probably mellow out some of the boosted frequencies.
Sure, I can do all that in GR as well, but I just happen to like the SimulAnalog stuff a lot. And as said, eXT is nothing else but a user-defineable GR or AT - with clear advances when it comes to routing options. I'm really serious, it's a must for amp sim users.
I may post some of my "Energy XT plus freeware" guitar patches the next days.

[guitarzan]

eXT does make it easy to add almost every new plugin that comes out to your guitar amp sim rigs, so it's like having unlimited upgrade potential. The way you can split the signal into parallel paths at any point is the really handy thing, to me. It's also nice the way you can mix and match stereo and mono plugins. It's as close to cabling a hardware rig as it ever really needs to be - better, easier.

[stag]

I use eXT. I'm quite aware of its potencial as chainer plug too.

If only IK was listening:
I like AT2 over all, nevertheless i would like it to be a little more like Tracks.
A "master" plug but all its submodules could be available as well as single units.
It could be tougher on latency, but one doesn't have to call them all at the same time.
I think regarding workflow would be great, the full rig i expect it to be standalone one of these days... so great ocasion to bring as well the amp\cab sims separated from the rest of the sissy stuff

[zeoy]

I'm doing something similar with Tracktion: create a rack, use whatever you want inside that rack (connect as you like it of course) then save it as a preset rack. Presto!
eXT looks great but I'm already set with just my beloved T (... I know Sascha hates it )
Oh and btw SimulaAnalog all the way for me too. I was totally unimpressed with GR2 demo, AT1 is far behind and (AT2, Waves GTR) = $$$+dongles => not for me

[stag]

Saving channel strip presets is old news.
eXT has the mad routing and its preset can be applied offline and undone later if it fancies the producer\mixman.
I guess eXT 2 probably will bring full Waves support too.

[Sascha Franck]

No idea where you got that from, zeoy, but I don't have anything against Tracktion (just that it's nothing for me ).
However, the advance of doing such things in eXT is that you can use your presets in any host there is., so you won't lose your work should you be switching hosts one day (switching OSs unfortunately is way worse, which is what I'll be doing in 2 weeks as it seems...).

[zeoy]

No idea where you got that from, zeoy, but I don't have anything against Tracktion (just that it's nothing for me ).
However, the advance of doing such things in eXT is that you can use your presets in any host there is., so you won't lose your work should you be switching hosts one day (switching OSs unfortunately is way worse, which is what I'll be doing in 2 weeks as it seems...).

Sorry Sascha. "Hate" was a bit heavy but I said it in lighthearted way. I remember you saying that you didn't like the way T shows tracks when there are many of them (very low height, couldn't tell what's muted or not, couldn't see filters etc.). That's all I remember.
The ability to use eXT as a VST in any host you like is great. It's just that "I've become confortably numb" with T's workflow and can't even look at other hosts' GUI's. Latest example CM Samp V8 SE . Man I just ran away scared

Re the OS change all I can do is wish you luck, patience and whatever is needed for a smooth switch.