Amplitube 2 Jimi Hendrix RELEASED this month!!!

[A3ntar]

Just keep checking over at www.amplitube.com and see what happens. You may be surprised.

If it actually comes out on (re)schedule this time then I will be surprised!

But anyways, yeah, I'm sure I'll love it... though speaking of the website, there's still no audio examples available of ATJH there. I don't understand how anyone can expect a customer to preorder a plugin without even as much as hearing a sound example.

A new demo video of AT2JHE!

http://www.gearwire.com/ik-multimedia-a ... messe.html

This is the cleanest sound that I heard from any of the JHE videos so far. I have to say that I am a bit dissapointed by the sound, but I will hold off my judgment for now because I did not like AT2's sounds in any videos or samples, but I got a totally different impression when I took the demo for a ride.


Squids, you look unusually un-focused in that video man, what happened?

[Sascha Franck]

I have heard AT2, and everyone knows its the best ampsim on the market.

Hm, the word "everyone" should include me, shouldn't it?
How comes?

And btw, what is all that talk about detailed specs of certain circuits being present or not?!? I really don't think software's there yet at all. I haven't heard a single software actually being able to sound like my Twin, regardless of how it was miced, so I couldn't give less of a damn which condensators are modelled in whatever circuits.

Oh and btw, are you folks all buying upside-down strats and original JH cables (which one were those, btw?!?) as well? Without these you don't even need to start thinking about whatever capacitor was used in whatever amp sim.

And then, what about your soundcards? Are you all using the *exact* same models? As long as you aren't, all speculations about circuit boards of whatever used modeled amps are just worth one thing: Nothing!

And then, what about the latency of all your 100% identical soundcards? Is it almost like zero, as on every decent real amp? In case it isn't, all your playing experience will be *entirely* different, even if you don't even seem to notice it (it's a pretty much underestimated fact that our hearing is *extremely* sensible in terms of timing).

Really, this is getting ridiculous here.

[beergeek]

I have heard AT2, and everyone knows its the best ampsim on the market.

Hm, the word "everyone" should include me, shouldn't it?
How comes?

That was a bit over the top, I must say. <edit> Just re-read this and I meant that "everyone knows it's the best ampsim on the market" was over the top. redshift should have said, it's gotten good reviews or IMHO...</edit>

Oh and btw, are you folks all buying upside-down strats and original JH cables (which one were those, btw?!?) as well? Without these you don't even need to start thinking about whatever capacitor was used in whatever amp sim.

Damn, busted The cables were the really noisy ones, remember?

Some people are more into this kind of stuff than you are Sascha, that's all.

I'm just looking for some more models to add to my AT2. My music isn't even vaguely similar to Hendrix.

But I don't even have an actual real amp anymore. I'd have to listen through headphones to it and couldn't really use it for recording. I don't play live anymore, I only record so virtual amps are all I need.

I had one of those amps and 2 of those pedals in the early 70's and I'd like to have them back because using them would help me get back to the "beergeek" sound I had back then.

Was it any good then? Probably not but it was fun.

Hey no one rains on your parade when you happen to like something. Well, maybe they do but they shouldn't. I suppose I could say I find some of the things you care about ridiculous but what's the point? It only serves to piss us both off in the end.

No one is going to buy this thing based upon my recommendation. BTW, I'm trying out ReValver and it sounds really nice. I find it harder to use than AT2 so far but that's just me and it's certainly just the way the gui is organized. YMMV.

--Rob

[redshift factor]

Sascha, you (and Kingston) are taking a small bit of hyperbole way too literally, don't you think?

Anyways, such masturbatory games of semantic "gotcha" are just boring and juvenile. Are you just looking to start a flame war here or something? It certainly appears that way.

As for the discussion of the tone stack mod, this is something of great interest I would think to any potential ATJH customer, and for what should be obvious reasons. Whether or not you think DSM can create an exact replica of an amp is of little consequence. It is undeniable that regardless of your opinion of the technology, a model of a modified JTM45 is going to be less true to a stock JTM45 than a model of a stock JTM45. I am much more interested in having a model of a stock JTM45 than a model of one as modified by Jimi Hendrix or anyone else, just as someone looking for a replica Hendrix rig would want his tone stack mod to be present. This actually does impact the sound of the modeled amp. All of this should be pretty self-explanatory.

For you to say you "really don't think software's there yet at all" on this issue is essentially saying you don't think its even possible for a developer such as IK Multimedia to program an EQ with the sort of range and peak response they want. Because that's what we're talking about here. If you believe that to be true, then what's the point in anyone discussing the character and quality of different EQ plugins? They're all just the same shapeless mush to your ears, right?

[stag]

I have heard AT2, and everyone knows its the best ampsim on the market.

Hm, the word "everyone" should include me, shouldn't it?
How comes?

That was a bit over the top, I must say.

ahem, "everyone" thinks that i can't wait any longer for my VG-99... without loosing it.

[Jonny Quest]

if someone wanted to just make a quick buck off just licensing aspect of it they could have just taken AmpliTube 2, stuck some presets in it and called THAT the Hendrix edition.

Sadly, I am afraid that is closer to the material world reality.

The fact that this is not a free upgrade to all AT2 users who shelled out $ is something I find troubling.

Though it is compelling marketing...and if successful, I can imagine a subsequent series of "official" rigs--all clever wallpaper changes of the same programming, a small price to pay per chance to sound like one's heroes

[A3ntar]

if someone wanted to just make a quick buck off just licensing aspect of it they could have just taken AmpliTube 2, stuck some presets in it and called THAT the Hendrix edition.

Sadly, I am afraid that is closer to the material world reality.

The fact that this is not a free upgrade to all AT2 users who shelled out $ is something I find troubling.

Though it is compelling marketing...and if successful, I can imagine a subsequent series of "official" rigs--all clever wallpaper changes of the same programming, a small price to pay per chance to sound like one's heroes

If AT2JHE does well, there is a high certainty that other "signature" series will be released.

Which musician's rig would you guys like to see in such an ampsim fashion?

[Hink]

if someone wanted to just make a quick buck off just licensing aspect of it they could have just taken AmpliTube 2, stuck some presets in it and called THAT the Hendrix edition.

Sadly, I am afraid that is closer to the material world reality.

The fact that this is not a free upgrade to all AT2 users who shelled out $ is something I find troubling.

Though it is compelling marketing...and if successful, I can imagine a subsequent series of "official" rigs--all clever wallpaper changes of the same programming, a small price to pay per chance to sound like one's heroes

If AT2JHE does well, there is a high certainty that other "signature" series will be released.

Which musician's rig would you guys like to see in such an ampsim fashion?

yeah soon it will be like signature series guitars...you buy a name...I don't buy names, I already got a cool name

[Jonny Quest]

if someone wanted to just make a quick buck off just licensing aspect of it they could have just taken AmpliTube 2, stuck some presets in it and called THAT the Hendrix edition.

Sadly, I am afraid that is closer to the material world reality.

The fact that this is not a free upgrade to all AT2 users who shelled out $ is something I find troubling.

Though it is compelling marketing...and if successful, I can imagine a subsequent series of "official" rigs--all clever wallpaper changes of the same programming, a small price to pay per chance to sound like one's heroes

If AT2JHE does well, there is a high certainty that other "signature" series will be released.

Which musician's rig would you guys like to see in such an ampsim fashion?

This may sound coy, but I sincerely find creating my "own" sound more rewarding an experience than trying to dial-up someone else's sound. That is not so say I have or will ever surpass in any way what others whom I admire have done, but I believe inovation is derived from experimentation. And, ironically, that is what made a genius like Jimi Hendrix transcend amp settings and guitar specs.

That said, if a product, such as AT2's Jimi Hendrix edition, helps one better express his or her own musical vision, rock on. Just don't expect to sound like Jimi.

[beergeek]

if someone wanted to just make a quick buck off just licensing aspect of it they could have just taken AmpliTube 2, stuck some presets in it and called THAT the Hendrix edition.

Sadly, I am afraid that is closer to the material world reality.

The fact that this is not a free upgrade to all AT2 users who shelled out $ is something I find troubling.

Though it is compelling marketing...and if successful, I can imagine a subsequent series of "official" rigs--all clever wallpaper changes of the same programming, a small price to pay per chance to sound like one's heroes

If AT2JHE does well, there is a high certainty that other "signature" series will be released.

Which musician's rig would you guys like to see in such an ampsim fashion?

yeah soon it will be like signature series guitars...you buy a name...I don't buy names, I already got a cool name

The "Hink" Stratocaster....yup, I'd buy one but only if you did the mods yerself....

[Squids]

I have heard AT2, and everyone knows its the best ampsim on the market.

Hm, the word "everyone" should include me, shouldn't it?
How comes?

And btw, what is all that talk about detailed specs of certain circuits being present or not?!? I really don't think software's there yet at all. I haven't heard a single software actually being able to sound like my Twin, regardless of how it was miced, so I couldn't give less of a damn which condensators are modelled in whatever circuits.

Oh and btw, are you folks all buying upside-down strats and original JH cables (which one were those, btw?!?) as well? Without these you don't even need to start thinking about whatever capacitor was used in whatever amp sim.

And then, what about your soundcards? Are you all using the *exact* same models? As long as you aren't, all speculations about circuit boards of whatever used modeled amps are just worth one thing: Nothing!

And then, what about the latency of all your 100% identical soundcards? Is it almost like zero, as on every decent real amp? In case it isn't, all your playing experience will be *entirely* different, even if you don't even seem to notice it (it's a pretty much underestimated fact that our hearing is *extremely* sensible in terms of timing).

Really, this is getting ridiculous here.

I agree only in that what you just wrote is ridiculous. Just kidding. But seriously, one doesn't have to go to every extreme to get results they may like. Sure, if someone wanted to be that anal I suppose they could... but to say that they'd have to go to the full extreme or it is worth nothing? That's just ridiculous... as you said yourself.

Anyway, each person has different tastes and requirements. IMO, yours are strict in terms of comparison of software to the amps you love, the response etc. Fair enough. You may be right. There may never be a piece of software that sounds as good as your twin does, especially to you! But, that's just you. Thousands of other people are psyched about amp sims in software and the developments in that area so... it's a bummer to see that excitement being deflated. I guess that's where I feel I have to blow the balloon back up again until you pop it, I patch it and blow it back up again (or someone else does... like Beergeek with his beer breath and then when you pop it a nice beer smell comes out but hey if that's what you like then no problem! haha... woah, went off the deep end there for as sec... people scratching heads, huh?).

Anyway, that seems to be our role. I get everyone excited and you smash it down "It will NEVA be good enough! NEVA!!!!!!". Haha. All good. Still... there's just so much enjoyment one CAN get out of these products. I just hope people make up their own minds and try demos for themselves. (ie. don't listen to him! he's too picky! shhhh ... plus he plays in an Abba tribute band. Does it REALLY matter what the guitar sounds like? JUST KIDDING SASHA! I am only kidding man. Respect. Peace. Just having fun).

[Squids]

Just keep checking over at www.amplitube.com and see what happens. You may be surprised.

If it actually comes out on (re)schedule this time then I will be surprised!

But anyways, yeah, I'm sure I'll love it... though speaking of the website, there's still no audio examples available of ATJH there. I don't understand how anyone can expect a customer to preorder a plugin without even as much as hearing a sound example.

A new demo video of AT2JHE!

http://www.gearwire.com/ik-multimedia-a ... messe.html

This is the cleanest sound that I heard from any of the JHE videos so far. I have to say that I am a bit dissapointed by the sound, but I will hold off my judgment for now because I did not like AT2's sounds in any videos or samples, but I got a totally different impression when I took the demo for a ride.


Squids, you look unusually un-focused in that video man, what happened?

Haha. I am just watching it now. They caught me off guard. I had just done the SampleMoog video and corrected them that I was from Sonic Reality and then when they needed someone to do a good English demonstration of the AT JH I said I'd do it (but then the guy thought that it was from Sonic Reality!!!! Woops... I will probably get in trouble for that... as if I was trying to take credit for it! The new Sonic Reality AmpliTube). Oh boy.

Anyway, the reason I wasn't on top of my game was that I wasn't doing demonstrations of that so I wasn't prepared. I am listening now and actually it doesn't sound too bad to me, albiet degraded by internet streaming compression etc. It sounded REALLLLLLY good at the show by the way. Oh and the presets were being tweaked on the fly on this. Some moments better than others as someone was dialing in the sounds live (not flipping through presets btw).

But, I wasn't that bad so give me a break! (just maybe more "uhs" than usual... in fact there is one hilarious one where even the interviewer looks at the camera not knowing what to do! lol).

By the way, the Messe intro video with the guy breakdancing is classic.

[Squids]

if someone wanted to just make a quick buck off just licensing aspect of it they could have just taken AmpliTube 2, stuck some presets in it and called THAT the Hendrix edition.

Sadly, I am afraid that is closer to the material world reality.

The fact that this is not a free upgrade to all AT2 users who shelled out $ is something I find troubling.

Though it is compelling marketing...and if successful, I can imagine a subsequent series of "official" rigs--all clever wallpaper changes of the same programming, a small price to pay per chance to sound like one's heroes

Well, like I said, it depends on what it is. If it was just Hendrix presets on the same AT2 components then... well, I don't know about it automatically being FREE for AT2 users but perhaps it would be the same price as sound expansions for SampleTank or deluxe patches for synths etc. I don't know. Actually, I think Sonic Reality IS going to be making AmpliTube, Ampeg and other plug-in patches to sell on www.esoundz.com and they'll probably be in the $20 range or something like that (because a lot of people have been asking). But, anyway, the point I was making is that this is NOT what the JH Edition is. It's basically a lot of new models you don't have in AT2. So, AT2 users can get a crossgrade discount and pick it up for less. Why would they want it? Even if they don't care about sounding like Hendrix they could very well want it for the DIFFERENT gear that is modeled inside.

As for doing a zillion different signature models... if the gear was different then okay but if it was the same then that could water it down a bit and it becomes something else... more like a small customization as opposed to a whole new set of virtual gear. Since the goal of this product is NOT just pure marketing (ie. it is backed up by a serious amount of work in development that imo is worth every penny of a crossgrade or new price for someone who doesn't own AT2 yet), I don't see it turning into "just for the marketing" in the long run as a series or something. I really respect the way this was done. It's a class product. It's not fluff. It's not an energy drink either. It's quite a collection of virtual gear and you guys may want it! I'd reserve judgement and try it out for yourselves. Bottom line is if you like the sounds YOU get out of it then perhaps it could be something you want/need. I just wouldn't expect it for free though just because you have AT2. A discount yes. Free? Unrealistic considering the costs involved. It is still a business not a charity.

[beergeek]

... like Beergeek with his beer breath and then when you pop it a nice beer smell comes out but hey if that's what you like then no problem!

Thanks, I think...and it won't be no Miller Lite smell, I can assure you of that

[Sascha Franck]

Anyway, each person has different tastes and requirements. IMO, yours are strict in terms of comparison of software to the amps you love, the response etc. Fair enough. You may be right. There may never be a piece of software that sounds as good as your twin does, especially to you! But, that's just you.

Hold on - this is not what I wrote. I *never* said anything about "good" sound or not. I just said something about comparisons.
See, personally I'm still owning a Boogie Mark IV and a Twin, plus 2 additional tube preamps (a Soldano and a Mesa V-Twin). Yet, these days (apart from the Twin) they are most often collecting dust. I am mostly using software based stuff (be it wrapped in dedicated hardware or inside my computers) these days. Of course, the main reason for doing so usually is convenience, but quite sometimes I also like the sound at least as much.
Having said that, I really don't care about authenticity. Actually, even if I owned Marshalls, Oranges, Voxes, the appropriate axes and whatever in the past, I never exactly did. It's just happening these days that I sort of seem to go back to a somewhat old-fashioned sound. But it may very well change again rather quickly (ok, I'm an old fart, so these changes seem to come in at a slower pace, but still...).

And, as a little anecdote: There's an old recording (that I unfortunately still can't find anymore, I have been looking like mad in my tape archive) on which I have a lead sound which probably was the best lead sound I ever recorded (it was on a live concert). Back then when I still had the recording, a whole lot of people were asking me what I was using for that "fantastic", "absolutely hillarious" sound (these are not my words). Well, it's been a Zoom 9004 processor (the slightly larger model that came out after the belt-strap model) running through a transistor guitar head from Gallien-Krueger (the very small one) and a homebrewn copy of a Boogie 2x12" cabinet. A setup that, apart from the cabinet, could be considered uber-cheesy. No sign of any accurately modeled amps and stomp boxes. A usually rather shrill sounding head (I had to back up the trebles a LOT), etc. Yet, this particular sound was just gorgeous.

As another example: Quite a while there's been a thread about Dave Gilmours sound. I made a very quick mockup just using what was connected to my machine (I think a VAmp and an old H&K Tubeman). I didn't even listen to the reference track (still only have it on vinyl) and used an entirely different guitar as well. You can listen to it here:
home.arcor.de/s.franck/temp/SF_Not_Dave.mp3
Please note: I am in *no* way saying that this is even sounding remotely authentic (too much gain, sort of brittle, etc...), yet quite some people thought it was rather fine. I would even go as far as to say that this sound would be sufficient if I was playing in a Floyd cover band. Your mileage may vary, of course. And, of course again, with a bit more than a 5 minute effort, I probably would've been able to come up with a way more authentic result.

Ok, what am I trying to say? It's really not that much about the sound as long as the sound is at least sort of "good". The word "authentic" really doesn't mean much to me at all. And, from my experience, it doesn't mean all too much to producers either. I am earning most of my living in a "reproductive" music business, played cover things for ages and by now play musicals a lot. In addition I have also been doing the odd studio job (not much admittedly, this sort of business is almost dead over here). Not even once have there been complaints about the sound I've been delivering, regardless whether I've been using a rack full of digital shit or just analog equipment. Sure, sometimes the producer or musical director may ask for, say, something "more mellow", but they never asked me to deliver, say, an authentic sound of a 335 running into a Dumble head (btw, where's that simulation?). The decision about what to use has always been left to me - and apparently it worked out rather well, otherwise I wouldn't still be doing a lot of jobs, I suppose.

So, what I want to say is: Give me a flexible, good sounding amp model (obviously, the term "good" could be discussed ad nauseum, but I won't even start with it right now) which is interacting fine with my playing - especially the latter being quite something most digital amp sims are still badly lacking of.
I'd rather prefer seeing an amp model called "Crunch" than whatever photorealistic stuff trying to resemble a Marshall (let alone that most of those photorealistic mockups are wasting an enormous amount of screen estate). Give me a bunch of different EQ and gain stage options on that model? Yes please! But why call it the "hyper-shithot-authentic" germanium thingy or whatever? It's not, it's all 1s and 0s. Yeah, shipping it with a bunch of "getting close to authentic XYZ sound" presets is absolutely fine in my book (and even required for a larger company), but skip all that other bullshit.
I know, especially new users might be attracted by a shiny celibrity label - but there's not only new users to be attracted.

Oh, and, while not being exactly related: Will someone finally release an amp sim that is actually offering enough comfort to be used in a live context? So far there's *none*, if you have some specialized needs (which actually aren't all that specialized). Just to give you a few examples:
- What do I do whenever I think my clean sounds are too loud for a given live job? Reprogram each and every clean sound during soundcheck?
- What do I do whenever I need less overall reverb? Reprogram each and every patch?
- What do I do when I need more gain on my crunch sounds? Reprogram?
- What do I do should I monitor myself through a guitar amp instead of through a fullrange system? Reprogram all patches by switching off the speaker sim?

With my typical "3 channel amp plus a few FX" setup I just turn one single knob and all my clean sounds will be lower in volume, etc.
These things are not adressed in any of the existing software amp sims, be it hardware packages (such as, say, a Vetta) or solely software based ones.
Right now, I'm building a new, mostly software based live guitar rack. I could never use any of the existing standalones for the very reasons mentioned above, so I am using NIs Kore as the main central of the setup, since it allows for saving a given status as a performance, while still offering "global" access to some channel based parameters. Quite a mess to set this up for just a few guitar sounds. And quite a financial stretch as well.

Ok, enough for now.