AmpliTube Metal - Released THIS month!!!

[A3ntar]

X-GEAR also completely reorganizes the Ampeg SVX graphics inside, as I showed some time back with the Youtube screenshots. That means it must be embedded inside of X-GEAR. I think it was unnecessary since you can't change the EQ or power amp sections of the Ampeg amps anyways, and doesn't look as good as the original.

Well,

I am not sure that this is good news if it is the case. Your patches will sound different on AT2 than on X-Gear. Kind of defeats the purpose.

I will start a known issues and feature requests list soon and send it to IKMM hoping it will change something.

And to be honest I like the AT2 tone better on the same patches!

[asseca]

And weird enough the pak (amps and effects) of X-Gear is 3 times as big as AT2's, which might be due because it is holding the effects and amps of AT2, SVX, and ATJHE..

I tried deleting the AT2 paks, and X-Gear didn't offer me AT2 gear anymore. Now it might just be a simple file check to enable/disable X-Gear's own modules.

I am still intrigued if X-Gear does use AT2's code, why the heck it is 3 times bigger.

I have removed all the .VPA and .PAK files of AT2, SVX and ATJH, and replace the .VPA files with files of zero file-length.

Guess what: X-GEAR still works

This proves that X-GEAR is a seperate product containing all 3 AT plugins, I think that when ATMH is released X-GEAR will also be updated to include the code of ATMH ...

X-GEAR still uses the presets folders of the AT2, SVX and ATJH.

[A3ntar]

And weird enough the pak (amps and effects) of X-Gear is 3 times as big as AT2's, which might be due because it is holding the effects and amps of AT2, SVX, and ATJHE..

I tried deleting the AT2 paks, and X-Gear didn't offer me AT2 gear anymore. Now it might just be a simple file check to enable/disable X-Gear's own modules.

I am still intrigued if X-Gear does use AT2's code, why the heck it is 3 times bigger.

I have removed all the .VPA and .PAK files of AT2, SVX and ATJH, and replace the .VPA files with files of zero file-length.

Guess what: X-GEAR still works

This proves that X-GEAR is a seperate product containing all 3 AT plugins, I think that when ATMH is released X-GEAR will also be updated to include the code of ATMH ...

X-GEAR still uses the presets folders of the AT2, SVX and ATJH.

Great assessment asseca!

Yep, I confirm that it is a simple file check. I also replaced by 0 bytes files and I still got all AT2 and ATJHE modules in X-Gear.

So I guess it checks for license and presence of files.

But this is a somewhat bad news. I prefer the tone of AT2's engine/modules over the updated one in X-Gear. I wish IKMM would have notified us of the updated modules with sonic differences instead of passing it as just a "Host" for AT2, SVX and ATJHE.

I didn't examine all modules yet to verify the extent of the sonic discrepencies.

[asseca]

Just to be sure: are you using AT v2.1.2 ??

[A3ntar]

Just to be sure: are you using AT v2.1.2 ??

Yep, build 2.1.2

Why the question? You don't notice any tonal differences?

Try this patch: http://www.box.net/shared/j7kjxgy2o8

[asseca]

Just to be sure: are you using AT v2.1.2 ??

Yep, build 2.1.2

Why the question? You don't notice any tonal differences?

Try this patch: http://www.box.net/shared/j7kjxgy2o8

As I wrote, just to be sure ...

So, instead of being lazy I checked your patch, yes there is a HUGE difference

It looks like IK is having problems placing the same code in 2 products ...

[qqq]

Has someone mentioned Rene yet?

(A3ntar, I am 100% convinced you are working for IK dude..... SPRUNG!)

[A3ntar]

So far X-Gear release hasn't been a smooth sail...I honestly would have preferred to wait a bit more and get a better MIDI implementation, better preset menu management, on the fly preset finding, precise and editable parameters, etc...

I will probably compile a list of all the know issues tomorrow and send it to IKMM.

So, instead of being lazy I checked your patch, yes there is a HUGE difference

Indeed. I am not sure if it is the engine, or the patch loading code that is loading some modules and although it looks like the values are set properly, somewhat they are not.

I wouldn't understand the motivation behind changing the sound of the modules of the same product. There should be a guarantee that your patches will sound the same withing a Minor upgrade revision to the product. Imagine if your beloved patch changes tonality with every update...

[A3ntar]

Has someone mentioned Rene yet?

(A3ntar, I am 100% convinced you are working for IK dude..... SPRUNG!)

I wish I worked in Italy...Unfortunately I have a rather boring job as a software architect in Canada where if you go outside for 20 seconds and touch your nose, it can fall off.

And you would be surprised how good Rene's ampsim sounded when he was working on the beta version. It was very good. Also his Christmas special was also a very nice plugin.

Unfortunately I think he dug himself in a hole with all that talk about the ampsim and then puttsing around with it too much without releasing it, and he lost his audience and became a running joke.

[qqq]

So you have some Italian blood then? I mean there HAS to be a reason for your complete unwavering devotion to IK......

[redshift factor]

I am not sure if it is the engine, or the patch loading code that is loading some modules and although it looks like the values are set properly, somewhat they are not.

I wouldn't understand the motivation behind changing the sound of the modules of the same product. There should be a guarantee that your patches will sound the same withing a Minor upgrade revision to the product. Imagine if your beloved patch changes tonality with every update...

Allow me to put forth this theory...
Remember how we have discussed that ATJHE was an upgrade to the DSM engine?
I would suggest that such upgrades may have been incorporated into the X-GEAR implementation of AmpliTube2.

I reviewed your patch and I notice you have low gain and volume settings. When the gain is turned up, both AT2 and X-GEAR sound the same. But at lower gain settings, there is less distortion on the X-GEAR version. It seems to me that AmpliTube 2 models in X-GEAR are more dynamically responsive. This is an improvement ATJHE has been widely praised for.

So it looks like you may have to recalibrate some patches with low gain or volume settings. That's a small price to pay for enhanced dynamic response.

[asseca]

I reviewed your patch and I notice you have low gain and volume settings. When the gain is turned up, both AT2 and X-GEAR sound the same. But at lower gain settings, there is less distortion on the X-GEAR version. It seems to me that AmpliTube 2 models in X-GEAR are more dynamically responsive. This is an improvement ATJHE has been widely praised for.

So it looks like you may have to recalibrate some patches with low gain or volume settings. That's a small price to pay for enhanced dynamic response.

If the patches are recalibrated for X-GEAR, then you will have to save them in the X-GEAR's Presets folder, otherwise the modified patches won't sound right in AT2 anymore ...

The issue is X-GEAR is being promoted as a "host" which actually uses presets for AT2's Presets folder ...

Conclusion: This is going to cause a LOT of confusion amongst users ...

[A3ntar]

So you have some Italian blood then? I mean there HAS to be a reason for your complete unwavering devotion to IK......

LOL, well...

there is a reason: I love what IKMM does for the VST audio community. First as a company, and as a developer.

Well, in fact I wasn't always a fan. Back in the Amplitube1 days, boy I used to hate that ampsim, it sounded so muddy and digital, I couldn't stand it. Back in the days I was using simulanalog and GR1 (also a Pod).

But with the release of Amplitube2, which at the time was like a bomb that dropped on the ampsim community, I converted to their line of products. Only after they dropped the dongle though because I couldn't even demo the darn thing without having a dongle! and they dropped it because they heard us loud and clear and they realized that a product not demoed is a product that will not sell.

For cleans Amplitube2 kicked ass..best ampsim hands down..For gain, I always found that it lacked that in your face "bite"...And so I bought a license for Revalver MKII which also was a huge departure from MKI which was a toy.

So I lived with AT2 and MKII in my rig, until I won a copy of Jimi Hendrix's AT (thanks to esoundz) and when my ears first heard the beautiful vintage tones, I was hooked

So ATJHE is my main product now, followed by MKII and AT2.

So I guess that I am passioned about ampsim and digital emulation, and it so happens that the products I am most interested in at the moment are from IKMM. But I will not hesitate for a second to put them down when they do wrong, or release buggy products like this X-Gear release which unfolds mysteries on an hourly basis

That doesn't mean either that I don't give other products a try. In fact the first I will be doing next month is buy me an upgrade license to MKIII when it's released. This thing sounds gorgeous.

[A3ntar]

The issue is X-GEAR is being promoted as a "host" which actually uses presets for AT2's Presets folder ...

Conclusion: This is going to cause a LOT of confusion amongst users ...

Agreed. Recalibrating the volume will affect your AT2 preset, so you might have to have 2 instances of that patch, and then synchronize if you do any modifications. A PITA.

Btw, It is not my patch. It's politcat from this thread: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... highlight=

It seems to me that AmpliTube 2 models in X-GEAR are more dynamically responsive. This is an improvement ATJHE has been widely praised for.

From a first listen, I enjoyed AT2's implementation more. Maybe because my ears are used to that AT2 tone.

I didn't have the time to throughly review the tonal difference yet. I will post more impressions when I do.

Do not hesitate to post yours.

[redshift factor]

If the patches are recalibrated for X-GEAR, then you will have to save them in the X-GEAR's Presets folder, otherwise the modified patches won't sound right in AT2 anymore ...

There are certainly benefits to saving patches with X-GEAR.
Here is one example of expanded possibilities with X-GEAR:

Stereo miked room. Create a patch with routing config. [3]. Use identical cabs in A and B, but different mics, setting Cab A mic to 'near' and Cab B to 'far'. So far so, good, nothing you can't do in AmpliTube/ATJHE. But here is where it gets cool. Every foot of distance equals approximately 1ms delay. Keeping this in mind, turn the 'Phase' knob clockwise on Cab B. To put your 'far' mic 15 feet away from the amp, set the phase to 15ms. Pan one cab left and the other right, to taste.