Magix Vandal amp sim = Winner in terms of sound quality so far

[hibidy]

[mauseoleum]

S-B

[hibidy]

[mauseoleum]

[dubbelQ]

I dont get it.

The death penalty isn't enough, you're hereby sentenced to read this thread again

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

[mauseoleum]

[shogger]

Oh, it hurts just looking at it.

Shogger

[redshift factor]

I have Amplitube 3 but some presets have so much noise going on I found quite a few of the presets completely unusable and it's a mystery how nobody catches that. Maybe it's in the name of realism but to me it's a pita.

The reason for that noise is because each component is modeled as is, and when used together, the gain staging can really boost the noise. As you point out, that's the way the real gear is.

But here's the thing about that: the original source of that noise is your own guitar, and you can get rid of it without sacrificing your tone! Use the built in noisegate to kill it between notes, or the very best solution is to place a noise reduction plugin like Waves X-Noise or Voxengo Redunoise in front of AmpliTube (or any ampsim.) If you get a proper noiseprint, you will be amazed how the noise just disappears, but your high-gain tone remains completely intact. And if it is a good pure pickup noise print with your strings completely muted, you will experience no high frequency loss either. The only drawback to it is this type of NR adds latency, so you can't use it for live recording, only mixing.

But many of us have asked IK to model the Rocktron HUSH or MXR Smartgate stompbox, which would be appropriate for real time performance. Someone here mentioned the Boss NS-2. Maybe that could be added to the request list for IK to look at, too.

[dblock]

I have Amplitube 3 but some presets have so much noise going on I found quite a few of the presets completely unusable and it's a mystery how nobody catches that. Maybe it's in the name of realism but to me it's a pita.

The reason for that noise is because each component is modeled as is, and when used together, the gain staging can really boost the noise. As you point out, that's the way the real gear is.

But here's the thing about that: the original source of that noise is your own guitar, and you can get rid of it without sacrificing your tone! Use the built in noisegate to kill it between notes, or the very best solution is to place a noise reduction plugin like Waves X-Noise or Voxengo Redunoise in front of AmpliTube (or any ampsim.) If you get a proper noiseprint, you will be amazed how the noise just disappears, but your high-gain tone remains completely intact. And if it is a good pure pickup noise print with your strings completely muted, you will experience no high frequency loss either. The only drawback to it is this type of NR adds latency, so you can't use it for live recording, only mixing.

But many of us have asked IK to model the Rocktron HUSH or MXR Smartgate stompbox, which would be appropriate for real time performance. Someone here mentioned the Boss NS-2. Maybe that could be added to the request list for IK to look at, too.

Interesting expanation or the noise. Thanks. I'm using a sonalksis gate for now. I'm running through an avalon u5 followed by a drawmer DF320 noise filter as well so Running my strat without any effects doesn't produce any audible noise at all going into the sound card (delta1010lt). I'll do some experimenting with some of your suggestions. There are plenty of presets that's for sure that don't have much of if any problem so it's more of a minor annoyance when I switch presets and all of a sudden I'm bombarded with all this crazy noise but not a game changer for me.

[Hink]

I have Amplitube 3 but some presets have so much noise going on I found quite a few of the presets completely unusable and it's a mystery how nobody catches that. Maybe it's in the name of realism but to me it's a pita.

The reason for that noise is because each component is modeled as is, and when used together, the gain staging can really boost the noise. As you point out, that's the way the real gear is.

But here's the thing about that: the original source of that noise is your own guitar, and you can get rid of it without sacrificing your tone! Use the built in noisegate to kill it between notes, or the very best solution is to place a noise reduction plugin like Waves X-Noise or Voxengo Redunoise in front of AmpliTube (or any ampsim.) If you get a proper noiseprint, you will be amazed how the noise just disappears, but your high-gain tone remains completely intact. And if it is a good pure pickup noise print with your strings completely muted, you will experience no high frequency loss either. The only drawback to it is this type of NR adds latency, so you can't use it for live recording, only mixing.

But many of us have asked IK to model the Rocktron HUSH or MXR Smartgate stompbox, which would be appropriate for real time performance. Someone here mentioned the Boss NS-2. Maybe that could be added to the request list for IK to look at, too.

Interesting expanation or the noise. Thanks. I'm using a sonalksis gate for now. I'm running through an avalon u5 followed by a drawmer DF320 noise filter as well so Running my strat without any effects doesn't produce any audible noise at all going into the sound card (delta1010lt). I'll do some experimenting with some of your suggestions. There are plenty of presets that's for sure that don't have much of if any problem so it's more of a minor annoyance when I switch presets and all of a sudden I'm bombarded with all this crazy noise but not a game changer for me.

yead redshift nailed it, noise is authentic

[Ken McLaren]

haha, man!! I never can keep up with guitarist's wishes. LOL, any one of my amp sims have a tiny bit of noise I never hear the end of it...When did noise become fashionable.., and OK? I didn't get the memo, damn no one ever tells me anything round here..

KM

[dblock]

haha, man!! I never can keep up with guitarist's wishes. LOL, any one of my amp sims have a tiny bit of noise I never hear the end of it...When did noise become fashionable.., and OK? I didn't get the memo, damn no one ever tells me anything round here..

KM

I could definitely do without it.

[dblock]

I have Amplitube 3 but some presets have so much noise going on I found quite a few of the presets completely unusable and it's a mystery how nobody catches that. Maybe it's in the name of realism but to me it's a pita.

The reason for that noise is because each component is modeled as is, and when used together, the gain staging can really boost the noise. As you point out, that's the way the real gear is.

But here's the thing about that: the original source of that noise is your own guitar, and you can get rid of it without sacrificing your tone! Use the built in noisegate to kill it between notes, or the very best solution is to place a noise reduction plugin like Waves X-Noise or Voxengo Redunoise in front of AmpliTube (or any ampsim.) If you get a proper noiseprint, you will be amazed how the noise just disappears, but your high-gain tone remains completely intact. And if it is a good pure pickup noise print with your strings completely muted, you will experience no high frequency loss either. The only drawback to it is this type of NR adds latency, so you can't use it for live recording, only mixing.

But many of us have asked IK to model the Rocktron HUSH or MXR Smartgate stompbox, which would be appropriate for real time performance. Someone here mentioned the Boss NS-2. Maybe that could be added to the request list for IK to look at, too.

One thing that made a big difference is that I was putting my sonalksis gate after the amp instead of before in Cubase which is what I had been doing. Doing that was counter intuitive for me but it worked without losing my highs.

[Silenceborn]

ok, so I walked away and tried vandal again with fresher ears.
I will say one thing that vandal kills all other amp sims in and that's noise.
No matter how much distortion is in a preset there is vitually no noise. I have Amplitube 3 but some presets have so much noise going on I found quite a few of the presets completely unusable and it's a mystery how nobody catches that. Maybe it's in the name of realism but to me it's a pita. Guitar rig tried to address it at least in an earlier update. Having said that, Vandal's lack of high end may be a reason there isn't much noise but I cold be wrong. I know I have guitar sim noise that's louder than the preset so Vandal wins on that count.
Try as I may though, I still find the sound a bit squashed without enough high end for my taste as well as a bit thin sounding.
Cpu usage is fantastic. I would use this on my old laptop for traveling easily.
Still no verdict yet but I'll check it out again before the demo time is up.
I'm also trying out the TH-1 demo which I really think is better overall so far. Not better than Amplitube though. Also Studio Devil but not jumping up and down on that one. So far TH-1 is the strongest possibility.I think so far it's beating out Vandal.

Hey dblock,

Well I actually said something about the Vandal's great noise gate before in my previous posts here, which is much better than GR4 imho. Btw about that "thin" and "squashed" tone without high, I had the same problem when I had it for the first time, but after playing a bit with that voicing part aka Curve and Freq and Sag it just changed and now I can get both raw clean sounds as well as crunch and high gain which is so focused without any lack of high and also that fat and thick distortion as well, However I'm using a Fender Strat Delux with 3 single coils. Also that power amp section Class A and AB makes huge difference, specially on crunch and clean sounds. I will try it with my Gibson later which has humbuckers and is not with me atm, and will post the results.

Btw, I have asked before but got no response, if anyone had any experience using "Softube Acoustic Feedback" plug-in, is it working good and in a right way ? I might buy it if its close to the real feedback. please let me know people if any of you tried it. the concept of having virtual feedback is interesting.

Cheers

[sascha]

Btw, I have asked before but got no response, if anyone had any experience using "Softube Acoustic Feedback" plug-in, is it working good and in a right way ? I might buy it if its close to the real feedback. please let me know people if any of you tried it. the concept of having virtual feedback is interesting.

Hm... virtual amp modeling is already kind of cybersex, but virtual feedback to me appears even more blasphemic. Do they model adrenaline?

About the 'noise'. I've heard that various times in 1:1 conversations that Vandal procduces less hiss. Funny. People even claimed some modelers 'added' artificial noise. Even more funny. I'd consider that a myth. Although that could be part of the underlying model (if it's granular enough, though I doubt someone even models actual electron flux and dotation, producing thermal noise ), I actually guess that perception of 'noise' in a guitar amp comes from the preamp's voicing, aka spectral balance. Vandal produces quite some hiss, too, if you play with the voicing knobs enough. For instance, set the preamp to 'brit' (click on the wrench symbol), put the freq knob to 11 o'clock and curve to 10 o'clock, and you end up with a freq response texture similar to a marshall. When 'curve' goes leftwards, the preamp automatically compensates for the volume loss, so that 'scooped' settings go louder, thereby also boosting the highs respectively. Or: try the 'treble booster' stomp in front of the amp
Vandal's tube model knows about miller capacitance (most obvious on the lead channel), which naturally dampens the highs with hig hamplification facturs (mu). But I also limit the HF with cranked-up gains anyway with the surrounding circuit (personal taste). Depending on the preamp model, the actual channel and the momentary gain setting, the HF roll-off takes place between 15k down to 5k, as far as I recall. Again, just use the voicing for more crunch & hiss, if it's too dull then.