KVR Audio

dhalfen · Post by **dhalfen** » Mon May 17, 2010 6:20 am

Just to give this thread a little bump, I upgraded to Amplitube 3 two weeks ago and haven't been able to stop using it ever since. I then proceeded to make the mistake of demoing the Fender items inside of Amplitube 3 -- and more money goes flying out of my bank account as we speak...

I wasn't crazy about Amplitube 2, but I'm finding that I can "do no wrong" with version 3. Everything I create just sounds bloody awesome! (And I especially like using it with the Recabinet IRs, though the new, built-in cabinets are pretty darn good, too.) This latest creation puts TH1 and GTR3 to shame. (And I'm not even interested in wasting money on GR4.)

(Caveat: I'm a keyboardist.)

Someone on another thread mentioned "VB3 + Amplitube 3 = Italian Dream Team" -- and I'm now inclined to agree! I've been using Soundtoys' EchoBoy & PhaseMistress (along with Aether) to get some really "psychedelic" organ tones.

I think I've found a new favourite.

(Previous favourites: the Softube sims.)

Someone mentioned "plastic," but I'm just not hearing it -- even when I keep the sound fairly clean, I'm getting a nice, smoky fuzz-buzz around the tone.

tomg · Post by **tomg** » Mon May 17, 2010 6:51 am

I'm out. Bought me a Fender Vibro Champ. 16 amps, 16 effect settings and a 5 watt class A tube amp. No more updates, no more (hated) C/R and it will never matter what OS, computer or whatever kind of recording device I use.

In a word ... Awesome. The best $200 I have ever spent on gear/software of any kind. Fender built a real winner. Check 'em out and get one before they realize what they've done and take them off the market.

Sound Quality 10/10. Overall 8/10.

The effects are preset and the master volume is before the line out so unless you use a dummy load there is no way to use the line out for recording without the amplifier being on.

Nothing can be done about the effects, which are pretty damn good BTW but a dummy load can be had for as little as $4.

Fender Vibro Champ XD $200
http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Vibro-Cham ... 917&sr=1-1

Fender Super-Champ XD $300
http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Super-Cham ... 969&sr=1-1

If you're fed up with software tuners the Korg CA-40 is maybe the best tuner for the money ever made.

Korg CA-40 Large Display Auto Chromatic Tuner $12.65
http://www.amazon.com/Korg-CA-40-Large- ... B000EE8YPK

hibidy · Post by **hibidy** » Mon May 17, 2010 7:01 am

I'm in the pink though with amp sims. I've got not auth issues and I can't do a real amp. Wish I could, but it's just not practical. Maybe if I win the lottery and get a house that isn't butt-up close to the neighbors.

tomg · Post by **tomg** » Mon May 17, 2010 7:14 am

hibidy wrote:I'm in the pink though with amp sims. I've got not auth issues and I can't do a real amp. Wish I could, but it's just not practical. Maybe if I win the lottery and get a house that isn't butt-up close to the neighbors.

You should try one out before you say that.

hibidy · Post by **hibidy** » Mon May 17, 2010 7:18 am

tomg wrote:
hibidy wrote:I'm in the pink though with amp sims. I've got not auth issues and I can't do a real amp. Wish I could, but it's just not practical. Maybe if I win the lottery and get a house that isn't butt-up close to the neighbors.
You should try one out before you say that.

You have peaked my interest. Maybe tomorrow I'll see if GC has one.

tomg · Post by **tomg** » Mon May 17, 2010 7:34 am

hibidy wrote:
tomg wrote:
hibidy wrote:I'm in the pink though with amp sims. I've got not auth issues and I can't do a real amp. Wish I could, but it's just not practical. Maybe if I win the lottery and get a house that isn't butt-up close to the neighbors.
You should try one out before you say that.
You have peaked my interest. Maybe tomorrow I'll see if GC has one.

Do it. If it's quite enough, either set the amp in a chair or sit on the floor with the amp so the guitar is fairly in line with the speaker. With the gain set mid to low, the volume at about 2.5 or better and the tone controls at 50%.

Maybe back off on your pickup volume a notch or two as you dial through the presets and the guitar will come alive in a way software is just not up to delivering. You might even take a couple of your guitars so you can be comfortable. I hate testing amps with store guitars.

hibidy · Post by **hibidy** » Mon May 17, 2010 7:37 am

I heard that! Especially our GC's.....they have the most putrid POS guitars!

tomg · Post by **tomg** » Mon May 17, 2010 7:40 am

hibidy wrote:I heard that! Especially our GC's.....they have the most putrid POS guitars!

If they have one check out that Korg tuner too. Or just buy one..$12

strangedogs · Post by **strangedogs** » Mon May 17, 2010 7:48 am

Our GC has some amazing Ax's but the high-dollar ones are out of reach... I did get to play on a most amazing Ric the other day... hooked it to an old used JC-120 and was in Pig Heaven... Byrds sound for sure. They didn't suspect I only had $7.00 in my pocket

redshift factor · Post by **redshift factor** » Mon May 17, 2010 9:53 am

We could discuss hardware amps all day, but that would belong in the hardware forum.
This thread is about amp sims.

ronaldpassion · Post by **ronaldpassion** » Mon May 17, 2010 10:03 am

strangedogs wrote:I love lots of em and the NEW RevolutionZ (new free amp sim)from Ronald Passion is worth checking out - it loads IR's too (just click on the logo)

http://www.1ststudio.blogspot.com/

between Acmebargig, Lepou, Passion, Crow, etc. there's a whole lotta great stuff that's ABSOLUTELY FREE... and I spent lots of my hard earned cash on some of the big-guns but these boys are amazing me...

Very big thanx...
New feature update.
Update Hi new mode. Close and open.
Just read manual in notepad

TQ,RP!

ariston · Post by **ariston** » Mon May 17, 2010 10:35 am

I narrowed down my choices beforehand and demoed TH-1, Amplitube 3, Studio Devil and Vandal. Got to say, after a week of playing them all, switching back and forth, comparing and just plain jamming my fingers raw, I decided on Vandal. TH-1 sounds great and is flexible; Amplitube sounds great, too, maybe even a little better than TH-1. But these two, great-sounding as they are, have something artificial that I can't quite put my finger on. They will always sound good in a mix, and maybe that's it: ultimately, I find them too well-behaved and too smooth to really convince as amp sims. Mind you, this depends heavily on what kind of tone you're going for.

Studio Devil and Vandal, on the other hand, really nail the grit'n'bite. They both sound alive, and unruly, like a good amp sim should. In terms of sound quality, Vandal struck me as just a bit better: the detail uncovered in turning up the gain, the way it reacts to your playing, gets it as close to a real amp as I've yet heard from a sim (plus, it's got a nice spring reverb, which Studio Devil doesn't). Add some Mokafix stomps and you've got great tone.

All in all, I'd say this was a decision that wasn't easy; with so many great sims to choose from (including the free ones like Acme and LePou), we're all spoiled for choice. Something for everyone, and that's always a good thing.

tomg · Post by **tomg** » Mon May 17, 2010 6:10 pm

redshift factor wrote:We could discuss hardware amps all day, but that would belong in the hardware forum.
This thread is about amp sims.

The thread is called your favorite amp sim. Mine happens to live inside a piece of hardware but it's still an amp sim. So stuff it.

bpblog · Post by **bpblog** » Mon May 17, 2010 9:23 pm

Hink wrote:I excluded threads that pertain to just one sim in the title name, though all such threads turn into your request and I stopped at aug 09

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=amp+sim

thanks for the list.

ratatosk · Post by **ratatosk** » Mon May 17, 2010 9:35 pm

tomg wrote:
redshift factor wrote:We could discuss hardware amps all day, but that would belong in the hardware forum.
This thread is about amp sims.
The thread is called your favorite amp sim. Mine happens to live inside a piece of hardware but it's still an amp sim. So stuff it.

I appreciate your position. I use a Line 6 LD150 for my bass. But just like the instruments forum (which is for software instrument plug-ins, not VA "software" instruments that live in a DSP unit keyboard) I have to side with redshift.

That said -- what do you guys think about the Bass amplifier VSTs out there? Any I should look into? I've been wanting to stretch my legs a little bit tonewise..

Favorite amp sim and why