I‘m tempted to snap one or two Plugin Alliance Guitar Amp simulation plugins during their Christmas sale.
Which do you recommend (for sound design reasons primarily)?
Plugin Alliance Guitar Amp simulations?
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- KVRAF
- 8037 posts since 28 Dec, 2015 from Atlantis Island
https://sonograyn.bandcamp.com/music Experimental Ambient
https://martinjuenke.bandcamp.com/music Alternative Instrumental
https://martinjuenke.bandcamp.com/music Alternative Instrumental
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- KVRist
- 289 posts since 3 Aug, 2014
I have no idea how to speak as to the usefulness of a simulated guitar amp used for sound design, but as a guitar player writing, playing, and recording my own stuff my opinion is that Brainworx' amps are the best available at any price. I've tried just about every amp sim on the market and there are strengths and weaknesses to all of them, but none achieve the same level of realism as the Brainworx plugs do.
That being said, they're ludicrously expensive and I wouldn't even look twice at them for their regular price. But at the deep discounts PA offers so frequently in their sales, oh yeah.
If you're into anything heavy I'd recommend the ENGL Retro Tube 765 E first. But they're all great; I have all their amps except the Chandler.
That being said, they're ludicrously expensive and I wouldn't even look twice at them for their regular price. But at the deep discounts PA offers so frequently in their sales, oh yeah.
If you're into anything heavy I'd recommend the ENGL Retro Tube 765 E first. But they're all great; I have all their amps except the Chandler.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 8037 posts since 28 Dec, 2015 from Atlantis Island
Thanks!
Yeah, one of them is currently 19 dollar and I assume other will be reduced as well.
Yeah, one of them is currently 19 dollar and I assume other will be reduced as well.
Last edited by martinjuenke on Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
https://sonograyn.bandcamp.com/music Experimental Ambient
https://martinjuenke.bandcamp.com/music Alternative Instrumental
https://martinjuenke.bandcamp.com/music Alternative Instrumental
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- KVRAF
- 4469 posts since 15 Nov, 2006 from Hell
i don't have any except Chandler. that one i love. i tried the Mesas and they were great, but right around that time Amplitube Mesa came out which was of similar quality, so i got that instead. i did try the rest but the ENGL's weren't my cup of tea, honestly, and the Bassman - well, i'm after different kinds of tones, so i can't really say if it's good or bad. Rockrack Pro is great, but just a little bit more expensive than i'd like, even on sales, so passed on it. but all of that is spoken as a guitar player.
from a sound designers' perspective (which i am not), i would imagine that you'd need versatility and lots of options. i don't think brainworx amps are any of those things - there's not much FX going on, and they're mostly one-trick ponies, however good the tricks are. but, they offer a demo, so get them and decide for yourself.
from a sound designers' perspective (which i am not), i would imagine that you'd need versatility and lots of options. i don't think brainworx amps are any of those things - there's not much FX going on, and they're mostly one-trick ponies, however good the tricks are. but, they offer a demo, so get them and decide for yourself.
I don't know what to write here that won't be censored, as I can only speak in profanity.
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- KVRAF
- 3506 posts since 12 May, 2011
Demo them all. Don't be in a rush to buy, because they will all be available again around Christmas.
I also have them all. Special mention for the Bassdude and Chandler.
To be honest, something like SDRR would be better for sound design. Unless you turn the gain way down in an amp sim, anything you put through it (other than electric guitars!) just becomes a distorted mush.
I also have them all. Special mention for the Bassdude and Chandler.
To be honest, something like SDRR would be better for sound design. Unless you turn the gain way down in an amp sim, anything you put through it (other than electric guitars!) just becomes a distorted mush.
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- KVRian
- 1067 posts since 17 Nov, 2010 from UK
The Bassdude is awesome, from clean to crunchy on guitar and excellent on bass, from low and distorted to bright and twangy. For $19 it is the proverbial no-brainer. I don't know how that fits in to "sound design" but for the stringed, electrical instruments, it's great.
A bit fried in the higher freqs
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- KVRist
- 258 posts since 8 Jun, 2016
hi. I like their sim simulations a lot. they also develop to uad (brainworx).
there are drawbacks though: the cpu is intensive, there are cpu spikes, and u need to tweak them reasonably.
for instance, u will need to gain stage, eq, add reverb / delay etc, and add some tricks to "thicker" them. seems obvious, but for instance S-gear / Guitar rig has "all in patches / presets" that might give u better instant results and the "feel" of playing in a room. in one phrase, brainwork amp sim ARE NOT a "one plugin guitar solution", but they sound great to me.
If u are using to sound design, I'd probably chose another amp simulator; but, at the sales prices of this month, they are a complete no-brainer.
in sound design, due to the amount of choices, the most "recommended" in PA's products would be rockrack, as they have several head and "amps profiles", which will give u tons of options. But my favorite pa amp sim would be bass dude.
I will also add that if u are planning to use guitar amp sim plugins for sound design, I think you'd be happier with other alternatives such as bluecat's destructor, s-gear, guitar rig, etc etc. I have two old boss boxes "vf-1 and SE-50" to just randomly go through presets when I need some ideas.
there are drawbacks though: the cpu is intensive, there are cpu spikes, and u need to tweak them reasonably.
for instance, u will need to gain stage, eq, add reverb / delay etc, and add some tricks to "thicker" them. seems obvious, but for instance S-gear / Guitar rig has "all in patches / presets" that might give u better instant results and the "feel" of playing in a room. in one phrase, brainwork amp sim ARE NOT a "one plugin guitar solution", but they sound great to me.
If u are using to sound design, I'd probably chose another amp simulator; but, at the sales prices of this month, they are a complete no-brainer.
in sound design, due to the amount of choices, the most "recommended" in PA's products would be rockrack, as they have several head and "amps profiles", which will give u tons of options. But my favorite pa amp sim would be bass dude.
I will also add that if u are planning to use guitar amp sim plugins for sound design, I think you'd be happier with other alternatives such as bluecat's destructor, s-gear, guitar rig, etc etc. I have two old boss boxes "vf-1 and SE-50" to just randomly go through presets when I need some ideas.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 8037 posts since 28 Dec, 2015 from Atlantis Island
Thanks all of you.
Just an explaination what I mean with sound design:
I am not a guitar player, but I want to route other plucked instruments like piano, harp etc through amps to create a sound which is ambivalent for the listener.
Therefore I‘ll try these amps and as you said, some offers are currently no brainers and I have a voucher waiting to be used.
By the way: I already have the Logic amps which are fine but a bit to normal for me and I have Guitar Rig which is somewhat over the top imo. I‘m looking for something in between...
Just an explaination what I mean with sound design:
I am not a guitar player, but I want to route other plucked instruments like piano, harp etc through amps to create a sound which is ambivalent for the listener.
Therefore I‘ll try these amps and as you said, some offers are currently no brainers and I have a voucher waiting to be used.
By the way: I already have the Logic amps which are fine but a bit to normal for me and I have Guitar Rig which is somewhat over the top imo. I‘m looking for something in between...
Last edited by martinjuenke on Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
https://sonograyn.bandcamp.com/music Experimental Ambient
https://martinjuenke.bandcamp.com/music Alternative Instrumental
https://martinjuenke.bandcamp.com/music Alternative Instrumental
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- KVRist
- 258 posts since 8 Jun, 2016
if u are looking for something in between, I'd definitely check "the screamer" and "destructor". they can be one trick and overwhelming at the same time. I think u can demo both of them.
and don't forget, guitar players are teached to have lots of stuff since their learning period.
so, when asking guitar players, they are usually over enthusiastic about gear, and that can be overwhelming. it's not hard to see comments like "I have tried all these XXXXX pedals, amp sims etc" haha.
don't get too paranoid about guitar stuff! go with something that u can "gel" with it.
and don't forget, guitar players are teached to have lots of stuff since their learning period.
so, when asking guitar players, they are usually over enthusiastic about gear, and that can be overwhelming. it's not hard to see comments like "I have tried all these XXXXX pedals, amp sims etc" haha.
don't get too paranoid about guitar stuff! go with something that u can "gel" with it.
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- KVRian
- 722 posts since 23 Jun, 2004
These are also good to give more realism to VI guitar, not just a real guitar?
I see the Megadual is also on sale, how's that compared to Guitar Rig, for example (I've got that with Komplete)? Thanks.
I see the Megadual is also on sale, how's that compared to Guitar Rig, for example (I've got that with Komplete)? Thanks.
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- KVRist
- 35 posts since 6 Sep, 2011
Why not download the free demo and compare them yourself?
I personally prefer bx_megadual to similar Guitar Rig amps, but that's only my opinion and I encountered a lot of internet opinions that I completely disagree with.
I personally prefer bx_megadual to similar Guitar Rig amps, but that's only my opinion and I encountered a lot of internet opinions that I completely disagree with.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 8037 posts since 28 Dec, 2015 from Atlantis Island
Actually I’m doing that just now...Arp_ wrote:Why not download the free demo and compare them yourself?
I personally prefer bx_megadual to similar Guitar Rig amps, but that's only my opinion and I encountered a lot of internet opinions that I completely disagree with.
Looks (and sounds) promising...
Last edited by martinjuenke on Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
https://sonograyn.bandcamp.com/music Experimental Ambient
https://martinjuenke.bandcamp.com/music Alternative Instrumental
https://martinjuenke.bandcamp.com/music Alternative Instrumental
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- KVRist
- 36 posts since 4 Jan, 2016
They are great but overpriced compared to other alternatives. Ok to buy when they are on sale.
My favorites is the Bassman and the Chandler, I´m not into Heavy Metal.
Engl and Mesa versions are probably best for Metal but one can actually get great clean and half clean sounds out of them as well. RockRack is the most versatile of them all with serveral different amps. Well they all sounds great and easy to use, top of the line Amp sims in my opinion.
My favorites is the Bassman and the Chandler, I´m not into Heavy Metal.
Engl and Mesa versions are probably best for Metal but one can actually get great clean and half clean sounds out of them as well. RockRack is the most versatile of them all with serveral different amps. Well they all sounds great and easy to use, top of the line Amp sims in my opinion.
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- KVRAF
- 2648 posts since 20 Jun, 2012
The only one I have and regularly use is the Rockrack Player. Out of all the other amp sims I have tried or own, this is the best sounding one.
No signature here!
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- KVRian
- 1067 posts since 17 Nov, 2010 from UK
Doesn't that apply to all the Brainworx stuff?jtrake wrote:They are great but overpriced compared to other alternatives. Ok to buy when they are on sale.
A bit fried in the higher freqs