New Amp Sim - Kuassa Lancaster

[RafaelMorgan]

...but it would certainly help to have a better idea of what people mean by "better" or "fizzy" or "abrasive".

Well, simply put, it feels like a q-tip wrapped in sandpaper, which generally isn't what I would expect from a similar amp in a real life recording situation.

I don't feel like starting an X vs Y war here, but the best amp sims nowadays have overcome this issue, in my opinion.

[donkey tugger]

...but it would certainly help to have a better idea of what people mean by "better" or "fizzy" or "abrasive".

Well, simply put, it feels like a q-tip wrapped in sandpaper, which generally isn't what I would expect from a similar amp in a real life recording situation.

I don't feel like starting an X vs Y war here, but the best amp sims nowadays have overcome this issue, in my opinion.

Given the wide configurable options of the Kuassa stuff in terms of mic positions and different cab models, I'm surprised at this, as it isn't my experience.

Do you have any audio examples?

[Burillo]

...but it would certainly help to have a better idea of what people mean by "better" or "fizzy" or "abrasive".

Well, simply put, it feels like a q-tip wrapped in sandpaper, which generally isn't what I would expect from a similar amp in a real life recording situation.

that doesn't answer my question in the slightest, it's just another metaphor which can be interpreted in multitude of ways.

I don't feel like starting an X vs Y war here, but the best amp sims nowadays have overcome this issue, in my opinion.

i'm not trying to start a war, i don't care if people think this or that plugin is "better". i'm just trying to understand what it is that people are referring to when they use these terms (and i don't mean generally, i mean you specifically - because everyone will have their own definition).

it has happened to me before - for example, some people will say that compressor X results in a "clicky" attack, and i couldn't get it until someone recorded a sample and said - here, listen for the kick attack, that sound you hear is what i'm referring to as "clicky". and i'd go aaaaah so that's what you mean. this is why audio examples are great - you can produce one, tell me what to listen for, and i can decide for myself whether i 1) can hear the same, and 2) care about it if i do hear it. it may very well be that what you're referring to as "fizzy" might be something i actually like!

(that's of course not to say that you're under any obligation whatsoever to produce said files - i'm just wishing that you did, and explaining that my motivation isn't to fight over which is better, but to understand where you're coming from and maybe learn something new)

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I bought this without demoing and also own the Nembrini. I didn't do a direct head-to-head between the two, but I do agree that this one gets a bit spikey sounding in a way I didn't like. I suspect it's the cabs but didn't try my Ownhammer impulses on it yet. Instead, I just ended up using Nova GE to do some dynamic EQ'ing to tame 2.5k at a very narrow Q and all was better.

The microphones also behave oddly on the GUI. I'm not sure if the GUI is supposed to represent a real cabinet (looks like it does) but the microphones got darker as you moved them towards the center and brighter towards the edge. I found that a bit odd. But it's a "use your ears" thing. Keep the microphones near-center and it they sound alright.

Also, why is everyone doing 90's and 2000's AC-30's? This has that modified 70's one at least, but there are not a lot of favorable opinions out there about 90's and 2000's Vox amps compared to vintage.

[Ivan_C]

Instant Buy! Going to play with it as soon as I get enough time

[cprompt]

Combined with Audiority's new Marshall distortion plugins this sounds fabulous. A real throaty roar that I like very much!

[ShawnMH]

FREE - With a (previously) fully stocked Amplifikation 360!!!

Great sounding cleans and jangle tones. Also loving the Brian May type rock sounds, and other low to mid - drive blues presets.

[pough]

I guess now there's nothing stopping me from doing a Worst of Best of Bryan Adams project...

[HK-47]

Are the normal and top boost channels permanently linked? I don't see an option to use them separately.

[rollasoc]

Played it liked, it, went through the presets, some I love, some are not for me.
Then went through the new A360 presets, oh wow. Another level of lushness...

[MogwaiBoy]

I don't feel like starting an X vs Y war here, but the best amp sims nowadays have overcome this issue, in my opinion.

Which amp sims in your opinion are the best?

Not fighting, I haven't tried this Kuassa amp and I'm not a huge fan of the Vox sound anyway - I have Kuassa's Vermillion and found it very harsh and un-dynamic. My 'rock band' has started home demo'ing for an album and I'm using Neural's Cory Wong for clean and Plini for dirt, which are both good but still don't quite compare to the real thing. So I wonder what's the best available.

Who are the Voxengo, or DMG, of amp sims?

[dbone]

Not a fan of V*x, not interested.

Oh well, might as well have a try.

Ah crap, sound fantastic. Bought.

LOL same! VOX sound was never a major interest. Tried the demo and Lancaster made me a believer.

Over the past 24 hours, I've compared it against the Nembrini Voice. FWIW, I had no experience with the Voice until AFTER I purchased Lancaster. While the Nembrini is also quite nice, I am very happy to have purchased the Kuassa. To my ears, the Lancaster made a better first impression, sound-wise. Again, I am not a "Vox guy" and don't have much experience with the original amps so take anything I say with a grain of salt.

I should point out the obvious in that the booster pedal being built into the Lancaster means there are more boosted patches to demo. While the Voice does a great job of the jangly cleans and has a few nice driven patches, there is simply way more variety to the Lancaster out of the box. ...and to my ears, Lancaster does an equally good job of cleans. Putting the 8x oversampling on sends it over the top, IMO.

Another important consideration: While I have not examined the VU meters closely, the default patches on the Lancaster sound a bit louder, a bit brighter, and more present overall. If that's the case, it would be something of an unequal comparison but I'm just calling it like I'm hearing it, first impressions.

Two complaints about the Kuassa plugs in general: The UI is not scalable (the Nembrini looks REALLY good by comparison) and each of Kuassa's different amps shows up with the same name in Studio One. I've written their support team about it and it'll be interesting to see how responsive they are to user requests.

[FlyingAndi]

Has anyone compared this to Amplitube Brian May?

[ZargonTheMagnificent]

Two complaints about the Kuassa plugs in general: The UI is not scalable (the Nembrini looks REALLY good by comparison) and each of Kuassa's different amps shows up with the same name in Studio One. I've written their support team about it and it'll be interesting to see how responsive they are to user requests.

To add another complaint; the oversampling controls.

In the standalone VST version there is a control for oversampling. Fair enough.

In the 360 version, each MODULE has one which you have to change individually using the settings/cog on the module.

I tend to use minimum settings until mixdown/render time, and then I currently have to spend 10 minutes (depending on the poroject) changing a million oversampling settings. I wish they had an autometic oversampling at render thingy...

[donkey tugger]

Has anyone compared this to Amplitube Brian May?

The hair is less daft.