Your fav Amp Sims as of 2023?

[Dormant]

For me it's everything from VTarAmps, I just can't stop using them for everything from beautiful cleans to ultra-high-gain tones.
It's not the complete suites, just amp themselves, but if you already have your favourite pedals, IRs and fx - it's top notch quality solution with extra features and cpu efficiency.

[jamcat]

TONEX. I used to use AmpliTube as a complete, closed solution with amps and pedals, but now I’m building plugin chains using the TONEX plugin and individual pedal plugins from Audiority, Fazertone, Brainworx and A/DA.

Surprisingly, Studio One’s built-in Pedalboard plugin has the best Wah model I’ve come across.

I’m still very much in need of good models of the BOSS BF-2 and MXR M-117.

To put a pedal between the amp and cab in TONEX, you need two identical TONEX instances, the first with the cab disabled, and the second with the amp disabled, and the pedal plugin in between them. TONEX operates completely in mono, so if you’re using a stereo effect, split the signal after the effect to stereo, either with aux sends, or something like Studio One’s Splitter. Use two identical TONEX instances with the amp disabled, panned left and right, for a total of three TONEX instances.

[zerocrossing]

I recently watched a high-gain amp shoot out video where a bunch of amp sims were presented along with a real amp. The Waves PRS Archeon ended up getting the most votes for the question, "what's the real amp?"

Do you happen to remember the link? Thanks!

Here's the reveal video:

[Negoba]

You'all are way ahead of me. But if you do metal, the ROOTS free (upgradable for $) amp sim is really good.

I just use my PodGo and the Badonk.

[ChristopherWD]

Currently using TONEX and liking that a lot. I used it to capture some of my own setups and it did an impressive job at retaining the sound and playability, so it's good enough for me and it'll save me a lot of time from now on. There's also a lot of great stuff on the user library too if you're willing to spend the time searching through them.

For dedicated pedal emulations I like Audiority's plugins - their Green Reaper GR9 is especially good.

[diroxe7660]

Here's the reveal video:

Thanks! The Waves amp sim definitely sounds the most unique. A bit like it's got a HM2 built in.

[zerocrossing]

Here's the reveal video:

Thanks! The Waves amp sim definitely sounds the most unique. A bit like it's got a HM2 built in.

I’ve always found it kind of funny that people are all hard core tube fanatics, and then are fine with putting a transistor distortion in front of their amp. I’ve had a lot of great transistor amps in my day, and they’re especially suited for metal type tones, IMO.

[Vasya Mishchenko]

I have recently gone the Audio Assault way almost exclusively. Their Amp Locker stuff is just wow. and the updates are rather frequent.

[Bombadil]

TONEX. I used to use AmpliTube as a complete, closed solution with amps and pedals, but now I’m building plugin chains using the TONEX plugin and individual pedal plugins from Audiority, Fazertone, Brainworx and A/DA.

Surprisingly, Studio One’s built-in Pedalboard plugin has the best Wah model I’ve come across.

I’m still very much in need of good models of the BOSS BF-2 and MXR M-117.

To put a pedal between the amp and cab in TONEX, you need two identical TONEX instances, the first with the cab disabled, and the second with the amp disabled, and the pedal plugin in between them. TONEX operates completely in mono, so if you’re using a stereo effect, split the signal after the effect to stereo, either with aux sends, or something like Studio One’s Splitter. Use two identical TONEX instances with the amp disabled, panned left and right, for a total of three TONEX instances.

Has Fazertone released any other effects? I PM'ed him on FB to ask, but he didn't reply. I use his phaser and distortion sims regularly.

[jamcat]

Just the Dynacomp, Phase 90, and Overdrive Essentials.

[Bombadil]

Bummer.

[glokraw]

First choice is BlueCat Axiom, for the sounds, symetrical interface, and list of extra capabilities.
The ability to simply host the cometition's 64 bit vst plugins means no favorites need be elsewhere. I once loaded Amplitube and Guitar Rig, just for fun. It was.

My second choice is combining IK's Amplitube with their Mixbox, which are super easy to use. I'm learning the free ToneX plugin with some free captures, and those also sound good.

Third place is Guitar Rig 6, and after watching Leon Todd demo V7, I'll be watching Black Friday,
Cyber Monday, and Tough Luck Tuesday with great interest.
Cheers

[MJACau]

Unitedplugins Electrum is very unique sounding but very fast to dial in.
BlueCat Axiom and Melda's MGuitarArchitect are a tweakers dream.

[zerocrossing]

BlueCat Axiom and Melda's MGuitarArchitect are a tweakers dream.

I tried MGuitarArchitect, and I was unable to produce a decent amp tone, and the added latency and noticeable aliasing made it unusable to me. Sure, you could up the oversampling, but that made the latency even worse. I’m a big Melda fan and I’m surprised it was released in that state.

Axiom is kind of interesting, but the hero seemed to be the effects, and not the amps. I’m no stranger to tweaking. I’ve owned amp sims for years, including an AxeFX 3, and I was unable to get anything other than a mediocre guitar amp tone from it. I do think it would be a good plugin to hosts Tonex and add much needed effects, but on its own… missing something. The pitch shifters sounded great to me, though, and I might get it just for those when I’m feeling in that prog rock mood.

[MJACau]

I tried MGuitarArchitect, and I was unable to produce a decent amp tone, and the added latency and noticeable aliasing made it unusable to me.

In Axiom.
In the Destruction (Amp) section oversampling is off by default. Turning it on barely adds more CPU than off. :\
I love the Shape dynamics section. Change the rectification and sag.
And dropping in your own IR's into the Post-filter (Cab) has the dramatic change to the sound and mod ability for me.
As for Melda stuff you have to turn on the anti-aliasing.