IRDX Core by Bogren Digital... your opinion ?

[Krakatau]

Anyone know what kind of copy protection IRDX uses?
They have a 14-day trial. Is it iLok?

no, no ilok

[jamcat]

OK, good to know. I’m not anti-iLok, for the record. I just hate installing demos that use iLok, because you can never get rid of the expired demo license from your iLok account. Which is super annoying. I won’t even do it anymore.

[Burillo]

an interesting video from MLSoundLab demonstrating that 1) real speaker recorded at low volume does not have "dynamics" that are different from impulse response, and 2) real speaker recorded at high volume does have "dynamics" but they do not sound like what IRDX does.

mind you, this doesn't mean this plugin is useless, in fact its high end bump comes up very handy in making guitar sounds more upfront, and the low end is kinda cool as well. it looks to be a different sound from what a real speaker does, but it's very useful in its own way.

[jamcat]

I see what IRDX does as really just removing the convolution veil.
There IS a discernible effect from convolution that is easy to spot when comparing a real cab recording to an IR.

IRDX was developed using machine learning, and it seems to transform the IR recording into something that more closely resembles a real cab recording. Whether or not that involves 'dynamics' is beyond me. But I know what I hear. I think anyone getting hung up on 'dynamics' is missing the bigger picture.

I don't know what MLSoundLab is, but that lumberjack shouldn't steal Wytse's shtick.

[Strutters]

I appreciate Mikko dude for being transparent and telling like it is. While other channels are shamelessly shilling for a free bone from Bogren and trying to sell you this exciter/EQ trick/widener, whatever, like it's the best thing since sliced bread, this dude wasn't so eager to drink all that Kool-Aid. Apparently, he inquired about his findings with Bogren Digital directly and called out their marketing BS, before coming out with his "snake oil" video.

Truth is, if Bogren told the truth right off the bat and called this thing for what it is, that wouldn't warrant no further discussion and controversy. Instead, of course, he overhyped and false advertised with BS marketing. Yes, I know, he's not the only one doing it. But now everyone's making a surprised pikachu face when someone dares to call out Bogren for the BS he spread. But who's really at fault here? How about Bogren himself, maybe he called this shitstorm upon himself?

All those Youtube influencers nowadays are too quick to suck a man's dick for a twenty. Or worse, for NFR license they can't even sell. It's good to see one guy who doesn't, for a change.

[Burillo]

I don't think anyone "called out Bogren's spread of BS" or whatever, there is no "shitstorm" and that's not at all what the video was about. On the contrary, he demonstrated that people who claim there is "missing dynamics" in IRs are (mostly) full of shit, not that IRDX is "snake oil" (it's an admittedly clickbait title, I don't think he meant it seriously, more like a nod to Wytse). It's not snake oil, it's just a cool fx in its own right, and it absolutely makes IRs sound better, just not the way real speaker dynamics really work (because there aren't any unless you drive your cab into farting).

Also, MLSoundLab is a developer. You should really check out their Mikko IR plugin, and they have a bunch of ampsims and drum libraries as well.

[Strutters]

On the contrary, he demonstrated that people who claim there is "missing dynamics" in IRs are (mostly) full of shit

Uh-huh, that he did, exactly, while splashing "snake oil" in big bold letters across his video. Suggestive enough for anyone?

"Cool FX"? Fair enough, if Bogren just called it that. "Cool FX" to put after your IR loader.

Instead he overhyped it like some kind of a revolution/"game changer", false advertised "speaker dynamics", "pushing air plugin" and all those silly things... and, well, he bullshitted. And Mikko called it out.

Sounds fair enough to me.

[jamcat]

Though I will probably pick up IRDX, honestly, I don't have much of a need for it since I use TONEX, which already captures an authentic cab sound via machine learning rather than IR.

My only wish is IK would redo all of the flat AmpliTube 5 IRs with Machine Modeling.

[kidslow]

I'm not in the market for any of this (well maybe Cabinetron), but I watched the ML Sound Lab video. Mikko should ask his social media team to dial back on the hype in their "covers" to his Youtube videos. It was informative, but had nothing to do with snake oil as whytse does it. Marketing his video like that is misleading.

[Niowiad]

You should really check out their Mikko IR plugin

That's a very cool plugin

[jamcat]

That bird must have just seen the price tag.

[Niowiad]

Yeah that one too

I've been using IRs (4-5 fixed positions on each cab) for years , but always liked the idea of eventually moving to some cab plugin with continuous mic position adjustment.

They seem to be doing 50% off BF sales... although if I get to like the sound at least as much as my usual IRs (and if they include some BASS cabs), that could even be worth the full price for me.

[MJACau]

I concur that Cabinetron is underrated, and worth at least checking out.
A/B's and flipping the phase usually does dismantle the snake oily marketing.

IRDX comes across to me as a Room transient, Air/exciter type of tool.
Calling it a tool to 'remove the veil' to a dead sounding IR is a subjective claim without repeatable scientific testing.

[Burillo]

That bird must have just seen the price tag.

The price tag includes their entire library. You can buy individual cabinets and use with the "free" version of the plugin (kinda like what Torpedo WoS does).

[Niowiad]

I almost fell in the Torpedo WoS rabbit hole a couple years ago
But at the end I felt bad about basically throwing away all the IRs I bought in the past, so I never went past the free/trial version or whatever that was.
Same kind of feeling I'm getting about transitioning to Mikko2, although it really seems like an awesome plugin.

Cabinetron (which I also had never heard of before this thread) on the other hand would still allow me to use and combine all my IRs.
The "Mixer" page is very appealing to me, and I actually was planning on getting STL/Ignite Libra for that exact IR mixing trick, but Cabinetron also includes several other interesting features.

Anyway, back to IRDX Core... still interested but I'm waiting for a discount.
Regardless of how "accurate" it sounds, I think it can still serve a purpose in the mixing stage.