New amp sim from Aurora DSP: Laney Ironheart

[Mind Riot]

I think this may be the best sounding amp sim I've ever heard. At least for heavy guitar stuff, which is what the Ironheart is made for. It sounds just massive, and for lack of a better word, it sounds ANGRY.

https://auroradsp.com/plugins/laney-ironheart

It's a little tricky to dial in at first, but it's just because there's a lot of flexibility built into it that is done in somewhat of a unique manner. There's a few good sounds in the presets that can give you a good idea of what it's capable of, even if they're not really your particular sound. There's two 4x12 cabs that both sound great, with multiple mics you can move around to fine tune, as you'd expect for an amp sim these days.

One notable thing: if you dial in a cab sound that you really like you can export it as an IR. It may sound like a small thing with everything else there is to focus on, but that's actually a really rare capability.

Oh yeah, and it has that Bogren IRDX tech built in, I don't know if that's controversial or not, but nobody's forcing you to use it.

I heard about this sim from a guy who calls himself Resington who has a small youtube channel, and he's got an affiliate link and a coupon code that takes another 20% off, so if you're American it comes out to around forty bucks. I already bought it, couldn't say no at that price, I've paid more for a lot less before.

Here's the vid, the affiliate link is listed down below if you venture to youtube to watch this. The 20% off code is RESINGTON once you get to checkout.



There's a 14 day trial, too.

What do you all think out there? I'm very impressed with this thing. I've tried almost every amp sim out there, I've owned more than one Neural DSP plug and still do, but I've never heard anything sound like this. [NOTE] I'm not necessarily using this video as an example of how the amp sounds, I'm just linking it so people can find the guy's affiliate link. You've got to try this for yourself.

[Amon1973]

Thanks for posting this. I recently bought a few Aurora DSP amps and liked them a lot.
Mr. Hector is a very special sounding amp while Rhino is pretty flexible and brings in some fresh ideas, sooo... eager to try this one out

[Dormant]

I've seen that review, this ampsim has some crazy agressive british tones.

[enCiphered]

After all these years, I just can't get used to those idiotic faces on every freaking thumbnail. It's goddamn repulsive.

[Amon1973]

After all these years, I just can't get used to those idiotic faces on every freaking thumbnail. It's goddamn repulsive.

Nice to know I'm not alone.

[Mind Riot]

Cynics, the both of you. *points accusingly*

This sim is totally kickin' and with the code it's forty bucks. Today is a happy day, that should be filled with much joyous celebration and dancing in the streets. The minstrels will play and the women of the night will come forth and make themselves willing in observation of this rarest of triumphant occasions. The cows and the sheep will be slaughtered so that all may feast together in the great halls and tell tales of their newly acquired kick ass tones. Debts will be forgiven and many a grudge will be let go of as hatchets are buried, and peace will spread everywhere throughout the land.*

*Of all of this, I can only guarantee kickass tones for forty bucks.

[Amon1973]

Cynics, the both of you. *points accusingly*

This sim is totally kickin' and with the code it's forty bucks.

I'm liking it a lot, think I'm grabbing it too.

[Mind Riot]

Bring on the minstrels and serving wenches!

[Amon1973]

I think this may be the best sounding amp sim I've ever heard.

This amp really has something. Eventually bought it of course

The way it responds and feels especially when note die out or ring and feed back, when strings scratch against the frets...it's just beautiful. I have played amps for over 25 and haven't owned one in the last few years: this is as close I got 'there' ever since. Just a joy to play

I don't think it's going to replace my Neural DSP, but no doubt alongside them (I like using different amps and cabs together).

Don't know why the youtube guy seems to dismiss the Laboga - it's a unique amp for sure, like the one it emulates, but it does a good job and sounds amazing (big, heavy, aggressive, lots of gain, can be voiced in cool ways, see mid switch and flexible tone-stack). A different flavour, but quality wise it delivers.

[Mind Riot]

It cuts too; these days I'm really after amp sims that sit in a mix really well without a whole lot of tweaking. If I'm just playing guitar I've got a great sounding little tube amp. But I've got a bunch of songs I need to get mixed so I can put them up online and be done with them, and start writing new stuff, and I need guitar sounds that fit without a bunch of EQ and compression.

Thus far the Laney is the best I've come across, and that's without any post EQ. Right behind it, believe it or not, is one of the Bogren Digital One-Knob sims, the one based on a 6505+, but it needs some post EQ to cut through in the mix. Third place is Neural DSP's Archetype Gojira, which has been replaced by the Laney and which I will now be selling to go try something else new (I think I'd like to try the Neural Mesa Mark IIC+).

[Agreed]

I love Laney amps and I've kept up with Aurora DSP's output all along, fun tools with a different approach to dialing it all in that doesn't sacrifice sound quality but does reward a fresh mindset in working with the software. It's harder to sell me amp sims than it has ever been, though, good tech these days to do captures and share them and those can be quite good indeed. But I'm demoing this and will give it a fair shake. It may be one I get as a "vote with your dollar" kind of thing, I'd love more amp companies to partner with developers and get some official models out there - if they're good, well done, thoughtful, not just a cash grab with the graphics of course.

[Amon1973]

@Mind Riot: no chance to test in a mix right now, so just played around but good to know it sits well For the time being I just had a lot of fun just bitching around.
The Mesa must be a greatly accurate sim... I have it and can't seem to make it sound like I want, which is exactly the issue I always had with the actual amp I dig a lot the Soldano (Nameless/NTS have been my go-tos for a while).

@Agreed: well, agreed I think Rhino and Mammoth are good examples of "fun tools with a different approach" and sound gorgeous. I find great they did the Laney and Laboga, IIRC no one else did those two specific models.

[Mind Riot]

@Mind Riot: The Mesa must be a greatly accurate sim... I have it and can't seem to make it sound like I want, which is exactly the issue I always had with the actual amp

Yeah? Feel like a trade? Archetype Gojira for the Mesa? I haven't had any bites yet.

[Amon1973]

Yeah? Feel like a trade? Archetype Gojira for the Mesa? I haven't had any bites yet.

Thanks for the offer, but I'll keep it, I like how it sounds. Also the cleans, which I use sparingly, but have few amps that do good cleans. Just need to get down, understand what I'm missing and create a few decent sounds.

[Mind Riot]

I saw a video Rabea Massad did with the IIC+, the cleans were just stunning. I'm going to get that plug, whether I trade for it or bite the bullet and just buy it.