MESA/Boogie Reference Signature Collection for TONEX released

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

IK Multimedia releases MESA/Boogie Reference Signature Collection for TONEX, continuing IK's near decade-long partnership with MESA/Boogie and expanding the TONEX signature series with 70 electrifying new Tone Models.[/b]

The MESA/Boogie Reference Signature Collection features 5 iconic amplifiers including an exact recreation of Carlos Santana's original “Budokan” Mark I. Carefully preserved in MESA's Tone Lab, these “reference amps” are essential to maintaining historical accuracy, while providing invaluable insights to shape future designs and guide the MESA legacy forward.

All 5 amps were fine-tuned to their sweet spots by legendary “Tone Boy” Doug West, MESA's in-house tone guru for over 40 years, in a range of styles. Meticulously captured with IK's Advanced AI Machine Modeling at a world-class studio in Northern California, the results are an unparalleled collection that IK is proud to present today.

Collection Overview

• An exceptional Tone Model collection for use across the entire TONEX ecosystem
• 70 Tone Models of 4 reference amps and 1 limited-edition King Snake™ amp: 46 with cab, 24 without
• Captured using 2 different MESA/Boogie reference cabs: a 4x12 Slope and a 1x12 Widebody Extension
• All Tone Models were fine-tuned by MESA's own Doug West and ex-Artist Relations Manager now Recording Engineer Sean Beresford to multiple sweet spots
• Captured at a world-class studio with ideal acoustics and the perfect gear
• Created using cutting-edge AI Machine Modeling™ technology with advanced training
• Compatible with all TONEX versions including the free TONEX CS and TONEX App
• All Tone Models can easily be loaded to TONEX Pedal and used for live performance

What Makes a Reference Amplifier?

A reference amplifier epitomizes sonic excellence, embodying the essence of its unique design and sound. They aren't prototypes, but production models that were recognized as being exceptional, and then were meticulously scrutinized component by component to unlock the secrets of their sonic brilliance. These amplifiers perfectly represent the Series and are the gold standard for their model and sound, as well as for shaping the sound of potential future amplifier designs.

The Reference Cabs

Two notable reference cabs were used to capture the thick rich tone of the 4 MESA reference amps. These cabinets have been used by Randall and Doug over several decades and offer a unique “broken in” experience that's smooth, dynamic and touch-sensitive. The King Snake combo is loaded with a Jenson Blackbird 100 Alnico for a warm, clean and singing vocal-like quality when turned up.

Pricing and Availability

MESA/Boogie Reference Signature Collection is available now to purchase via ToneNET and within any version of TONEX for Mac/PC for $/€99.99.* It is also available from the IK Multimedia online store and from IK authorized dealers worldwide. For the best experience, users should update TONEX and AmpliTube to the latest versions via IK Product Manager before using the new Signature Collection.

Click here to learn more

Hear the Tone Models in action:

[jamcat]

Is there a TONEX update that fixes the amp/cab on/off bug when opening a saved song?

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

Is there a TONEX update that fixes the amp/cab on/off bug when opening a saved song?

I'm sure IK Support will continue to work with you on your issue, as that has not been identified as a global bug so please supply them with whatever details you can and/or they request and I'm sure it will get sorted. Thanks!

[Agreed]

Hey Peter, ToneX has marvelous sound quality and functionality - I have only one request, I'd just love robust calibration. If I could measure send level and enter in mV, then just plug the output cable into my return and have it calibrate return level, that would simplify the capture process so much. The large variance between the bottom and top ranges of the orange "level okay" area in the calibration stuff has the benefit of being so easy that anyone can do it without any hardware, but it lacks the ability to carefully tune the send and return levels with precision to make fully repeatable calibrated captures. Of course we can get our multimeter out and calibrate that way, but it's so convenient to just have it in the software.

I strongly prefer the Amplitube software environment and ToneX Max integrating so seamlessly with it is amazing, exactly what I hoped. I would love to get the calibration process for ToneX down to a science within the application so that I am not beset by inconsistent levels between captures, etc.; their QUALITY is amazing, top notch, indistinguishable when level-matched with appropriate gain staging prior. A/B. I'd appreciate it if you could pass on that greater calibration precision would be extremely welcome!

[jamcat]

Is there a TONEX update that fixes the amp/cab on/off bug when opening a saved song?

I'm sure IK Support will continue to work with you on your issue, as that has not been identified as a global bug so please supply them with whatever details you can and/or they request and I'm sure it will get sorted. Thanks!

How do you know it hasn't been?
Have you followed up with testing?

[vurt]

Is there a TONEX update that fixes the amp/cab on/off bug when opening a saved song?

I'm sure IK Support will continue to work with you on your issue, as that has not been identified as a global bug so please supply them with whatever details you can and/or they request and I'm sure it will get sorted. Thanks!

How do you know it hasn't been?
Have you followed up with testing?

you want customer support
peter is sales and marketing

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

[fabaessa]

Hi Peter,
I have a question:
I know we have some profiles with amps wihout the cabs but I would like to know if there are profiles without the amp....just cabs and mics.

[Agreed]

You know it does seem to make a cabinet model as part of the process too when you're doing a capture via mic, you can easily swap different cabs around between captures. But I think that for most authenticity you'd want the amp + cabinet originally, as the software is "smart guessing" (and doing it well, mind, to good results, but nonetheless) which part of the sound its modeling is the cabinet contribution vs which is the amp contribution. In practice I have had very good results using cabs from other captures with my own captures done via transformer-isolated direct outs.

[jamcat]

It’s not “smart guessing.”
It merely separates the non-linear and linear components into “amp” and “cab” respectively.

Non-linear is learned with a regressive tanh function, and linear with a convolution one.

So the cab model contains no speaker dynamics, and the amp model contains no tonal components.

To really model amp and cab 100% they need to both be modeled with linear and non-linear functions separately.

[DCrown]

Crossgrade from Amplitube Mesa?

[Agreed]

It’s not “smart guessing.”
It merely separates the non-linear and linear components into “amp” and “cab” respectively.

Non-linear is learned with a regressive tanh function, and linear with a convolution one.

So the cab model contains no speaker dynamics, and the amp model contains no tonal components.

To really model amp and cab 100% they need to both be modeled with linear and non-linear functions separately.

It has been my feeling that Amp+Cab is "the real sound" and other mismatches of amp and cab are (sometimes interesting, and good sounding) novelties, just based on using the software. What is peculiar to me is when you get a bunch of captures of the same amp, same mic position, different amp settings, and the cabs sound different even though it was made with the same process. That's what lead me to think "smart guessing" as an imprecise, fair to call ignorant way of trying to refer to what it's up to

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

It has been my feeling that Amp+Cab is "the real sound" and other mismatches of amp and cab are (sometimes interesting, and good sounding) novelties, just based on using the software. What is peculiar to me is when you get a bunch of captures of the same amp, same mic position, different amp settings, and the cabs sound different even though it was made with the same process. That's what lead me to think "smart guessing" as an imprecise, fair to call ignorant way of trying to refer to what it's up to

Yeah, this is entirely my experience as well. I don't care how it works, but whatever it's doing is not 100% accurate as evidenced by exactly what Agreed points out: same mic, same cab, same volume, different captures (e.g. different EQ positions on the knobs)....that "TONEX smart guessed cab" can sound very different from capture to capture.

So I wholly endorse the term "smart guessing" in this context. I think it's an apt description.

[jamcat]

But it’s not really that smart and there is no guessing involved. It’s just 2 separate ML functions to match linear and non-linear characteristics.

[simon.a.billington]

Well by measuring the gain and tone controls you can determine how the amp is contributing to the overall sound. If you subtract that what you have remaining is the amp characteristic which should change very little in tone over its dynamic range. That's a pretty simplistic view.

So smart guessing is really more of a clever calculation.