Amplitube 2 Jimi Hendrix RELEASED this month!!!

[loophead]

A3ntar, And as I said truly no offense meant.

Personally I think this foolishness about simulating this or that amp is a crock plain and simple. Anyone feels otherwise I am sorry but I feel is delutional.

Is it FUN ? Is it a useful TOOL ? Thats all that matters. Bottom line do YOU like something or not. Is it 'authentic' ... who gives a rats ass.

The issue of dynamics aside, you can get ANY sound out of ANY of these amp sims. No joke, you just need to learn that software.

IKM in MHO has just shown itself this year to be one nasty character. This has to be FAR superior to EVERYTHING for me to pony up. Thats in answer to 'do I wish to continue supporting a nasty character or not ?' I would far rather see Izotope do a new rev of Trash than drop a dime on IKM.

[putte]

.. even though i bet that i am 87 years old when AT2 will be released i´m gonna buy it.
why? simply cause i am a very happy AT1 user since years, and expect version 2 to be even better ..

i am glad that my demandings seem to be lower than the ones of quite some people here ..

putte

[composer11]

As far as that Mesa sound goes, I think the SansAmp PSA comes the closest to getting that real aggressive rectifier torque. Not one other amp sim I am currently familiar with does these Mesa sounds quite like the PSA.

The demos sounded really good, I think the best so far...

What does everyone else think? Don't see it yet on the US list (SamAsh, American Musical) and the tech21 site says sold out......

You think this would be the best recording direct box?

[kilroy]

As far as that Mesa sound goes, I think the SansAmp PSA comes the closest to getting that real aggressive rectifier torque. Not one other amp sim I am currently familiar with does these Mesa sounds quite like the PSA.

The demos sounded really good, I think the best so far...

What does everyone else think? Don't see it yet on the US list (SamAsh, American Musical) and the tech21 site says sold out......

They have a new PSA that replaces the original. The sound is exactly the same, but there are a few added features...such as an on/off switch on the front panel, a headphone output, more storage locations and (thank you very much Tech 21) a master volume control. If you can live without these extras then you could always trawl round for a used one.

You think this would be the best recording direct box?

Who really knows what is best. Tricky word that. I can tell you that it is a totally analog signal path, latency free, and sounds very, very good. You can dial in sounds with tremedous track penetration. This is a great strength of the PSA-1. One of the reasons for this is the fact that even when heavily saturated the distortion does not "swallow your pick" like some other sims. It has a great amount of attack that resists mushing your sound even when using some fairly violent amounts of drive. This means you can go a bit heavier and still have a good hard front end on your pick attacks, with a deep taut bass and a quite extended and controlled mid/top end. The essence of the various emulations remains intact and believable, however.

Another thing. This box is really set up to be used ahead of a full range rig. It sounds best to me when run into full range cabinets or monitoring systems...and I believe Tech 21 even advises this if I am not mistaken. Not that you cannot use it ahead of your tube amp or "lossier" guitar cabs, but it is definately not the same as hearing it cranking through a good solid state amp into some nice full range drivers.

I realize one has to tread lightly round hear when it comes to gushy endorsments and such, but I would have to give my nod to the PSA-1 *if* what you are primarily concerned about is getting very good and versatile raw guitar sound from a sim, and are willing or so inclined to augment that sound with any necessary auxiliary effects.

[Lunch Money]

I love SansAmp and believe you about the PSA, so don't take this as contradicting your point; rather, I'm adding to it:

Since amp sims often DO "swallow your pick", I always recommend at least trying out the trick of blending a hint of clean signal back into the distorted signal. It'll make a mediocre patch in Amplitube (or whatever) sound a lot better in many cases.

It's not rocket surgery, and in fact is the 'secret' (har har!) beyond the widely-acclaimed Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive. Those guys knew what they were doing.

Greg

[kilroy]

I always recommend at least trying out the trick of blending a hint of clean signal back into the distorted signal.

Aye...and it's a good trick at that.

I usually always take a clean signal off the guitar rig as a matter of habit anyroad. Normally end up compressing and shaping that clean line quite a bit. Nuther trick one can try for an even more aggressive sound is place a mic near the guitar player's picking hand, crank the preamp, compress and shape, then blend that back in with the clean and dirty channels. This can work remarkably well...but you need to have the guitar cab pretty well isolated, or at least facing away and at a reasonable distance from the player, for best results, obviously. This technique can work a treat for those percussive rock bass lines as well.

[Lunch Money]

Nifty trick! I'll have to think about that one next time I'm gearin' up for something aggressive.

And of course, already said earlier in the thread but for those who joined partway through-- don't be scared of mids for aggressive sounds. That's where all the bite, growl, and aggression of a distorted guitar LIVE! Damn "...And Justice For All" album has ruined good metal tone.

Greg

[fritzman]

Is it FUN ? Is it a useful TOOL ? Thats all that matters. Bottom line do YOU like something or not. Is it 'authentic' ... who gives a rats ass.

The issue of dynamics aside, you can get ANY sound out of ANY of these amp sims. No joke, you just need to learn that software.

Hi loophead,

Did you learn one of these ANY ampsims? Would you please make a convincing nu metal sound with it and post an mp3? That would be really cool of you.
Yes, I heard about that nu metal is dead. That's why lotsa people ask for it and NI puts such an example as the first of 15 mp3s on their website as demo for the GR2.


Thanx a lot, FRitz

[composer11]

I noticed that the Sans used the Yamaha Pacifica 120 guitar. It's not available in the states as far as I can tell. What would be a comparable guitar available in the states? Of course, the humbuckers are playing a big role. In addition, do you think GR sounds as good as some of the other newer posts suggest by mixing dry signal? The sans amp has everything, or so it seems, from sparkle fender, marshall and for sure the closest Mesa I have ever heard....just my two cents. I'm also a tube amp guy, could bias an amp, change tubes etc, and this PSA does sound spot on...at least from what I heard.....

[Hink]

Is it FUN ? Is it a useful TOOL ? Thats all that matters. Bottom line do YOU like something or not. Is it 'authentic' ... who gives a rats ass.

The issue of dynamics aside, you can get ANY sound out of ANY of these amp sims. No joke, you just need to learn that software.

Hi loophead,

Did you learn one of these ANY ampsims? Would you please make a convincing nu metal sound with it and post an mp3? That would be really cool of you.
Yes, I heard about that nu metal is dead. That's why lotsa people ask for it and NI puts such an example as the first of 15 mp3s on their website as demo for the GR2.


Thanx a lot, FRitz

I really hate mp3 demos, like I said before they are like watching magic on TV...it's just too easy to fudge...however I completely agree with loophead. Being someone that grew up with the vintage amps I will say that none of them actually represent the precise tone of the amp...but like loophead says, who cares?

For instance an amp modeler should directly mimic the controls on the real amp...so far no one has accomplished that with any old marshall sim. Those who owned old marshalls will tell you the tone controls were virtually useless...do any of the old marhsalls allow for running a jump across the inputs?

But the biggest thing they dont mimic is the inconsistant nature of tubes. Tube amps react different to very slight voltage changes, tubes require burn in (you should always fire up a tube amp about 1/2 hour before you're gonna use it, the tone will change), emulators do not react exactly the same as tubes when it with good OD. All of which is fine, even better just like the tone controls actually do something, and you lose all the noise. I really am getting tired of the "modeling" thing...dont make an amp sim, make a virtual guitar amp for the pc...all my life I have heard "sounds like a Marshall"...but I look for something that sounds good too me...that doesn't mean an expesive app that keeps evolving...no amp will make you better and any amp that by itself makes it to easy to sound good is taking more from you then it's giving.

Agagin need I remind you that the "vintage" tone came out of amps with the most basic of circuts...however my favorite part is still that after people get the perfect sound by paying a lot for sims...they use something to de-sterilze the sound and make it sound like it's analog...dumb it down.

So the way I see it, it really doen't matter what it sounds like, but how it sounds for your needs. The same argument I have held on amps for 34 years now...I should have that written on my tombstone "sounds just like a Marshall"...


BTW that doesn't mean I wont use a sim, I'm just being realistic and prefer to call it an amp pluggin...I dont use soft sims for my guitar because I do not want my pc doing anymore work, but I do like that new bass amp sim that someone posted last week...

[darcyb62]

Good post Hink.

[Len]

You know, it seems to me the only reason IK "announced" Amp2 again after all this time is that they knew NI was going to announce GR2 and make it immediately available, so they were afraid we would all rush out and buy GR2 instead of Amp2 which isn't ready. Hence the lack of audio demos, hence no confirmed delivery date, no proper pricing structure, etc. Just boob girl.

[AndrewSimon]

How about Rocktron?
Anybody has any experiance with these?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=h ... id/180745/

or
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=h ... id/180787/

[Vervil]

I noticed that the Sans used the Yamaha Pacifica 120 guitar. It's not available in the states as far as I can tell. What would be a comparable guitar available in the states? Of course, the humbuckers are playing a big role.

It is flattering to the Sansamp if they were really using Pacifica 120 in that demo, because it is one of the cheapest Yamaha guitars priced around 200-250$, telecaster body, but with 2 muddy souding humbuckers, all in all well built, decent guitar for that money,but you won't get serious tone from it. I am surprised they were using it for demo recording purposes.

[Funkybot]

You know, it seems to me the only reason IK "announced" Amp2 again after all this time is that they knew NI was going to announce GR2 and make it immediately available, so they were afraid we would all rush out and buy GR2 instead of Amp2 which isn't ready. Hence the lack of audio demos, hence no confirmed delivery date, no proper pricing structure, etc.

Well, they actually announced it months and months go. The IK rep at the show though, did say it would be released next month.