Amplitube5 - Release Date 15-16/12/2020

[deastman]

After a great deal of deliberation and having my head spin from all the complaints in this thread, I finally went over to my IK account to see how many Jampoints I actually have. As a new Amplitube user, I was able to get A5 Max for $209. Okay. Sold. I'm just going to have to keep in mind that whenever Amplitube 6 comes out, the upgrade will probably cost me $299 to get anything released in the next Max version, or I can pay less and not get those additional collections. As long as I understand what I'm getting into with regards to future upgrades, I'm okay with that, and I can make an informed decision.

[Ploki]

so, how does this fare against Softube's Amp Room?
soundwise - gearwise it's a nobrainer, however...
Last time i tried Amplitube it was the Mesa/Boogie edition, and none of the emulation were close to my then hardware Mark V, so i stopped pursuing it.

[SLiC]

so, how does this fare against Softube's Amp Room?
soundwise, gearwise it's a nobrainer.
Last time i tried Amplitube it was the Mesa/Boogie edition, and none of the emulation were close to my then hardware Mark V, so i stopped pursuing it.

No one knows, it’s not out yet!

No software emulation is close to the sound of a real amp until that amp is recorded with a mike, and even then a real amp will generally sound much better. When you read (for example in SOS) how producers have got certain guitar sounds on albums, it is always with miked up amps. ITB virtual guitar amps are for bedroom producers (like me) and convenience, if you have a good valve amp an a couple of mikes you have all you need!

I think although we can get pretty close now to modelling simple 2 osc subtractive synths, modelling a guitar chain has a lot more elements that all interact and affect the final sound. The valve amp modelling, the speaker modelling, the Mike modelling, the room modelling etc..that’s before you even add fx...far more work to do!

[Ploki]

so, how does this fare against Softube's Amp Room?
soundwise, gearwise it's a nobrainer.
Last time i tried Amplitube it was the Mesa/Boogie edition, and none of the emulation were close to my then hardware Mark V, so i stopped pursuing it.

No one knows, it’s not out yet!

No software emulation is close to the sound of a real amp until that amp is recorded with a mike, and even then a real amp will generally sound much better. When you read (for example in SOS) how producers have got certain guitar sounds on albums, it is always with miked up amps. ITB virtual guitar amps are for bedroom producers (like me) and convenience, if you have a good valve amp an a couple of mikes you have all you need!

I think although we can get pretty close now to modelling simple 2 osc subtractive synths, modelling a guitar chain has a lot more elements that all interact and affect the final sound. The valve amp modelling, the speaker modelling, the Mike modelling, the room modelling etc..that’s before you even add fx...far more work to do!

33 pages for something that's not even out yet?
Well okay...

as far as i tested out (I sold my mesa boogie then) the crux is in power amp and speaker modelling. Preamps are fine. I tried running random distortion plugins (Redoptor, powershaper, saturn, even simple clippers) into tube amp and speakers and it sounded like an amped guitar sounds.

However speakers are not just EQ curves. They're dynamic devices, how they produce sound changes with how much voltage you pump into them. How they move differently if it's open/closed back cab, their THD (they have THD that gets more intense as you push the voltage), non-linearities...

IR of a speaker is just a frequency curve. Speaker is more than an EQ.

Nail that and you'll get somewhere

[telecode]

This Amplitube 5 release is playing out like a Mexican soap opera. It's so entertaining. I just can't wait to get it in 6 months time at the "90% off super dooper sales special!!".

[Echoes in the Attic]

Despite the confusion and some negativity I think it must be said that getting a free interface update and some free features to your already existing gear is pretty generous. But I guess because of the custom shop model they don’t really have a choice there.

I do think it was a bit of a confusing release, would have been good for all the comparison tables to be done first. And it would be smart of them to have a max 4 to max 5 upgrade path. But since they don’t the smart thing would probably be for people to sell their gear except for one thing that they can cross grade with. That’s what I might do. But we’ll see, I might be perfectly fine with max 4 and the new CS. And at some point inevitably they will have a 50% crossgrade and could shuffle things around then so it’s not like we don’t have good options. I think IK really only hurt themselves by not having a max 4 to 5 upgrade as people would probably use it rather than waiting for deals or selling stuff and using crossgrades.

[SLiC]

As you say, its because the IK model is so compacted, particularly if you throw in TS2 at 75% off with A4 MAX and even more free packs...everyone is starting from a different paces and at a different individual cost from full price early adaptor top no brain deal ....

In theory you could have Standard A4 but bought lots of packs individuals, you could have more packs than a MAX user, so why should the only be a MAX to MAX upgrade?

What they need is something where they look at what you own and make a custom price just for you for the upgrades (a lot of software companies do this- Output, Sugar Bytes etc), this is the only method that is fair to everyone who ants to upgrade to a current 'MAX' (and maybe using this model MAX would be everything at the date you updated)

[rollasoc]

I do think it was a bit of a confusing release, would have been good for all the comparison tables to be done first. And it would be smart of them to have a max 4 to max 5 upgrade path.

They don't even have an upgrade path from 5 SE to 5. You basically have to buy it again. I had this discussion with them when I bought ST4 SE and wanted to upgrade to ST4. Which is why I haven't upgraded to ST4.

[Echoes in the Attic]

As you say, its because the IK model is so compacted, particularly if you throw in TS2 at 75% off with A4 MAX and even more free packs...everyone is starting from a different paces and at a different individual cost from full price early adaptor top no brain deal ....

In theory you could have Standard A4 but bought lots of packs individuals, you could have more packs than a MAX user, so why should the only be a MAX to MAX upgrade?

What they need is something where they look at what you own and make a custom price just for you for the upgrades (a lot of software companies do this- Output, Sugar Bytes etc), this is the only method that is fair to everyone who ants to upgrade to a current 'MAX' (and maybe using this model MAX would be everything at the date you updated)

That gets pretty complicated with a lot of products. The way NI do komplete seems to go over well with everyone. If you buy komplete, sell the other products. Upgrade path from each version to the next. And some upgrades from single products.

[glokraw]

Amplitube is created in near perfect conditons with near perfect gear and tools, and sold to people whose conditions, gear, and tools cover the quality range from each extreme. And we all have varying levels of experience and knowledge.

The chain between our guitar and an amp's speaker is short, uncomplicated, and the parts are designed for each other.

Guitars, pickups and strings of computer-based musicians are myriad, sending their output 'into the box', it's all the opposite of short and uncomplicated, a plucked string's vibration endures a Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome parts-bin and circuitry, where the weakest part and circuit determines the end result that hits the speaker or headphone speakers, and even choices among those have determinate influence on what we hear as we play and record.

Whatever instrument and software are used, the sound will not rise above the quality of what it travels through, and it's on us to spend our money where it will do the most good. It could be
a clean poweramp with frfr speakers, or an older computer with a quality pci soundcard, a guitar and/or pickups known to be amp-sim friendly, a rack or floor device, or some great new software.

IK products from free to MAX have been covering the market of musicians for many years, and I look forward to discovering and learning how to make them sound even better, for many more years to come. Competition is fierce, and musicians can reap the harvest

[revvy]

Amen. Very spiritual. Almost evangelical post.

[SJ_Digriz]

I don't think the upgrade is so bad. If you bought max, just buy the $149 option. You'll have max with all items updated as far as I can tell. Toss in your jampoints and it's $104 for a new/better interface and better cabs. Seems reasonable to me. They finally made the interface change I wanted so I can see the entire chain at once while accessing individual components. I like the T RAX interface style.

[telecode]

I do think it was a bit of a confusing release, would have been good for all the comparison tables to be done first. And it would be smart of them to have a max 4 to max 5 upgrade path.

They don't even have an upgrade path from 5 SE to 5. You basically have to buy it again. I had this discussion with them when I bought ST4 SE and wanted to upgrade to ST4. Which is why I haven't upgraded to ST4.

yup. this is concerning. though i thought there was a upgrade price for SE owners. it counts as a existing $99 product purchased. whether its ST or AT or TR, its same discount. There is no special discount for b/c you get an SE product of that product category. (I may be wrong)

[Echoes in the Attic]

I do think it was a bit of a confusing release, would have been good for all the comparison tables to be done first. And it would be smart of them to have a max 4 to max 5 upgrade path.

They don't even have an upgrade path from 5 SE to 5. You basically have to buy it again. I had this discussion with them when I bought ST4 SE and wanted to upgrade to ST4. Which is why I haven't upgraded to ST4.

yup. this is concerning. though i thought there was a upgrade price for SE owners. it counts as a existing $99 product purchased. whether its ST or AT or TR, its same discount. There is no special discount for b/c you get an SE product of that product category. (I may be wrong)

Yeah that's srange too. So if some has Max or a bunch of separate products now and then buys SE 5, but then later decides they want full AT5 or Max 5, they can't even upgrade, it's just buying it again as if they never bought SE. Weird pricing structure for sure.

[Echoes in the Attic]

I have a new question for IK if Peter is still hanging around.

On the version comparison chart, it says that Amplitube 5 has 600 impulses per speaker for all versions except CS, which has 16. Are these 16 impulses taken from the new V5 impulses? Or are they from Amplitube 4?

Also, do crossgrades work from MODO bass or drums?
thanks!