TONEX 1.5 has been released

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

TONEX 1.5 has been released on the IK Product Manager:

AmpliTube TONEX v1.5.0 (for Mac/PC)

Here are the changes from version 1.2.6:

• Improved Tone Model filtering and searching with a dedicated sidebar.
• User folders can now be created to organize Tone Models and presets.
• New Card view displays more Tone Models in a single window.
• Rescale and smart resize let users zoom in or show more content.
• Amp and Cab section now streamlined to mix and match Tone Models.
• Deeper ToneNET integration for a seamless and expanded experience.
• New Collections section to demo and purchase Premium Tone Models.
• Librarian adds new filters for easy search and transfer to TONEX pedal.
• More prominent dedicated filter to search only Tone Models owned by the user.
• Advanced parameters section now stays visible when expanding the bottom list.
• General reliability improvements.

[zvenx]

Been playing with this the last few hours.
Kudos and thanks.
Just wish I could save my filtered searches..
rsp

[jamcat]

• Amp and Cab section now streamlined to mix and match Tone Models.

This seems to have screwed something up.
In previous versions (v1.0 through v1.2.6) you could use 2 instances of TONEX in a row, with the cab in the first instance of TONEX disabled, and the amp in the second instance of TONEX disabled, and it would sound the same as having both amp and cab enabled in a single instance of TONEX. The sound was IDENTICAL. This allowed you to place a plugin in an “FX loop” between the amp-only instance and the cab-only instance.

Or you could create a stereo split after the amp-only instance of TONEX, and go to a stereo pair of cab-only TONEX instances, with a stereo effect in between the amp and stereo pair of cabs.

As of version 1.5, it now sounds terrible when splitting the amp and cab over 2 instances. It now has a trashy filtered sound, like layers of convolution/deconvolution have been applied. It sounds very different than it does when using a single instance for both the amp and cab. In other words, something has changed drastically from v1.2.6 to v1.5, and it is seriously screwed up.

This has destroyed the ability to create a realistic stereo JazzChorus, or insert a reverb into the amp. Hopefully this is just a bug (and not a new “feature”) and IK shows actual interest in fixing it quickly.

Until then, I have rolled back to v1.2.6, because 1.5 is unusable.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

• Amp and Cab section now streamlined to mix and match Tone Models.

This seems to have screwed something up.
In previous versions (v1.0 through v1.2.6) you could use 2 instances of TONEX in a row, with the cab in the first instance of TONEX disabled, and the amp in the second instance of TONEX disabled, and it would sound the same as having both amp and cab enabled in a single instance of TONEX. The sound was IDENTICAL. This allowed you to place a plugin in an “FX loop” between the amp-only instance and the cab-only instance.

Or you could create a stereo split after the amp-only instance of TONEX, and go to a stereo pair of cab-only TONEX instances, with a stereo effect in between the amp and stereo pair of cabs.

As of version 1.5, it now sounds terrible when splitting the amp and cab over 2 instances. It now has a trashy filtered sound, like layers of convolution/deconvolution have been applied. It sounds very different than it does when using a single instance for both the amp and cab. In other words, something has changed drastically from v1.2.6 to v1.5, and it is seriously screwed up.

This has destroyed the ability to create a realistic stereo JazzChorus, or insert a reverb into the amp. Hopefully this is just a bug (and not a new “feature”) and IK shows actual interest in fixing it quickly.

Until then, I have rolled back to v1.2.6, because 1.5 is unusable.

None of that DSP would have been changed from what I have seen. Would be best to report it directly but I'll also let the team know you're having trouble.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Hi Peter, reposting this here for visibility. I've compiled some of my TONEX 1.5+ wishlist items here. Anyone reading can feel free to add your own feature requests or discuss my suggestions.

Modeler

• Add "bulk capture" functionality. Example: I go to create a capture, I enter the metadata first, I record the training data, I repeat these two steps for any captures I want to do, then have the ability to start the training for all in one fell swoop.
• Add the ability to record multiple channels of training data simultaneously. Example: I want to record inputs 7+8 which are two microphones, but then also record input 9 which is a DI capture simultaneously. Obviously the training would double.
• Pipe dream request: add a software [automatic] phase-alignment option for multiple microphones. Would improve quality of captures if any phase differences/problems could be corrected in the training/recording phases.
• Pipe dream request: add ability to learn the sound of a reverb tank (I imagine setting up a clean amp, doing a clean capture, then keeping the settings the same, then doing a set of reverb at maximum captures and the training model could then remove the amp+cab from the reverb, thus creating a unique reverb tank model.
• Pipe dream request: Tone stack and drive modeling for common amps - similar to Kemper Liquid Profiling. If amp settings at capture are known, the models can then be applied to the captures and make the tone and drive knobs behave like the actual amp in a more authentic way.

Window Management and Browser

• As shown above, instead of having a "Home" tab that then gets sub-divided on the left-hand browser into two different sections for Tone Models, and Presets, I suggest having buttons for 1) Tone Models, 2) Presets, 3) ToneNet, and 4) Collections.
• Those should impact the "half browser" in the main window. The amp view stays active for all. Right now, when browsing presets, we've lost the ability to modify the amp settings because the Presets browser is full screen. This would return that prior functionality in a much clearer way. We really need the ability to browse presets and edit the amp without having to switch views.
• Move the Librarian and Modeler tabs out of the way to the right - these are less used features on the software and should not be next to the home button.
• Add the ability to right-click on the column labels in the browser to show/hide columns. Add column options for author, date added, and date modified (if possible). Others, like Comments, would also be welcome.
• When sorting by amp, for example, I might get Marshall JCM800 from 3 different vendors. I suggest always having a secondary sub-sort hardcoded to sub-sort by author. This would apply when sorting on Amp Based On, Cab Based On, Stomp Based on columns.

Custom IR Browser
The custom IR browser funcionality was severly degraded in TONEX 1.5. Here's how what I think the ideal end-state would look like for the Custom IR browser. This would be a big overhaul but could be implemented in phases.

• Full screen Custom IR browser (maybe show the Advanced Controls here) with multiple columns like we had before
• Custom IRs should be sorted by name by default (currently TONEX sorts them in the order added using some kind of internal index)
• Add ability to create "Custom IR Folders" for organizing IRs (options to rename, delete, reorder folders)
• Add ability to tag favorite IRs
• Add ability to filter on favorite IRs from the Custom IR browser window
• Add ability to tag IR's as belonging to a certain cabinet config (1x10, 1x12, 2,x10, 4x12, you get the idea)
• Add ability to filter Custom IR's on cabinet config
• Bring back ability to filter by text
• Retain ability to rename IR's
• Retain ability to delete IRs
• Bring back the ability to use up/down arrow keys to go previous/next IR
• Add ability for left/right arrow keys to change columns in Custom IR browser
• Add more characters for IR names (with some vendors, IR names get very long)
• Retain the ability to multi-load IRs
• Add ability to drag and drop IRs from Explorer/Finder

Built in FX

• New and improved spring reverb option with drip (or the ability to learn our own tanks)
• Built in Tremolo with options for Bias, Opto, and Harmonic Trem
• Add a delay FX

Cabinet Lock

• Cabinet lock, when engaged, should apply when browsing TONE.net

Impulse Responses

• Playback of Tone Models + IR's is quieter within TONEX. This should be fixed. Yes, even newly imported IR's. There's something in the TONEX software itself that is trimming back the volume when you use a Tone Model+IR in TONEX. Maybe this was done to provide headroom for the pedal when using IR's? Not sure. But IR's are always quieter in TONEX than they are running an IR loader with the same IR's after TONEX.

Bug Fixes

• Tone Models now show the incorrect prefix/icon in the All Tone Models view. Some Amalgam presets might get labeled with the IK Multimedia icon for example. Or show up prefixed FU (likely Funkybot) here. Or some other random prefix. This was introduced in TONEX 1.5.
• Had a crash with Modeler view when my interface was off but I selected it from the list anyway.

[DaveClark]

Thanks to Funkybot’s Evil Twin for creating such a great wishlist. This TONEX software was obviously rushed out the door and is a lot less useful for me than it could have been. Yes, it makes a very particular task easier, but that’s all it does.

It’s been awhile since I’ve used TONEX for captures and other work, but if I was using it correctly, I was very disappointed at how unnecessarily messy and difficult it was to use for anything other than recording and training.

For example: I created a number of SPICE simulations of recordings of the training data for various amps, including modded amps. I also processed recordings by various means before training. But I had to go through the “recording” anyway.

1) We should be able to bypass the recording stage and go directly to training.

2) We should be able to point to another file to use for training instead of the current “recording.”

3) We should be able to Save As for the “recording” instead of letting it be replaced without warning by a new “recording.” “Do you want to save the current recording before it is overwritten?”

4) The file used for training should be available separately from the program without the user having to create it.

These capabilities should already have been available in version 1.0. Were they, and I just missed them? If so, I apologize. But if I’m correct and they are missing, did it not occur to anyone that some of us may want to use something that already exists, for example because we processed it ourselves after creating an independent training file?

-----------------

There was a problem with latency of some hardware processors that I was using. If the latency is too large, then the “recording” needs to be modified or training will fail miserably. This requires yet another “recording” to be done, which is then replaced by the desired file, etc. It would be nice to have either autodetection of the correct starting point or (better yet) allow manual adjustment so that the user can proceed directly to training with minimal delay.

[sonidomolino]

Thanks to Funkybot’s Evil Twin for creating such a great (product requirement document).

@FunkyBot's Evil Twin, yes to pretty much every one of your suggestions. You sound like someone who actually tries to use it like any musician would. had me wondering of they were related to some italian company that had quite the reputation for tortured/obfuscated interfaces... (although they've gotten much, much better lately.) Just adding my 2 cents for the record.

despite the hurdles, appreciating some rather interesting 3rd party captures.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

AmpliTube TONEX V1.5.1 (for Mac/PC) has been released

Changes from version 1.5.0:

• Improved resizable Custom IR window with new search & sort options
• New larger windows for saving Presets, editing Tone Models, or viewing their details
• Fixed resize behaviour when dragging from the corner
• Fixed local Collections tree now updating correctly
• Improved drag/drop function to allow use with custom folders
• Improved Info Window details for Tone Models on ToneNET
• Improved Cabinet Type automation
• Added “Date Added” information to Tone Model info window
• Added sharing information to info page for Tone Models on ToneNET
• Fixed potential for User icons to appear incorrectly in Tone Model list
• Fixed a potential crash selecting B9000 from the VIR list
• Fixed missing dot on selected VIR value menu for some cabs (e.g. B9000)
• Updated user manual
• General reliability improvements

[sonidomolino]

credit given where credit due, appreciating the responsiveness and improvements
getting there...

[jamcat]

AmpliTube TONEX V1.5.1 (for Mac/PC) has been released

Changes from version 1.5.0:

Does this fix the bug that I outlined above?
I didn’t see anything in the changes list that seemed to indicate it was addressed.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

AmpliTube TONEX V1.5.1 (for Mac/PC) has been released

Changes from version 1.5.0:

Does this fix the bug that I outlined above?
I didn’t see anything in the changes list that seemed to indicate it was addressed.

I'm not sure. Did you report it? I passed it on to a tester and they were not able to recreate it. You may need to work directly with someone to see why it is happening for you.

[jamcat]

A tester? But IK doesn’t have real testers.

It wasn’t reported to the tech support manager or project manager or lead developer?

[zvenx]

IF Ik is like many other larger software developers there is a chain.
QA gets stuff first, they figure out a repro.. if they do, it then moves up the chain.
I assume what Peter calls Tester is what other companies called QA (Quality Assurance). Those are usually full time employees whose job it is to test and make sure stuff is working properly (that is they are paid beta testers) and when a bug is reported they work out a repro and write a detailed repro to the developer team.
rsp

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

A tester? But IK doesn’t have real testers.

It wasn’t reported to the tech support manager or project manager or lead developer?

Great reply to someone trying to help. We have real testers, thank you for reporting your issue to me I relayed it but now you know you'll need to work directly with the team. I'm not going to escalate something you haven't already reported through the correct channels to our support manager or beyond. It was actually reported to the Testing Manager but I can assure you next time it will not. You can open a ticket like everybody else does with every software company.

[jamcat]