Amp Sims Vs Tube Amps

[Bogner]

The gap is narrowing. The tech is incredible these days. A lot of these amp sims are sounding very convincing though it is weird (to me) to have my amp on my laptop...lol.

Anybody venturing down this path?

 

[TVFV]

Just from the standpoint of having space, I wouldn't bother with tube amps at this point.

 

[LLL]

The gap is narrowing. The tech is incredible these days. A lot of these amp sims are sounding very convincing though it is weird (to me) to have my amp on my laptop...lol.

Anybody venturing down this path?

I took the journey almost a decade ago.

The earlier sims needed tweaking and post-processing to sound really good.

Today, they are almost indistinguishable.

In fact, I've got a few very recently from Nembrini Audio that sound killer. I'll do a demo at some point.

 

[Bogner]

Agree. on the space savings. I could never part with my stuff though. Took me too long to get it all.

 

[Bogner]

Check out the Neural stuff or the STL Tone Hub. Pretty legit if you ask me.

 

[LLL]

Its been years since I have tried amp sims, so I have no idea what a good one feels like to play now. I have always been afraid to have a laptop out while I am playing, but I am slowly getting over that. Of course I fear latency and any computerish glitches, but modern laptops are what, fifty times more powerful than the recording PC I built back then? I like trying new things, so maybe. I would never not have amps of some sort, though.

Yeah only time you'll run into latency these days (with a modern computer) is if you're multitracking in your DAW with lots of plugins.

 

[LLL]

Okay, I should be good. I like the bonehead-simple recording aesthetic.

https://www.nembriniaudio.com/

 

[Mr. 80's]

I don't even like watching videos and listening to music on the computer so not interested in using it as a guitar rig no matter how good it may or may not sound. I'll stick to an actual traditional standalone amp/cabs and pedals.

 

[Bogner]

I don't even like watching videos and listening to music on the computer so not interested in using it as a guitar rig no matter how good it may or may not sound. I'll stick to an actual traditional standalone amp/cabs and pedals.

You are so 2014.

I am still 1989 though so I can't talk...lol.

 

[Mincer]

I've done a lot of recording with my Fractal, but many times I am not going for traditional guitar/effect/amp sounds.

 

[Bogner]

The tech is getting better each day, that is for sure.

 

[LesStrat]

Amp sims/amp modeling has come light years from its humble beginnings.

I use my Helix exclusively. My Celtic Franklin hasn’t been played in 5 years. I really should sell it.

 

[PFDarkside]

I hate plugging into an interface and playing through monitors, etc. that being said I think my next purchase will be an AxeFX and I’ll rack it with my 2:90 and Mesa cab. All the recording options but still a straight up amp to plug into and play.

 

[beaubrummels]

The sound/tone, touch sensitivity/feel, harmonics, etc. all are really very good with most sims these days. IME the only thing sims don't do yet that tubes amps do consistently is that punch in the chest you get or that blast of air through your pant legs when you're standing in front of it. Emulators and software sims just don't drive speakers the same way.

 

[nexion218]

I have the Neuraal DSP SLO-100, but never having owned (and prolly never will) the real deal, this video dropped my jaws:

I do have a small combo and pedals, but for the space I have (1 small room) and for my purposes (passionate amateur) these plugins are an awesome option. I mostly know Neural DSP. They have a 14 day fully functional trial and they have a sale now where the most expensive stuff goes for around 80 USD... Compare that to having an almost 10k MegaRig a la Clint when buying amp, cab, pedals, guitar and what not and when you don't like something, you're shipping several grands worth of merchandise through to country to get a refund... Wouldn't gig with plugins (though using the Torpedo CAB M live would be a no brainer), but for home recording with an option to re-amp the whole session with 2 clicks? I'm sold.

 

[ErikH]

At home I hardly use my amp unless I am adding something to the setup that I need to make sure works as I hope before leaving the house. Gear check so to speak. Most of the time I'm plugging in to the Focusrite and using AmpliTube or Garageband on my Mac. I'm not where I can shell out a lot for sims and whatnot so I use what is there, except for a few purchases in AmpliTube. Even "out of the box", both of those programs have gotten a lot better over the years.

 

[Top-L]

The gap is narrowing. The tech is incredible these days. A lot of these amp sims are sounding very convincing though it is weird (to me) to have my amp on my laptop...lol.

Anybody venturing down this path?

I thought this, but then I went back and listened to a bunch of 80s rock/metal and realized how far it has to go.

I think alot of it is that people are being conditioned to hearing the perfect "amp sim sound". And in fact you don't need a real amp to make great music. Technically. But if you are making great music, why don't you just use a real amp for the last 2%?

Have you heard any modern iconic guitar music recorded with modelers? I haven't.

They sound great, but even with IRs they are lacking something real.

I think what they are missing is (creative) phase cancellation from multiple mics/rooms/reflections, addressed with board/post/etc. So even if modelers are "perfect", they eliminate the creative production elements and end up sounding samey samey samey. Like how fake tits all kind of look the same.

 

[Top-L]

Dislaimer: 99% of my playing is with digital modelers.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

I’m sold on Neural DSP. Even the presets are great.

I was starting to shop for a Rectifier, but at this point, I’m putting all my eggs in the digital basket.

 

[LLL]

I've been yammering about Nembrini Audio.

Have their Vox AC30, HIWATT DR103 and their version of the "Brown Sound".

All three are spectacular and authentic with their tones.