PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

[Brow]

Hey guys.

I'm looking to get some kind of modeller for a bit of home recording, but don't really know what I'm looking for!

From being a studio engineer in the past I've got plenty of experience with miking amps up, and this will always be my 1st choice when possible, but there are times I just want to get some ideas down so I'm looking to buy a modeller for ease.

I have limited experience of modellers most of which is a KORG Pandora I bought years ago when I was still having lessons to use as a headphone amp and the Pod Pro that the studio I used to work in had.

I'm not really looking to model any particular amps, just something to give me a bit of tweakability and chance to get a relatively decent sound down when recording ideas.

Anyone got any suggestions for me without going OTT price wise?

Thanks.

Craig

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

What's your budget? That will determine a lot in regards to options (tweakability, etc).

I hear good things about the POD USB-based interface (UX2?), and other similarly-priced units.

Then there's older rack units like the Digitech GSP21/Legend/2101/etc. The main issue there is with reliability, as they tend to die horrible deaths. They're going pretty cheap in most cases, though the 2101 and other 2-rack units still hold steady at over $150-$250 used.

There's also software-based options such as the Amplitube (3.5 is free, and you can buy add-ons). All you need there is a way to get your guitar signal into your PC.

If you're going into a standalone recording unit (digital tape, HDD, etc), there might be some basic stuff in the unit itself. I think the Zoom and Roland stuff has built-in preamps and whatnot. I have an older Tascam portable thingy like that. Not great, but not terrible.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

i have not done a lot of recording at all but when i do demos and stuff i've had good experiences with an older Pod 2.0... it's a little simpler and easy to get a basic sound... i get lost with too many features and effects... i hate programing, endless tweeks... that stuff drives me crazy...

first thing i do when i try modelers out for the first time is to take all effects off it and just listen to the amp simulators... quite often i've been most impressed with Roland Boss stuff... the GT10's basic amp and drive settings i found had quite a natural sound and a better feel then others i've tried... i'm sure others may of got different results with Boss stuff, but the Boss works for me... oneday i need to buy one!

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

I use a V-Amp 2 which is pretty good when I put my Blackstar pedal through it!!!

The Pocket POD is cheap, and would probably give you a good range of tones...

 

[Brow]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

What's your budget? That will determine a lot in regards to options (tweakability, etc).

I hear good things about the POD USB-based interface (UX2?), and other similarly-priced units.

Then there's older rack units like the Digitech GSP21/Legend/2101/etc. The main issue there is with reliability, as they tend to die horrible deaths. They're going pretty cheap in most cases, though the 2101 and other 2-rack units still hold steady at over $150-$250 used.

There's also software-based options such as the Amplitube (3.5 is free, and you can buy add-ons). All you need there is a way to get your guitar signal into your PC.

If you're going into a standalone recording unit (digital tape, HDD, etc), there might be some basic stuff in the unit itself. I think the Zoom and Roland stuff has built-in preamps and whatnot. I have an older Tascam portable thingy like that. Not great, but not terrible.

I don't really have a set budget in mind, as useless an answer as that is, but I'm not looking too spend too much as I can't really afford it tbh.

I have an M-Audio USB interface so my guitar goes into that and records onto Adobe Audition. I also use Reason 3.0 for making my backing tracks, but that doesn't have anything in for guitar sounds.

I've also got a copy of Guitar Rig on my PC but I'm struggling to get a sound out of it that I'm happy with to be honest with you, hence my thoughts about an external unit like a POD etc.

i have not done a lot of recording at all but when i do demos and stuff i've had good experiences with an older Pod 2.0... it's a little simpler and easy to get a basic sound... i get lost with too many features and effects... i hate programing, endless tweeks... that stuff drives me crazy...

first thing i do when i try modelers out for the first time is to take all effects off it and just listen to the amp simulators... quite often i've been most impressed with Roland Boss stuff... the GT10's basic amp and drive settings i found had quite a natural sound and a better feel then others i've tried... i'm sure others may of got different results with Boss stuff, but the Boss works for me... oneday i need to buy one!

Thanks for the info. I used a Pod 2.0 while I was at college about 7 years ago but can't really remember too much about it's tones. I've found a POD XT on Ebay for £109, which I think is the non rack version of the 1 we had in the studio, but can't remember as it never really got used.

 

[Brow]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

I use a V-Amp 2 which is pretty good when I put my Blackstar pedal through it!!!

The Pocket POD is cheap, and would probably give you a good range of tones...

Main problem is if I needed a Blackstar pedal too, which sound awesome btw , then that's already about as much as I want to spend on the Modeller etc!

Thanks for the heads up on the Pocket POD, hadn't really looked into those.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

Since you've already got the interface and a compatible recording app (I use Audition 3), get the IK Multimedia Amplitube free version. I've used an older version in the past (way older) but it gets good sounds. Unfortunately my PC isn't fast enough to get it to track at an acceptable rate (the older version I have, at least - haven't tried the recent one), but you might fare better.

And it's free, so it's not like you're stuck with it.

 

[dominus]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

Best sounding software - Peavey Revalver

Second best - Download all the free amp sims you can find, along with cab sims AND IRs. You'll have to do a bit of searching, but you will be able to come up with a good rig for free. It'll just take a bit of work. Make sure you get all of LePou's stuff.

http://www.guitarampmodeling.com/

http://lepouplugins.blogspot.com/


Best sounding hardware - Tonelab ST

 

[Brow]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

Since you've already got the interface and a compatible recording app (I use Audition 3), get the IK Multimedia Amplitube free version. I've used an older version in the past (way older) but it gets good sounds. Unfortunately my PC isn't fast enough to get it to track at an acceptable rate (the older version I have, at least - haven't tried the recent one), but you might fare better.

And it's free, so it's not like you're stuck with it.

Cheers for the info. I'll have a look into that more tomorrow :friday:

 

[wahwah]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

You can download some of the best amp modelling software available here for free... http://lepouplugins.blogspot.com/

Much better sounding models than Guitar Rig or AmpliTube.

You will also need some cabinet and microphone impulse responses, all available here, not free, but cheap. http://www.redwirez.com/ Just pick out the cabinets you like, and they come with up to 14 of the best microphones available, placed at various points on the speaker and at various distances, recorded in a great sounding room.

All you will need past that point is some sort of convolving plugin software to run the impulse responses. There are several free versions available. Instructions on how to use them are all on the Redwirez website. Very simple.

Obviously if you need effects, you can use the stuff from Guitar Rig, it's probably the best thing about that software.

Edit: I was typing while dominus made his post, but I concur on the Lepou stuff. I have Revalver MkIII.V and it's very good, but I will often go for one of Lepou's models over it.



Cheers.......................................... wahwah

 

[Brow]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

Best sounding software - Peavey Revalver

Second best - Download all the free amp sims you can find, along with cab sims AND IRs. You'll have to do a bit of searching, but you will be able to come up with a good rig for free. It'll just take a bit of work. Make sure you get all of LePou's stuff.

http://www.guitarampmodeling.com/

http://lepouplugins.blogspot.com/


Best sounding hardware - Tonelab ST

You can download some of the best amp modelling software available here for free... http://lepouplugins.blogspot.com/

Much better sounding models than Guitar Rig or AmpliTube.

You will also need some cabinet and microphone impulse responses, all available here, not free, but cheap. http://www.redwirez.com/ Just pick out the cabinets you like, and they come with up to 14 of the best microphones available, placed at various points on the speaker and at various distances, recorded in a great sounding room.

All you will need past that point is some sort of convolving plugin software to run the impulse responses. There are several free versions available. Instructions on how to use them are all on the Redwirez website. Very simple.

Obviously if you need effects, you can use the stuff from Guitar Rig, it's probably the best thing about that software.

Edit: I was typing while dominus made his post, but I concur on the Lepou stuff. I have Revalver MkIII.V and it's very good, but I will often go for one of Lepou's models over it.

Cheers.......................................... wahwah

Thanks for the info to this stuff, I've never heard of any of it before!

Cheers! :friday:

 

[dominus]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

Edit: I was typing while dominus made his post, but I concur on the Lepou stuff. I have Revalver MkIII.V and it's very good, but I will often go for one of Lepou's models over it.

I use LePou's amps *in* Revalver.

 

[xntrick]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

i'll also second Amplitube 3.5(the free version)..a co-worker loaned me his POD a while back and it was ok but i certainly wouldn't buy a new one(too pricey)..another option is a hardware modeler such as the tech 21 sansamp gt2(it has great marshall tones) or even better are the character series from AMT..i have the S1 and it has thick distorted tones as well as nice cleans...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwz1mpN0HyI&feature=BFa&list=PL3B9C197F6F2DE19B&index=18

 

[Brow]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

i'll also second Amplitube 3.5(the free version)..a co-worker loaned me his POD a while back and it was ok but i certainly wouldn't buy a new one(too pricey)..another option is a hardware modeler such as the tech 21 sansamp gt2(it has great marshall tones) or even better are the character series from AMT..i have the S1 and it has thick distorted tones as well as nice cleans...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwz1mpN0HyI&feature=BFa&list=PL3B9C197F6F2DE19B&index=18

I had 1 of those AMT pedals (think it was called a Distation?) a while ago and could never really get on with it. I did only ever use it into the front end of an amp though.

I'll have a look out for Sansamp stuff too. Thanks!

 

[Mincer]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

Line6 just came out with the POD HD (bean) for desktop recording. I have the floor version and it is wonderful. However, there are other options- Tech21 has the Character series pedals if you are looking for 1 basic amp sound per pedal. They sound great. Also, Digitech pedals like the Bad Monkey and Scramin Blues, etc have a 'mixer' output which includes cab and mic emulation. I have used those before and got great results. If you can find one, the old Johnson J Station sounded wonderful too, much better than current Behringer products.

 

[Brow]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

Line6 just came out with the POD HD (bean) for desktop recording. I have the floor version and it is wonderful. However, there are other options- Tech21 has the Character series pedals if you are looking for 1 basic amp sound per pedal. They sound great. Also, Digitech pedals like the Bad Monkey and Scramin Blues, etc have a 'mixer' output which includes cab and mic emulation. I have used those before and got great results. If you can find one, the old Johnson J Station sounded wonderful too, much better than current Behringer products.

I've been told of the new HD stuff by a friend of mine that's going onto 1 from his XT live, but they're more than I can afford to spend at the minute :banghead:

It's strange you mentioned the J Station as I was watching 1 on Ebay yesterday but couldn't really find much in the way of actual reviews on the net for it so I passed it up. It only went for £35 too :rocket:

 

[Brow]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

Just an update for anyone that may care: :friday:

I managed to find a POD XT with the Metal amps and bass amps/cabs model packs in for £60 (the cheapest I could find 1 o nEbay for was £109), so I spent some of my other saved money on a PS3 too :dance:

 

[Red_Label]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

Just an update for anyone that may care: :friday:

I managed to find a POD XT with the Metal amps and bass amps/cabs model packs in for £60 (the cheapest I could find 1 o nEbay for was £109), so I spent some of my other saved money on a PS3 too :dance:

That'll work perfect for you. I think that some guys were over-thinking it. You were basically looking for a "sketch pencil" and not a full set of oil paints. Any of the older, cheaper modelers would have been fine. I had a V-Amp 2 that I gave my son a while back and honestly, I really enjoyed recording it. I would dial-in a tone and just hit record and play. No messing with sims, cabs, etc. Sometimes I think about picking another one up just to have around for doing quick sketches again. But then my cork-sniffing 11R gives me the look-of-butthurtness and I pass on doing it.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

:bigok:

Enjoy the POD(s), bro.

 

[Brow]

Re: PODs? V-Amps? Tonelabs? - options for home recording?

That'll work perfect for you. I think that some guys were over-thinking it. You were basically looking for a "sketch pencil" and not a full set of oil paints. Any of the older, cheaper modelers would have been fine. I had a V-Amp 2 that I gave my son a while back and honestly, I really enjoyed recording it. I would dial-in a tone and just hit record and play. No messing with sims, cabs, etc. Sometimes I think about picking another one up just to have around for doing quick sketches again. But then my cork-sniffing 11R gives me the look-of-butthurtness and I pass on doing it.

Yeah, you're right

I looked into the software stuff as suggested and it was just too indepth for what I'm looking to do. I won't deny it sounded awesome though!

:bigok:

Enjoy the POD(s), bro.

Thanks! :friday: