What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

[everdrone]

I wont tell you which is which yet, but one of the clips uses an ampsim analog pedal. The other clip uses a free digital ampsim.

http://soundcloud.com/earthalliance (click here to listen to the two clips entitled no1 and no2)

1) tell me which clip sounds better
2) guess which one uses the analog-pedal and which one doesnt
3) do you think the clip that sounds better is worth paying a one-time cost of $170 for?

Ill let yall know later which one uses the pedal and which one doesnt, and what kind of pedal and ampsim they are, and where to get the digital ampsim for free.

I am trying to figure out if I should return this $170 pedal to get refund minus stocking fee to guitarcenter. Not sure yet. I posted in tipsNclips but figured it is "an amp" and I need all the help I can get.

Any responses and insights are much appreciated, cheers

 

[USAPatriot]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

Metal's not my favorite flavor of of music...but I went with number 1. It seemed to have better crunch and harmonics and sustained better at the end compared to number 2. On the down side the cymbals in #1 sounded washed out, either over miked or messed up in the mix. Number 2 didn't have as much low end which to my ears was it's saving grace. The cymbals sounded more like cymbals though still not right and it didn't sustain as well at the end. Just looking at the EQ is disappointing but that's metal for ya. Crank everything and nevermind the subtleties. I suppose I went with #1 as the lesser of 2 evils but then again, not liking that music made me judge it by what I heard, not whether I liked it or not. Well, you asked I'd have to guess that #2 was the digital affair based on the lack of sustain though one could argue the mushy cymbals in #1 were digital. Highs should be handled better in either, so I went with #2 based on it's lesser sustain. *I* wouldn't pay $170 for either based on this though I'm sure it can be turned down. Right? -Rod-

 

[everdrone]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

thanks man, much appreciated, I am glad to get your decision, its $170 important, many thanks

 

[USAPatriot]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

Yeah that's not chump change! Should be interesting to see what different people think! -Rod-

 

[CTN]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

#2 sounds WAY better for a few reasons:

1) less fizzy sounding in the high end
2) more natural sounding midrange (#1 has a bit of a honky thing going on)
3) better sounding and more muscular lows/low mids.

That said, I suspect the 1st one is the digital plugin, because I've heard that kinda honky midrange come from plugins before in my own recording experiences. That said, plugin technology has come a long way in recent years and there are some really great sounding ones out there which are much easier to get good recorded tones out of than if you had to fiddle with all analog equipment and little to no processing.

#1 doesn't sound bad, but #2 is just much better.

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

I liked 2 better. I'm not going to speculate any further. Great results come in all kinds of packages these days.

 

[everdrone]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

Metal's not my favorite flavor of of music...but I went with number 1. It seemed to have better crunch and harmonics and sustained better at the end compared to number 2. On the down side the cymbals in #1 sounded washed out, either over miked or messed up in the mix. Number 2 didn't have as much low end which to my ears was it's saving grace. The cymbals sounded more like cymbals though still not right and it didn't sustain as well at the end. Just looking at the EQ is disappointing but that's metal for ya. Crank everything and nevermind the subtleties. I suppose I went with #1 as the lesser of 2 evils but then again, not liking that music made me judge it by what I heard, not whether I liked it or not. Well, you asked I'd have to guess that #2 was the digital affair based on the lack of sustain though one could argue the mushy cymbals in #1 were digital. Highs should be handled better in either, so I went with #2 based on it's lesser sustain. *I* wouldn't pay $170 for either based on this though I'm sure it can be turned down. Right? -Rod-

I was thinking about this, I did a better mix of one of the two (pedal or digitalampsim), not gonna say which of the two it is yet, but its easier to guess now...: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11496221

 

[USAPatriot]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

I was thinking about this, I did a better mix of one of the two (pedal or digitalampsim), not gonna say which of the two it is yet, but its easier to guess now...: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11496221

The cocked wah sure sounds like it's digital to me and the lead sounds like 1's and 0's with some bits dropping out lol -Rod-

 

[everdrone]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

The cocked wah sure sounds like it's digital to me and the lead sounds like 1's and 0's with some bits dropping out lol -Rod-

cool, thanks for your opinion man. I really appreciate it! ...I made no1 and no2 clips a bit better of mixes for each

after years of mixing my songs with digital ampsims and a few real micd amp tones, sound is something that I am constantly obsessing about, whether it is a mix or a tone...really cant afford the kemper, that would be financing, but after 2 years I could and it would be a better computer/software in 2 years, so hoping to delay that gas so I dont get weak and just give in

Thanks tone brutha, cheers :approve::friday:

 

[USAPatriot]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

So the two songs on the other side of the link are the remixes? I just took a listen and notice that #2 is on top and #1 is in the middle. lol. My feeling here is that #2 (top one) is digital. #1 is the analog. #1. the middle one, is less gainy and even the EQ shows it's been turned down a little bit either in the input or in the mix, presumably the mix. Anyhow, nothing's changed for me -Rod-

 

[thespricket]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

Pretty excited to know which was which...cough cough.

 

[everdrone]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

The cocked wah sure sounds like it's digital to me and the lead sounds like 1's and 0's with some bits dropping out lol -Rod-

So the two songs on the other side of the link are the remixes? I just took a listen and notice that #2 is on top and #1 is in the middle. lol. My feeling here is that #2 (top one) is digital. #1 is the analog. #1. the middle one, is less gainy and even the EQ shows it's been turned down a little bit either in the input or in the mix, presumably the mix. Anyhow, nothing's changed for me -Rod-

Thanks so much for the feedback and insights, I know this forum is FULL OF AUDIOPHILES THAT CARE ABOUT TONAL NUANCES LIKE ME, I would prolly guess like this too if I did not use digital ampsims for all those years, many thanks for the insights

the free plugin is the Hybritt, it and others can be downloaded for free here:

http://lepouplugins.blogspot.com/

I think it is very good

here are the recording details:

-------no1: (I labeled it - a soundcloud user could click on the "share" button to see the address is
http://soundcloud.com/earthalliance/no1-doomhybrittpoulinampsim ) recabinet IRs, lepouplugin hybritt, ozone 5 for mastering, metal foundry, ezmixII for bass, and my typical reaper plugins for eq and reverb

-------no2 (I labeled it - a soundcloud user could click on the "share" button to see the address is http://soundcloud.com/earthalliance/no2-doomoxfordorangepedal ) recabinet IRs, TECH 21 OXFORD CHARACTER SERIES PEDAL, ozone 5 for mastering, metal foundry, ezmixII for bass, and my typical reaper plugins for eq and reverb

-------song "Dance with the Devil" http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11496221 : no cocked wah was used. I use my wah though on some of my other digital recordings such as this funk song of mine: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=9941179 I used TECH 21 OXFORD CHARACTER SERIES PEDAL, EZMIXII for compression on guitar, ezmixII for all bass, metal foundry, ozone5 for mastering, I used recabinet for rhythym guitar and my typical reaper plugins for eq and reverb, but I used the original cabinet simulation that came with the Oxford Character Series Pedal for the guitar solo and put an ezmix plugin on the guitarsolo to give it that extensive delay.

Cheers all, I like my pedal and am keeping it so far but the warranty has not run out SO ANY TYPE OF FURTHER INSIGHTS/VOTING AT ALL IS MUCH APPRECIATED, thanks for the listens :beerchug:

 

[JLagoon]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

I like no. 2. It sounds more natural. No. 1 sounds clearer, but it seems to be too upfront. The fade out on no. 1, somehow, does not ring too naturally.

 

[everdrone]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

I like no. 2. It sounds more natural. No. 1 sounds clearer, but it seems to be too upfront. The fade out on no. 1, somehow, does not ring too naturally.

cool thanks brutha

thanks for the listen and insight, I listened to these clips a ton and would say pretty much just that after all those listens :thanks:

 

[USAPatriot]

Re: What sounds better, ampsim physical analog pedal, or free digital amp sim?

Very cool. So long as you like it, that works! -Rod-