Amp Modelling question.....

[metalhead28]

You use the term 'usually'. Does that mean, not always or was that just something you worded that way? I am being a pest I know, but when you leave a question of usually in the air.....

Travis nailed it, and I just said "usually" because there are some modeling amps with a tube in the circuit (My Valvetronix for example), but for all practical purposes I still consider them solid state because the tube is just a sweetener not the actual amplifier.

 

[true-eurt]

Travis nailed it, and I just said "usually" because there are some modeling amps with a tube in the circuit (My Valvetronix for example), but for all practical purposes I still consider them solid state because the tube is just a sweetener not the actual amplifier.

Thanks for clearing that up for me Metal....I am glad I posted this thread. It has been a very educational plus for me, and I hope will help anyone else confused.

Thanks again!!!

 

[true-eurt]

K.....an amp MODELER (I'll say POD from now on, for clarity) is a digital approximation of the tonal qualities of a certain brand and make of head. It is NOT an effercts pedal, but can be used as if it were if you so desire. You can plug a POD directly into a power amp and play....you would not want to plug a distorion pedal directly into a power amp and kick out a few riffs. You COULD...maybe....but it's a bad idea. That's a key differece. You can think of a modeler as a VERY VERY flexible and tweakable guitar preamp. But, if you are in love with Marshall, for example, and have little use for anything but the Marshall sound, you will not want a POD. You cannot get a true Marshall sound from a digital approximation. What you CAN do is create your own sound exactly tuned to your preferences. Say you love Marshall, but could really do with less of that "boxy" (in my opinon...don't get all upset now)cardboard like sound. You'd use a POD to model a JCM 800 and tweak out all the crap you don't want to hear. Following that logic, the possibilities are nearly endless if you can invest time and attention to detail with a POD.

The down side is, many people will tell you that PODs sound like ass. Those same people will also say that nothin will ever be as good as, let alone better than, mic'ing a real guitar rig and that a POD is only good for sketching out ideas - if you want REAL tone, throw the POD in the trash.

Now, there have been several threads PROVING that many people who say the only way to get good tone is to mic a real amp, just cannot tell the difference between the two if the POD is set up correctly.

If you go about using a POD with the understanding that it is not supposed to be an exact copy of a JCM 800, but instead a highly flexible and customizable tool to CREATE your own sound, you'll be very pleased with what you can do with it.

Zed, I am sorry. Your post got past me somehow. Thanks for taking the time to read and answer. This is a very good one too!! Thanks for the detail and the easy to understand explanation. I like that you are not a snob about the POD thing, as well as Metalhead and the others who posted in the thread. You all have been very helpful and honest in your replys.

I have learned a lot today.

Open minds to try different things, only leads to more creativity. There is a place for almost everything...even the spoons and accordian!!!

True

 

[true-eurt]

Screw it, Lock the thread. Metalhead28 has spoken, and it is good.

Everyone has their own taste in tones and preference of sound, and if Amra likes the mod...then more power to him. I listened to his two posted tunes and I thought they sounded good.

Maybe the tube would scream those off the page...I don't know, I am a rooooookie....but I won't diss on anyone for what they prefer in musical gear. If I don't like their sound, I just won't listen.

Thanks for posting.


The thread is open.....dance floor is sawdusted....Gentlemen, choose your amps.

 

[PeteHalo]

I'm a bit amused by the fact that most of you seem to base your opinions of modelling technology on something like V-amp or Pod that didn't even present the best achievements in modelling technology at the time they were first introduced years ago and definetly not today. Today there's much more advanced amp modelling available for at least recording, like the Dynatube for Creamware Scope souncards that I use together with the modelling Variax guitar. To produce even a small percentage of these great guitar tones that I can create in the corner of my bedroom even in the middle of the night would require investing several thousands of euros or dollars in traditional guitars and amps and a real recording studio environment plus hours of setup time, that is, something that is unreachable for most of us I believe.

Check out the current state of amp modelling at
http://dynatube.creamware.com/index.htm

 

[true-eurt]

Thanks Pete. That is a good link you posted. I had done some googling earlier and come up with some amp mods that resembled a cab head.

I still would love some sound test on this subject here in this thread. See if the difference can be detected by many or just a few, and if so, what it is that gave it away.

 

[travelin travis]

I'm a bit amused by the fact that most of you seem to base your opinions of modelling technology on something like V-amp or Pod that didn't even present the best achievements in modelling technology at the time they were first introduced years ago and definetly not today. Today there's much more advanced amp modelling available for at least recording, like the Dynatube for Creamware Scope souncards that I use together with the modelling Variax guitar. To produce even a small percentage of these great guitar tones that I can create in the corner of my bedroom even in the middle of the night would require investing several thousands of euros or dollars in traditional guitars and amps and a real recording studio environment plus hours of setup time, that is, something that is unreachable for most of us I believe.

Check out the current state of amp modelling at
http://dynatube.creamware.com/index.htm

I had a listen and I have to admit that the dynatube stuff sounds pretty damn good. The price tag and proprietary platform is the gotcha. The cost of a scope card and the modeling pack cost more than the average home pc.

 

[travelin travis]

PeteHalo, after listening to the samples a couple of times, I have to say the dynatube models (softube) are the best sounding models I've ever heard.......by far............really, by really far! Those are some damn smart Swedes!

Those sumbitches sound good! If they competed with Line6, well there would be no need for Line6 any more in my opinion.

 

[PeteHalo]

I had a listen and I have to admit that the dynatube stuff sounds pretty damn good. The price tag and proprietary platform is the gotcha. The cost of a scope card and the modeling pack cost more than the average home pc.

But isn't that the usual downside of quality stuff? Being a Finn it's usually hard to confess that our dear neighbours have done anything right but in this case there's no denying of that the Swedes have done a great job at this.

I don't know about the situation on your side of the pond but over here there's plenty of second hand Creamware cards available for good price now that the Mac users who originally bought them don't have PCI slots in their computer anymore.