Getting started...

[andrushkiwt]

If you're a guitarist, you will find a ton of value in buying a proper amp sim VST. If it's not your first priority, it should be your second. Amplitube is "only" $149:

IK Multimedia | AmpliTube 4

You get access to literally tens of thousands of dollars worth of amps, pedals, rack effects, mics, etc. And if you decide having more gear than a multi-platinum rock star still isn't enough, there's a lot of add-ons for relatively cheap.

I have it. Lets just not mislead anyone here and be real...ultimately it's up to the buyer to scope out what's included. But honestly, the initial setup isn't a whole ton. You'll have to spend a little more than the $149 if there are particular amps and cabs you want. I bought the Mesa Boogie bundle packaged w amp4 for $169. So, I saved a little bit. But the default basic amps and cabs are good..you just don't have access to absolutely everything. For the rest, you'll have to cough up more but it's def worth it. They sound great, to me. You can buy things (amps cabs pedals) individually or in bundles. You can also trial things for 72 hours. If you're quick about it, that means you can even bounce a track out with the trial item and not have paid for it.

But yeah, if you get it, use the trials and test things before you buy. Their"custom shop" is setup as eye candy to feed you the feeling of "ooooooooo I can have THAT!". It's brilliant marketing and set up cleverly to get you to relaize how easy it is to add a new amp. Be careful and test things first.

 

[RAMI]

I tried Amplitube 3 for about a week a month ago. I actually thought it sounded ok and with enough elbow grease could probably fool pretty much anyone into thinking you're using real amps. Minerman posted some clips he did with Amplitube a few months ago, and I got to tell you, it sounded awesome.

I thought the only difference between trial version and full versions was NOT that you don't get certain amps. I thought it was that you don't get their "patches", like "Jimi Hendrix Fire", or "Angus whatever", which combined an amp with a cab with a mic with whatever pedals. But I still had access to all their amps, cabs, mics, and pedals separately. I might be wrong, I obviously don't know what amps I DIDN'T get.

One thing I did find was that Amplitube's versions of popular amps were better than their actual versions. In other words, I liked their "British Metal" (which is their Marshall sim) better than their actual Marshall sims.

 

[andrushkiwt]

Yeah man, I think the trial let's you see and use everything. But after I paid the 159, I only have access to about 8 of their amps, 10 cabs, a couple pedals like distortion and comp and eq too, and about 5 mics. Not included in that is the Mesa Boogie stuff which is all unlocked since I bought amp4 bundled w the MB stuff. 90% of things are "locked"/grayed out.

Misleading for sure if the trial isn't clear about that. I can try to post some screenshots to show you how everything is greyed out.

 

[RAMI]

Yeah man, I think the trial let's you see and use everything. But after I paid the 159, I only have access to about 8 of their amps, 10 cabs, a couple pedals like distortion and comp and eq too, and about 5 mics. Not included in that is the Mesa Boogie stuff which is all unlocked since I bought amp4 bundled w the MB stuff. 90% of things are "locked"/grayed out.

Misleading for sure if the trial isn't clear about that. I can try to post some screenshots to show you how everything is greyed out.

Ah could be. I think at the time, I (legally) found a full trial. But it might have expired and started greying things out had I used it long enough. I might have used it for about a week, if that.

 

[RAMI]

Ah ok, wait. I got what you're saying. So, that's weird. It seems you get access to more stuff if you don't buy it. I had nothing greyed out, if I remember correctly. It's all vague to me now, so my memory might be way off. I thought I had access to everything, but I can't be sure now.

 

[andrushkiwt]

Ah could be. I think at the time, I (legally) found a full trial. But it might have expired and started greying things out had I used it long enough. I might have used it for about a week, if that.

The British stuff is there. And they do sound really really good. There's a nice spring reverb on the amp too which sounds fantastic to me. But for my stuff..like modern alternative..I had to buy shit. The basic set up was suited more for blues and rock. Jazz maybe. I also bought a couple Ampeg things. I may buy the bundle for it. I'm wondering about this Acoustic 300 bass amp...sounded good when I selected the trial for it. Not sure what genres it's used in, but it sounded pretty mean on the Ampeg 810.

cool you enjoyed it though. Good enough for your ears must mean they're doing something right!

 

[andrushkiwt]

Ah ok, wait. I got what you're saying. So, that's weird. It seems you get access to more stuff if you don't buy it. I had nothing greyed out, if I remember correctly. It's all vague to me now, so my memory might be way off. I thought I had access to everything, but I can't be sure now.

Yeah I think the trial is a full unlocked thing. But for a short amount of time. If you buy Amplitube , 90% of items are locked again. So now you have to buy those pieces individally or in bundles. They open it in the trial so you say "oh wow this sounds great and look at all these things! But shit, I only have it for a week/month whatever". Then you buy it. You have it permanently but now have to be careful and buy only what you actually need. You can test any item for 3 days.

 

[RAMI]

Yeah I think the trial is a full unlocked thing. But for a short amount of time. If you buy Amplitube , 90% of items are locked again. So now you have to buy those pieces individally or in bundles. They open it in the trial so you say "oh wow this sounds great and look at all these things! But shit, I only have it for a week/month whatever". Then you buy it. You have it permanently but now have to be careful and buy only what you actually need. You can test any item for 3 days.

OK that makes sense. I'm sure I would have experienced that had I kept it longer. I almost went that route when I was getting frustrated with my amp. It definitely changed my opinion of sims, though. I don't think I would pass a blind test with someone that knows how to dial it in.

 

[Pinky]

Yeah I think the trial is a full unlocked thing. But for a short amount of time. If you buy Amplitube , 90% of items are locked again. So now you have to buy those pieces individally or in bundles. They open it in the trial so you say "oh wow this sounds great and look at all these things! But shit, I only have it for a week/month whatever". Then you buy it. You have it permanently but now have to be careful and buy only what you actually need. You can test any item for 3 days.

By 90% you mean their entire catalog, which is more expansive than any human on the planet actually needs.

My 'tens of thousands' is representative of the fraction you get for the $149. Add it up. Not the million or more dollars in total gear if you bought everything they have available.

The key for my use has been to find a decent amp within the program (frankly, this matters least), then to dial-in the tone by either using the included pedals or stacking more VSTs on top of it in the DAW. I typically get most of the tone shaped in Amplitube though. As Rami has heard for himself, these amp sim apps have come a long ways in the past 10 years. What you get for $149 is incredible, IMO. The fact you can get thousands $$$$ more in virtual gear added seamlessly for pennies on the hardware dollar is only a selling point.

 

[RAMI]

As Rami has heard for himself, these amp sim apps have come a long ways in the past 10 years. What you get for $149 is incredible, IMO.

Yeah, like you, I don't believe anyone who claims he can ALWAYS hear the difference. There might be some tell-tale frequencies or whatever. But if we're talking about someone who KNOWS how to dial in a good sound on a good sim, I believe anyone can be fooled. One thing for sure, a good sim with someone that knows how to use it is better than an amp with someone that doesn't. If I didn't already have an amp, I probably would have gone the sim route.

I'd use them in real life if I was me.

 

[andrushkiwt]

My 'tens of thousands' is representative of the fraction you get for the $149. Add it up. Not the million or more dollars in total gear if you bought everything they have available.

I know that, as do you. Other passerbys might not. I'm just trying to make it clear that the vast majority is locked even after purchase. I don't think you were trying to mislead anyone. Just putting in my thoughts.