Another episode of amp guy vs. modeler guy!

[Clashcityrocker]

Amp guy: Kemper's are cool but they don't have the dynamics of a true tube amp.

Modeler guy: What's that pedal on the floor?

Amp guy: Oh it's a compressor. These tube amps are so loud when you play hard they will take your head off. I leave it on all the time.

Modeler guy: Where is your cabinet, I don't see it?

Amp guy: It's 3 houses down in a neighbor's basement. They don't mind too much!

Modeler guy: What about tube manufacturing causing toxic waste in the environment?

Amp guy: Well cows cause global warming. That burger you just ate caused that -11 degree temperature last night.

Modeler guy: I like playing at any volume I want and still get that character of warm tubes. What's that in your ears?

Amp guy: Oh I wear ear protection to block out 90% of the sound. I've got bad tinnitus now but the ringing in my ears helps me tune my guitars better!

(Any resemblance of Amp guy and Modeler guy to anyone in this forum is strictly coincidental, your results may vary and remember your ears are still analog)

 

[Gtrbldr]

True, a Kemper does not have the dynamics of a tube amp... they have an exagerated range. My kemper profiles of my own amp are less compressed and more touch sensitive if it comes gain structure. However my amp loaded down and direct trough an IR loader is a lot of fun.

And the waste: well: that is why I only have NOS tubes in my amp ;-). Preamp not newer than '68, the oldest from '59 (long plate mullard)

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I dunno, Amp Guy seems cooler:

1) He has friends and/or bandmates considering his cabinet is somewhere besides his bedroom.

2a) He sounds pretty pragmatic about the whole environmental thing, and he could possibly into plant based foods considering he just dunked on a meater.

2b) He doesn’t even mention that he bought his tube amp 30 years ago and it still works because he can get it repaired anywhere.

2c) He also doesn’t bring up that Modeler Guy has bought a new modeler every 2-3 years since the Pod came out until he bought his latest un-recyclable environmental bomb.

3a) Amp Guy doesn’t laugh at Modeler Guy for using the word “warm” or point out that his tube amp has a master volume control.

3b) Amp Guy isn’t staring at another dudes ears and commenting on them.

4) Amp Guy cares for his hearing and wears protection when he plays, and doesn’t point out that listening on headphones can be worse for your ears and hearing.

 

[John]

I find there's a time and place for both. There's no reason why either one can't sound great, and there's no reason why I ought to limit myself to one vs the other.
Besides, the whole amp modeling bit has made strides over the last several years, especially in regards to convenience. There's even the case of plugins with a single button control whilst sounding good in a full mix and that is incredibly handy when I'm on the go (ie- flying out).

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1568152240284761

 

[László]

Amp guy: Kemper's are cool but they don't have the dynamics of a true tube amp.

Modeler guy: What's that pedal on the floor?

Amp guy: Oh it's a compressor. These tube amps are so loud when you play hard they will take your head off. I leave it on all the time.

Modeler guy: Where is your cabinet, I don't see it?

Amp guy: It's 3 houses down in a neighbor's basement. They don't mind too much!

Modeler guy: What about tube manufacturing causing toxic waste in the environment?

Amp guy: Well cows cause global warming. That burger you just ate caused that -11 degree temperature last night.

Modeler guy: I like playing at any volume I want and still get that character of warm tubes. What's that in your ears?

Amp guy: Oh I wear ear protection to block out 90% of the sound. I've got bad tinnitus now but the ringing in my ears helps me tune my guitars better!

(Any resemblance of Amp guy and Modeler guy to anyone in this forum is strictly coincidental, your results may vary and remember your ears are still analog)

A little over the top, but I love you anyway!

I don't use a compressor unless I'm going for a particular sound you can only get with one. Think...funky stuff.

I don't play insanely loud, and I record tracks wearing headphones, I can hear the amps, and also set the cans (and amps) to a level that will not damage my ears. And my amps are right in my studio, which is a single room. It's fine, that works, I get the sounds I like.

Modelers don't suck because they're less loud, they suck because digital approximations of the distortions and anomalies that analog gear makes still suck.

And of course, if you like the sound of modelers, more power to ya, because what the hell do I know? I'm from Detroit!

 

[markd21]

Amps are awesome. I loved all my amps over the years. Then I got the Helix. I instantly put it onstage. All I needed was two sounds - clean/dirty.

I picked a model that felt pretty good. I didn't care what amp it was supposed to be, I was listening for a specific midrange response. Same with the "cabinet". I wanted something that felt "in your face".

It didn't take long to get a sound together. I programmed a couple if things I always wish my analog rig could do. It was an instant improvement onstage. Sound guys were happier, my singer was happier...stage volume decreased so the whole band sounded tighter.

These days I do cloud-based session work. It's pretty cool. The Helix is great for that. While I have a couple of great interfaces, using the Helix Rack as my interface it gives me a DI signal while I also print my tone to the project.

This is particularly cool for collaborators that have an HX product. Quite a few of the producers I work with have Helix Native. With those collabs producers send a number of presets to get me started and/or just hear a few different tones for the song. The ability to have choices is awesome, I can tweak from there to get my character in the tone the producer wants/envisions.

I recently started getting into plugin amp sims. I'm loving the Plugin Alliance amps. I'm getting great mileage out of the Diezel VH4, ENGL Savage 120, and the Fuchs Overdrive Supreme. I am enjoying my Nembrini Audio DC30 also.

It's been a great change for me.

 

[WEDGE]

I had a Kemper, and might again someday, and it sounded great. But an amp pushing air is sooooo good, problem is I don’t have the space or enough alone time to do so as much as I want. i want a killer sound at bedroom volumes most of the time and might grab a Helix or similar to get that but an amp is still the deal when the situation allows for it. IMHO.

 

[CandidPicker]

Seems there will always be division of thought regards tube amps and modelers. Unfortunately, until you've actually experienced both it's somewhat of a moot point because, well, you don't know, or you have not yet explored the other well enough to make any claim.

I can't give you examples of where one outperforms the other, simply because if I try to defend one compared to another, there invariably will be division of thought which causes strife.

Because I'm personally a peaceful man who eschews conflict, each of us should respect one another's opinions of their amps or modelers. Doing otherwise is only blowing your own horn or waving your own flag stating, "mine is better." To you, yes, yours may be better, but each one of us is not you.

Thanks for your time, and have a great day tomorrow.

 

[Toolmaster Of Brainerd]

Every year the modeling crowd screams "modelers sound just as good as a tube amp! You'll never tell the difference!"

And then a new product or update comes out and they all say "this update is a night and day difference. NOW the modeling game is as good as tubes!"

I don't buy either. Is modeling good enough in a band mix? Definitely. Is it good enough for me to stop using a tube amp at home? No, and it never will be.

 

[dmatthews]

I like both.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Seems there will always be division of thought regards tube amps and modelers. Unfortunately, until you've actually experienced both it's somewhat of a moot point because, well, you don't know, or you have not yet explored the other well enough to make any claim.

I can't give you examples of where one outperforms the other, simply because if I try to defend one compared to another, there invariably will be division of thought which causes strife.

Because I'm personally a peaceful man who eschews conflict, each of us should respect one another's opinions of their amps or modelers. Doing otherwise is only blowing your own horn or waving your own flag stating, "mine is better." To you, yes, yours may be better, but each one of us is not you.

Thanks for your time, and have a great day tomorrow.

CP, that is very peaceful of you. However, I think it's time we settled this question, once and for all!

I think we should line all the tube amp guys on one side, and all the modeler guys on the other. This is Festivus, so we'd start with feats of strength contests. After the airing of grievances, of course.

I suggest arm wresting first. Then perhaps team sports, so a tug of war.

 

[Gtrbldr]

CP, that is very peaceful of you. However, I think it's time we settled this question, once and for all!

I think we should line all the tube amp guys on one side, and all the modeler guys on the other. This is Festivus, so we'd start with feats of strength contests. After the airing of grievances, of course.

I suggest arm wresting first. Then perhaps team sports, so a tug of war.

I think the modeling guys will win in feats of strength. Simply because it is generally a younger crowd...

 

[11top]

I like both.

Me, too. I do get tired of dusting the cobwebs off my amps though.

 

[Wyzard]

Amp guy: Well cows cause global warming. That burger you just ate caused that -11 degree temperature last night.

Careful with that - some folks' heads may blow up


OTOH, the gear-grinding that goes with the inability to grok global/regional climate vs. weather can be moderately entertaining.

 

[Gtrbldr]

I love both as well, however my amp is just for kicks, the kemper and HXFX/iridium rig for gigs

 

[DISTORT6]

CP, that is very peaceful of you. However, I think it's time we settled this question, once and for all!

I think we should line all the tube amp guys on one side, and all the modeler guys on the other. This is Festivus, so we'd start with feats of strength contests. After the airing of grievances, of course.

I suggest arm wresting first. Then perhaps team sports, so a tug of war.

You’re such an athletic supporter!

 

[Steve's addiction]

Personally I'm in the amp camp but not opposed to modelers in certain situations. Our worship team guitarists use modelers and I think that's a great situation for them. I wouldn't mind having a modeler for recording but would use it in conjunction with the amp.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

CP, that is very peaceful of you. However, I think it's time we settled this question, once and for all!

I think we should line all the tube amp guys on one side, and all the modeler guys on the other. This is Festivus, so we'd start with feats of strength contests. After the airing of grievances, of course.

I suggest arm wresting first. Then perhaps team sports, so a tug of war.

NO SPEEDO !!

 

[azzkkr]

Amp guy: Kemper's are cool but they don't have the dynamics of a true tube amp.

Modeler guy: What's that pedal on the floor?

Amp guy: Oh it's a compressor. These tube amps are so loud when you play hard they will take your head off. I leave it on all the time.

Modeler guy: Where is your cabinet, I don't see it?

Amp guy: It's 3 houses down in a neighbor's basement. They don't mind too much!

Modeler guy: What about tube manufacturing causing toxic waste in the environment?

Amp guy: Well cows cause global warming. That burger you just ate caused that -11 degree temperature last night.

Modeler guy: I like playing at any volume I want and still get that character of warm tubes. What's that in your ears?

Amp guy: Oh I wear ear protection to block out 90% of the sound. I've got bad tinnitus now but the ringing in my ears helps me tune my guitars better!

(Any resemblance of Amp guy and Modeler guy to anyone in this forum is strictly coincidental, your results may vary and remember your ears are still analog)

I have both….an arsenal of tube amps as well as a Kemper. Profiled all my amps and they sound pretty decent and authentic. But at the end of the day I use my 4 Channel Blueface Diezel VH4 via a Cab Clone for all professional recording work, as Alternative I used to also use my BF Drev but since UAD released the Dream 65 pedal I retired the DREV and use one of the two systems…..and the Kemper remains gathering dust in my studio….

 

[BrianC]

I have both! More tools are better. Each has their own use.

I have 3 of the best tube amps money can buy - love them.

I also have a Line 6 PodGo. The Go has the same tones as its big brothers just less processing power for more options. I find I miss my amps less and less as I am in an apt temporarily and the band I am in are direct to PA. I have the Go dialed in to get close to my amps - its surprisingly good!

I also DO NOT miss dragging heavy stuff around!! Pretty much 1 trip and good to go!!