Best amp emulation

You-S4-It said:
I have both a Kemper, AX8 and an original Ultra. The Kemper is great for the "snapshots" of amps but once you start tweaking from that it does fall off a bit. ( I akin it to photoshopping a picture. At some point, you fall off so far you're best to take a new photo and start again from there). I have lots of Kemper profiles of the same amp at multiple settings and values. It works best that way and does sound great.
The AX8 is great for portability and tweaking is more "amp-tuitive". The quality and volume of effects are better than the Kemper. I trucked around the Kemper rack until I got the Ax8 so that goes to the shows these days and the Kemper stays at home. Having it all on a single stomp/floor pedal version is one less thing I don't need to carry.
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Nothing fits everyone or every situation.
What do you use for backline if any? Straight to PA? What's your setup?
 
rnodern said:
home studio. I used to use Line6 Podfarm platinum for amp heads, turn the cabinets off and then run it through Poulin LeCab for cabinet emulations. But since moving to a 64bit DAW, I foolishly "upgraded" to Line6 Helix... If anyone is in the same boat..DON'T! it's HORRIBLE. It takes so much time to get an okay tone. Furthermore, it doesn't have basic things in it that it absolutely should...Like a TUNER for example... Now i just mic up my Mesa
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Too bad your experience with Native is so bad. Aside from the tuner, maybe it's just a learning curve? I agree about the software lacking a tuner - for shame - but my DAW came with one, plus I have one mounted in my rack, AND one in my hardware Helix...so not really a deal breaker for me - but I could see the issue if you didn't own a tuner. It's good you pointed that for full-disclosure!!
 
dmatthews said:
Nothing fits everyone or every situation.
What do you use for backline if any? Straight to PA? What's your setup?
Click to expand...

I split the AX8 signal straight to PA (IEM returns) and have a Xitone 12" combo cab fitted with a Matrix GT-1000FX-2U amp for a FRFR backline. Depending upon the venue, I sometimes forgo the Xitone/Matrix cab. It's built like a tank and unfortunately, weighs like one too. Hoping someday there will be a decent FRFR neodymium speaker to lighten the load. I like to "feel the air" but my aching back tells me otherwise...
 
You-S4-It said:
I split the AX8 signal straight to PA (IEM returns) and have a Xitone 12" combo cab fitted with a Matrix GT-1000FX-2U amp for a FRFR backline. Depending upon the venue, I sometimes forgo the Xitone/Matrix cab. It's built like a tank and unfortunately, weighs like one too. Hoping someday there will be a decent FRFR neodymium speaker to lighten the load. I like to "feel the air" but my aching back tells me otherwise...
Click to expand...
Thanks for that.
I have been using a Yamaha DXR10 for backline, and it sounds great. That being said I want more pant flapping on stage so I have a Xitone MBritt open/closed 12" powered cab on order.
Quite a bit heavier than the DXR10, but I'm hoping it'll be worth it.
 
Good luck with the Mbritt.. that came out after I had my custom cab made several years back. Specs looks awesome. I moved up from monitors as well. Started with Yamaha studios and then non-FRFR monitors for live - which didn't last very long!). The Xitone pushes air pretty good but again, it's not a 4 x 12 so keep it within expectation. When's it due in?

Here' my cab on the right, pre-AX8 when I was running just the Kemper and Ultra to give you an estimate of the size next to my (now dusty), JCM800.
It definitely weighs more than the Marshall. For live gigs, I put in on a tilting amp stand and it works well.
39379184140_5d69d87eee_z.jpg
 
You-S4-It said:
Good luck with the Mbritt.. that came out after I had my custom cab made several years back. Specs looks awesome. I moved up from monitors as well. Started with Yamaha studios and then non-FRFR monitors for live - which didn't last very long!). The Xitone pushes air pretty good but again, it's not a 4 x 12 so keep it within expectation. When's it due in?

Here' my cab on the right, pre-AX8 when I was running just the Kemper and Ultra to give you an estimate of the size next to my (now dusty), JCM800.
It definitely weighs more than the Marshall. For live gigs, I put in on a tilting amp stand and it works well.
39379184140_5d69d87eee_z.jpg
Click to expand...


Nice rig!
If I'm lucky, my Xitone will ship late this week. If not, then next week. Getting antsy...
 
markd21 said:
Too bad your experience with Native is so bad. Aside from the tuner, maybe it's just a learning curve? I agree about the software lacking a tuner - for shame - but my DAW came with one, plus I have one mounted in my rack, AND one in my hardware Helix...so not really a deal breaker for me - but I could see the issue if you didn't own a tuner. It's good you pointed that for full-disclosure!!
Click to expand...
Quite possibly a learning curve. But I've spent some serious time trying to figure it out and i still can't do the things I want to do. Here's what i used to do with Pod Farm.
1) Track rhythm guitars, pan hard L&R, send that to a stereo bus with Helix/Pod farm on it.
2) Setup a stereo patch on Helix. One amp head for left, another amp head for right. Send output of that to Lecab Poulin with my custom impulse responses.

Pod farm would do this no issues. But helix seems to mix the output to Centre. So lets say i only send it my left guitar track, Helix routes it to both left and right. Can's seem to find a way to get around this.
 
rnodern said:
Quite possibly a learning curve. But I've spent some serious time trying to figure it out and i still can't do the things I want to do. Here's what i used to do with Pod Farm.
1) Track rhythm guitars, pan hard L&R, send that to a stereo bus with Helix/Pod farm on it.
2) Setup a stereo patch on Helix. One amp head for left, another amp head for right. Send output of that to Lecab Poulin with my custom impulse responses.

Pod farm would do this no issues. But helix seems to mix the output to Centre. So lets say i only send it my left guitar track, Helix routes it to both left and right. Can's seem to find a way to get around this.
Click to expand...

Next time I sit down with it, I'll mess with it. I usually don't do that type of thing...I have a potential idea. The downer is that I don't/can't/won't have access/desire to the IR aspect. But I do have an idea....
 
markd21 said:
Next time I sit down with it, I'll mess with it. I usually don't do that type of thing...I have a potential idea. The downer is that I don't/can't/won't have access/desire to the IR aspect. But I do have an idea....
Click to expand...
Thanks, buddy. Any help would be appreciated. Right now it's just sitting there, wasting money. Mic'ing up the Mesa just adds complexity to recording guitars at home, as the mic placement is never perfect every time, and i can always hear subtle differences. So ideally, I'd love to get Helix working.
 
Don’t think I’ve see it mentioned. But I’m using an atomic AmpliFireBox direct to FOH and IEM’s. I have owned quite a few modelers over the years. Going back to a Johnson Millenium rig. Which I still have. Been meaning to fire it up, and if it works, maybe make a video or something.

Anyway I chose the AFB for simplicity. I think too much when I have the option of 17 Marshalls, 13 Fenders, etc, etc. That’s before you even get to cabs and mics. Then there are the FX. Sooooo many options to chose from. What kind of reverb do I use? Stereo ping pong or slap back delay? The pink flanger or the brown one? Do I want a tremolo or stereo planner? Etc.

So I wanted something that could do one amp well. Then I could put some pedals around it, and have any parameter I needed to change at my finger tips. But also a limit to the number of option set. Not that the other modelers are complicated. It’s just too easy for me to go, maybe I should use a tape delay instead of the analog one I have set up. So instead of tweaking the setting on the pedal I end up changing pedals and tweaking, and repeating, and just having too many options. And never being satisfied and thinking some could be better.

I want to be playing and think, hmm that’s too many repeats. Turn down the feedback. Oops. Too far. Split the difference. Yep that’ll work. Done. Back to playing. Which I should focus on so that maybe one day I’ll be a better player. :)
 
Matte82 said:
Don’t think I’ve see it mentioned. But I’m using an atomic AmpliFireBox direct to FOH and IEM’s. I have owned quite a few modelers over the years. Going back to a Johnson Millenium rig. Which I still have. Been meaning to fire it up, and if it works, maybe make a video or something.

Anyway I chose the AFB for simplicity. I think too much when I have the option of 17 Marshalls, 13 Fenders, etc, etc. That’s before you even get to cabs and mics. Then there are the FX. Sooooo many options to chose from. What kind of reverb do I use? Stereo ping pong or slap back delay? The pink flanger or the brown one? Do I want a tremolo or stereo planner? Etc.

So I wanted something that could do one amp well. Then I could put some pedals around it, and have any parameter I needed to change at my finger tips. But also a limit to the number of option set. Not that the other modelers are complicated. It’s just too easy for me to go, maybe I should use a tape delay instead of the analog one I have set up. So instead of tweaking the setting on the pedal I end up changing pedals and tweaking, and repeating, and just having too many options. And never being satisfied and thinking some could be better.

I want to be playing and think, hmm that’s too many repeats. Turn down the feedback. Oops. Too far. Split the difference. Yep that’ll work. Done. Back to playing. Which I should focus on so that maybe one day I’ll be a better player. :)
Click to expand...

I really want a firebox too. Like you said I like the idea of the simplicity of just turning a few knobs and not getting too bogged down in options. That and they have a cornford amp model.
 
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