www.shortscale.org

[dots]

due to lack repair center options in my area, the jvm is still on the fritz, meaning my $2000-overkill method of silent recording is out. i've been getting along going direct into my firepod from the guitar and just letting plugins do the dirty work in cakewalk (the free for which is incredible), but as mentioned in the pub, long-term viability of software is proving dubious. i'd like to check out some moderately priced ($100 - 500) outboard options. i am way more okay with committing my tonal decisions to "tape" than trying to locate working VSTs or approximating equivalent workarounds years later.

i've had digitechs of varying models, a boss gt-6, and even have a line6 toneport st. jimmy left at my house indefinitely. the problem with that last option is it, again, is software driven with it being a USB interface. i tried testing out its features, but i apparently will need to buy plugins to make it work effectively. while i may very well end up deciding to invest in 1s and 0s, i'd prefer dialing up sound options outside the DAW. hell, even plugging a stomp box into the signal chain would be preferable (and is totally doable), requiring a cab simulator for authenticity, tho...

anyway, so what does this space look like now for someone of modest means? i'm down with used options, too, as long as it's reliable and would at least try to avoid software.
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[BearBoy]

You could try some of those Joyo/Harley Benton Tech21 clones?
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[Doog]

I've got their AC Tone (copy of a Sansamp), and the speaker simulation when used DI really isn't that good; it's just an EQ shape really.

I'd sooner go for something like the little Mooer preamps, I've also been eyeing up their Vox-alike:




Link

Dual channel, proper impulse responses for the cab sim which you can always turn on-and-off, teeny weeny, fit right on your pedalboard.
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musics

[sunshiner]

I don't have any experience with it, but I'd like to try a Digitech RP360XP processor. Demos on youtube sound ok, the interface seems to be very intuitive and it's cheap

Link


Edit: well, it's not that cheap. Only in comparison with other processors
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[dots]

^i like this!

[Doog]

They do the LIVE too, which is all (?) of the preamp flavours in one unit, plus other fancy shit



And you can play with a computer-based editor to really tweak shit if you wanna, AND it has a 'Capture' thing which will model your real amp via some kind of voodoo magic.
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musics

[dots]

fuuuuuu

this is awesome, thank you so much for the detail!
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[kingkiller]

[Doog]

[NickS]

There's a Mooer Preamp Live on Reverb second-hand for £240 right now, I notice.

[Bacchus]

I wonder how the capture thing works. Like a budget Kemper?
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[NickS]

Thread on Rig-Talk

[Doog]

There's a few decent videos on YT; it seems like it uses the FX loop to model your irl amp's preamp, rather than by miking a speaker cab to model the whole sound a la the Kemper.
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musics

[Bacchus]

Still cool.
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[Gabriel]

I've been playing direct for the past couple of years both practicing and live with IEMs.

The best I've heard was using an Axe-fx but not far off was the Positive Grid Bias Amp software. I paid about $50 for it and am using it with a behringher um204hd which was a pretty cheap interface. Also I like to use the standalone software version and not the plugin, it's much less distracting and the latency appears to be lower.

I also had good luck using a Zoom G5n, the amp models were a little fizzy but with a bit of EQing I got some very useable direct guitar tones. The last 4 months I used one of those Joyo sansamp clones. It sucked for playing live, there is just no response and it lacks any kind of low end grunt.
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www.gabrielwareing.com