You’re absolutely right. The technology has come SO far since the early 2000s, and modelers and sims sound just as good as tube amps these days. Hell, some of them sound BETTER than their tube counterparts. I love Helix Native, I love my Quad Cortex (won it at Balaguer’s Gear Fest last year, shoutout to Joe and team!). They do just about EVERYTHING I need them to, sonically. BUT there’s just something aesthetically satisfying about having a physical amp. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to this, but I LOVE turning knobs on an amp. I kind of like having a single amp where I’m limited to only the sounds that amp can make, and have to get creative with my playing. Having something physically in front of me just feels more inspiring than having a plugin loaded on my screen, even if that plugin sounds technically better, or is more versatile. I guess the point of my rant here is that yes, amp modelers and sims are DEFINITELY just as good, if not better than real amps, but I think we miss something really fun and inspiring about having a physical amp in the room. Does it just spending the money on a nice amp? Probably not. Is it the aging millennial in me doing all the talking? Absolutely, ya ding dang kids! End of the day, you gotta use what inspires YOU the most, right??
This is so true, I have a slime green KSR that just looks so good and sounds insane, I love messing around with it, admittedly these sims and modelers are closing the gap if they havent already. I have not been to a show in the past 3 years where a single tube amp was in sight, and it makes sense, but I will always love the look of a halfstack and amp.
@@seanbailey1156 for sure! I remember seeing Coheed and Cambria maybe 10 or so years ago in Philly, and there wasn’t a single amp on stage. They sounded GREAT, but it just looked off. I guess this really is an example of “guitarists shop with their eyes, not their ears,” and it’s important to be aware of that. Still, like I said before, I personally feel more inspired and motivated to play when I’m turning knobs on a physical amp. It doesn’t need to be the best of its kind, it doesn’t need to be 2 ton stack (back surgery ended the big rig phase of my life #ComboAmpSupremecy), but it just needs to do “the thing” for me.
@@GuitarsAndSynths the Helix is an incredible piece of equipment. All of my tracks from 2022 on were recorded with Helix Native, and I have a Quad Cortex now for live use (I still prefer the Helix, but I won the QC in a raffle). I LOVE having an amp to mess with though, at least for recording, and with the QC, I can clone my amp so I won’t have to lug it around when I play out!
yes the sound is the same...but its the feel when you stand in front of thecabinets...sims dont push the air the way a tube amp does...for me its all about the feel sims cant recreate that
I’ll never stop. Nothing more satisfying than the feel of cranking a tube amp in the room. I won’t dispute the recorded argument - but I’m playing for me, my enjoyment. If you’re doing it for home recording, enjoy your plug ins. But the joy of playing, for me, is not plugging into a Mac book 😅
@@david.dvdpm91 it’s similar, I would argue digital will never “feel” the same but in a band setting it’s 99.99% as good. Performance wise the audience won’t know or care. But my myself I want all analogue, the real thing. It’s just the most fun
great choice! one of the best amps ever made. Mesa, EVH, Marshall, Bogner, Friedman, Soldano, Diezel and ENGL make some of my favorite tube amps. Mezzabarba less known but fantastic tube amp custom hybrid of Marshall and Soldano.
@DreidMusicalX What people don't understand is that these guitar youtubers get gear free for reviewing it. I'm not hating I can afford almost anything I want within reason. Guitar youtubers are pimps pushing gear
The thing with amp modelers, since the technology is continuously evolving, the shelf life is more limited vs tube amps. A bit like a iPad, it will reach a point where there will be no more updates and support for your current version and you will have to buy the last gen. On the long run, digital will end up being more expensive than tube amps imho.
I've gone sorta hybrid these days. I've got a Synergy Syn2 feeding into my HX Stomp. I've A/Bed the native sims dialed as close as possible to the Syn modules I've got, and even using the same IRs I can pick them out in a blind test every time, even moreso when I'm playing them. Once they get fed to a power amp (even solid state), into a real speaker it's night and day differences still. That being said, I haven't had the opportunity to play a QC or Kemper. Another problem is DIY venues don't tend to have adequate support to manage going direct. Most of the heavy music venues in my area are community centers, dive bars, and smaller stage theaters without their own sound gear. They get lots of touring acts through them too. If they're in your situation, they're asking to borrow gear because the promotors PA is usually just 1 stage monitor and 2 PA speakers. That all being said, the digital sims out there do sound great, especially in a monitor mix. For larger touring acts, going full digital makes total sense. I'd say if you're still playing the types of venues mentioned above, bring a few of your own wedges on tour to share, or a solid state amp and a 112 cab just to be safe.
same here use my Line 6 HX Stomp when traveling and recording and tube amps/cabs at home. Probably will not buy any more tube amps. Too big and expensive. Maintenance is a problem too.
I agree that in a recording studio, no one could tell the difference. But being in front of a tube amp vs a modeler with a power amp. there is a difference. Not better or worse, just different.
Generally I have to agree with you. I do kind of think there’s a bit of a difference in how tube amps vs solid state amps vs digital modeling sounds, at least in room or just playing rather than in a mix, but at the same time everything sounds different. I think all these different things have their uses and inspire you differently, and if they sound different at all that’s a good thing because you can get more interesting and diverse tones. When I first got my helix I thought I would never play a tube amp again. About a month ago I got a new tube amp lol. That’s said, they are finicky and probably dying out. Just two weeks into owning this new one I had to replace the power tubes. I plan on continuing to use my tube amps but I also love my digital modeling. I would say that if you like the simplicity of a physical amp but don’t want to have to rely on tubes try something like the orange super crush. Incredible solid state amp.
@jtpark4046 actually did leave a comment saying that they were all plugins on the original video. I know that the Quad Cortex technically isn't a plugin, but it is digital, so I think it still counts.
I've been to a few local band presentations and tje one band with the best heavy sound used an amp sim on a laptop through a power amp and Orange 4x12 cab. Among Engl, Marshall an Fender amps.
@@GuitarsAndSynths Clerasrly you have no idea what you are talking about sport. Until you actually stand in fornt of a tube stack and feel the depth of sound and the visceral senstation, you have zero idea of reality. You're repeating what some clown on youtube said. Bad news..it wads bad information
I’ve been buying preamp kind of things to run in direct and then use an IR. I have a JMP-1, ADA-MP1 and just got the Revv G3. Have my eye on the KSR Vesta. I like the feel of doing it this way and I mess around a lot less knob tweaking. As to the speaker IRs, I figure that the people who made them have preamps, mics, studio spaces and engineering knowledge that I can never achieve in my bedroom so it makes sense to use them rather than trying half ass mic my own stuff.
I hear ya . The modelers are more versatile . I've been using 100 watt Marshalls for so long it's an adjustment to get used to certain aspects . Used the Fractal Fm9 mark 3 going to try a couple more .
I just sold my JSX because it was collecting dust while I used my helix for all my recording and live shows with my band. I still have my Laney Pro-Tube Lead that's from the 80s and some lunchbox heads, but honestly that's all that I think I need. I do want to get the Revv G20 amp at some point though, in case I ever want the option of having a hybrid tube amp/modeling rig.
I had a fancy (to me) Boss GT whatever with Midi and lots of other different available options within a click or two that sounded really good. There’s something about being able to sculpt what I’m looking for from a tube amplifier, cabinet, guitar and a few analog pedals. A much older retired friend was telling me about all of the different sounds possible through his Kemper and the benefits but that stuff just isn’t for me.
The thing is, guitar players are never happy with their "tone". So they keep buying different gear. Do they write an album of amazing songs? No. They just noodle around on their massively expensive collection of amps and other gear, never being satisfied with any of it. They go on forums and argue about all of it, and they keep buying more. I think it's some kind of mental illness. Psychiatrists should study it.
You can’t only think about the cool mix in your ears. Think about the average listener. A small detail - to make an inexpensive digital amp sound that will fill the entire room with sound, you will already need a very expensive high quality FRFR cabinet.
There is absolutely no way I would ever give up playing through an actual tube amp rig. But I also have nothing against modern digital tech. It has to be a God send for touring pros. Being more compact, light weight, consistent, dependable, etc. makes modelers very appealing.
Test 4-5 had me fooled. I love my tube amps and usually record with solid state just to get rid of the inconsistency of dying tubes and worn parts. Seeing how far the modelers have come, I may have to pick one up. Would make touring easier with load-in and load-out.
Focusing purely on tone might work for you, but not for me. Modelers sounds like 99% correct now. Feel wise, I'm sure they're also very close these days. The main problem for me is that modelers are completely uninspiring for me. You need to use a computer program to change your tone or menu dive on the unit itself. Real amps are literally reach out with my hand and twist a knob. Super easy, way faster and makes it more fun to me.
Have you played a modeler and a trube amp side by side to compare? How do you come up with this 99%? Is it because some youtuber said so and that makes it true?
There was a moment when I heard Overkill during soundcheck. The technician played the bass and everyone stopped talking and listened to this distinctive bass sound. We played a show on Saturday and I did the line check with my JVM. The faces in the audience reminded me of exactly this overkill moment. I use an EQ in the FX loop and play Drop C. The sound is very unique and stood out from all the Kempers that evening. Maybe I can reproduce my sound digitally. I'm definitely having a lot of fun with my tube amp and it's just ruining my back. As long as I can still carry the amp, I'll play tube amplifiers.
We live in a GOLDEN era of guitar gear and music production - the world is not yet blastered to shitters, but we still have awesome, affordable digital solutions and also decent machined hardware for budget prices. I still love tube amps, just because they have a rock'n'roll attitude to them, but you are on the money with it: in a recording environment, there is no difference in quality to be observed!
I'm seeing a lot of people talking about wanting to feel and move air. Most bands now that use QC also have a Seymour Duncan power amp so they can use their Quad cortexes that have captured their old amp heads, as heads themselves. Sounded great with knocked loose live. Seen a few bands using hx stomp as the amp and another using a pod go and sounded amazing, guy with a Kemper that sounded bad. Same story with the tube amp guys, awesome sounding Engl, Peavey, mesa and Marshall, bad sounding mesa and peavey. I would prefer an actual amp for aesthetic but my circumstances of transport and only starting in a band says rn to go get a pod go for now cuz easy to move around, just get a power amp to run a cab with it. Still plan to get an actual amp as soon as possible cuz they're awesome tho. Also didn't see the last video but I knew straight away with this one that there was no amp cuz I agree with your point. Ive also found that there are a lot of minute details in the difference in tone tbh and not just in high gain but also in cleans and ambient tones. Almost everything can work the way you want it to if you know what you're doing, great video as always! (also lets stop buying tube amps so they lower the pries so we can all buy lots of them!)
the thing is , that it's not about how tube amps sound vs digital , it's about the feel , the feeling you have when you are standing and play in front of you amp and cab , i love that feeling and i will always do , thats why i bought a new dual rectifier last week XD
I agree. That's why I got a Fender FR12 for my Quad Cortex. It gives that pushed air feeling to go along with the amp sim. The only thing I say that the amp sim doesn't do as good as tube amps is when you roll off the volume on the guitar, tube amps response is much better.
the amp isn't what's giving you that feeling, it's the cab. No reason to have tubes at all anymore unless you're using your amp to do squats or dead lifts.
I rather enjoy playing my modeler into my hot rod deville 212 and taking the effects loop out signal and going into my solid state ampeg micro stack with a 210 cabinet. The mix is so much fun, at home, but i would never lug all that around. I just love all the sounds.
Just a note... Play what makes you happy the most. What inspires your the most. What gives you the most joy. So you might stop buying them but that doesn't mean the rest of us will. They don't sound the best, definitely cumbersome, problematic, etc. etc. but they have something that makes them what they are and it cannot be substituted. So create as much videos you like about your opinion and valid points but people will still buy valve/tube amps just because they are what v8 cars and vinyl records are. Their own majestic entity that hopefully will last/
Get orange tiny terror amp. All tube, small enough and cheaper than bringing a MacBook with an amp sim. I seen a guy bringing a cheaper windows laptopy to a gig. OS crashed, dude was not happy
I actually switched to a solid state amp heads and use pedals for dirt. It’s way more responsive especially if you chug a lot. I’ve owned so many great tube amps like Bogner, Ampeg and Peavey Classic series. Recording I use modelers as they feel better to me and are easier to control. Really love the amp comparison. 🔥🔥🔥
Like you said, we all know why we love them. But if we’re talking metal, especially baritone or extended range, amp simulators have one HUGE advantage, which is not having to deal with the head space/room, making those lower registers much more clear when dialed in right. The only tube amp I have left to my name is my Engl fireball because out of all my years playing, that is my own personal favorite of all time (and that’s a bold statement) but it’s simple: a clean and overdriven channel that can hit every tone (including cleans all the way to the 9 string). But yea, I’m pretty much on your hot take.
I’m partial to hybrid tech like the Kraken V4 180. Put a GupTech Quebec pedal in the FX loop and an EQ up front and it sounds Huge! I’m interested in a QC with an Orange pedal baby. Considering cost, the new tech is so much more affordable and the mass amount of sims available are making tubes obsolete. I got tube amps and love them, but if I was starting now it would be modeling amps and power amps
While I agree with everything you said, the only thing I have to say is keep buying them so amp companies keep making them so we have new stuff to model after.
When you’re in a smaller DIY scene that doesn’t have good PAs or places to play, you definitely need a better amp. Tube amps punch through whenever you have to play loud though a cab with no mics. I use my Helix through a Marshall Origin 50w w/ a 2x12 for that reason. Loud enough if I need it but I also have the XLR out for whenever I get a chance to play bigger venues. Best of both worlds. 🤷🏻♂️
@@cleverg1555 still won't fill the space like a real amp, the digital is more linear in the direction of sound, won't fill the room, or you will need a very high-quality, expensive frfr cabinet, say, to push 700 watts of Seymour Duncan, in order to ultimately squeeze out of it something like a 50-watt tube amplifier
Good video. It's weird, my favourites were Tone 1 and 2, followed by 5. My least favourite was the Quad Cortex which surprises me, but that could just be down to the EQ settings for that particular patch. I've had my eye on the Andy James plugin for a while, and I've been keeping an eye out for a used Revenant pedal but they're like unicorn sh*t in the UK.
I just checked out your sound test video for the first time today. I really thought the QC was the ONLY tube amp lol. I could tell the others were digital though. They didn’t have the same juice to them that a tube amp has in a mix.
I have all on my pedalboard...a 100w tube amp included. I have the Amp1 from Bluguitar and you can add everything you like, or if this is not enough try the new AmpX... Small, compact and very lightweight... I like tube amps and I enjoy the sounds and the feeling. For recordings the other options are better and much easier.
A few weeks ago I bought the Kemper rack version with foot switch for 1300€ and I have to say that it is amazing and I still have the Orange Rockerverb MK1 and the transistor Orange Crush Pro 120. I want to create multiple profiles of the Rockerverb and sell them both. The same goes for pedals which I don't need because I have everything in kemper (if not better). All in all, I always like to play a tube amp and maybe I'll buy one just for fun and then pass it on to someone else in the future
I don’t use tube amps anymore because my old back so I’m with you on this topic..in a way..HOWEVER, nothing beats a real tube amp sound-wise..obviously. Another point is that the best amp modelling programmers have the “ears” and the know-how for it because they have had tube amps for a while.
Got my helix 4 years ago and have never looked back...so mich easier in all aspects, real gigging musicians such as myself would probably agree. The sound is there and at 10% space and weight
This video is from the standpoint of a touring musician. From the perspective of a touring musician it makes sense but this is only part of the market. A huge part of us are not touring musicians….the home player like myself from my perspective I care more about that feel and response and the feel i get out of playing my tube amps. That’s the one thing digital and modeling has yet to replicate. Period. I have nine tube heads currently and several solid states and digital stuff as well and they sound great but they don’t respond to pick aggression like my tubes do.
Local openers like Trivium and Revocation… However I agree with the general point. The Axe FX II and the Kemper were already basically indistinguishable from the real deal back in 2012. I still own a tube head and two cabs, as I still can’t make up my mind about selling them, even though I exclusively use a Kemper for years at this point.
I decided to get a Katana Artist for home practice. A friend got a small Marshall amp and had problems within 3 months and then again after the warranty ran out. The Amp tech to fix it is not located conveniently. No one ever seems to talk about the real issue being that Amp techs are becoming like the dinosaurs. It depends where you live but in some places an Amp tech could be many many miles away. Plus the other factor eg here in Australia is that tube amps are becoming ridiculously expensive to buy in the first place.
Next time go to a studio, a good one, record your stuff with mics amps room preamps etc (and someone who knows how to do it well).. and do the same riff with digital direct to recorder.
I agree and let me add some of my opinions,i have tube amps and also modeling amps and modeling floor units,when i play my tube amps they have to be fairly loud to sound good in the sweet tone zone,many of you guys may live in a apartment or even in a house where you cannot play at louder volumes so a tube amp is not really a good choice,a modeler would most likely be better also the cost of a tube amp and now the higher cost of replacement tubes may be a put off for many of us. I run my modelers into the effects return of my tube amps and get good tones that i like,i also modified my Peavey Vypyr 15w combo with a 1/4" output jack so i can run it into my Marshall 4x12 1960a cab,i use the clean fender deluxe green amp model on the Vypyr to run my other modeling units into and it sounds very good and tube like!It is amazing how loud it is for 15w into 4ohms!You can buy a used Peavey Vypyr 15 for around $50 or $60 and that is much cheaper then buying other power amps for your modeler!I took the peavey metal amp enclosure out of the amp box and put it in my rack space. If you do not have any guitar speaker cabinets try a good FRFR for your modeler or studio monitors,i heard the new Fender Tone Master FRFR Powered Amps sound good,i like to run my modelers into a real guitar speaker cab for more life like tube amp modeled tone!
I think people should look more into buying USED tube amps, and otherwise, solid state amps, "amp in a box" preamps, digital modelers, and AI tone cloners have all gotten good enough to the point you don't need physical amps. Just use an IR loader and go straight to FoH, or just get some sort of power amp and go that route.
Some years ago I have seen a youtube-video of an Ampero (1st Gen) using nearly perfect high-gain sounds - then I decided to sell my tubeamps, get an Ampero and I was happy all about this! No regrets! No change in gain/sound characteristics anymore when changing volume between practicing and playing with others. So many slots for saving presets and even adding custom IRs on such a small and (!) touchscreen device was an absolute gamechanger! Meanwhile I even got a Fractal FM3 and upgraded from Ampero 1st Gen to Ampero II stomp (as I wanted to be able to create parallel and more versatile effectchains). And guess what? I'm still using the Ampero over the way more expensive Fractal FM3 - just because it has a way better user interface. It's more straight forward. If I need to dial in a sound, I'll create a new tool-chain from scratch within minutes. For the FM3 I need a computer for creating presets nearly as fast. It lacks of usability. But I'm sure if there would be a Fractal FM9 using a big touchscreen, I'd like to try it. But as nearly every modeler supporting custom IRs sounds great nowadays, it's the usability you have to look for ;)
I swear to god, I was just waiting on the day someone else would pull a glen fricker and do one of these tests where it shows you how wrong you are. Great job proving all the tube elitists wrong.
I have tube amps, solid state, and modelers. They're all great in their own right. I have as much fun with my Helix and FRFR as I do w/ my Archon and Mesa cab. Honestly, I watched this video while doing something else. Every time I heard what I thought was a real amp, I would turn and look and found I was wrong. Good job on the mislead there! Bottom line: whatever makes you enjoy playing, do that. There's no wrong answer. Additionally, I have put my amps up against a modeler and FRFR, to even test for myself the "amp in the room" argument. If the modeler and speaker are good, it is just as satisfying. At least to me. But, it's all down to using the gear that gets you to that place. The zone where you fade away and the music is all that exists. Keep rocking, y'all. \,,/
I'm about to make the financial decision to buy a quad cortex solely for the reason that I had a shoulder injury about 7-8 years ago, and after the recovery, it just gets very hard to have to carry around all of my heavy gear.
Pretty much true. I have tube amps, Katana mk2 and several plugins. They all sound very good, but the tube amp still feels the best to play. It's not that noticeable unless you play them back to back though. Digital is quite impressive these days to say the least.
I hear where you’re coming from, but I have one question. Do the lower gain sounds and such sound a good as the high gain tones? I am from the old school train of thought, that tube amps are the way to go. But honestly, if I was younger and on the road touring now, it would definitely be with a digital rig.
Well, first of all, I see a half stack back there, in the 80s I was carrying around a 200 W marshal, major and 100 W super Bass guitar, I was too loud everywhere I went, went to play in the hockey arena that seated 20,000 people, at sound check I played two chords in the sound, man said, can you turn down, rockstar, and can tell your sound man to shut up, almost unusable, without a attenuator, which brings me to, I’ve been using two or 3 15 watt or watt amps, they sound great they’re light to carry you can use them anywhere, I’ve used a few of the different digital things also, but ended up going back to the amps
Watch the full version of Fix - Blackstreet feat. Slash and you will never sell your tube amp(s). Only problem is you can't find the full version on YT anymore, lots of guitar parts have been cut. Please let us know in a few weeks time if this is your most disliked video. I start with the first dislike, haha.
The only argument I can make for tube amps is that people are still playing tube amps from 40 years ago. Will we be able to say the same about amp sims? How long will it take for Neural DSP to decide they will stop supporting the Quad Cortex to force us to buy the next thing.
It probably has to do with what speakers youre using to listen to it. Because I'm wearing Bose QC 45 and I could instantly tell the first one was an amp sim. The only one that sounded like a real amp, imo, was Amp 2.
Obviously it is impossible. The use of your sound cannot give a tube amp the opportunity to say his thing. Not anyone use max distortion, with no dynamics.
I would agree that if your talking about modern drop tuned metal with mountains of gain, it's near impossible to tell the difference these days. Now do this same test playing the Highway to hell riff with a low gain amp at high volume. You still can't get that tone with plug-ins or solid state amps unless you REALLY know what you're doing with the post production process. It's easier to just stick a mic in front of a valve amp
As much as I love massive tube amps and own a few, hardware modeling amps into FRFR cabs are the future. Here is why- most do not play stadiums and want to record to a DAW and modelers make that way easier and quality of tones has improved on modelers. The maintenance of tubes is a pain as few can repair them. Love the feel and sound of my tube amps but since I play at home, recording simplicity is key. I probably buy a Fractal Axe FX III into small pedal power amp and cab instead of buying another expensive tube amp like a 5k Diezel.
In my opinion, that's not such a straight-forward matter. There's place for both tube amps and modellers, now and in the future. I'm a tube amp user only, i don't have the need to use modellers, but i see the good tone, convenience and practicality of them. I also understand that in a live situation, few could tell the difference between any of them (tube vs modeller). Another important thing to mention is that a lot of people making these comparisons usually forget to explain the difference between hearing in person and in videos like in youtube. In recording, sound can be enhanced/improved or can deteriorate (if not done properly), and i'm saying this is the case in this video particularly, i'm speaking in general. That being said, for me (my personal experience), is that although modellers do sound great and are very practical, i'm still to hear a digital sound that compares to tube amps (in person, in front of the amps and cabs). There is a noticeable difference in sound and amp response. So, if you tell me that you can sound great live and don't "break your back" with modellers, i do agree with you. But if you tell me tube amps are doomed and are equal in sound or worst than modellers, i do strongly disagree. For me, modellers are a great (if not the best) option for touring musicians. For the touring musicians that have a team carrying their gear, for the home players (that have the space and can turn the amps volume up) or the studio, tube amps are an amazing option (the best for me, my experience and my taste). So bottom line, it's all a matter of aplication.
Hey man. You talked about SOUND as the most important factor. What about FEEL? Do digital modellers FEEL the same as tubeamps? In my opinion the answer is: NOT EVEN CLOSE.
For me is a thing of commitment. If I have a thing that cost me a lot of savings and effort to get, I feel more into plugging that thing and enjoy it, like my reward system works that way...IDK, like having everything just a couple of clicks away makes me want to ignore it. Maybe I'm old fashioned, or just a weird guy who develops an unhealthy attachment to things hehehe 😅
I have been playing my fender tonemaster deluxe reverb now for almost 5 years doing pubgigs in a classic rock coverband , and yes , not one person has noticed it's an digital amp , so go figure .
I feel a modeler into a tube power amp and real cabinet is the best, for me anyways. I get the flexibility of a modeler, the feel of a tube amp and the "amp in the room sound". I tried the frfr thing and hated it. While it sounds good, it doesn't sound or feel like an actual amp.
Well sure makes a difference live …well for me it does ..as someone who has all the modlers ..my tube amps just smoke the modlers I have ..and I run my modlers with tube power amps
Hey Ray, I'm understanding your point here that we don't need giant freaking 100 watt tube heads anymore like giant Marshall heads, Dual/Triple Rectfiers, Diezels, and stuff like that, but here's my question, what about mid sized heads that aren't massive and heavy like the Mesa Mark or the 5150III 50w heads or small lunchbox amps like the PRS MT15? They can fit in a rack, are cheaper and sure they may not be as big and beefy as the big boys but they're cheaper (maybe not the Mesa stuff lol), take up a less space (a lot less if you're going the lunchbox route), are a hell of a lot lighter and don't require as much upkeep as their bigger brethren. Sure you're limited to that sound so that flexibility isn't there but what if that's the sound you always wanted? They won't sound too much different from the big bois either to even notice. Just sort of food for thought.
I got a Boss Katana MKII (Modeler) & a Revv G20 (Tube). They both sound REALLY good. I use the Katana for teaching so a kid doesn't have to haul their amp to a lesson. I'm using my Revv because I like the feeling from it as I play it. I do play my Katana but I play my Revv 99% of the time. I don't see the sound being different enough to say one is better than the other though. I say it's a matter of preference to the player, like all guitar gear should be. If I was still playing live shows I'd probably take a Quad Cortex for the shows but I'd be more willing to take a mini tube head & a 2 X 12 Cabinet & practice at home through that mini head & cabinet. Nobody else will notice, just I'll know what I'm using.
I def think everyone should stop buying amps. So more are available for me and Mark Lewis to buy.
You sly fella, you 😈
Very sneaky Fluff...
No more tube amps => no more new material to virtualize => no more new evolution=> Q.E.D
You get spoiled for choice now for tube amps on the market because nobody wants to buy them 😆 that's the irony!
I agree with fluff please stop so I can buy them 😊😊
Yeah stop buying them so maybe the ridiculous prices will come down
You’re absolutely right. The technology has come SO far since the early 2000s, and modelers and sims sound just as good as tube amps these days. Hell, some of them sound BETTER than their tube counterparts.
I love Helix Native, I love my Quad Cortex (won it at Balaguer’s Gear Fest last year, shoutout to Joe and team!). They do just about EVERYTHING I need them to, sonically.
BUT there’s just something aesthetically satisfying about having a physical amp. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to this, but I LOVE turning knobs on an amp. I kind of like having a single amp where I’m limited to only the sounds that amp can make, and have to get creative with my playing. Having something physically in front of me just feels more inspiring than having a plugin loaded on my screen, even if that plugin sounds technically better, or is more versatile.
I guess the point of my rant here is that yes, amp modelers and sims are DEFINITELY just as good, if not better than real amps, but I think we miss something really fun and inspiring about having a physical amp in the room. Does it just spending the money on a nice amp? Probably not. Is it the aging millennial in me doing all the talking? Absolutely, ya ding dang kids!
End of the day, you gotta use what inspires YOU the most, right??
Edit: “Does it JUSTIFY spending the money on a nice amp? probably not.”
This is so true, I have a slime green KSR that just looks so good and sounds insane, I love messing around with it, admittedly these sims and modelers are closing the gap if they havent already. I have not been to a show in the past 3 years where a single tube amp was in sight, and it makes sense, but I will always love the look of a halfstack and amp.
@@seanbailey1156 for sure! I remember seeing Coheed and Cambria maybe 10 or so years ago in Philly, and there wasn’t a single amp on stage. They sounded GREAT, but it just looked off.
I guess this really is an example of “guitarists shop with their eyes, not their ears,” and it’s important to be aware of that. Still, like I said before, I personally feel more inspired and motivated to play when I’m turning knobs on a physical amp. It doesn’t need to be the best of its kind, it doesn’t need to be 2 ton stack (back surgery ended the big rig phase of my life #ComboAmpSupremecy), but it just needs to do “the thing” for me.
my Helix stomp requires zero maintenance, is portable and free amp/cab updates. My grab and go jam tool.
@@GuitarsAndSynths the Helix is an incredible piece of equipment. All of my tracks from 2022 on were recorded with Helix Native, and I have a Quad Cortex now for live use (I still prefer the Helix, but I won the QC in a raffle). I LOVE having an amp to mess with though, at least for recording, and with the QC, I can clone my amp so I won’t have to lug it around when I play out!
yes the sound is the same...but its the feel when you stand in front of thecabinets...sims dont push the air the way a tube amp does...for me its all about the feel sims cant recreate that
Thank you! Finally a voice of reason
You can pry my tube amps and walls of speaker cabinets from my cold, dead hands
I’ll never stop. Nothing more satisfying than the feel of cranking a tube amp in the room. I won’t dispute the recorded argument - but I’m playing for me, my enjoyment. If you’re doing it for home recording, enjoy your plug ins. But the joy of playing, for me, is not plugging into a Mac book 😅
amen to that.
Absolutely.
what about a modeler through a power amp and then to a cab? anyways that's what.a lot of bands do for stage sound, its the same feeling
@@david.dvdpm91 it’s similar, I would argue digital will never “feel” the same but in a band setting it’s 99.99% as good. Performance wise the audience won’t know or care. But my myself I want all analogue, the real thing. It’s just the most fun
I agree. A plug in amp is good for the neighbours though, haha.
I stopped buying them in 2004, when I bought the only one I'd ever need... 5150 II
🤘
Such an awesome amp.
great choice! one of the best amps ever made. Mesa, EVH, Marshall, Bogner, Friedman, Soldano, Diezel and ENGL make some of my favorite tube amps. Mezzabarba less known but fantastic tube amp custom hybrid of Marshall and Soldano.
"Good tone is heavy and hard to carry" - Tom Bukovac
"Whatever you gotta tell yourself man." - the guy standing next to him.
Bukovac is tha Man!!!👍
With Tonex one, it's lightweight babyyyyyyyyyy.
"Excuses make me puke." - Real men
I literally just bought my first tube amp, and you come out with this!
It’s just his opinion, it doesn’t mean you have to stop liking tube amps.
@@markolivares6943 Of course, my comment was in jest.
You can do both. Most of us do. I just think the prices are outrageous for all this gear. Tube amps or modelers.
Ok.... Now.... Stop....... Hahaha Jk.... Which one did you get???
@DreidMusicalX What people don't understand is that these guitar youtubers get gear free for reviewing it. I'm not hating I can afford almost anything I want within reason. Guitar youtubers are pimps pushing gear
The thing with amp modelers, since the technology is continuously evolving, the shelf life is more limited vs tube amps. A bit like a iPad, it will reach a point where there will be no more updates and support for your current version and you will have to buy the last gen. On the long run, digital will end up being more expensive than tube amps imho.
a brand new 6505II 120w head is cheaper than a quad cortex or a helix or a FM9
I've gone sorta hybrid these days. I've got a Synergy Syn2 feeding into my HX Stomp. I've A/Bed the native sims dialed as close as possible to the Syn modules I've got, and even using the same IRs I can pick them out in a blind test every time, even moreso when I'm playing them. Once they get fed to a power amp (even solid state), into a real speaker it's night and day differences still. That being said, I haven't had the opportunity to play a QC or Kemper.
Another problem is DIY venues don't tend to have adequate support to manage going direct. Most of the heavy music venues in my area are community centers, dive bars, and smaller stage theaters without their own sound gear. They get lots of touring acts through them too. If they're in your situation, they're asking to borrow gear because the promotors PA is usually just 1 stage monitor and 2 PA speakers.
That all being said, the digital sims out there do sound great, especially in a monitor mix. For larger touring acts, going full digital makes total sense. I'd say if you're still playing the types of venues mentioned above, bring a few of your own wedges on tour to share, or a solid state amp and a 112 cab just to be safe.
same here use my Line 6 HX Stomp when traveling and recording and tube amps/cabs at home. Probably will not buy any more tube amps. Too big and expensive. Maintenance is a problem too.
You’re a light in the darkness, brother, and I appreciate you
I agree that in a recording studio, no one could tell the difference. But being in front of a tube amp vs a modeler with a power amp. there is a difference. Not better or worse, just different.
Generally I have to agree with you. I do kind of think there’s a bit of a difference in how tube amps vs solid state amps vs digital modeling sounds, at least in room or just playing rather than in a mix, but at the same time everything sounds different. I think all these different things have their uses and inspire you differently, and if they sound different at all that’s a good thing because you can get more interesting and diverse tones. When I first got my helix I thought I would never play a tube amp again. About a month ago I got a new tube amp lol. That’s said, they are finicky and probably dying out. Just two weeks into owning this new one I had to replace the power tubes. I plan on continuing to use my tube amps but I also love my digital modeling. I would say that if you like the simplicity of a physical amp but don’t want to have to rely on tubes try something like the orange super crush. Incredible solid state amp.
@jtpark4046 actually did leave a comment saying that they were all plugins on the original video. I know that the Quad Cortex technically isn't a plugin, but it is digital, so I think it still counts.
Came to comment the same thing.
You were definitely the closest!
Don't forget the maintenance especially if you don't know what you are doing, taking your amp to a tech is nerve wracking
I've been to a few local band presentations and tje one band with the best heavy sound used an amp sim on a laptop through a power amp and Orange 4x12 cab. Among Engl, Marshall an Fender amps.
what is a "tje one band"
It’s not sound, it’s the feel that digital hasn’t replaced “yet”.
a small pedal tube amp fixes that issue and still portable.
@@GuitarsAndSynths Clerasrly you have no idea what you are talking about sport. Until you actually stand in fornt of a tube stack and feel the depth of sound and the visceral senstation, you have zero idea of reality. You're repeating what some clown on youtube said. Bad news..it wads bad information
I’ve been buying preamp kind of things to run in direct and then use an IR. I have a JMP-1, ADA-MP1 and just got the Revv G3. Have my eye on the KSR Vesta. I like the feel of doing it this way and I mess around a lot less knob tweaking.
As to the speaker IRs, I figure that the people who made them have preamps, mics, studio spaces and engineering knowledge that I can never achieve in my bedroom so it makes sense to use them rather than trying half ass mic my own stuff.
I hear ya . The modelers are more versatile . I've been using 100 watt Marshalls for so long it's an adjustment to get used to certain aspects . Used the Fractal Fm9 mark 3 going to try a couple more .
Makes little sense to me, if you recommend others, not to use tube amps and then a JVM is standing in the background...
I agree 100%, but! there will always be something special about MOVING SOME AIR!
Another reason for folks to stop buying amps (although not necessarily cabs) is the new Tone X One by IK Multimedia.
I just sold my JSX because it was collecting dust while I used my helix for all my recording and live shows with my band. I still have my Laney Pro-Tube Lead that's from the 80s and some lunchbox heads, but honestly that's all that I think I need. I do want to get the Revv G20 amp at some point though, in case I ever want the option of having a hybrid tube amp/modeling rig.
I had a fancy (to me) Boss GT whatever with Midi and lots of other different available options within a click or two that sounded really good. There’s something about being able to sculpt what I’m looking for from a tube amplifier, cabinet, guitar and a few analog pedals. A much older retired friend was telling me about all of the different sounds possible through his Kemper and the benefits but that stuff just isn’t for me.
The thing is, guitar players are never happy with their "tone". So they keep buying different gear. Do they write an album of amazing songs? No. They just noodle around on their massively expensive collection of amps and other gear, never being satisfied with any of it. They go on forums and argue about all of it, and they keep buying more. I think it's some kind of mental illness. Psychiatrists should study it.
As a tube amp owner, you are correct. Amp sims have got so good.
That hurt me to say that but it is true.
You can’t only think about the cool mix in your ears. Think about the average listener. A small detail - to make an inexpensive digital amp sound that will fill the entire room with sound, you will already need a very expensive high quality FRFR cabinet.
Amen got an axe fx 2 years ago and never looked back !!!!
There is absolutely no way I would ever give up playing through an actual tube amp rig. But I also have nothing against modern digital tech. It has to be a God send for touring pros. Being more compact, light weight, consistent, dependable, etc. makes modelers very appealing.
I just got started buying tube amps, now I've got to sell them? :(
Just bought an orange rocker 32 after I played a solid state orange. A whole new world….
Test 4-5 had me fooled. I love my tube amps and usually record with solid state just to get rid of the inconsistency of dying tubes and worn parts. Seeing how far the modelers have come, I may have to pick one up. Would make touring easier with load-in and load-out.
Focusing purely on tone might work for you, but not for me. Modelers sounds like 99% correct now. Feel wise, I'm sure they're also very close these days. The main problem for me is that modelers are completely uninspiring for me. You need to use a computer program to change your tone or menu dive on the unit itself. Real amps are literally reach out with my hand and twist a knob. Super easy, way faster and makes it more fun to me.
Have you played a modeler and a trube amp side by side to compare? How do you come up with this 99%? Is it because some youtuber said so and that makes it true?
I love both. I’m not so campy and dogmatic about that sort of thing. If it sounds good, and it’s fun to play, then I’ll use it.
There was a moment when I heard Overkill during soundcheck. The technician played the bass and everyone stopped talking and listened to this distinctive bass sound. We played a show on Saturday and I did the line check with my JVM. The faces in the audience reminded me of exactly this overkill moment. I use an EQ in the FX loop and play Drop C. The sound is very unique and stood out from all the Kempers that evening. Maybe I can reproduce my sound digitally. I'm definitely having a lot of fun with my tube amp and it's just ruining my back. As long as I can still carry the amp, I'll play tube amplifiers.
We live in a GOLDEN era of guitar gear and music production - the world is not yet blastered to shitters, but we still have awesome, affordable digital solutions and also decent machined hardware for budget prices.
I still love tube amps, just because they have a rock'n'roll attitude to them, but you are on the money with it: in a recording environment, there is no difference in quality to be observed!
I'm seeing a lot of people talking about wanting to feel and move air. Most bands now that use QC also have a Seymour Duncan power amp so they can use their Quad cortexes that have captured their old amp heads, as heads themselves. Sounded great with knocked loose live. Seen a few bands using hx stomp as the amp and another using a pod go and sounded amazing, guy with a Kemper that sounded bad. Same story with the tube amp guys, awesome sounding Engl, Peavey, mesa and Marshall, bad sounding mesa and peavey. I would prefer an actual amp for aesthetic but my circumstances of transport and only starting in a band says rn to go get a pod go for now cuz easy to move around, just get a power amp to run a cab with it. Still plan to get an actual amp as soon as possible cuz they're awesome tho. Also didn't see the last video but I knew straight away with this one that there was no amp cuz I agree with your point. Ive also found that there are a lot of minute details in the difference in tone tbh and not just in high gain but also in cleans and ambient tones. Almost everything can work the way you want it to if you know what you're doing, great video as always! (also lets stop buying tube amps so they lower the pries so we can all buy lots of them!)
Welp, the Orange Super Crush 120 is Orange(per them) Rockerverb 100 in solid state...and its dang near close
the thing is , that it's not about how tube amps sound vs digital , it's about the feel , the feeling you have when you are standing and play in front of you amp and cab , i love that feeling and i will always do , thats why i bought a new dual rectifier last week XD
I agree. That's why I got a Fender FR12 for my Quad Cortex. It gives that pushed air feeling to go along with the amp sim. The only thing I say that the amp sim doesn't do as good as tube amps is when you roll off the volume on the guitar, tube amps response is much better.
You can still do that with a non tube amp. So long as it is going through a guitar speaker it all seems about the same vibe unless there is latency
Modeler into a power amp into cab and it’s the same exact feeling
the amp isn't what's giving you that feeling, it's the cab. No reason to have tubes at all anymore unless you're using your amp to do squats or dead lifts.
Hi..Ive liked and subscribed to your Channel...Looking forward to seeing more of your videos...Blessings and much love to you ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
I rather enjoy playing my modeler into my hot rod deville 212 and taking the effects loop out signal and going into my solid state ampeg micro stack with a 210 cabinet. The mix is so much fun, at home, but i would never lug all that around. I just love all the sounds.
Just a note... Play what makes you happy the most. What inspires your the most. What gives you the most joy. So you might stop buying them but that doesn't mean the rest of us will. They don't sound the best, definitely cumbersome, problematic, etc. etc. but they have something that makes them what they are and it cannot be substituted. So create as much videos you like about your opinion and valid points but people will still buy valve/tube amps just because they are what v8 cars and vinyl records are. Their own majestic entity that hopefully will last/
Get orange tiny terror amp. All tube, small enough and cheaper than bringing a MacBook with an amp sim. I seen a guy bringing a cheaper windows laptopy to a gig. OS crashed, dude was not happy
I actually switched to a solid state amp heads and use pedals for dirt. It’s way more responsive especially if you chug a lot. I’ve owned so many great tube amps like Bogner, Ampeg and Peavey Classic series. Recording I use modelers as they feel better to me and are easier to control.
Really love the amp comparison. 🔥🔥🔥
I was waiting for this follow up! This is gonna be good!😂
Like you said, we all know why we love them. But if we’re talking metal, especially baritone or extended range, amp simulators have one HUGE advantage, which is not having to deal with the head space/room, making those lower registers much more clear when dialed in right. The only tube amp I have left to my name is my Engl fireball because out of all my years playing, that is my own personal favorite of all time (and that’s a bold statement) but it’s simple: a clean and overdriven channel that can hit every tone (including cleans all the way to the 9 string). But yea, I’m pretty much on your hot take.
I’m partial to hybrid tech like the Kraken V4 180. Put a GupTech Quebec pedal in the FX loop and an EQ up front and it sounds Huge! I’m interested in a QC with an Orange pedal baby. Considering cost, the new tech is so much more affordable and the mass amount of sims available are making tubes obsolete. I got tube amps and love them, but if I was starting now it would be modeling amps and power amps
While I agree with everything you said, the only thing I have to say is keep buying them so amp companies keep making them so we have new stuff to model after.
I'd love to see Fernandes guitars come back to north America.
Fan-damn -tastic guitars man!! Love 'em!!
Yes!
Played a Fernandes Monterrey many years ago. One of the finest single cut guitars I ever played and relatively inexpensive
Played a Fernandes Monterrey many years ago. One of the finest single cut guitars I ever played and relatively inexpensive
I’ve got a 2008 Revolver Deluxe MIK and it’s a awesome guitar.
When you’re in a smaller DIY scene that doesn’t have good PAs or places to play, you definitely need a better amp. Tube amps punch through whenever you have to play loud though a cab with no mics. I use my Helix through a Marshall Origin 50w w/ a 2x12 for that reason. Loud enough if I need it but I also have the XLR out for whenever I get a chance to play bigger venues. Best of both worlds. 🤷🏻♂️
Us gen xers love the look of a wall of amp backline too... Still have a Marshall half stack... Which is pretty much just furniture now... 😂
For me, it’s the feeling and the sensation of having a loud amp going through a 4x12 cab. Can’t get that with a plug-in or modeler.
You can if you conect your modeler into a power amp like the seymour duncan powerstage and conect to a 4x12 cab
@@cleverg1555 still won't fill the space like a real amp, the digital is more linear in the direction of sound, won't fill the room, or you will need a very high-quality, expensive frfr cabinet, say, to push 700 watts of Seymour Duncan, in order to ultimately squeeze out of it something like a 50-watt tube amplifier
Good video. It's weird, my favourites were Tone 1 and 2, followed by 5. My least favourite was the Quad Cortex which surprises me, but that could just be down to the EQ settings for that particular patch.
I've had my eye on the Andy James plugin for a while, and I've been keeping an eye out for a used Revenant pedal but they're like unicorn sh*t in the UK.
I have been convinced to get an amp sim, but I'm not sure which one to get; either something from Neural DSP or Polychrome
I just checked out your sound test video for the first time today. I really thought the QC was the ONLY tube amp lol. I could tell the others were digital though. They didn’t have the same juice to them that a tube amp has in a mix.
I have all on my pedalboard...a 100w tube amp included. I have the Amp1 from Bluguitar and you can add everything you like, or if this is not enough try the new AmpX... Small, compact and very lightweight...
I like tube amps and I enjoy the sounds and the feeling. For recordings the other options are better and much easier.
A few weeks ago I bought the Kemper rack version with foot switch for 1300€ and I have to say that it is amazing and I still have the Orange Rockerverb MK1 and the transistor Orange Crush Pro 120. I want to create multiple profiles of the Rockerverb and sell them both. The same goes for pedals which I don't need because I have everything in kemper (if not better). All in all, I always like to play a tube amp and maybe I'll buy one just for fun and then pass it on to someone else in the future
I don’t use tube amps anymore because my old back so I’m with you on this topic..in a way..HOWEVER, nothing beats a real tube amp sound-wise..obviously. Another point is that the best amp modelling programmers have the “ears” and the know-how for it because they have had tube amps for a while.
Ok, to be fair, I think I was super damn close 😂 I picked 5 as the amp and that’s probably one of the best neural DSP plugins out there 🤷
Got my helix 4 years ago and have never looked back...so mich easier in all aspects, real gigging musicians such as myself would probably agree. The sound is there and at 10% space and weight
This video is from the standpoint of a touring musician.
From the perspective of a touring musician it makes sense but this is only part of the market. A huge part of us are not touring musicians….the home player like myself from my perspective I care more about that feel and response and the feel i get out of playing my tube amps. That’s the one thing digital and modeling has yet to replicate. Period.
I have nine tube heads currently and several solid states and digital stuff as well and they sound great but they don’t respond to pick aggression like my tubes do.
For touring modelers - thats a fact ;D but i cant imagine playing in my garage some quad cortex, tonex etc when i have Laboga Hector + 412 cab
Im Really loving the Andy James amp sim! Do you have the Preset for it?
Sunn amps are coming back going. Pre-order yourself a couple of those. Awesome solid state amps!
They might not ve better but there is something about plugging in a tube amp, it makes me feel different, idk maybe is iust nostalgia .
I also think they look so cool too. That goes a long way
Local openers like Trivium and Revocation…
However I agree with the general point. The Axe FX II and the Kemper were already basically indistinguishable from the real deal back in 2012.
I still own a tube head and two cabs, as I still can’t make up my mind about selling them, even though I exclusively use a Kemper for years at this point.
I decided to get a Katana Artist for home practice. A friend got a small Marshall amp and had problems within 3 months and then again after the warranty ran out. The Amp tech to fix it is not located conveniently. No one ever seems to talk about the real issue being that Amp techs are becoming like the dinosaurs. It depends where you live but in some places an Amp tech could be many many miles away. Plus the other factor eg here in Australia is that tube amps are becoming ridiculously expensive to buy in the first place.
Next time go to a studio, a good one, record your stuff with mics amps room preamps etc (and someone who knows how to do it well).. and do the same riff with digital direct to recorder.
I agree and let me add some of my opinions,i have tube amps and also modeling amps and modeling floor units,when i play my tube amps they have to be fairly loud to sound good in the sweet tone zone,many of you guys may live in a apartment or even in a house where you cannot play at louder volumes so a tube amp is not really a good choice,a modeler would most likely be better also the cost of a tube amp and now the higher cost of replacement tubes may be a put off for many of us.
I run my modelers into the effects return of my tube amps and get good tones that i like,i also modified my Peavey Vypyr 15w combo with a 1/4" output jack so i can run it into my Marshall 4x12 1960a cab,i use the clean fender deluxe green amp model on the Vypyr to run my other modeling units into and it sounds very good and tube like!It is amazing how loud it is for 15w into 4ohms!You can buy a used Peavey Vypyr 15 for around $50 or $60 and that is much cheaper then buying other power amps for your modeler!I took the peavey metal amp enclosure out of the amp box and put it in my rack space.
If you do not have any guitar speaker cabinets try a good FRFR for your modeler or studio monitors,i heard the new Fender Tone Master FRFR Powered Amps sound good,i like to run my modelers into a real guitar speaker cab for more life like tube amp modeled tone!
I hate the feeling of strain on my hands after walking multiple blocks with a 4x12 and a tube amp. Parking at venues are the worst let me tell ya!
I think people should look more into buying USED tube amps, and otherwise, solid state amps, "amp in a box" preamps, digital modelers, and AI tone cloners have all gotten good enough to the point you don't need physical amps. Just use an IR loader and go straight to FoH, or just get some sort of power amp and go that route.
Just bought my first Marshall on friday.....
Some years ago I have seen a youtube-video of an Ampero (1st Gen) using nearly perfect high-gain sounds - then I decided to sell my tubeamps, get an Ampero and I was happy all about this!
No regrets!
No change in gain/sound characteristics anymore when changing volume between practicing and playing with others.
So many slots for saving presets and even adding custom IRs on such a small and (!) touchscreen device was an absolute gamechanger!
Meanwhile I even got a Fractal FM3 and upgraded from Ampero 1st Gen to Ampero II stomp (as I wanted to be able to create parallel and more versatile effectchains).
And guess what?
I'm still using the Ampero over the way more expensive Fractal FM3 - just because it has a way better user interface.
It's more straight forward. If I need to dial in a sound, I'll create a new tool-chain from scratch within minutes. For the FM3 I need a computer for creating presets nearly as fast. It lacks of usability. But I'm sure if there would be a Fractal FM9 using a big touchscreen, I'd like to try it. But as nearly every modeler supporting custom IRs sounds great nowadays, it's the usability you have to look for ;)
I swear to god, I was just waiting on the day someone else would pull a glen fricker and do one of these tests where it shows you how wrong you are. Great job proving all the tube elitists wrong.
Been playing guitar for over 25 years. Never owned a tube amp. Solid state all the way. Never an issue. 🤘🤘🤘
I have tube amps, solid state, and modelers. They're all great in their own right. I have as much fun with my Helix and FRFR as I do w/ my Archon and Mesa cab. Honestly, I watched this video while doing something else. Every time I heard what I thought was a real amp, I would turn and look and found I was wrong. Good job on the mislead there! Bottom line: whatever makes you enjoy playing, do that. There's no wrong answer. Additionally, I have put my amps up against a modeler and FRFR, to even test for myself the "amp in the room" argument. If the modeler and speaker are good, it is just as satisfying. At least to me. But, it's all down to using the gear that gets you to that place. The zone where you fade away and the music is all that exists. Keep rocking, y'all. \,,/
I'm about to make the financial decision to buy a quad cortex solely for the reason that I had a shoulder injury about 7-8 years ago, and after the recovery, it just gets very hard to have to carry around all of my heavy gear.
what I'm hearing as a guy who never had a tube amp or even played through one is that no matter what we choose these days, it'll sound great~
Pretty much true. I have tube amps, Katana mk2 and several plugins. They all sound very good, but the tube amp still feels the best to play. It's not that noticeable unless you play them back to back though. Digital is quite impressive these days to say the least.
until you show up to a local venue with your helix asking where to plugin to the karaoke PA speakers.
Andy James I.R sounds excellent,Ray.
Correction:they all sound killer!!!😜👍
I hear where you’re coming from, but I have one question. Do the lower gain sounds and such sound a good as the high gain tones? I am from the old school train of thought, that tube amps are the way to go. But honestly, if I was younger and on the road touring now, it would definitely be with a digital rig.
I only have 1 tube amp nut for sure 99.9% are plugins for sure \m/
Yes.
People regurgitate things they’ve always heard. Tube amps are a waste of money.
I’m not going to debate lord anyone who disagrees. I have a job.
Well, first of all, I see a half stack back there, in the 80s I was carrying around a 200 W marshal, major and 100 W super Bass guitar, I was too loud everywhere I went, went to play in the hockey arena that seated 20,000 people, at sound check I played two chords in the sound, man said, can you turn down, rockstar, and can tell your sound man to shut up, almost unusable, without a attenuator, which brings me to, I’ve been using two or 3 15 watt or watt amps, they sound great they’re light to carry you can use them anywhere, I’ve used a few of the different digital things also, but ended up going back to the amps
Watch the full version of Fix - Blackstreet feat. Slash and you will never sell your tube amp(s).
Only problem is you can't find the full version on YT anymore, lots of guitar parts have been cut.
Please let us know in a few weeks time if this is your most disliked video. I start with the first dislike, haha.
The only argument I can make for tube amps is that people are still playing tube amps from 40 years ago. Will we be able to say the same about amp sims? How long will it take for Neural DSP to decide they will stop supporting the Quad Cortex to force us to buy the next thing.
it will be like with iPhones
It probably has to do with what speakers youre using to listen to it. Because I'm wearing Bose QC 45 and I could instantly tell the first one was an amp sim. The only one that sounded like a real amp, imo, was Amp 2.
Obviously it is impossible. The use of your sound cannot give a tube amp the opportunity to say his thing. Not anyone use max distortion, with no dynamics.
I would agree that if your talking about modern drop tuned metal with mountains of gain, it's near impossible to tell the difference these days.
Now do this same test playing the Highway to hell riff with a low gain amp at high volume. You still can't get that tone with plug-ins or solid state amps unless you REALLY know what you're doing with the post production process. It's easier to just stick a mic in front of a valve amp
Personally I like both. To me, I feel like a real amp plays different. I wouldn’t say it feels better, just different.
As much as I love massive tube amps and own a few, hardware modeling amps into FRFR cabs are the future. Here is why- most do not play stadiums and want to record to a DAW and modelers make that way easier and quality of tones has improved on modelers. The maintenance of tubes is a pain as few can repair them. Love the feel and sound of my tube amps but since I play at home, recording simplicity is key. I probably buy a Fractal Axe FX III into small pedal power amp and cab instead of buying another expensive tube amp like a 5k Diezel.
So, I agree with you, however, stacking your test so nobody can even guess correctly seems like a scummy way to make a point.
Eh
In my opinion, that's not such a straight-forward matter.
There's place for both tube amps and modellers, now and in the future.
I'm a tube amp user only, i don't have the need to use modellers, but i see the good tone, convenience and practicality of them.
I also understand that in a live situation, few could tell the difference between any of them (tube vs modeller).
Another important thing to mention is that a lot of people making these comparisons usually forget to explain the difference between hearing in person and in videos like in youtube.
In recording, sound can be enhanced/improved or can deteriorate (if not done properly), and i'm saying this is the case in this video particularly, i'm speaking in general.
That being said, for me (my personal experience), is that although modellers do sound great and are very practical, i'm still to hear a digital sound that compares to tube amps (in person, in front of the amps and cabs).
There is a noticeable difference in sound and amp response.
So, if you tell me that you can sound great live and don't "break your back" with modellers, i do agree with you.
But if you tell me tube amps are doomed and are equal in sound or worst than modellers, i do strongly disagree.
For me, modellers are a great (if not the best) option for touring musicians.
For the touring musicians that have a team carrying their gear, for the home players (that have the space and can turn the amps volume up) or the studio, tube amps are an amazing option (the best for me, my experience and my taste).
So bottom line, it's all a matter of aplication.
Hey man. You talked about SOUND as the most important factor. What about FEEL? Do digital modellers FEEL the same as tubeamps? In my opinion the answer is: NOT EVEN CLOSE.
For me is a thing of commitment. If I have a thing that cost me a lot of savings and effort to get, I feel more into plugging that thing and enjoy it, like my reward system works that way...IDK, like having everything just a couple of clicks away makes me want to ignore it. Maybe I'm old fashioned, or just a weird guy who develops an unhealthy attachment to things hehehe 😅
I have been playing my fender tonemaster deluxe reverb now for almost 5 years doing pubgigs in a classic rock coverband , and yes , not one person has noticed it's an digital amp , so go figure .
I feel a modeler into a tube power amp and real cabinet is the best, for me anyways. I get the flexibility of a modeler, the feel of a tube amp and the "amp in the room sound". I tried the frfr thing and hated it. While it sounds good, it doesn't sound or feel like an actual amp.
Well sure makes a difference live …well for me it does ..as someone who has all the modlers ..my tube amps just smoke the modlers I have ..and I run my modlers with tube power amps
Hey Ray, I'm understanding your point here that we don't need giant freaking 100 watt tube heads anymore like giant Marshall heads, Dual/Triple Rectfiers, Diezels, and stuff like that, but here's my question, what about mid sized heads that aren't massive and heavy like the Mesa Mark or the 5150III 50w heads or small lunchbox amps like the PRS MT15? They can fit in a rack, are cheaper and sure they may not be as big and beefy as the big boys but they're cheaper (maybe not the Mesa stuff lol), take up a less space (a lot less if you're going the lunchbox route), are a hell of a lot lighter and don't require as much upkeep as their bigger brethren. Sure you're limited to that sound so that flexibility isn't there but what if that's the sound you always wanted? They won't sound too much different from the big bois either to even notice. Just sort of food for thought.
I got a Boss Katana MKII (Modeler) & a Revv G20 (Tube). They both sound REALLY good. I use the Katana for teaching so a kid doesn't have to haul their amp to a lesson. I'm using my Revv because I like the feeling from it as I play it. I do play my Katana but I play my Revv 99% of the time. I don't see the sound being different enough to say one is better than the other though. I say it's a matter of preference to the player, like all guitar gear should be. If I was still playing live shows I'd probably take a Quad Cortex for the shows but I'd be more willing to take a mini tube head & a 2 X 12 Cabinet & practice at home through that mini head & cabinet. Nobody else will notice, just I'll know what I'm using.