invest in what is repairable. I learnt this lesson back in the 90's. I purchased 2 Peavey Tubefex rackmounts back in the 90's, I was gigging a ton back in those days. The digital end of the Tubefex's started failing in less than 6-7 years... and not repairable. I have 2 rackmount boat-anchors. I've never trusted digital units to last long. You are still young, hopefully you learn from my mistake. I've only stuck with tube amps and stomp boxes since.
All of my tube amps are failing after 15-20 years. Between sanctions stopping us from having good tubes and overall pricing these days, it would cost way too much to have them repaired. Luckily I don't need to, nor have the desire to. If you are experienced with tone tweaking, you will build patches that beat any tube amp. For me the key was to continue using 412 cabs with my fractal. Anytime someone admits they cant get a great sound from a modeler, I feel embarrassed for them.
@@YTisGay well it is standard to replace old caps. Easy if you know how to solder. But in my case with peavey tubefex, the wafer/cpu is burnt out in each, the old wafer tech was replaced with real cpus these days, effectively turning them into junk. If your amp is wrecking tubes then it sounds like caps and resistors need replacing... even I can do that myself.
I totally understand why amp sims are more common, but as an audience member, I get WAY more excited when the band is using real amps. The sound can be better or worse with real amps, but at least there’s some personality. Most of the bands I see with modelers all sound the same. Everything is polished and on rails. I want the warts. I want the feedback. I want to see a group of guys make music from nothing. I don’t want to hear a recorded tone reproduced flawlessly. I also don’t want my favorite bands to go bankrupt shipping amps across the world, so I tolerate shows that are less exciting.
I have yet to see a bands using modellers, and I go to plenty of local shows.......But, if I did, I would WALK out!!.....You're not playing, you're just going threw the motions with someone else's settings(which are a fake simulator).....it's Not real music, it's just not.
A show with real amps just feels more authentic to me. But I'm a guitar player and love gear. The average person probably wouldn't know the difference or care for that matter.
@@SugarMapleForge100% right, two days ago I went to the Symphony X gig, I’m the only one taking pics to the Michael Romeo gear, the other 99.99999% give a shit. If I’m honest with myself, I heard other players with digital rigs sounding better. There’s something special about seeing a wall of amps, but to the end I pay for the sound and digital is usually more consistent.
I love both, in fact, I’m definitely supporting replacing pedalboards with Fx units, but a tube amp is still a tube amp, I enjoy playing them, and yes for me there’s a huge difference while playing it for me, I guess it’s a feel thing. Now if a band is playing through a tube amp, I can never tell the difference, I don’t even know how they sound with a tube amp, and on RUclips, I really don’t know if anyone can tell the difference tbh. If I’m traveling, of course I’m just taking my QC with me and like 2 guitars and that’s it. I still will continue to play local gigs with my tube amps, and I can’t wait to add the lichtlaerm audio to my collection of two.
Long time tube amp guy here. I finally built my dream guitar rig after nearly 30 years of playing guitar. I spent something in the neighborhood of $10,000 usd to get it to the point I wanted. I have the flagship EVH amp. I have a 2002 v30 loaded Engl cab. I have a massive custom built pedalboard with all the pedals I could possibly want on it. And then I decided I needed a switcher. So I got myself the boss ES-8 and got to programming all my midi messages and presets. I get some sick tones going and I sit back and take some time to soak in my accomplishment. That’s when it hit me. I just built a 200 lb quad cortex that takes up a massive portion of my living room. Hell the way I have it setup it’s taking up a massive portion of my walk in closet. I have my cab in my closet and micd up and run into my monitors in my living room. Bro I basically just took the long road to building a freaking modeler. But my modeler only has one amp to choose from. And it cost me like 5 times what a quad cortex would. Do I think my rig is cool? HELL YEAH! Would I ever do this again HELL NO!!!! This was such a waste of money and effort. Hell I got $700 in cabling on my pedalboard alone. And while it looks satisfying how I have it all cable tied and mounted. I just wasted so much money and I don’t want to have to move this crap. It all looks cool and sounds great but I can only get the tones my amp will produce. I gotta say I’m quite disappointed with what I built. I can’t do anything with it outside of my home. It’s all too heavy. It’s huge. And I don’t want to get my stuff damaged because of how expensive it is. Bro I screwed up. If I ever build a rig again I’m gonna go with something like a fractal fm9 and an expression pedal and keep my crybaby from hell wah because it’s cool as shit. And I’ll get an frfr speaker for monitoring.
My Mesa Mark V 25 has been collecting dust since I hooked up my HX Stomp and a few pedals to my interface and out to monitors. I have said I will never sell my amp.....I am starting to re-think that.
@@masterofreality230 I’ve mentioned selling my rig to downsize and my wife got mad at me. As much as has gone into it she does not want to see me sell it. My amp was a particular struggle to save for. She’s personally invested in it as well. lol. So yeah it gonna go ahead and hold onto it. There may come a day when this amp is hard to come by and there’s a demand for it making it worth selling and then I might bring it up to her then. I know already I can get more for my cab than I paid for it and the pedalboard with the pedals on it can be sold for a pretty penny as well but as long as I have my amp I will need to keep my cab and pedalboard. So it looks like I’m in it for the long haul.
@@smeemusic I just have an HX Stomp XL, so I am keeping my pedals. Getting my amp was a journey of buying and selling and traveling. It just feels weird keeping it when I dont use it.
Personally I wouldn't feel like you wasted money. It made you happy and that's what matters in the end. Maybe if modelers and the technology we have was available 20 years ago you wouldn't have put together such rig but things were different back then. At the end of the day you got the "real deal" amp and cab.
@@Alex-dr6or that is a good perspective and attitude to have about it. I really do have a real deal rig here. And that’s pretty cool. I did have fun building it and working out signal paths and soldering my own cables and doing the cable tie thing. It was all a lot of fun. Even the midi programming is super satisfying once it’s complete and you get to step back and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
I’m about to buy the Blackstar St James 6L6 head and cab, cos when I plugged my Ltd eclipse into it, which I swapped the stock EMGs for the Het set, damn, the clean and od channels sounded amazing and I’ve also got on order the Schecter solo ii apocalypse red reign, which I’m sure hope is gonna sound amazing, but yeah, when I get to playing live again, the thought of turning up with a half stack, don’t really appeal to me, but I’ve done the floor amp modelling in the past, and hated it, but that was a long time ago, the helix LT, maybe times have changed 🤷🏻
We still use amps live but use sims (mostly) for recording. Amps while heavy will work best live. Recorded, amps and sims are more or less the same. What “less” there is, is indistinguishable for the average listener.
Not true!! Not sure how many shows you actually go to, but there's a massive difference.....frequency response is Very different once you REALLY start to get loud. Sure who cares when you're playing a coffee house or small venue, but when there's open space, Huge difference.
I agree, but the sad thing is the purists will never accept that digital can sound as good as as tubes and sims are more versatile versus an amp that only has a single distinct sound which you have to use pedals to modulate.
From a recording standpoint, or playing large venues, I can absolutely see going with modelers, because they really have gotten the miced cab sound down so close that very few people could notice any difference. For performing/practicing and especially for just all around jamming though, nothing will ever replace the FEEL of a100 watt tube head moving air in the room. "There is no replacement for displacement" isn't just for engines!
You're gonna have to turn down the amp anyway because it'll be too loud for most venues. So your point isn't even that valid for most live gigging musicians
Yeah, for you PERSONALLY. Nailed it. Just remember, you’ll never get the tone, dryness, punch, bark, feel, power, or growl from a real JCM800 or Marshall Plexi. I’ve tried.
@@Belou240 100% I have JCM 800, a Randall Satan and ENGL fireball. The engl is pure evil, fkin most wicked amp I ever play Thu. I’ll never go cheap to sims and solid state. lol. I could afford a Marshall when I was 17 and I’m 55 now so , money is no issue. I to feel it man.
@@drycan9517 anyone can use a modeler dude I’ve been around that shit my entire life I wouldn’t care to ever use a modeler. Why would I have to when I own kick ass tube amps that blow any modeler out of the fucking water?
I think the disruptor by Dino is the coolest thing I've heard in forever... He's been using modelers forever I've seen them live four times and the sound kicks ass.... Don't know how he does it but it sounds amazing
I bought a quad cortex because the tones are so close to tube amps now, and also because I can't afford 3k per head to buy all sorts of different amps to find new tones. With a QC I can experiment all I want.
I enjoy tube amps for the tonal qualities and simplicity. I know modelers have gotten very good but that's too complicated for me personally. So for now I'll stick with my 1964 bandmaster and evh iconic
Lol too true! I got humbled years ago when a very talented musician friend of mine opened up for a mid-level national touring band. He wielded a beautiful looking and ridiculously great sounding (cleans, OD, etc) Gibson Les Paul while his bandmates used solid player brands like Schecter, Epiphone, etc. After the show he got complimented on the great playing, that's an amazing guitar, Gibson makes the best, etc etc etc while his bandmates were largely ignored. A week later we were hanging out and he let it slip that the guitar was some Chinese copy from 2010 that he sanded down the headstock and slapped on a Gibson logo. Told me he did that after so many hypercritical musicians kept telling him that this guitar he got as a Christmas present from an uncle that died a couple years after giving the gift was good... but "...to be a serious guitar player and reach that next level you need a real Gibson..." To him, he found that rare diamond-in-the-rough budget guitar that was as good as any expensive guitar (personally, I've yet to find one THAT great lol) and because of the sentimental value, he thought it was hilarious to watch people give the instrument credit for being "Gibson Custom Shop level" accolades while the musicians that could spot the subtle differences between his copy and a real Gibson complimented him from here to the moon for being a bad@ss guitarist knowing full well he was playing a Chibson.
I totally agree! Most people are biased on their "experience" but the reality is no one can pass any blind test. Ex. Recording 2 tracks using an unkown brand amp A, with different set of speakers for each one, and telling some control group, -we have the very well known by "tone experts" amps B and C, can you guess which is which?- without telling them the recording was done using amp A, if the control group is unable to state that amps B and C were not used in the recording, it means they really don't know exactly how the well known amps sound and it also means they cannot differentiate the amp by itself because both takes were done using the same head.
@@rainshadowband3161 I had a 68 Gibson double diamond was like 21 traded it for a 1982 warlock and I’ve been on the high end BC Rich guitars ever since. And a few ESP arrows
I love your style of delivering your points. It sad to say that your style is rare in today’s world. Your style lacks negativity and doesn’t throw barbs at people. Please continue to be a beacon of kindness and logic in this angry world.
I agree. I switched to a Fractal FM3 about three years ago and haven't looked back. Get pretty much the same tones I want for recording without all the mic'ing and nonsense needed with a tube amp.
Tube amps will always have a special place in my heart. I support your decision. I had the same logical thinking on the matter of tube amps and plugins/digital amp ect. There isn't much of a difference anymore when it comes to sound. Also its more affordable to go digital if your going to tour or have a home studio or just to jam at your home for fun/practice. The average consumer like me doesn't have the budget to spend 1k-4k on equipment to play on a tube amp. Hence why i sold my Fender Deluxe 40 watt tube. Have no need for it anymore. Definitely if im going fully digital
For amp buyers out there we are now in the age of smaller boutique builders. Some amp launches in the past year: Monomyth Skeleton Key v2, Headfirst Alta100 v2 (Jim root's amp), Headfirst Evil Joe, Bogner Uberschall Ultra, Lichtlaerm Audio Prometheus, Soldano Astro, Ground Zero Hellion v2, Club Secret (KSR/Headfirst/Monomyth Collab). The community of tube amps collectors is maybe becoming more niche, but they seem to be as popular as ever. Most of these recent launches of boutique builds sell out of stock instantly and end up on 6+ month wait lists to get them.
We've always been in the age of smaller boutique amps, they always had a place and always existed since the invention of tube amplifiers. They're still a niche product and always will be until they get mass produced.
I have been a solid state guy since the late 80's. I loved hauling my peavey around without worrying about tubes going out. We are way passed that now.
Hey bud your a modern day shredder, you understand digital programs ,I'm old school but hate pedals, cover songs we're Slayer ,Morbid Angel, Deicide, Sepultura and many more
I’m a tube amp purist. What you said about “what do you create with your gear” is the primary point here. Getting past all the gear, whether digital or tube, seems so hard for guitarists. My self included. I need to remember that.
Further to my earlier comment. The only tube amp out I would buy now is the lichtlaerm audio promethius. Will be the last one. But if I had to do what you do how you do I couldn't argue with you.
Tube amps are for the player, once it gets recorded (re-produced) there is no difference. But can a plug-in deliver the “bloom” the “sag” that a tube delivers?
Yup I need that sound for playing. Modelers don't give me that. You may as well record totally clean and add the plug in after recording. I can't do it that way.
my only thing is that i like the way a tube amp feels. but i play with more sludgy styles of music. whenever i play modern high gain, i always find that modelers do the same thing (including the ‘feel’ aspect) or do it better! it’s really just choice, unless you’re like me.
I have a Fractal Axe FX 3. You can get so granular with the IRs coupled with the settings to adjust the responsiveness/tone/etc to perfectly match an amp head/cab combo you can't tell the difference. The only time you can tell the difference is if you are in your own studio playing solely through your DAW using an amp sim or modeler vs recording an mic'd up cab. The reason is because of the feel of playing an amp/cab combo in person standing there in front of it is completely different. However, that does not mean you can't plug in an amp sim/modeler through an actual cab to get that feel. So it's boiled to to "whatever floats your boat." Me personally, I prefer the diverseness of a modeler for achieving a multitude of optional amps/cabs/effects/etc. I respect the analog gear and would never shy away from plugging into analog gear. I love plugging my bass into my Ampeg SVT head and through a badass cab. I prefer that honestly. When you find that "sound," stick with it!
I love tube amps, but I am perfectly happy with my little setup, I have a small pedalboard with the Tonex as the sound source, Peterson Strobo Stomp, Maxon OD808, MXR Wylde Phaser, TC Electronic Dreamscape, Eventide H9 and Boss DD-200, that goes into my poweramp and Mesa 2x12 and it sounds awesome 😂
For me there’s just something about owning an actual amp and building a little collection it just hits different I use plugins when I’m recording some riff ideas but I always go back to using my amps
I’m just a basement player/writer and for me plug-ins have been a godsend. It makes recording sooooo much easier than trying to mic up my 4x12 and 100w tube amp. Not to mention how loud that thing has to be to sound as good as the plug-ins (which are emulating amps/cabs at high volume). It’s so impractical for my needs it’s hilarious lmao, and gets turned on maybe once a month when I feel like hurting my ears for a bit. And I’ve tried every attenuator out there and have never been satisfied. There’s always artifacts in the sound, and the speakers don’t get pushed (which is half of the cranked amp sound anyways). At the end of the day, it just doesn’t suit my needs in any capacity whatsoever, but I still don’t have the heart to sell it.
Great video! I think the point you made about personal preference is spot on, we are lucky enough to have so many tools nowadays to work with which can only be a good thing and just enables people to be more creative. Although love my tube amp and I think for certain styles such as blues, country, lighter rock where there are possibly more dynamics and guitars are generally more isolated from other instruments, the hard rock / metals tones in the latest plug ins are crazy good and if I was touring or performing more regularly I would definitely go the digital route.
It's all about options these days. We have plenty. Everyone can choose the one that best fits them without any hate. I find that 90% of the time I'll now turn on a modeler over a tube amp. I've been playing with the ToneMasterPro for a few months now with the FR12 cab. I'm pretty happy with it so far. Kind of interested in trying Quad Cortex out seeing how much you like yours. Tube amps will always have their place but even big touring bands are using modelers. Eric Johnson was using a TMP the other day in his live rig. I built out a stereo EVH rig using just the TMP and 2 FRFR cabs. Much much cheaper that buying all tube gear and pedals. You're right though, you will probably never know the difference in a mix/recording.
Great video man! I switched to plugins, and now it's amazing to have all the tones and effects in stereo. Imagine having TWO or even THREE amp and cabs to get wdw!?! Lol. I'm happy with the ease in the digital world
P.A. speakers, or a real cab with no cab in activated 8n your plug-ins? I have an Isp theta amp stimulator and multieffects with a few cabs in it. Not 1,000 cabs cabs like an axe fx. It's similar in quality to an Axe Fx, but simple to use and set up your song presets. You control the tone of the cabs with just 3 knobs. So it's a different approach than Kemper or an Axe Fx, some claim a little better sound quality, but not 200 sampled Amps and 1,000 cabs like Axe Fx. More simple and quick to use, but more stripped down. $1,400 new, I got a slightly used one for $850. A different alternative. I would like to try an axe fx sometime.
As a beginner I started out with solid state and all analog gear. Eventually I thought I was going to have to get a tube amp to acquire *the tone* because that’s what all the rave has been about for so long. After learning more about gear and what all the bands I like used, I realized mostly all of them all use amp sims/quad cortex’s live. The amount of money that has saved me is insane. I don’t think I will ever buy a tube amp.
Question. The first time I saw a band live go direct w/o amps was Periphery. The complaint I had and they received was people standing in front of the stage couldn't hear anything. So, on their next tour, Periphery brought cabs on stage so fans infront could hear and feel the sound. Worked perfectly.. They didn't sound dead like last time. Have you noticed or ever had any issues with that?
What I enjoy doing is taking preamps and pedals, going straight into PC interface, and then I use Genome to run their power amp only model and Cab-IRs. I really like being able to reach over and turn the gain and tone knobs on the physical pedals. The power amp sim in Genome and professionally done IRs sound way better than any type of mic setup I could do in my office / music room.
Great Information here thank you, can you make a video that you go over in detail your complete digital equipment set up. As a digital only guy I always struggle to getting my set up to sound as organic as possible. so seeing what you use and how you set it up would be most helpful
I like tubes but they're such a hassle. I've been thinking about moving back to solid state cause Orange's Super Crush actually sounds really good for not being tube.
You can get a used 6505+ head made in the usa for $700 and used Mesa 4x12 for $700. Or less if you wait for a deal to pop up. I got a Crate 4x12 with V30s for $200. The price isnt a bug difference.
So I have been playing guitar for the last 4 years now coming up on 5 and I absolutely love this video because in the past I always thought that I need to have the very "best" in order to have good sound, that being tube amps. I am constantly being told by others that I have to spend more in order to be better or sound better, and I have to spend that money on tube amps. And I love the sound of a good tube amp, but now I realize that maybe the price tag isn't worth it. Thank you for this!
I sold my last tube amp this year and bought a powered cab and a valeton gp200 for live, and I use mainly the Fortin NTS and Spiritbox plugins for recording. No regrets. It sounds great, it's ridiculously convenient, and super reliable.
For anyone who would choose to criticize another player for a choice they make for themselves...well that's just crazy. I've got no time for those people. Do you man. I just want to say, there are more applications and solutions for players than ever before. And modelers solved some major issues for touring players. It makes no sense to lug a huge rig on the road. But I think real amps are so important and worthy of a place, even if it's just in the studio. I have an amp/modeler hybrid workflow in the studio and it's just awesome. And there many great boutique amp builders out there keeping the passion for amps alive and I would love to see as many seasoned players as possible supporting them. And I think real amps give modelers the inspiration to be better. But ultimately we have to do what he have to do. Great work, keep it up!
I haven’t played a metal/hardcore show live in at least 10 years, last time I played small bar shows the monitoring setup of in house sound system was not really good, if I was playing live with my current knowledge I would like a hybrid setup, a modeler that would allow me to split the signal and send a complete process signal to FOH, and another signal to either an fx loop or the front of an amp just for stage volume. I play most of my gigs without amps but they’re not metal or hardcore gigs. If I had a touring band I would make a big investment in a monitoring rig
The one giant difference isn’t the quality of tones at this point in time. It’s the way that amps push air and modelers can’t (yet) do that. Some players need/want that air pushing tactile feedback while they play. Or from a live venue perspective, when you’re in the crowd at certain venues, there’s nothing like feeling the air getting pushed through the speakers from those amps. People in the crowd at many venues can notably feel those amps and notice the absence of amps - but I have yet to hear people saying that the music sounds bad or the show sucked just because some musicians are using modeling at live gigs. But is there a definitive right or wrong? No. It’s a very personal choice and decision. Every player needs to decide if they’re okay with lugging equipment to venues or having it take up space at home. And if they want to spend the money. The one annoying part of that many modelers require using computers/phones to control and setup - there’s nothing like having knobs to tweak on the fly instead of being completely chained to a digital device and having to click a mouse or tap screens to dial everything in or change things up. But once it’s all setup, it’s kind of hard to argue that modelers aren’t starting to meet or exceed the argument that amps are the only way to tone heaven - at a fraction of the space and price.
You can achieve that by buying a cab and a portable preamp to use your modelers with, plenty of people do it and get exactly what you describe. You'll never achieve the moving air feeling without an object that physically moves the air just like you can't simulate a rollercoaster at home.
I have patches on both the axe 2 and axe 3 that kill any tube amp thru a 412. Tbh Im thinking I should release these patches for free since I have a real job and don't need to nickel and dime ppl to pay bills. We could easily end this debate today. How do we share patches?
modellers are just NOT real music, period, the end......Frequency response the erratic behavior of a Tube is Totally different. Modellers are like a 1 trick pony, that's fun at first, but it's just Fake at the end of the day.
Some of these plugins sound great, but when I play them it's too easy to play because they are so compressed. Doesnt leave much room for actual dynamics.
I've never played a tube head yet. But I will get one just because I want to have the experience playing through it. But I definitely see the reason for going digital these days. I use amplitube 5 for recording my practice sessions and it sounds the same as the combos I've owned.
The best part about modellers is that people with less of a budget can get tones on the same level as a $5000 rig for a fraction of the cost. The vitriol from gear snobs comes from them needing to justify blowing a fortune on amps/cabinets/effects. As someone who loves both tube amps and modellers I'm just ecstatic that there are more options and accessibility for any kind of musician now. No matter the budget.
Have always loved tube amps. Had 3 blow up so far and am over the weight and bulkiness. Actually sold my last tube amp this morning. The days of mile high stacks and heavy heads are sadly coming to an end
out of curiousity, if a new amplifier were to come out, and that amp catches your eye would you consider buying it or would you still maybe pass on it?
That’s a great question. I’m not sure because I know it’s going to be expensive. I just don’t know what feature it would need for me to make that purchase. Maybe I’ll get it when I see it. Great question, and thanks for watching.
I have a couple tube amps but the next on my list is getting an orange super crush 100 head. They sound really good and it's a true old school analog circuit. Put a eq pedal in the loop and nobody will know it's not tubes.
yeah I agree, everything I do is in the digital realm also. Plugins sound real good these days and the flexibility is priceless, not to mention I would never be able to afford the tube amps im after. its so convenient for my workflow. Although I do like playing through a tube amp for inspiration and the unhinged snappy feeling it gives while recording the Di for use in songs. do you keep any tube amps around to use in that way or do you monitor through plugins and digital effects?
I love tube amps. I haven't owned one since 2020 when I went full digital. It's not only the modeling of tube amps that are sounding great, but I'm getting better tonal options through digital gear.
Something that people seem to often overlook with the modeling stuff is that you can play it quietly, which is a game changer, especially with teenagers, or people who live in apartments. Even in my 20's I couldn't crank a full Marshall stack. Now, you can get any sound you want in the palm of your hand. They even have those practice amps, like the Katana Go, that are like the size of a phone. The barrier to entry is the lowest it's ever been. You can get an entire rig, guitar and modeling amp, for less than $500. This is the genius of digital modelers.
Hi y'all! I'm 30, been playing the guitar for almost 16 years now. I've never owned a tube amp, but had multiple occasions to play on some. I've been using amp.sims for most of my "playtime" so to speak, starting with Guitar Rig 4. I think it's a generation thing: people in their 40s and 50s just can't wrap their head around the fact that the technology is being developed really fast. I think a lot of them still think that amp sims sound like crappy transistor amps (not all transistor amps are crappy, obviously). For me it comes down to few key points: can I use this on the gig? Does it give me the options that I need? Does it make playing fun? Does it sound good? Can I afford it? And lately, I've finally found a thing which made me answer "yes" to all of these: ToneX One. Bought it this month and I cannot wait to use it in the upcoming gigs. So yeah, if it makes you wanna play, it's good. That's it I guess
I have my old Spider 75 that's been collecting dust and I have a cheapo fender 10g but I play a PodGo through it whenever I don't feel like playing through my computer. Don't get my wrong it sounds like shit. I'm going to upgrade to a FRFR real soon. But modelers are the way to go. I went to a jam session and all I took was my guitar and modeler and was able to play instantly
Hear me out.....The quad cortex is 1700 bucks. You still need a power amp or a good PA at the venue. Yes you have all that great stuff in one little package but its not the end all. You still need your in ear monitor systems, cabs (not always needed) etc....also, option paralysis is a very real thing and a lot of people spend more time downloading different IR's or profiles than they do finding there own sound. They instead choose to cop someone elses. Also, what happens when that QC/Kemper/Tonex shorts out (all electronic items will eventually). You will be buying the next big thing again for most likely over a thousand dollars. Tube amps can be repaired at pretty decent prices when they burn out over there long life spans...(yes I know you have to spend money on tubes and biasing with real amp heads but that kind of fun in its own way YMMV) All the modelers and profilers out there these days are very cool, I am not denying that...but they are all sold to emulate the real thing. Very few plug ins or modelers attempt to create something new. If you can get that one real thing you like (whichever tube amp you like) why wouldn't you? You dont like it then flip it and buy a different one. Guys who get into the used tube amp market do this all the time. If you are a touring musician, that an entirely different ball game so I understand the draw especially if you fly around for you gigs. Not trying to stir hate at all, just giving my opinion. Love your channel regardless and good luck on your career.
@@stephenpryor1505 better off with a JCM EVH ENGL over a cortex.. lol It’s not the same feeling when you’re playing it man it’s so hard to describe me playing through a tube and the me playing through a modeler I always prefer the tube sound. you guys out there that play guitar know what I’m talking about when you’re playing through a tube head /rig and then you set it down and go play out of the modeler ..you’re gonna have more fun and get more kick ass sounds and feeling coming out of those tubes than that shit cortex bs. Lol 😂 money is never an issue with me. I can play out of anything I want so I try to play out of what feels good to me when I’m playing for me. It’s always been tubes… feels and sounds so much better . I get into it more also. I’ve played out of some of the best modelers out there and I never liked any of them man I always had more fun playing out of my tube heads ..but maybe I’m just an old fk don’t know shit. ✌️
Great video. I am a bedroom player still learning. I just sold a 15 watt tube amp yesterday. I still have a cheap 5 watt tube amp because I really like the clean sounds it produces. Anything with overdrive or distortion I use my Boss Katana. I am able to adjust the amp between 100, 50, and .5 watts. And it also connects to my computer directly if I want to record my progress. The higher end digital stuff is so good and offers so much value. I’m still a big U2 fan and they sound awesome in the Las Vegas Sphere. And they aren’t using a wall of tube amps.
I have one tube amp I bought several years ago and it's great! I love cranking it up and getting the "in the room" sound. But for recording and most live situations - modelers, plugins, etc. all the way.
Facts!!! I was a tube amp snob once! ABY was triple rectifier A Laney Ironheart with digitech artist (purple) in the loop for B. Massive and rarely got played. Tech is so solid these days, and Thank You for helping guide Us thru it!
The amp cabinet in the room is important to me when playing live. The interaction with the strings feedback ect are part of my playing style. The sims do sound good FOH or recording for sure. But the feel is hardly ever mentioned only that they sound very close to tube amps. Great video. Always looking for new and old tools!
Given the amount of kids/young musicians that are growing up with plug-ins and modellers, I think your opinion will be a popular one in the near future.
Man your view is cool and I respect that. Personally I still feel like a kid on Christmas morning everytime I play a tube amp. I use plug-ins a lot. But when I play live or am jamming out in my studio the real deal just does it for me. Maybe I'm just getting old.
I 100% agree with you. I’m running the line 6 pod Go and it pretty much opened up a whole new world of tones for me. Sometimes I run it through an effects loop of an amp but mostly through powered speakers. PS, fuck the haters. I love what you’re doing and where you’re heading 👌🏻💪🏻
Cool video, and I mostly agree. Curious; when you talk about what you see out and about, are you talking mostly metal? I think it’s more accepted there, than like rock or blues. I could be wrong though.
I like both . Only issue I’ve found with my helix is the lack of time to explore it . At least there’s a good community that upload sounds and it’s fun to download a sound and play with it . Tube amps and rack units are just more simple for me but I don’t understand the hate . It’s what you do with the sound
Tube amps and modeller/sims are almost identical today, but comparing them the tube amps still have a thicker mid they still have quite matched to my ear yet
Xander you're 100% right! Remember folk's some people love ketchup but hate tomatoes 😂 everyone is different, do what works for you and use what you love to use and what use inspires you
I think the important part is dig in to a good tone with your modeler. When you spend a fortune on a rig you have the sound that rig makes. You are invested. A modeler will give you too many tones. Easy to get lost in that. Messing around with tones and tweaking and not making music. I fell into that trap for a good while. Its important to not get stun locked by tone overwhelm in the modeler.
You are 100% onto it mate IMO. Recently I've been tracking using a DI and my real amps together. But somewhere along the way I've now ditched the amps. several reasons. Using a Di is stupidly easy and you can put any sound you want on it and it sounds amazing. If I decide I want to refine the sound or the second guitar needs a different voicing? Easy, alternate through the different amp sims and find a tone that compliments the other. I'm loving it. I spent around $10,000 in amps over the last 2 years. I don't regret it as I still love them and tone chasing has been a hobby of mine for 20 years. But as far as putting them to practical use??? I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them other than keep them as trophies for display, or plug them in for the enjoyment of it.
I'm on the same page with you. I've played guitar for 38 years and I've NEVER owned a tube amp. Couple of solid states and a ton of modeling amps, from floor units to modeling amps to rack units. My current rack is the "ancient" Boss GX-700 that models amps aplenty. I've never, ever, Ever, EVER had anyone (including guitar players) approach me and ask, "That's an amp modeler isn't it?"
I completely agree. All my tube amps have been collecting dust since getting a Kemper so long ago. I wont get rid of them, and may buy more at some point, but as a Quad Cortex user now, it really makes no sense to me to use the big amp rig when I have everything in one tiny unit. Its the boomer in me that cant let go.
I have a 180 watt very nice Diezel tube amp and 4x12 for metal, and it uses most of the distortion in the preamp section, so it sounds heavy even at kow volumes. I have a 300 watt ISP theta solid state head with 2-4 channels, and a decimator noisecgate on each channel that sounds very close to my extremely good tube amp and is really loud too, it might still be the best solid state head available, it uses 2 high quality 8ohm 50 watt preamp power amps stacked, for tone quality, and goes down to 2 ohms in the power amp, for more than 300 watts, and can play quietly. 2 splawn 4x12. Both stacks together with my a/b switcher bix at once in stereo in just really monstrous. 2 full stacks usually will be. . Also an ISP 600 watt eminence woofer vector SL powered subwoofer cab, for great low e string bas response and also detuned guitars and iow tunings and 7 string guitars.. I have an ISP theta pro amp.modeler and multieffcts and cab sim, with 2 ISP frfr 150 watt powered modeler stereo speakers that are really accurate, even compared to my $1,500 B&W home stereo speakers which are highly rated. So they are studio clean. I use my modeler plugged into the guitar input of both the Tube amp head, and the solid state ISP head, sometimes, in addition to the ISP FRFR powered speakers.All are great and im very satified and very lucky to have them at great slighly used prices. I'm not rich. . All are way up there in sound quality. The tube Half Stack and solid state Full stack have a much bigger wall sound spread and move more air than the 1 inch tweeter and 8 inch woofer of the powered frfr speakers, but all 3 crank and sound great at low volumes, too. One day maybe i will get an Axe Fx e or higher for the 3 if them and to plug into my pc. I got it all for 8,500, gradually.. Slighly used. Cheaper than a great new prs guitar with rosewood neck. I have a few U.S.A. Jackson neck thru guitars, alder and mahogany, body metal guitars that take advantage of these 3 amps choices, one with Active Duncan Blackouts. One with bare knuckle. Once again very lucky and furtunate to get slightly used at like half price. All sound great! I would recommend all 3 amp choices. To me, the most fun is the diezel at low or high volumes for sound quality, standing in front, it just pounds. The isp full stack with Slawns is slightly diffetent sounding, not quite as good sounding as the Diezel with the powered ISP Sub. But at almost 1/3 the price of the Diezel.The Isp theta dsp pro amp sim fx unit"s sound quality is right up there With Axe fx units, at half the price, like a Quad Cortex. Very clear and high quality. I tecommend all options. I would either get an Axe Fx 3 used or a new 4 if it comes out, to have a huge library of hundred of tube amps and cabs and muti-fx simulations for a home studio computer DAW, 1:43 or to plug into the three different amps. All are well built, and i hope they last 40 years.i do not feel cheated in sound quality when switching to any of the three. You can find good deals and spend un 10,000 if you look around and be choosy. Watch youtube videos like this one and amp and guitarcl plys and reviews, with good $200 or more headphones or a good sound system to see what your choices sound like pretty close so you know what thecsoubd like. I had a Carvin 100 watt 3 channel V3 head, like a mesa, first, for 700, that was really good, and affordable, a great deal. My friend's 650 peavey JSX and oeavy XXX heads wete surprising close to the diezel in distortion tone. So thete are good deals out there on great tube heads, 4x12 cabs, amp and fx floor units, i f you look enough. Another deal i got that i wasnt exoecting was a $1,000 new Jackson 8 string mahogany, 3 piece maple neck thru archtop with emg 808 humbuckers, with slight paint defect on the side, for 350, with 50 for soft case. I had 5bought of trying one someday, and an ebay deal from a music shop popped up. I tried to read up on it quickly, and other bidders did too, and got lucky. Search for good deals. Even the diezel with 4x12 was just two thirds list price, with 7 hoyrs playing time on it. The seller was a doctor, and his wife said he could only keep his Marshall Silver Jubilee half stack, so it looked like a safe deal to try. I wasnt expecting the 8 string, but it was what i preferred over Ibanez, Agile. And i was patient, slowly saving up. Im not rich, just lucky. I dont think my price was that high, to get 3 different amp setups, at diferent but good prices. O showed my friend an Ibanez white Vai Jems fir $1,000 in 2010 on ebay, and he jumoed on it. He got a new paul gilbert Iban3z pgm 300 stoptail for $700 that listed at $1,400 in 1998 at a guitar store that needed to bring in new guitar lineups. They just iffered ut to him. Save yiur money and be patient. This was a great video! I learned a lot.
My only issue with modelers is the lack of stage volume. It sounds a bit neutered compared to amps and cans on stage. If I were in a position were I was touring I would probably want a modeler but would use a house cab for stage volume
Tube amps have sag, depth, attack and response that solid state and digital don't. Maybe a Kemper Profiler does, but that's probably the key: pushing the signal through a power tube.
As a lot of people, getting a tube amp was my dream. Now Im lucky enough to have one (ENGL Savage), but also multiple amp sim. The only difference I see (except the crazy high cost of the tube amp, as you already said), is my « will to play ». I really enjoy plugging into my huge 4x12 cab with my tube head. But that’s it. Tone wise, I can get exceptional sounds from my head and from my amp sim. For me, the switch to only play my amp sim will be when my tube head will die and cost too much to repair.
The first big bullet point is the most important for players now. You can pay 1600 (less if you’re willing to go used), and you can have an entire rig that can change when you want/need it to. I still prefer recording with tube amps as often as possible just for ease of use. But otherwise the convenience gained vs ‘tone’ lost equation makes sense at this point and will only make more sense in the future.
I've had many setups during the two decades I've been playing guitar. Started out with a solid state combo, I've had tube combo's, tube heads, analog and digital rack preamps along with solid state and tube power amps.. not to mention the various fx pedals and modules. Now I rarely play guitar because kids happened. But the things I kept was a Line6 pod pro X rack unit qlong with an FRFR active speaker. While it's not the best tone I've had, it's pretty damn close and just has so many avantages over heavy tube amps. I use it as a guitar and bass amp, an interface to my pc, headphone amp when the kids are in bed. This setup is great for. And it costed me less than a grand. And no maintenance either. It's digital all the way for me
Going direct has been great for me and my band generally. I miss the power of an amp behind me on stage sometimes, but its a small price to pay for not having to lug all that extra gear around.
Man I love this video,yes I agree.i grew up in the golden age the 80s,rock stars unlimed budget for a record because people bought records. We will never see music like this again because of digital downloads. But it has given the average person a voice
Since I bought my first modeler, a V-Amp, in its first version, I've been hearing the same arguments: "Oh, it's so real you can't tell the difference!" and "Oh, it sounds artificial, it doesn't feel the same when playing." Neither of these arguments has changed over time. But the truth is, both technologies continue to coexist, and it doesn't seem like that's going to change anytime soon. Nowadays, the way we create music has evolved significantly. Where you once recorded a riff on an audio recorder and presented it to your band, today, if you're in a band, you can compose an entire song on your PC. You use amp plugins, EZdrummer, EZkeys, EZ-whatever, mix and master it with iZotope, and only then do you present it to the band. And maybe, eventually, you'll play it live. Everyone should use what makes them happiest or seems most useful to them. If you like having an amp behind you? Great! I do too! If you prefer carrying a small device that has everything you need? I like that too! To draw an analogy, it's like when people said that Kindles would kill off traditional books. Both still exist, and both continue to serve their purpose.
I have a tube amp and i love it. But i have a multi-effects pedal board with amp modelling, and that is pretty damn good too. It really is just personal preference now days.
Really support your view. Plugins are great and I use them all the time. Meanwhile I got a new Tube Amp to my collection just in case I need the real deal.
Personally bought a tube amp in 2022 it’s never left my house or barely gets used. Thought about selling it a few times but mainly use it for capturing these days. Life’s changed a lot. lol
I took a black spirit 200 to a gig. Hooked it to the front of the house and the sound was massive. Big change from using my mark V with a cab and bunch of cables. Much easier to take a 4 pound rig
My Music: open.spotify.com/artist/0zFeLakYduCcgoJ1ZmK2CH?si=8yUkCKw3QjidNI8L6bXKyQ
invest in what is repairable. I learnt this lesson back in the 90's.
I purchased 2 Peavey Tubefex rackmounts back in the 90's, I was gigging a ton back in those days.
The digital end of the Tubefex's started failing in less than 6-7 years... and not repairable.
I have 2 rackmount boat-anchors. I've never trusted digital units to last long. You are still young, hopefully you learn from my mistake.
I've only stuck with tube amps and stomp boxes since.
All of my tube amps are failing after 15-20 years. Between sanctions stopping us from having good tubes and overall pricing these days, it would cost way too much to have them repaired. Luckily I don't need to, nor have the desire to.
If you are experienced with tone tweaking, you will build patches that beat any tube amp. For me the key was to continue using 412 cabs with my fractal.
Anytime someone admits they cant get a great sound from a modeler, I feel embarrassed for them.
@@YTisGay well it is standard to replace old caps. Easy if you know how to solder. But in my case with peavey tubefex, the wafer/cpu is burnt out in each, the old wafer tech was replaced with real cpus these days, effectively turning them into junk. If your amp is wrecking tubes then it sounds like caps and resistors need replacing... even I can do that myself.
I totally understand why amp sims are more common, but as an audience member, I get WAY more excited when the band is using real amps. The sound can be better or worse with real amps, but at least there’s some personality. Most of the bands I see with modelers all sound the same. Everything is polished and on rails. I want the warts. I want the feedback. I want to see a group of guys make music from nothing. I don’t want to hear a recorded tone reproduced flawlessly. I also don’t want my favorite bands to go bankrupt shipping amps across the world, so I tolerate shows that are less exciting.
Heavily agree
I have yet to see a bands using modellers, and I go to plenty of local shows.......But, if I did, I would WALK out!!.....You're not playing, you're just going threw the motions with someone else's settings(which are a fake simulator).....it's Not real music, it's just not.
A show with real amps just feels more authentic to me. But I'm a guitar player and love gear. The average person probably wouldn't know the difference or care for that matter.
@@SugarMapleForge100% right, two days ago I went to the Symphony X gig, I’m the only one taking pics to the Michael Romeo gear, the other 99.99999% give a shit. If I’m honest with myself, I heard other players with digital rigs sounding better. There’s something special about seeing a wall of amps, but to the end I pay for the sound and digital is usually more consistent.
I love both, in fact, I’m definitely supporting replacing pedalboards with Fx units, but a tube amp is still a tube amp, I enjoy playing them, and yes for me there’s a huge difference while playing it for me, I guess it’s a feel thing. Now if a band is playing through a tube amp, I can never tell the difference, I don’t even know how they sound with a tube amp, and on RUclips, I really don’t know if anyone can tell the difference tbh.
If I’m traveling, of course I’m just taking my QC with me and like 2 guitars and that’s it. I still will continue to play local gigs with my tube amps, and I can’t wait to add the lichtlaerm audio to my collection of two.
Long time tube amp guy here. I finally built my dream guitar rig after nearly 30 years of playing guitar. I spent something in the neighborhood of $10,000 usd to get it to the point I wanted. I have the flagship EVH amp. I have a 2002 v30 loaded Engl cab. I have a massive custom built pedalboard with all the pedals I could possibly want on it. And then I decided I needed a switcher. So I got myself the boss ES-8 and got to programming all my midi messages and presets. I get some sick tones going and I sit back and take some time to soak in my accomplishment. That’s when it hit me. I just built a 200 lb quad cortex that takes up a massive portion of my living room. Hell the way I have it setup it’s taking up a massive portion of my walk in closet. I have my cab in my closet and micd up and run into my monitors in my living room. Bro I basically just took the long road to building a freaking modeler. But my modeler only has one amp to choose from. And it cost me like 5 times what a quad cortex would.
Do I think my rig is cool? HELL YEAH! Would I ever do this again HELL NO!!!! This was such a waste of money and effort. Hell I got $700 in cabling on my pedalboard alone. And while it looks satisfying how I have it all cable tied and mounted. I just wasted so much money and I don’t want to have to move this crap. It all looks cool and sounds great but I can only get the tones my amp will produce. I gotta say I’m quite disappointed with what I built. I can’t do anything with it outside of my home. It’s all too heavy. It’s huge. And I don’t want to get my stuff damaged because of how expensive it is. Bro I screwed up.
If I ever build a rig again I’m gonna go with something like a fractal fm9 and an expression pedal and keep my crybaby from hell wah because it’s cool as shit. And I’ll get an frfr speaker for monitoring.
My Mesa Mark V 25 has been collecting dust since I hooked up my HX Stomp and a few pedals to my interface and out to monitors. I have said I will never sell my amp.....I am starting to re-think that.
@@masterofreality230 I’ve mentioned selling my rig to downsize and my wife got mad at me. As much as has gone into it she does not want to see me sell it. My amp was a particular struggle to save for. She’s personally invested in it as well. lol. So yeah it gonna go ahead and hold onto it. There may come a day when this amp is hard to come by and there’s a demand for it making it worth selling and then I might bring it up to her then. I know already I can get more for my cab than I paid for it and the pedalboard with the pedals on it can be sold for a pretty penny as well but as long as I have my amp I will need to keep my cab and pedalboard. So it looks like I’m in it for the long haul.
@@smeemusic I just have an HX Stomp XL, so I am keeping my pedals. Getting my amp was a journey of buying and selling and traveling. It just feels weird keeping it when I dont use it.
Personally I wouldn't feel like you wasted money. It made you happy and that's what matters in the end. Maybe if modelers and the technology we have was available 20 years ago you wouldn't have put together such rig but things were different back then. At the end of the day you got the "real deal" amp and cab.
@@Alex-dr6or that is a good perspective and attitude to have about it. I really do have a real deal rig here. And that’s pretty cool. I did have fun building it and working out signal paths and soldering my own cables and doing the cable tie thing. It was all a lot of fun. Even the midi programming is super satisfying once it’s complete and you get to step back and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
For personal playing in my own space I like my tube amps, but for travel, a modeler makes the most sense.
Tube amps at home are awesome!
This, i like the feeling of the sound of an amp. But rehearsals and live I tend to go modelling
I’m about to buy the Blackstar St James 6L6 head and cab, cos when I plugged my Ltd eclipse into it, which I swapped the stock EMGs for the Het set, damn, the clean and od channels sounded amazing and I’ve also got on order the Schecter solo ii apocalypse red reign, which I’m sure hope is gonna sound amazing, but yeah, when I get to playing live again, the thought of turning up with a half stack, don’t really appeal to me, but I’ve done the floor amp modelling in the past, and hated it, but that was a long time ago, the helix LT, maybe times have changed 🤷🏻
We still use amps live but use sims (mostly) for recording.
Amps while heavy will work best live. Recorded, amps and sims are more or less the same. What “less” there is, is indistinguishable for the average listener.
I love tube amps but the difference between tube amps and amp sims is so minimal now that it really is player’s choice in 2024.
Agreed!
lol
Not true!! Not sure how many shows you actually go to, but there's a massive difference.....frequency response is Very different once you REALLY start to get loud. Sure who cares when you're playing a coffee house or small venue, but when there's open space, Huge difference.
For recording I agree
I agree, but the sad thing is the purists will never accept that digital can sound as good as as tubes and sims are more versatile versus an amp that only has a single distinct sound which you have to use pedals to modulate.
From a recording standpoint, or playing large venues, I can absolutely see going with modelers, because they really have gotten the miced cab sound down so close that very few people could notice any difference.
For performing/practicing and especially for just all around jamming though, nothing will ever replace the FEEL of a100 watt tube head moving air in the room.
"There is no replacement for displacement" isn't just for engines!
You're gonna have to turn down the amp anyway because it'll be too loud for most venues. So your point isn't even that valid for most live gigging musicians
When you travel, I get it. Most players still play in local pubs and clubs, so tube amps are still the way for most players
@@nekkon1989 🤘👍
Yeah, for you PERSONALLY. Nailed it. Just remember, you’ll never get the tone, dryness, punch, bark, feel, power, or growl from a real JCM800 or Marshall Plexi. I’ve tried.
@@Belou240 100% I have JCM 800, a Randall Satan and ENGL fireball. The engl is pure evil, fkin most wicked amp I ever play Thu. I’ll never go cheap to sims and solid state. lol. I could afford a Marshall when I was 17 and I’m 55 now so , money is no issue. I to feel it man.
that's cos you don't know how to use a modeler, "trust me I've tried", ok bro
@@drycan9517 anyone can use a modeler dude I’ve been around that shit my entire life I wouldn’t care to ever use a modeler. Why would I have to when I own kick ass tube amps that blow any modeler out of the fucking water?
I think the disruptor by Dino is the coolest thing I've heard in forever... He's been using modelers forever I've seen them live four times and the sound kicks ass.... Don't know how he does it but it sounds amazing
I bought a quad cortex because the tones are so close to tube amps now, and also because I can't afford 3k per head to buy all sorts of different amps to find new tones. With a QC I can experiment all I want.
@@palix5925 money was never a problem with me when it came to music equipment so I guess I’m spoiled
I enjoy tube amps for the tonal qualities and simplicity. I know modelers have gotten very good but that's too complicated for me personally. So for now I'll stick with my 1964 bandmaster and evh iconic
The amount of musicians who play with their eyes is astounding.
Lol too true! I got humbled years ago when a very talented musician friend of mine opened up for a mid-level national touring band. He wielded a beautiful looking and ridiculously great sounding (cleans, OD, etc) Gibson Les Paul while his bandmates used solid player brands like Schecter, Epiphone, etc. After the show he got complimented on the great playing, that's an amazing guitar, Gibson makes the best, etc etc etc while his bandmates were largely ignored. A week later we were hanging out and he let it slip that the guitar was some Chinese copy from 2010 that he sanded down the headstock and slapped on a Gibson logo. Told me he did that after so many hypercritical musicians kept telling him that this guitar he got as a Christmas present from an uncle that died a couple years after giving the gift was good... but "...to be a serious guitar player and reach that next level you need a real Gibson..." To him, he found that rare diamond-in-the-rough budget guitar that was as good as any expensive guitar (personally, I've yet to find one THAT great lol) and because of the sentimental value, he thought it was hilarious to watch people give the instrument credit for being "Gibson Custom Shop level" accolades while the musicians that could spot the subtle differences between his copy and a real Gibson complimented him from here to the moon for being a bad@ss guitarist knowing full well he was playing a Chibson.
I totally agree! Most people are biased on their "experience" but the reality is no one can pass any blind test. Ex. Recording 2 tracks using an unkown brand amp A, with different set of speakers for each one, and telling some control group, -we have the very well known by "tone experts" amps B and C, can you guess which is which?- without telling them the recording was done using amp A, if the control group is unable to state that amps B and C were not used in the recording, it means they really don't know exactly how the well known amps sound and it also means they cannot differentiate the amp by itself because both takes were done using the same head.
@@rainshadowband3161 I had a 68 Gibson double diamond was like 21 traded it for a 1982 warlock and I’ve been on the high end BC Rich guitars ever since. And a few ESP arrows
I love your style of delivering your points. It sad to say that your style is rare in today’s world. Your style lacks negativity and doesn’t throw barbs at people. Please continue to be a beacon of kindness and logic in this angry world.
I agree. I switched to a Fractal FM3 about three years ago and haven't looked back. Get pretty much the same tones I want for recording without all the mic'ing and nonsense needed with a tube amp.
Love the comment at the end. The community should definitely be more supportive of each other 🤘
Tube amps will always have a special place in my heart. I support your decision. I had the same logical thinking on the matter of tube amps and plugins/digital amp ect. There isn't much of a difference anymore when it comes to sound. Also its more affordable to go digital if your going to tour or have a home studio or just to jam at your home for fun/practice. The average consumer like me doesn't have the budget to spend 1k-4k on equipment to play on a tube amp. Hence why i sold my Fender Deluxe 40 watt tube. Have no need for it anymore. Definitely if im going fully digital
@@drewtaylor617 sucks getting old, doesn’t it?
For amp buyers out there we are now in the age of smaller boutique builders. Some amp launches in the past year: Monomyth Skeleton Key v2, Headfirst Alta100 v2 (Jim root's amp), Headfirst Evil Joe, Bogner Uberschall Ultra, Lichtlaerm Audio Prometheus, Soldano Astro, Ground Zero Hellion v2, Club Secret (KSR/Headfirst/Monomyth Collab). The community of tube amps collectors is maybe becoming more niche, but they seem to be as popular as ever. Most of these recent launches of boutique builds sell out of stock instantly and end up on 6+ month wait lists to get them.
We've always been in the age of smaller boutique amps, they always had a place and always existed since the invention of tube amplifiers. They're still a niche product and always will be until they get mass produced.
I have been a solid state guy since the late 80's. I loved hauling my peavey around without worrying about tubes going out. We are way passed that now.
Hey bud your a modern day shredder, you understand digital programs ,I'm old school but hate pedals, cover songs we're Slayer ,Morbid Angel, Deicide, Sepultura and many more
I’m a tube amp purist. What you said about “what do you create with your gear” is the primary point here. Getting past all the gear, whether digital or tube, seems so hard for guitarists. My self included. I need to remember that.
Further to my earlier comment. The only tube amp out I would buy now is the lichtlaerm audio promethius. Will be the last one. But if I had to do what you do how you do I couldn't argue with you.
Tube amps are for the player, once it gets recorded (re-produced) there is no difference. But can a plug-in deliver the “bloom” the “sag” that a tube delivers?
Yup I need that sound for playing. Modelers don't give me that. You may as well record totally clean and add the plug in after recording. I can't do it that way.
My rig
Quad cortex, PA speaker fr fr,
7 string guitar. Its a pretty simple, but affective little rig i must say 🔥
so guitar - qc- frfr speaker? that's all it takes to amplify a modeler?
my only thing is that i like the way a tube amp feels. but i play with more sludgy styles of music. whenever i play modern high gain, i always find that modelers do the same thing (including the ‘feel’ aspect) or do it better! it’s really just choice, unless you’re like me.
I have a Fractal Axe FX 3. You can get so granular with the IRs coupled with the settings to adjust the responsiveness/tone/etc to perfectly match an amp head/cab combo you can't tell the difference. The only time you can tell the difference is if you are in your own studio playing solely through your DAW using an amp sim or modeler vs recording an mic'd up cab. The reason is because of the feel of playing an amp/cab combo in person standing there in front of it is completely different. However, that does not mean you can't plug in an amp sim/modeler through an actual cab to get that feel. So it's boiled to to "whatever floats your boat." Me personally, I prefer the diverseness of a modeler for achieving a multitude of optional amps/cabs/effects/etc.
I respect the analog gear and would never shy away from plugging into analog gear. I love plugging my bass into my Ampeg SVT head and through a badass cab. I prefer that honestly. When you find that "sound," stick with it!
I love tube amps, but I am perfectly happy with my little setup, I have a small pedalboard with the Tonex as the sound source, Peterson Strobo Stomp, Maxon OD808, MXR Wylde Phaser, TC Electronic Dreamscape, Eventide H9 and Boss DD-200, that goes into my poweramp and Mesa 2x12 and it sounds awesome 😂
For me there’s just something about owning an actual amp and building a little collection it just hits different I use plugins when I’m recording some riff ideas but I always go back to using my amps
Ive got 3 great amps all for under $300
Sold all my expensive tube amps for being tempermental and needy
🤟🤟🤟🤟🍻
I’m just a basement player/writer and for me plug-ins have been a godsend.
It makes recording sooooo much easier than trying to mic up my 4x12 and 100w tube amp.
Not to mention how loud that thing has to be to sound as good as the plug-ins (which are emulating amps/cabs at high volume).
It’s so impractical for my needs it’s hilarious lmao, and gets turned on maybe once a month when I feel like hurting my ears for a bit.
And I’ve tried every attenuator out there and have never been satisfied. There’s always artifacts in the sound, and the speakers don’t get pushed (which is half of the cranked amp sound anyways).
At the end of the day, it just doesn’t suit my needs in any capacity whatsoever, but I still don’t have the heart to sell it.
Great video! I think the point you made about personal preference is spot on, we are lucky enough to have so many tools nowadays to work with which can only be a good thing and just enables people to be more creative. Although love my tube amp and I think for certain styles such as blues, country, lighter rock where there are possibly more dynamics and guitars are generally more isolated from other instruments, the hard rock / metals tones in the latest plug ins are crazy good and if I was touring or performing more regularly I would definitely go the digital route.
You’re a professional musician who has chosen the appropriate tools for your job ☑️ just as a mechanic or a electrician would.
that's why I love my Hughes & Kettner Grandmeister 40. Has tubes and a digital IR with a built in Red Box so you can jack straight into a PA system.
It's all about options these days. We have plenty. Everyone can choose the one that best fits them without any hate. I find that 90% of the time I'll now turn on a modeler over a tube amp. I've been playing with the ToneMasterPro for a few months now with the FR12 cab. I'm pretty happy with it so far. Kind of interested in trying Quad Cortex out seeing how much you like yours. Tube amps will always have their place but even big touring bands are using modelers. Eric Johnson was using a TMP the other day in his live rig. I built out a stereo EVH rig using just the TMP and 2 FRFR cabs. Much much cheaper that buying all tube gear and pedals. You're right though, you will probably never know the difference in a mix/recording.
Great video man! I switched to plugins, and now it's amazing to have all the tones and effects in stereo. Imagine having TWO or even THREE amp and cabs to get wdw!?! Lol. I'm happy with the ease in the digital world
With plug-ins on you computer, do you personally use pro tools? How do you amplifier your sounds to plY with a band?
P.A. speakers, or a real cab with no cab in activated 8n your plug-ins? I have an Isp theta amp stimulator and multieffects with a few cabs in it. Not 1,000 cabs cabs like an axe fx. It's similar in quality to an Axe Fx, but simple to use and set up your song presets. You control the tone of the cabs with just 3 knobs. So it's a different approach than Kemper or an Axe Fx, some claim a little better sound quality, but not 200 sampled Amps and 1,000 cabs like Axe Fx. More simple and quick to use, but more stripped down. $1,400 new, I got a slightly used one for $850. A different alternative. I would like to try an axe fx sometime.
As a beginner I started out with solid state and all analog gear. Eventually I thought I was going to have to get a tube amp to acquire *the tone* because that’s what all the rave has been about for so long. After learning more about gear and what all the bands I like used, I realized mostly all of them all use amp sims/quad cortex’s live. The amount of money that has saved me is insane. I don’t think I will ever buy a tube amp.
Love tube amps, love amp sims, use sims for everything while the amps generally sit.
Question. The first time I saw a band live go direct w/o amps was Periphery. The complaint I had and they received was people standing in front of the stage couldn't hear anything.
So, on their next tour, Periphery brought cabs on stage so fans infront could hear and feel the sound. Worked perfectly.. They didn't sound dead like last time.
Have you noticed or ever had any issues with that?
100% this. Cabs are the most essential part in sounding good live. No band without cabs sounds good when you’re near the stage
@@ManuSDP The contortionist played before them and killed with live cabs..the sound between the two bands was night and day.
What I enjoy doing is taking preamps and pedals, going straight into PC interface, and then I use Genome to run their power amp only model and Cab-IRs.
I really like being able to reach over and turn the gain and tone knobs on the physical pedals. The power amp sim in Genome and professionally done IRs sound way better than any type of mic setup I could do in my office / music room.
Great Information here thank you, can you make a video that you go over in detail your complete digital equipment set up.
As a digital only guy I always struggle to getting my set up to sound as organic as possible. so seeing what you use and how you set it up would be most helpful
Hey thanks. I’ve already made dozens of videos on my live and studio rig
I like tubes but they're such a hassle. I've been thinking about moving back to solid state cause Orange's Super Crush actually sounds really good for not being tube.
I purchased an Orange SC100 and agree 100%!
You can get a used 6505+ head made in the usa for $700 and used Mesa 4x12 for $700. Or less if you wait for a deal to pop up. I got a Crate 4x12 with V30s for $200. The price isnt a bug difference.
So I have been playing guitar for the last 4 years now coming up on 5 and I absolutely love this video because in the past I always thought that I need to have the very "best" in order to have good sound, that being tube amps. I am constantly being told by others that I have to spend more in order to be better or sound better, and I have to spend that money on tube amps. And I love the sound of a good tube amp, but now I realize that maybe the price tag isn't worth it. Thank you for this!
I sold my last tube amp this year and bought a powered cab and a valeton gp200 for live, and I use mainly the Fortin NTS and Spiritbox plugins for recording. No regrets. It sounds great, it's ridiculously convenient, and super reliable.
It makes sense if you got a road crew with a semi to haul around your gear. For most people a modeler makes the most sense.
For anyone who would choose to criticize another player for a choice they make for themselves...well that's just crazy. I've got no time for those people. Do you man. I just want to say, there are more applications and solutions for players than ever before. And modelers solved some major issues for touring players. It makes no sense to lug a huge rig on the road. But I think real amps are so important and worthy of a place, even if it's just in the studio. I have an amp/modeler hybrid workflow in the studio and it's just awesome. And there many great boutique amp builders out there keeping the passion for amps alive and I would love to see as many seasoned players as possible supporting them. And I think real amps give modelers the inspiration to be better. But ultimately we have to do what he have to do. Great work, keep it up!
I haven’t played a metal/hardcore show live in at least 10 years, last time I played small bar shows the monitoring setup of in house sound system was not really good, if I was playing live with my current knowledge I would like a hybrid setup, a modeler that would allow me to split the signal and send a complete process signal to FOH, and another signal to either an fx loop or the front of an amp just for stage volume. I play most of my gigs without amps but they’re not metal or hardcore gigs. If I had a touring band I would make a big investment in a monitoring rig
The one giant difference isn’t the quality of tones at this point in time. It’s the way that amps push air and modelers can’t (yet) do that. Some players need/want that air pushing tactile feedback while they play. Or from a live venue perspective, when you’re in the crowd at certain venues, there’s nothing like feeling the air getting pushed through the speakers from those amps. People in the crowd at many venues can notably feel those amps and notice the absence of amps - but I have yet to hear people saying that the music sounds bad or the show sucked just because some musicians are using modeling at live gigs.
But is there a definitive right or wrong? No. It’s a very personal choice and decision. Every player needs to decide if they’re okay with lugging equipment to venues or having it take up space at home. And if they want to spend the money. The one annoying part of that many modelers require using computers/phones to control and setup - there’s nothing like having knobs to tweak on the fly instead of being completely chained to a digital device and having to click a mouse or tap screens to dial everything in or change things up. But once it’s all setup, it’s kind of hard to argue that modelers aren’t starting to meet or exceed the argument that amps are the only way to tone heaven - at a fraction of the space and price.
You can achieve that by buying a cab and a portable preamp to use your modelers with, plenty of people do it and get exactly what you describe. You'll never achieve the moving air feeling without an object that physically moves the air just like you can't simulate a rollercoaster at home.
I have a VHT power amp pushing air out of 2 mesa boogie 4x12s to get that feeling out of my axe fx 3, and trust me its there for sure lol
I have patches on both the axe 2 and axe 3 that kill any tube amp thru a 412.
Tbh Im thinking I should release these patches for free since I have a real job and don't need to nickel and dime ppl to pay bills. We could easily end this debate today. How do we share patches?
modellers are just NOT real music, period, the end......Frequency response the erratic behavior of a Tube is Totally different. Modellers are like a 1 trick pony, that's fun at first, but it's just Fake at the end of the day.
Some of these plugins sound great, but when I play them it's too easy to play because they are so compressed. Doesnt leave much room for actual dynamics.
Quality and versatility of plugins/modellers have become SO good.
I've never played a tube head yet. But I will get one just because I want to have the experience playing through it. But I definitely see the reason for going digital these days. I use amplitube 5 for recording my practice sessions and it sounds the same as the combos I've owned.
The best part about modellers is that people with less of a budget can get tones on the same level as a $5000 rig for a fraction of the cost. The vitriol from gear snobs comes from them needing to justify blowing a fortune on amps/cabinets/effects. As someone who loves both tube amps and modellers I'm just ecstatic that there are more options and accessibility for any kind of musician now. No matter the budget.
Have always loved tube amps. Had 3 blow up so far and am over the weight and bulkiness. Actually sold my last tube amp this morning. The days of mile high stacks and heavy heads are sadly coming to an end
Live the life man ...glad for your sucess
Appreciate it!
out of curiousity, if a new amplifier were to come out, and that amp catches your eye would you consider buying it or would you still maybe pass on it?
That’s a great question. I’m not sure because I know it’s going to be expensive. I just don’t know what feature it would need for me to make that purchase. Maybe I’ll get it when I see it. Great question, and thanks for watching.
been playing guitar for 24 years, 20 of it was through a tube amp, the last 4 through amp sims and modelers, i will never go back to tube amps...
I have a couple tube amps but the next on my list is getting an orange super crush 100 head. They sound really good and it's a true old school analog circuit. Put a eq pedal in the loop and nobody will know it's not tubes.
I really dig the last part you said befor the final statement brother nicely said 100%.
yeah I agree, everything I do is in the digital realm also. Plugins sound real good these days and the flexibility is priceless, not to mention I would never be able to afford the tube amps im after. its so convenient for my workflow. Although I do like playing through a tube amp for inspiration and the unhinged snappy feeling it gives while recording the Di for use in songs. do you keep any tube amps around to use in that way or do you monitor through plugins and digital effects?
Really enjoyed the video and the replies.
Though i did stop reading once I finally hit the "my way destroys your way" comments. Haha
I love tube amps. I haven't owned one since 2020 when I went full digital. It's not only the modeling of tube amps that are sounding great, but I'm getting better tonal options through digital gear.
Something that people seem to often overlook with the modeling stuff is that you can play it quietly, which is a game changer, especially with teenagers, or people who live in apartments. Even in my 20's I couldn't crank a full Marshall stack. Now, you can get any sound you want in the palm of your hand. They even have those practice amps, like the Katana Go, that are like the size of a phone. The barrier to entry is the lowest it's ever been. You can get an entire rig, guitar and modeling amp, for less than $500. This is the genius of digital modelers.
I just ran my friedman IRX into a 6505+ power section tonight. I think I’m gonna go from class D power back to fully tube
Class D just can’t hang with class AB or class A. It just sounds worse
Hi y'all! I'm 30, been playing the guitar for almost 16 years now. I've never owned a tube amp, but had multiple occasions to play on some. I've been using amp.sims for most of my "playtime" so to speak, starting with Guitar Rig 4. I think it's a generation thing: people in their 40s and 50s just can't wrap their head around the fact that the technology is being developed really fast. I think a lot of them still think that amp sims sound like crappy transistor amps (not all transistor amps are crappy, obviously).
For me it comes down to few key points: can I use this on the gig? Does it give me the options that I need? Does it make playing fun? Does it sound good? Can I afford it?
And lately, I've finally found a thing which made me answer "yes" to all of these: ToneX One. Bought it this month and I cannot wait to use it in the upcoming gigs.
So yeah, if it makes you wanna play, it's good. That's it I guess
I have my old Spider 75 that's been collecting dust and I have a cheapo fender 10g but I play a PodGo through it whenever I don't feel like playing through my computer. Don't get my wrong it sounds like shit. I'm going to upgrade to a FRFR real soon. But modelers are the way to go. I went to a jam session and all I took was my guitar and modeler and was able to play instantly
Hear me out.....The quad cortex is 1700 bucks. You still need a power amp or a good PA at the venue. Yes you have all that great stuff in one little package but its not the end all. You still need your in ear monitor systems, cabs (not always needed) etc....also, option paralysis is a very real thing and a lot of people spend more time downloading different IR's or profiles than they do finding there own sound. They instead choose to cop someone elses.
Also, what happens when that QC/Kemper/Tonex shorts out (all electronic items will eventually). You will be buying the next big thing again for most likely over a thousand dollars. Tube amps can be repaired at pretty decent prices when they burn out over there long life spans...(yes I know you have to spend money on tubes and biasing with real amp heads but that kind of fun in its own way YMMV)
All the modelers and profilers out there these days are very cool, I am not denying that...but they are all sold to emulate the real thing. Very few plug ins or modelers attempt to create something new. If you can get that one real thing you like (whichever tube amp you like) why wouldn't you? You dont like it then flip it and buy a different one. Guys who get into the used tube amp market do this all the time. If you are a touring musician, that an entirely different ball game so I understand the draw especially if you fly around for you gigs. Not trying to stir hate at all, just giving my opinion. Love your channel regardless and good luck on your career.
Many tube amps are not repairable anymore.
Such as?
@@stephenpryor1505 better off with a JCM EVH ENGL over a cortex.. lol It’s not the same feeling when you’re playing it man it’s so hard to describe me playing through a tube and the me playing through a modeler I always prefer the tube sound. you guys out there that play guitar know what I’m talking about when you’re playing through a tube head /rig and then you set it down and go play out of the modeler ..you’re gonna have more fun and get more kick ass sounds and feeling coming out of those tubes than that shit cortex bs. Lol 😂 money is never an issue with me. I can play out of anything I want so I try to play out of what feels good to me when I’m playing for me. It’s always been tubes… feels and sounds so much better . I get into it more also. I’ve played out of some of the best modelers out there and I never liked any of them man I always had more fun playing out of my tube heads ..but maybe I’m just an old fk don’t know shit. ✌️
Great video. I am a bedroom player still learning. I just sold a 15 watt tube amp yesterday. I still have a cheap 5 watt tube amp because I really like the clean sounds it produces. Anything with overdrive or distortion I use my Boss Katana. I am able to adjust the amp between 100, 50, and .5 watts. And it also connects to my computer directly if I want to record my progress. The higher end digital stuff is so good and offers so much value. I’m still a big U2 fan and they sound awesome in the Las Vegas Sphere. And they aren’t using a wall of tube amps.
Totally makes sense dude.
I have one tube amp I bought several years ago and it's great! I love cranking it up and getting the "in the room" sound. But for recording and most live situations - modelers, plugins, etc. all the way.
Man thats what im thinking like for 2 years now...thanks for speaking that out loud!
Facts!!! I was a tube amp snob once! ABY was triple rectifier A Laney Ironheart with digitech artist (purple) in the loop for B. Massive and rarely got played. Tech is so solid these days, and Thank You for helping guide Us thru it!
The amp cabinet in the room is important to me when playing live. The interaction with the strings feedback ect are part of my playing style. The sims do sound good FOH or recording for sure. But the feel is hardly ever mentioned only that they sound very close to tube amps. Great video. Always looking for new and old tools!
Given the amount of kids/young musicians that are growing up with plug-ins and modellers, I think your opinion will be a popular one in the near future.
Man your view is cool and I respect that. Personally I still feel like a kid on Christmas morning everytime I play a tube amp. I use plug-ins a lot. But when I play live or am jamming out in my studio the real deal just does it for me. Maybe I'm just getting old.
I 100% agree with you. I’m running the line 6 pod Go and it pretty much opened up a whole new world of tones for me. Sometimes I run it through an effects loop of an amp but mostly through powered speakers. PS, fuck the haters. I love what you’re doing and where you’re heading 👌🏻💪🏻
Cool video, and I mostly agree. Curious; when you talk about what you see out and about, are you talking mostly metal? I think it’s more accepted there, than like rock or blues. I could be wrong though.
I like both . Only issue I’ve found with my helix is the lack of time to explore it . At least there’s a good community that upload sounds and it’s fun to download a sound and play with it . Tube amps and rack units are just more simple for me but I don’t understand the hate . It’s what you do with the sound
Tube amps and modeller/sims are almost identical today, but comparing them the tube amps still have a thicker mid they still have quite matched to my ear yet
Xander you're 100% right!
Remember folk's some people love ketchup but hate tomatoes 😂 everyone is different, do what works for you and use what you love to use and what use inspires you
I think the important part is dig in to a good tone with your modeler. When you spend a fortune on a rig you have the sound that rig makes. You are invested. A modeler will give you too many tones. Easy to get lost in that. Messing around with tones and tweaking and not making music. I fell into that trap for a good while. Its important to not get stun locked by tone overwhelm in the modeler.
You are 100% onto it mate IMO. Recently I've been tracking using a DI and my real amps together. But somewhere along the way I've now ditched the amps. several reasons. Using a Di is stupidly easy and you can put any sound you want on it and it sounds amazing. If I decide I want to refine the sound or the second guitar needs a different voicing? Easy, alternate through the different amp sims and find a tone that compliments the other. I'm loving it. I spent around $10,000 in amps over the last 2 years. I don't regret it as I still love them and tone chasing has been a hobby of mine for 20 years. But as far as putting them to practical use??? I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them other than keep them as trophies for display, or plug them in for the enjoyment of it.
I'm on the same page with you. I've played guitar for 38 years and I've NEVER owned a tube amp. Couple of solid states and a ton of modeling amps, from floor units to modeling amps to rack units. My current rack is the "ancient" Boss GX-700 that models amps aplenty. I've never, ever, Ever, EVER had anyone (including guitar players) approach me and ask, "That's an amp modeler isn't it?"
I completely agree. All my tube amps have been collecting dust since getting a Kemper so long ago. I wont get rid of them, and may buy more at some point, but as a Quad Cortex user now, it really makes no sense to me to use the big amp rig when I have everything in one tiny unit. Its the boomer in me that cant let go.
I have a 180 watt very nice Diezel tube amp and 4x12 for metal, and it uses most of the distortion in the preamp section, so it sounds heavy even at kow volumes. I have a 300 watt ISP theta solid state head with 2-4 channels, and a decimator noisecgate on each channel that sounds very close to my extremely good tube amp and is really loud too, it might still be the best solid state head available, it uses 2 high quality 8ohm 50 watt preamp power amps stacked, for tone quality, and goes down to 2 ohms in the power amp, for more than 300 watts, and can play quietly. 2 splawn 4x12. Both stacks together with my a/b switcher bix at once in stereo in just really monstrous. 2 full stacks usually will be. . Also an ISP 600 watt eminence woofer vector SL powered subwoofer cab, for great low e string bas response and also detuned guitars and iow tunings and 7 string guitars.. I have an ISP theta pro amp.modeler and multieffcts and cab sim, with 2 ISP frfr 150 watt powered modeler stereo speakers that are really accurate, even compared to my $1,500 B&W home stereo speakers which are highly rated. So they are studio clean. I use my modeler plugged into the guitar input of both the Tube amp head, and the solid state ISP head, sometimes, in addition to the ISP FRFR powered speakers.All are great and im very satified and very lucky to have them at great slighly used prices. I'm not rich. . All are way up there in sound quality. The tube Half Stack and solid state Full stack have a much bigger wall sound spread and move more air than the 1 inch tweeter and 8 inch woofer of the powered frfr speakers, but all 3 crank and sound great at low volumes, too. One day maybe i will get an Axe Fx e or higher for the 3 if them and to plug into my pc. I got it all for 8,500, gradually.. Slighly used. Cheaper than a great new prs guitar with rosewood neck. I have a few U.S.A. Jackson neck thru guitars, alder and mahogany, body metal guitars that take advantage of these 3 amps choices, one with Active Duncan Blackouts. One with bare knuckle. Once again very lucky and furtunate to get slightly used at like half price. All sound great! I would recommend all 3 amp choices. To me, the most fun is the diezel at low or high volumes for sound quality, standing in front, it just pounds. The isp full stack with Slawns is slightly diffetent sounding, not quite as good sounding as the Diezel with the powered ISP Sub. But at almost 1/3 the price of the Diezel.The Isp theta dsp pro amp sim fx unit"s sound quality is right up there With Axe fx units, at half the price, like a Quad Cortex. Very clear and high quality. I tecommend all options. I would either get an Axe Fx 3 used or a new 4 if it comes out, to have a huge library of hundred of tube amps and cabs and muti-fx simulations for a home studio computer DAW, 1:43 or to plug into the three different amps. All are well built, and i hope they last 40 years.i do not feel cheated in sound quality when switching to any of the three. You can find good deals and spend un 10,000 if you look around and be choosy. Watch youtube videos like this one and amp and guitarcl plys and reviews, with good $200 or more headphones or a good sound system to see what your choices sound like pretty close so you know what thecsoubd like. I had a Carvin 100 watt 3 channel V3 head, like a mesa, first, for 700, that was really good, and affordable, a great deal. My friend's 650 peavey JSX and oeavy XXX heads wete surprising close to the diezel in distortion tone. So thete are good deals out there on great tube heads, 4x12 cabs, amp and fx floor units, i f you look enough. Another deal i got that i wasnt exoecting was a $1,000 new Jackson 8 string mahogany, 3 piece maple neck thru archtop with emg 808 humbuckers, with slight paint defect on the side, for 350, with 50 for soft case. I had 5bought of trying one someday, and an ebay deal from a music shop popped up. I tried to read up on it quickly, and other bidders did too, and got lucky. Search for good deals. Even the diezel with 4x12 was just two thirds list price, with 7 hoyrs playing time on it. The seller was a doctor, and his wife said he could only keep his Marshall Silver Jubilee half stack, so it looked like a safe deal to try. I wasnt expecting the 8 string, but it was what i preferred over Ibanez, Agile. And i was patient, slowly saving up. Im not rich, just lucky. I dont think my price was that high, to get 3 different amp setups, at diferent but good prices. O showed my friend an Ibanez white Vai Jems fir $1,000 in 2010 on ebay, and he jumoed on it. He got a new paul gilbert Iban3z pgm 300 stoptail for $700 that listed at $1,400 in 1998 at a guitar store that needed to bring in new guitar lineups. They just iffered ut to him. Save yiur money and be patient. This was a great video! I learned a lot.
My only issue with modelers is the lack of stage volume. It sounds a bit neutered compared to amps and cans on stage. If I were in a position were I was touring I would probably want a modeler but would use a house cab for stage volume
Tube amps have sag, depth, attack and response that solid state and digital don't. Maybe a Kemper Profiler does, but that's probably the key: pushing the signal through a power tube.
Is that worth triple the price? And can you hear those attributes in a mix?
dead on accurate.. everyone who says otherwise is deaf or never played a full stack
Great video, I literally been thinking about getting myself a Zoom modeler, I'm not a pro, and most of my music suck, but i enjoy playing metal
As a lot of people, getting a tube amp was my dream. Now Im lucky enough to have one (ENGL Savage), but also multiple amp sim. The only difference I see (except the crazy high cost of the tube amp, as you already said), is my « will to play ». I really enjoy plugging into my huge 4x12 cab with my tube head. But that’s it. Tone wise, I can get exceptional sounds from my head and from my amp sim.
For me, the switch to only play my amp sim will be when my tube head will die and cost too much to repair.
The first big bullet point is the most important for players now. You can pay 1600 (less if you’re willing to go used), and you can have an entire rig that can change when you want/need it to. I still prefer recording with tube amps as often as possible just for ease of use. But otherwise the convenience gained vs ‘tone’ lost equation makes sense at this point and will only make more sense in the future.
I've had many setups during the two decades I've been playing guitar. Started out with a solid state combo, I've had tube combo's, tube heads, analog and digital rack preamps along with solid state and tube power amps.. not to mention the various fx pedals and modules. Now I rarely play guitar because kids happened. But the things I kept was a Line6 pod pro X rack unit qlong with an FRFR active speaker. While it's not the best tone I've had, it's pretty damn close and just has so many avantages over heavy tube amps. I use it as a guitar and bass amp, an interface to my pc, headphone amp when the kids are in bed. This setup is great for. And it costed me less than a grand. And no maintenance either.
It's digital all the way for me
Going direct has been great for me and my band generally. I miss the power of an amp behind me on stage sometimes, but its a small price to pay for not having to lug all that extra gear around.
Screw the haters, love your content
Man I love this video,yes I agree.i grew up in the golden age the 80s,rock stars unlimed budget for a record because people bought records. We will never see music like this again because of digital downloads. But it has given the average person a voice
Also even in the early 80's how many tube mixing boards where out there? Especially live, almost everything was solid state.
Since I bought my first modeler, a V-Amp, in its first version, I've been hearing the same arguments: "Oh, it's so real you can't tell the difference!" and "Oh, it sounds artificial, it doesn't feel the same when playing." Neither of these arguments has changed over time. But the truth is, both technologies continue to coexist, and it doesn't seem like that's going to change anytime soon.
Nowadays, the way we create music has evolved significantly. Where you once recorded a riff on an audio recorder and presented it to your band, today, if you're in a band, you can compose an entire song on your PC. You use amp plugins, EZdrummer, EZkeys, EZ-whatever, mix and master it with iZotope, and only then do you present it to the band. And maybe, eventually, you'll play it live.
Everyone should use what makes them happiest or seems most useful to them. If you like having an amp behind you? Great! I do too! If you prefer carrying a small device that has everything you need? I like that too!
To draw an analogy, it's like when people said that Kindles would kill off traditional books. Both still exist, and both continue to serve their purpose.
I have a tube amp and i love it. But i have a multi-effects pedal board with amp modelling, and that is pretty damn good too. It really is just personal preference now days.
Really support your view. Plugins are great and I use them all the time. Meanwhile I got a new Tube Amp to my collection just in case I need the real deal.
Personally bought a tube amp in 2022 it’s never left my house or barely gets used. Thought about selling it a few times but mainly use it for capturing these days. Life’s changed a lot. lol
Record with tube. Tour with digital. Best of both worlds.
I took a black spirit 200 to a gig. Hooked it to the front of the house and the sound was massive. Big change from using my mark V with a cab and bunch of cables. Much easier to take a 4 pound rig