Valves / Axe-FX / Kemper / Eleven Rack for Home Use

[peteri]

All

Be really interested to hear your thoughts - I'm strictly a home guitarist, wish I wasn't but realistically that's all I have time for these days.

I have a nice little set up at home, Dr Z Mini Z and pretty respectable pedals (Wampler, Analogman etc) - and really like the sound I get.

However, I keep thinking maybe instead of a range of pedals and amp - and always being aware/conscious of volume (how many times does my wife really want to hear me mess up SRV?) - I should sell the whole lot and invest in a top flight amp/effects sim solution.

Advantage of this would be I can have the 'same' sound on headphones, tinker to my hearts content and when I want to play loud I can plug it into my home recording powered monitors.

However, I'm worried that whilst these are much better than the last time I tried this (Pod XT) - and so they should be for the price - that ultimately they won't be the same (I remember all guitars kind of sounded the same) and I'll have just put my money into someone which will depreciate massively (as opposed to what I have which is pretty much worth what I paid for it).

Anyone else been down the same road?

Cheers

Pete

[digitalscream]

If you've got a computer which is faster than 2GHz dual core, just get a cheap USB audio interface (M-Audio Fast Track ought to do it, around £50), download Amplitube Custom Shop (Free), buy some credits (around £15) and get a couple of amp models. Job done.

Great for recording, too - believe it or not, I've found it to be both more flexible and higher quality than my old Eleven Rack(s).

[Pyroman]

Sounds like you have a bad case of " The-Grass-is-Always-Greener" syndrome.

Seriously, it sounds like all you really need is a headphone jack. Since you enjoy the sounds your current set up gives you, tell your GAS to bugger off and leave you be. I'd look into a way to integrate a set of headphones into your set up.

If that's not possible, perhaps an inexpensive, but GOOD sounding small amp- like a Fender Mustang to use for (silent)practice. The I and II are cheap as chips, and even the III is under 300 Pounds. The Fendery sounds are astonishingly good, and they take pedals rather well. You'll get all the extras and tweakability like in the Axe-fx type system, too. AND you can keep your current gear. I own a III and love it! I save my valve amp for those times when I can make some noise.

As an aside, I've always wondered why so many smaller amps-CLEARLY designed and aimed squarely at home players- don;t have headphone jacks. One would think that that's a no-brainer...

[peteri]

You're spot on thanks - it's exactly that always looking for the next GAS project!

Thanks for the Amplitube recommendation - I'll give that a shot, bit of headphones action for 15 quid is a winner

Cheers

Pete

[digitalscream]

Thanks for the Amplitube recommendation - I'll give that a shot, bit of headphones action for 15 quid is a winner

You might find that you like the free bundled models - give them a try (and don't forget to change the cab on the first default preset to the 4x12" instead of the 4x10", otherwise you'll think the amp models are naff when they're not), and you might not have to spend any money at all

[peteri]

Thanks - tried it, looks like a goer!

[paulmapp8306]

Latest Generation modellers are a league above the previous ones, the AFX and Kemper particulary. They keep the guitars inherent voice, even different PUs on the same guitar sound as they should.

That said, there not cheap. For a purly home player they make very good sense, but a cheaper solution like the software solution or cheap end modern modeller such as the Mustangs and even the Zoom GX3 are worth a try. I think you'd be surprised how good even they are.

[peteri]

I quite like Amplitube to be honest, things have definitely improved a lot.

It still has too much gain for my taste (there's no way I could ever get that gain out of my Tiny Terror for example), but they're closer than they were.

I've scored a Pod X3 off a forumite, I'll give that a shot and see - cost (and more correctly depreciation) is what scares me on these technology solutions.

P

[uncle_psychosis]

With amplitube, what kind of "interface" does it need?

Would DI box + mixer + good sound card be sufficient? Or does it insist on a USB doohicky?

[octatonic]

I quite like Amplitube to be honest, things have definitely improved a lot.

I just finished an album where the artist recorded her parts in Amplitube which I then re-amped through the Axe FX 2.
The difference is absolutely enormous.

The problem with the Axe is the purchase price.
Depreciation is less of an issue at the moment, although modelling tech has never been great.

Good luck with the X3- they aren't bad for 4 year old tech.