Ok so my rig is overkill but I have a dual source acoustic (k&k and Ghost piezo). I'm running the K&K in to channel 1 of my Grace Felix. Then I send the ghost piezo through the tonedexter to get a 'true' sound before going in to channel 2 of the Felix. I can eq each separately and blend to taste. Haven't tried yet as just got the relevant pedals, but it feels like it could be fantastic. If not I'll sell and try again ha ha
From the perspective of a former ToneDexter user (sold before version 2 software), I find this to be the most honest and comprehensive review that I’ve yet seen. The Audio Sprockets folks are wonderfully supportive and helpful to their customers, so it’s good to hear that the product continues to improve. The anti-feedback innovation sounds like especially good news for soundboard pickup users who play in difficult settings.
Just updated the firmware on mine, seems to make consistently better tonemaps now. Been fighting feedback vs hearing myself in the monitors for 20 years. I seem to like to pick instruments that sound bad with a pickup like banjo, resonator guitar, and currently acoustic archtop. With the magic red box, I can hear myself as loud as I want in the monitors with zero feedback, and as a bonus, it sounds really good instead of really bad.
for me CH1 and 75% are the one that sounds better for strumming, but the wavemap with fingers is real good, the pickup with fingers is horrible to me, great demo
Excellent commentary. Very complete and honest. Thank you. Like you, I would not rely on my tone Dexter in s studio (yet). But for a live club situation, its the best do far.
Thanks for the review. I’ve seen your reviews on the LR Baggs Vioceprint also. I’m wondering if you have a preference? Which sounds more natural? Thanks
I find the Tonedexter to be more complex and edges out the VPDI for a more true to life mic sound. I would probably choose it for recording or live-streaming. I find that the VPDI works better in a live setting through a PA. It retains more of the immediacy and punchy qualities of a pickup while transforming the tone. It also depends on your pickup. VPDI works with a wider variety in my experience.
@@redhatreview thanks for the info. I’ll only be using it in a live setting, as I don’t do any live streaming and record with a mic in front of the guitar. Thanks again for the reply
I have a tonedexter and am excited about using it for the tone shaping journey.That said, next questions for a fellow Seeker. Have you tried Bob Wiers Real Deal to blend a live mic? Do you use different types of pickups? Do you shape the pickup sound on the way in to the processor? Do you use different picks? Do you have time to travel down this rabbit hole? Enjoy your life.
I haven’t tried the Bob Wier Real Deal. How is it? I have tried a ton of different pickup. I currently use a Trance Audio Amulet and the Baggs Anthem. I don’t shape the pickup prior to IR. If you want to do this, you just need to make sure you use that same shaping in the IR creation process. Lately, I haven’t spent as much time in the rabbit hole, but it’s always there for me to continue the journey. Cheers.
@@redhatreview I used an Audio technica dynamic mic in church for experiment ( the crowd is very quiet there) ran the piezo from Schecter Orleans mahogany full size into Aura preset and both into real deal. Bose s1 for monitor and f1 against the wall behind. Audio tech vocal condenser and real deal into VG mixer then out. I got drunk on the mellow sound and they had to wake me up for communion wine!
Are u gonna update after you try it live? I’m still hesitant to pull the trigger. It’s a major purchase decision at that price point, and I’ve been torn between getting this an say, a good pickup system like LR BAGGS ANTHEM or something. Thx
I am hoping to do some follow-up videos. My personal opinion is to start with a guitar that you like, then get a pickup that you like the sound of, and then if you want, use other pedals to improve upon that already good sound. In my experience thus far, I always use a blend of my pickup and any IR pedal I've ever used, so it's really important to me to have a pickup I like. If it were me, and I had to choose, I'd rather spend the money on getting a good pickup than try to take a pickup I don't like and turn it into something else with effects. Thanks for watching!
@@nomandad2000 I wouldn't say you have to. A plain and simple UST can and does sound good with the tonedexter. I do think that to a degree, the better your pickup sounds, the better your results are. I like to blend in my pickup, so it's important to me that I like the sound of my pickup. The Anthem is a great one by the way.
@@redhatreview fantastic. I’ll take that advice. I think you confirm what I’ve been suspecting. I’ll continue to follow you for updates. Subscribed, and thanks for responding...
@@redhatreview Just curious. Is your trance amulet pickup active? I feel like no matter how many IR's I make for my Martin 000-15M with a Trace Amulet pickup (Passive) it just always sounds cloudy in the midrange and horrible for strumming. Recently for shit's and giggles I tried running my Yamaha FGX-04-LTD with a Fishman Matrix pickup through the Tonedexter just for a comparison just to see if I was going crazy (with over analyzing ear) and it sounds way better. This is an entry level acoustic/electric by Yamaha and it sounds way better than the Martin which is way more expensive. Just curious why I can't get a passible (imo) IR for the Martin.
@@gerimayawhyte154 I have the active Trance Amulet M. Without IR applied, how does that guitar sound plugged in? I’m curious if the mid character or response to strumming is the same with or without IR? Then I’ll just say that acoustic IR’s are or can be maddening. They seem to work better on some instruments and pickups than with others for no apparent reason. They also seem to sound different depending on the PA or situation or room you are in. Not sure I have a silver bullet for for you, but you could try adjusting the mic tone by way of eq in a DAW when creating an IR. If the mids are getting lost or are too present with the IR, try making another IR where the mids are eq’d in a way that helps the IR. The other thing I found is that a little goes a long way in a live environment. 30-40% is the most I would ever blend in when plugging in to a PA. Best of luck.
@@redhatreviewI believe that I have the same model as you as I have the Trance Amulet M. I'm assuming it's active as it has a battery. It was a little confusing looking at Trance Amulets different models because I generally think of pickups needing batteries as active but the higher priced models don't need batteries and are powered by phantom power? Anyway I looked at Tonedexters website and there is a list of pickups that Audisprockets mentions that work very well with Tonedexter and a list of ones that don't. The preferred pickup list states that a Trance Amulet SBT active works well for it but I couldn't figure out what that acronym stands for and it wasn't listed on any of the Trance Amulet models. The website does mention that the IR's generally work better with piezo pickups and I don't think that Trance Amulets pickups are piezo. TA describes them as being different. I have experimented a little with the Tonedexter bypassed but nothing particularly moved the needle for me. I'm wanting a tone that cuts through for my looping setup but doesn't sound awful as well. At this point I'm just thinking that the Tonedexter just doesn't play well with this pickup which would track. I may give the Tonedexter another shot just using it as a D.I. as you mentioned. Maybe I just got ear fatigue but I did do samples of my instrument looped with and without the IR and wasn't very happy with either. I may just end up getting a Fishman Matrix Infinity pickup installed in my Martin. It was good though to find out that though the IR technology just doesn't work well with certain pickups. I'm glad that Audio Sprockets is straight up about supplying that information on their website. That all being said I am pretty happy with how it sounds on my Yamaha FGX-04-LTD. I may experiment with fine tuning the amount of IR and maybe add some saturation. Damn guitar is so much heavier than my Martin I'll need to get a better strap.
Ok so my rig is overkill but I have a dual source acoustic (k&k and Ghost piezo). I'm running the K&K in to channel 1 of my Grace Felix. Then I send the ghost piezo through the tonedexter to get a 'true' sound before going in to channel 2 of the Felix. I can eq each separately and blend to taste. Haven't tried yet as just got the relevant pedals, but it feels like it could be fantastic. If not I'll sell and try again ha ha
Let me know how that works on your banjo
From the perspective of a former ToneDexter user (sold before version 2 software), I find this to be the most honest and comprehensive review that I’ve yet seen. The Audio Sprockets folks are wonderfully supportive and helpful to their customers, so it’s good to hear that the product continues to improve. The anti-feedback innovation sounds like especially good news for soundboard pickup users who play in difficult settings.
Wanna hear what you think of the new one
I’m looking forward to hearing more about it and will probably try it out for myself when it’s out.
Just updated the firmware on mine, seems to make consistently better tonemaps now. Been fighting feedback vs hearing myself in the monitors for 20 years. I seem to like to pick instruments that sound bad with a pickup like banjo, resonator guitar, and currently acoustic archtop. With the magic red box, I can hear myself as loud as I want in the monitors with zero feedback, and as a bonus, it sounds really good instead of really bad.
For my studio use, I am going with the Fishma Aura Spectrum.
for me CH1 and 75% are the one that sounds better for strumming, but the wavemap with fingers is real good, the pickup with fingers is horrible to me, great demo
Thanks. I also like CH1 for strumming.
Excellent commentary. Very complete and honest. Thank you. Like you, I would not rely on my tone Dexter in s studio (yet). But for a live club situation, its the best do far.
Great review, my friend. I'm probably getting myself a Felix2, but with the 2.0 firmware, maybe I'll have a TD someday, as well...
The Felix2 looks to be a fantastic tone shaping pedal.
Thanks for the review. I’ve seen your reviews on the LR Baggs Vioceprint also. I’m wondering if you have a preference? Which sounds more natural?
Thanks
I find the Tonedexter to be more complex and edges out the VPDI for a more true to life mic sound. I would probably choose it for recording or live-streaming. I find that the VPDI works better in a live setting through a PA. It retains more of the immediacy and punchy qualities of a pickup while transforming the tone. It also depends on your pickup. VPDI works with a wider variety in my experience.
@@redhatreview thanks for the info. I’ll only be using it in a live setting, as I don’t do any live streaming and record with a mic in front of the guitar. Thanks again for the reply
I have a tonedexter and am excited about using it for the tone shaping journey.That said, next questions for a fellow Seeker.
Have you tried Bob Wiers Real Deal to blend a live mic? Do you use different types of pickups? Do you shape the pickup sound on the way in to the processor? Do you use different picks? Do you have time to travel down this rabbit hole?
Enjoy your life.
I haven’t tried the Bob Wier Real Deal. How is it? I have tried a ton of different pickup. I currently use a Trance Audio Amulet and the Baggs Anthem. I don’t shape the pickup prior to IR. If you want to do this, you just need to make sure you use that same shaping in the IR creation process. Lately, I haven’t spent as much time in the rabbit hole, but it’s always there for me to continue the journey. Cheers.
@@redhatreview I used an Audio technica dynamic mic in church for experiment ( the crowd is very quiet there) ran the piezo from Schecter Orleans mahogany full size into Aura preset and both into real deal. Bose s1 for monitor and f1 against the wall behind. Audio tech vocal condenser and real deal into VG mixer then out. I got drunk on the mellow sound and they had to wake me up for communion wine!
Are u gonna update after you try it live? I’m still hesitant to pull the trigger. It’s a major purchase decision at that price point, and I’ve been torn between getting this an say, a good pickup system like LR BAGGS ANTHEM or something. Thx
I am hoping to do some follow-up videos. My personal opinion is to start with a guitar that you like, then get a pickup that you like the sound of, and then if you want, use other pedals to improve upon that already good sound. In my experience thus far, I always use a blend of my pickup and any IR pedal I've ever used, so it's really important to me to have a pickup I like. If it were me, and I had to choose, I'd rather spend the money on getting a good pickup than try to take a pickup I don't like and turn it into something else with effects. Thanks for watching!
@@redhatreview let me ask you this before you go: do you have to have a good pickup system with a tonedexter?
@@nomandad2000 I wouldn't say you have to. A plain and simple UST can and does sound good with the tonedexter. I do think that to a degree, the better your pickup sounds, the better your results are. I like to blend in my pickup, so it's important to me that I like the sound of my pickup. The Anthem is a great one by the way.
@@redhatreview fantastic. I’ll take that advice. I think you confirm what I’ve been suspecting. I’ll continue to follow you for updates. Subscribed, and thanks for responding...
Aaron, many thanks for your candid remarks and well done video!
My pleasure. I truly think you have made a giant impact on acoustic amplification. My (red) hat is off to you.
I love mine. Just curious have you paired it with the trance amulet pickup? I ordered (the pick-up) it for my new Martin after watching your review.
Yes, I have.
@@redhatreview Just curious. Is your trance amulet pickup active? I feel like no matter how many IR's I make for my Martin 000-15M with a Trace Amulet pickup (Passive) it just always sounds cloudy in the midrange and horrible for strumming. Recently for shit's and giggles I tried running my Yamaha FGX-04-LTD with a Fishman Matrix pickup through the Tonedexter just for a comparison just to see if I was going crazy (with over analyzing ear) and it sounds way better. This is an entry level acoustic/electric by Yamaha and it sounds way better than the Martin which is way more expensive. Just curious why I can't get a passible (imo) IR for the Martin.
@@gerimayawhyte154 I have the active Trance Amulet M. Without IR applied, how does that guitar sound plugged in? I’m curious if the mid character or response to strumming is the same with or without IR? Then I’ll just say that acoustic IR’s are or can be maddening. They seem to work better on some instruments and pickups than with others for no apparent reason. They also seem to sound different depending on the PA or situation or room you are in. Not sure I have a silver bullet for for you, but you could try adjusting the mic tone by way of eq in a DAW when creating an IR. If the mids are getting lost or are too present with the IR, try making another IR where the mids are eq’d in a way that helps the IR. The other thing I found is that a little goes a long way in a live environment. 30-40% is the most I would ever blend in when plugging in to a PA. Best of luck.
@@redhatreviewI believe that I have the same model as you as I have the Trance Amulet M. I'm assuming it's active as it has a battery. It was a little confusing looking at Trance Amulets different models because I generally think of pickups needing batteries as active but the higher priced models don't need batteries and are powered by phantom power? Anyway I looked at Tonedexters website and there is a list of pickups that Audisprockets mentions that work very well with Tonedexter and a list of ones that don't. The preferred pickup list states that a Trance Amulet SBT active works well for it but I couldn't figure out what that acronym stands for and it wasn't listed on any of the Trance Amulet models. The website does mention that the IR's generally work better with piezo pickups and I don't think that Trance Amulets pickups are piezo. TA describes them as being different. I have experimented a little with the Tonedexter bypassed but nothing particularly moved the needle for me. I'm wanting a tone that cuts through for my looping setup but doesn't sound awful as well. At this point I'm just thinking that the Tonedexter just doesn't play well with this pickup which would track. I may give the Tonedexter another shot just using it as a D.I. as you mentioned. Maybe I just got ear fatigue but I did do samples of my instrument looped with and without the IR and wasn't very happy with either. I may just end up getting a Fishman Matrix Infinity pickup installed in my Martin. It was good though to find out that though the IR technology just doesn't work well with certain pickups. I'm glad that Audio Sprockets is straight up about supplying that information on their website.
That all being said I am pretty happy with how it sounds on my Yamaha FGX-04-LTD. I may experiment with fine tuning the amount of IR and maybe add some saturation. Damn guitar is so much heavier than my Martin I'll need to get a better strap.
This is one of the most honest reviews yet on Tonedexter. Thanks for this.
You are welcome. Thanks for watching.
24 bit for acoustic ? an IR sims for acoustic guitar ? this is always an digital sound ... bad way
You think that sounds bad and/or digital? It's all subjective but IR's are pretty incredible.
Have you tried it?
Ah yes, "digital is bad"... 😂