TUBE AMP vs LAPTOP | 3500$ vs 59$ | Surprising Tone Insight!!
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- Опубліковано 17 вер 2017
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Guitar:
Fender CS Cunetto Relic '97
Amp:
Tone King Imperial
Pedals:
Klon KTR
T-Rex Mudhoney
Strymon Timeline - amzn.to/2h8BCek
Boss RV5
Software:
BIAS FX - amzn.to/2y8QvUB
Ableton live - amzn.to/2fhPZjz
Interface:
RME Fireface UCX - amzn.to/2xk7pSM
Mics:
SM57 - amzn.to/2wvL9l6
RØDE NTG4 (for vox) - amzn.to/2x51Vwa - Навчання та стиль
I think one problem with musicians (myself being one) is that they listen to music too much as a musician and not as the audience. The audience doesn't give two shits about the minor differences between this VS that or that VS this in terms of the tech being used...they grade the song based on the song...and grade the performance based on the performance.
I agree. But still the extra quality is usually relevant when recording. On the other hand if you focus only in the "audience", you will probably start probably making facile, sub par music,.
Rufus Slothkowski True.
if all you're looking to do is record your guitar, a virtual amp will get you a pretty good sound that no one will complain about, but if you're like most guitarists and play as much for fun as anything, having a nice amp and hearing it in person has a pleasure factor that for many is worth the high price-point. So yeah, musicians listen as musicians and not as audience, but i'd say that's not a problem. that sort of thing is going to show up with anything. (i've gotten a bit into music production to record my own music, and i pretty much can't listen to music anymore without paying attention to all the little arrangement and mixing details.) The real problem is when musicians don't realize that they have a different perspective that isn't necessarily more or less accurate than any other person in audience.
Couldn’t agree more.
Absolutely agree. Unless you play to a room full of guitarists (and they won't agree whats best either!) no one cares. Only benefit I see is personally I play better and more inspired when the sound and feel match what I like for the style of music I happen to be playing at the moment. Otherwise nobody in an average audience cares 2 cents worth or know what this discussion is all about.
Both sound good to me. Amazing how far digital modeling has come
Yes! The day that SkyNet will take over all of our tones is getting closer and closer...
Paul Davids "Come with me if you want to play!"
I think it's we who are getting over the tubes or piece of shit mentality. But that's just a small part, of course software is getting better although guitar rig 5 has been out for a long time and it has always been good IMO.
Guitar Rig? No thanks.
checkerace50 been a long time since I last checked my hearing, that must be it!
The tube amps sounds better just not $3441 better.
Exactly. If you want to save money and space, VST is the way to go. I expect/hope as this digital trend continues, amp companies will finally decrease their ridiculous prices.
It's not necessary to spend that kind of money on a high-end tube amp. You can buy them used at a big discount. I got my Coreblade three years ago for $1250 on eBay via auto bid while I was at work. I didn't expect to win oops!
torchlord11 I agree-only issue with used high-end gear is reliability. You get a great deal, but for how long (assuming it doesn’t just sit in a studio or room for the rest of its life played at lower volumes)? It’s like a used car, you can get lucky or very unlucky :-(
@@JeffFitzgerald1 I got pretty lucky with the Coreblade. It looks like it had been sitting in a guitar store waiting for someone to buy it. It looked brand new. So far the only problems have been with tubes flaking out on me but in both cases the Tube Safety Control feature kept the amp working. I've had it since Axe Fx 2 came out, which I almost bought instead.
@@vascolub1 agree I was testing out Bias FX 2 last night and it comes super close to my real tube amp sound at a fraction of the space and cost. Plus it makes recording and practice 100x easier you can dump tracks to a DAW piece a cake and also can practice late at night.
One key advantages of the VST, is that you can change the sound post tracking. Playing in isolation a sound may sound perfect, but not so perhaps when the rest of the band are in the mix.
Nice playing Paul. I can hardly hear the difference. To me it's more the feeling than the sound. Started to play in the early 80's. I could only dream of a quality amp and a good guitar. And today, you can get stellar sound, and good quality instruments for no money. It's really fun to be an hobbymusician today. Remember in 87 is was talking with my brother about "Think, if we could have it all in the computer, that would be cool" Now, we are there.
One of the best non-famous guitarists I've ever seen (a childhood friend and band-mate) initially played a Kay guitar with 3 microphonic pickups through a Silverone amp with a bass knob that would turn forever. He then graduated to a Fender Mustang and Sunn Solaris. The only effect I ever saw him use was an EHX LPB-1 power booster. His playing was jaw-dropping (for the time) but what set him apart was that he was the absolute master of his equipment.
Great demonstration! I think both have advantages and drawbacks. For me, I am a one man show using a Taylor acoustic through IK Multimedia's Amplitube Acoustic stacked with the original Amplitube app running through an iPad live on stage. I get compliments on the sound of my guitar all the time and my whole rig goes in a backpack. I love it.
You are really a good player man!! Love the way you play and how versatile you are! Good stuff! :)
Your playing is amazing.
Nice demo !
Thanks Pablo!
You should have switched them... let people comment about how they can hear all the pixies floating around in the tubes... and then revealed your ruse.
lol, that might have been cool.
there is a difference. it´s audible, even with laptop speakers
Reptilian Alien with some mushrooms you’ll see them pixies
its "you should have tricked them",,, i know for a fact no one would really tell the difference if done properly,, why? becuase bot would sound good,,, it would be then a matter of which of the 2 good tones they preffer,,, a lot would go for the digital, without knowing,,, the VISUAL ASPECT of the equipemnt plays a bigger role thanyou might think,
@@josedealva4205 They sound different, of course, but the point isn't just that they sound different, it's that how you perceive that difference can highly depend on what your bias is, and you may favor one over the other simply because of what it is rather than the actual sound.
Love your ethereal licks and tones man! Fabulous!
I think that how good a guitar sounds through a laptop depends on the amp simulation and vst plugins you use how you process it. If you use a Di box to clean up and brighten the tone before it goes into the audio interface you can achieve much nicer sounds aswell. Like all tools a guitar recorded through a laptop in the right hands can rival that of a tube amp. Their is so much things to consider when recording both ways that can drastically change how good it sounds. Consider that a tube amp is only as good as the microphone and room acoustics of where you record it and how you position the microphones. It's way way more expensive for a bit of a nicer tone good for a professional studio where all that matters in sound quiltly and you have the £1000s to invest. A laptop however if used right with a Di and a good vst like guitar rig ( and a few others ) good playing and fresh strings you can achieve results so close the average listener will not notice and you could spend less than £400. On your whole set up. And take it anywhere. You can record in a room full of people talking and shouting and it doesn't matter becuase it's direct line input. In my opinion for most people laptop is the best choice if you don't wanna spend £1000 plus and acoustically treating your room and just so much more stuff that can break. I'm mean don't get me wrong in the right hands a great tube amp and great mic positioned well on a good guitar with new strings and a good recording room will have better pure tone with more depth however is it worth it for the average musician? I think both are great but the average listener who isn't a guitarist or producer or obessed with "the perfect guitar tone " won't notice a difference unless you point it out if you use the laptop vst way right. You also can consider how good your mix is in the first place
I love how much clearer the chords are on the laptop. They're so well defined
Love your videos, one unsexy video I'd really like you to do is, "How I go about learning a new song". Keep up the great work!
+robert zorro månsby Good idea :)
MASTER THE NECK / PLAY ALONG JUST BOTTOM STRING LEARN PROGRESSION WOH LA SHAZAM DONE
Video quality is really good! Keep it up Paul!
Love the tone from both Paul!
What this video tells me is that you can get really nice guitar sounds out of either an amp or software. It really doesn't matter what you use anymore, you can sound great or rubbish through pretty much any modern gear. I have to say that I find the software route a lot more convenient, due to the confines of my playing/recording environment, but if I had enough space I'd have real amps too.
Bias FX for the WIN!!!! Sounds absolutely brilliant. The tone you're using sounds so much more sparkly and alive than the actual amp.
I've been using Bias FX for the last couple years now. I mostly use a Randall Satan tone match I found on the cloud, along with the default Marshall JCM 800 for a more blues tone. Being able to do both as efficiently as Bias FX is freakin fantastic.
Great reviews! I can listen to you play all day!
Why, oh why, are all of the really great musicians on UA-cam?? Great playing! Thank you.
Everybody loves that "Rain" strumming pattern with a delay.
I´ve seen a lot of videos and discussions about solid-state vs tubes vs software, I used all of them depending the situation, but tube are, for me, the greatest, is not about the resulting sound that you can achieve, it´s about the feel, the dynamic range, when you push the amp off limits and when you play hard or soft, I think that feeling in your fingers trough the amp is what makes tubes so great.
Brian Jigins Exactly ! The FEEL and " punch" is what I think is missing from all software. You stated my opinion perfectly. :-)
Yeah enjoy played those 2x12 tubes in your bedroom though, amirite?
It's so cool when you hear what digital can do. You have every single sound you would ever want instead of buying every amp and pedal.
Just make your main sound with real gear and the rest digital.
I still own a vg88 which made that possible but when I know plug in to a laptop im blown away actually.
Great playing man, enjoyed listening.
I use that RHCP riff as an exercise... goddamn thats clean playing at that tempo...and it´s so hard to play x) well done
Me too, the riff is actually pretty simple but still hard to play at a good tempo and without beeing out of timing, while also playing it clean. in riffs like these you can see pretty fast who plays guitar well or not
Snow (hey oh)
BEN just keep practising, eventually it will become easy
It's not very difficult to play mate
Mr Robowski it is simple But not easy
Is the part at 0:32 improv or a song? I need to know it's amazing.
I only have one year of guitar but I decided to pursue music through college. Your channel has definitely been an inspiration to keep going as I'm introduced to a broader view of how to utilize music and sound. Also some sick songs to learn :D
I loved that clean delay riff you played, beautiful
It's hard to describe to someone who doesn't play, but it's the FEEL between a tube amp (even a lesser wattage one) and any type of modeling (even the REALLY expensive ones) that makes the difference. The dynamics and responsiveness of each make the notes feel different as you play them and, consequently, you play differently... which, consequently, makes it sound different. Great comparison!
I'd love to see more about combining guitar FXs on this channel. Everytime I mix them, the sound gets mushy.
Very interesting video and excellent playing. Thanks so much!
I'm so happy that i've found your channel, splendid
You should do a video trolling the rig purists and switch the sounds round.
lmfao
If you can't tell then you probably suck.
@john m Tone wood is a myth... people have cut their guitar bodies off their guitars to prove it doesn't change whatsoever as well as interchangeable bodies
Yes That's a great idea!! Like Darrell Braun did with his P Rail Epi LP vs Fenders and Gibsons
@john m its very hard to hear any differences through a compressed digital recording, in person the difference between tubes and modeling is huge.
He's using a very expensive RME interface though, that helps. Personally I think direct sound is maybe not equal to a live amp but can be really good too as long as you have a good preamp in the chain before your interface. For about the same price as just this guys RME Fireface ($1300-1500 new) I would recommend a preamp like the BAE DMP (or the cheaper Heritage or Warm 1073 clones) into something like an Audient id14 / id22, or a Focusrite Clarette. That would be pretty comparable to pro studio quality. If you direct in on a $100 interface and throw on some BIAS FX meh ... that's crap, that's demo quality.
You really know how to put heart into your playing! So many others get wrapped up in the technical, me included.
Sounds good. I like using plug ins to get a quick idea down DI'ed and the sounds are pretty good. It's always fuller through amp. Plus you are getting the real thing with natural tube compression.
the question, at least for me-
is how does it "feel" ...??
Stiff ..??
pick hard, get compression ??
set guitar volume low, pick hard get p'up "chirp" ?
What do you think about Morgan Amps Paul?
Good comparision... for the plugin stuff I've always had a problem getting the right "feeling". The kemper has been one way around that problem, for me.
Both are amazing. It's all depends on what kind of tone and emotion you're after
Awesome playing and tones!
That guitar is similar to my Japanese Fender Stratocaster FSR 60's fiesta red! ROCK ON \m/
One thing that bothers me is the time tweaking the amp sim to get a similar sound of a tube amp. It's hard to find the right compression curve that really feels like a tube amp, although it's possible.
Great video Paul. I really enjoy your playing. I recently acquired Bias FX and i've learned that by adding different IR's to the cabinet and microphone section really improves the experience for me. I have a bunch of Two Notes IR's i got with my torpedo live. But they can be added trough their Wall Of Sound VST plugin where you only pay per IR. Just a helpful tip.
Pro beard btw, doesn't get any better.
Helpful vid, thanks. Confirmed what I thought without my having to go through the entire process myself. BTW, I have that Fender but with the Maple fingerboard.
Bias FX and Bias AMP are the real deal. I've been playing long enough to endure processors from Zoom, Digitech, and Line 6... Tech these days is insane.
I've been playing guitar for 30 years. It used to be easy to tell the difference between a real amp and a modeled sound. Not anymore. Sure, there's a difference in feel. That's why when I play live, it's a tube amp. When I record, it's always with modeled VSTs. Why? Flexibility. Record a guitar line with a VST and you can go back weeks, months, years later and tweak the sound. If you try to do that with a real tube amp, you'll need the exact amp you used the first time, with the knobs set exactly like they were, in the same room, using the same mic set in exactly the same spot. That's fine if you know you'll record all your guitar lines in a single day and won't have the desire to go back and change your tone later. Me personally, I like the flexibility that modeling offers, especially since there's no real difference in the sound. If you know what good tone is, you can achieve it with a good tube amp or VSTs.
Move this comment up to the top please. ... is all that need be said .
And there lies part of the problem with modern recordings; record it dry then go back and try a thousand different plugin settings. Recording is about capturing the moment! Not piecing together a matrix of paint by number. Just listen to modern pop music. Most of it is talent-less, quantized, computer nerds manipulating samples and filters until the shit out an homogenized turd.
syncdog head on over to www.soundcloud.com/pooterpatty . There you can check out a few of the tunes I've recorded over the years. Have a listen and tell me if you still think recording with VSTs is only for talentless quantized crap. If you're a master engineer with something productive to add, I'd love to hear it, you might try that before trolling around trying to throw shade on people for making music in a manner you don't agree with.
Pooter Patty I dig your songs man! And the production is solid! Everything is audible and has its own spot in the mix, rock on\m/ Did you say all of the tones on your recordings are vst? I was listening to can you tele, and never in a million years would I be able to tell that wasn't an amp. What plugin(s) do you run for your guitar?
Thank you James. Yes, all the guitar tones on those recordings are VST. On Can You Tele, that was all Pod Farm / Line 6 tones. I also use GuitarRig 5, and there are some pretty sweet free VST amp modelers, and when you pair them with all the different free cab impulses that are available, it's a rabbit hole of tone. But in order to get a good sound with amp modeling, you have to know good amplified guitar tone to begin with, and for any given tune, you have to know what sound you want beforehand. I've met guys who have paid thousands of dollars for a high-dollar amp rig, and they sound like crap. It's not just having an expensive rig, it's knowing your tone, and where you should sit in a mix so you don't run over the other instruments.
Brilliant. So glad I stumbled on this!
Great work! I find the tube real deal setup has a more complex attack responding to the variations
(dynamics) of the notes played and overall a more full bodied tone. But the laptop rig certainly
sounds far from shabby. What you cannot feel or hear effectively here on a clip is the "in your face"
difference being in the room -Guitar interacting with the cab and amp. Still as a studio owner with
a sound proof room and vintage amps, I appreciate not everybody has the space for that!
3:24 Rain-Rob Scallon
I think they both sound great!!!the tube purists are never happy!! Modeling today is so advanced! I love it!!!!
Well, in my opinion. I have spent lots of time with like 5 different softwares and although they can get some great tones they cant really compare to my Marshall and VOX amps. Its just not the same thing. Even complex softwares like BIAS amp cant seem to capture the feeling of tube saturation, celestion speakers distorting and cab interaction/vibrations just right.
Beautiful playing!
For home and small gig use: Monoprice 15w all-tube. I got one with Celestion A for $199 (Now maybe $250). 5w is less (no reverb or effects loop). Sounds really good.
I think the main advantage of real amps is how great they sound and feel in person. Also, they are still the best way to monitor your playing with a band in rehearsal or at a show. I've done a few gigs where I had to plug direct and I hated to be at the mercy of sound guys for my guitar sound on stage, I've had unwanted changes in gain/volume levels during performance, ridiculously rolled off highs, etc... A great amp provides a constant, something you can count on and control to have a good sonic experience on stage.
Yep.. When I'm not playing with in-ears I never play with my Kemper Amp... But with In-Ears monitoring it's been one of the best defined sound I've got. It's lovely to got the dynamic range there.. Every lick you play has meaning, I play less notes, but the ones I play are better timed, better articulated, and more meaningful!
Iberville Music totally agree
You're mistaken- a great amp may provide constant tone for you on stage- but the sound guy is still doing all the same things post-mic that they do with your signal direct- I know how good an amp feels live- but the truth is you need excellent monitors or an FRFR amp for your stage- then you can actually HEAR what the AUDIENCE IS HEARING- you're kidding yourself if you think what you hear on stage from your amp is the same tone the audience is getting- it's NOT- usually not even close. The sound guys roll of the highs because at the audience level they sound like shit- brittle and harsh- not the same as what you have on stage at all. They're definitely NOT the best way to monitor your playing with a band at a show- in fact usually they sound completely different at FOH- trust me- take a looper to your next show and walk out front to hear what is coming through the PA compared to what you're hearing from your amp onstage when you're doing sound-check. Whole different world- but one hopefully the audience actually likes better in the mix if you have a half-decent sound guy.
yjmsrv I know dude. but at least I can keep a smile and focus on my playing and locking the groove with the band instead of losing my shit internally and ruin my experience.. I live in China and they never have people on stage for the monitor mixes. even for festivals. the mixing boards are always far away and the sound guys here change shit all the time during performances. so what I do is I bring my amp, set it loud and just ask for the house mix which is always voice heavy anyway. I trust they at least know how to mix something they actually hear.
BUT if you want a good sound literally anywhere AND the ability to record seamlessly without the expense and hassle of mics, cables, and interfaces, and risk of eviction, sims are a superior option. People are just overly snobby about valves. The sim sounded clearer and better to my ears.
I think it really depends on the context and what you're trying to achieve. VST plug-ins are great if you want to tweak your sound and avoid the hassle of having to mic your amp when recording. Also, you don't have to be loud, which enables you to play or record stuff late at night without annoying the neighbors or your partner. And in a full mix, if you do it well, it will fit in the song and nobody will be able to really tell that you used a piece of software instead of an amp. So yes, VST plug-ins are very usable and often pretty convincing these days.
But then there is the organic pleasure of playing through a high-quality tube amp. Music is more than sound. With a good amp, the stuff you play has a different vibration to it and inspires you to play different stuff and spend more time on your instrument, either practicing or creating.
I've used plug-ins for a while and I've enjoyed their usefulness, reliability and flexibility. But a real tube amp will make you love your guitar a thousand times more. It's a totally different experience. You'll get the sound, and more importantly, you'll get the soul of your guitar.
Nah vst all the way 🦅🦅🇺🇲🇺🇲
Wicked chops man!
The thing about getting down with a good instrument (nice tube amp) is a lot more limiting...in a good way. Dealing with the limits helps you dig in. Having many, many, many options can often make it too easy to focus on “the sound” rather than playing.
I agree that getting to the sweet spot on a tube amp often can put you at odds with neighbors, band mates, pets...etc. Good enough tone is often better than “perfect” tone. I also agree, that a tone that cuts through a mix often sounds harsh on its own. The guitar has to sit in a specific range to be heard along side of drums, bass, and vocals.
I actually preferred the laptop in SOME of those clips. :)
BIAS is hands down the best guitar amp software out there!
S-gear
Awesome video again Paul.
They do sound different, but both sound good in their own way. Some of the better digital amp models today are surprisingly good. I have access to a late 60's JMP Super Lead and I recently bought the Universal Audio model of the same kind of amp. The model sounds and behaves in a manner recognizably similar enough to the real amp that I would be comfortable to let it stand in for the real thing in some situations when recording. Playing through the real amp is quite a different experience, though, and that could have an effect on a player's performance.
You should spend more time training for your rematch with Mayweather instead of playing guitar...
rofl
lol lol!!!
)))))))))
"""Walks around guitars and amp swinging arms"""""
LadyCroMag BuntCitch 😂 😂 😂
Tube amps Live, for feel and power and tone, Modeling Sims in the bedroom for recording for flexibility and great tone.
I am loving your videos
When comes to delay, I think the pedal sounded way better than the VST. In my experience, I lose A LOT of time with all the settings in VST, time I won't waste with an analog amp + pedalboard. And, as you said, the feel is completely different. I'm lucky though, 'cause I have neighbors that let me play at reasonable volumes during the day with my amp, but for people who live in big blocks with strict rules about volume, going digital is the best way; also, if you're a student, you can bring just the audio interface, the guitar and the laptop and still be able to rehearse! I remember i went to a Scott Henderson's clinic and he was playing through a MacBook with a VST, and it was fine, there were no needs for a big amp in such a situation.
I would compare without pedals.Also, not all tube amps sound alike.
The thing is when I play the guitar, I want to hear the sound of the guitar from a guitar speaker. Amp sims sound good, BUT they do not sound like the guitar speaker. They sound like what a microphone (often sm57) captures. They are both good, but different.
Tell that to The Beatles 🙃
It's the same dude...you just want to believe you are special playing on a real amp bum
dang bro, you're a sick guitarist. a lot of that stuff you were playing is not easy and you just kill it.
The best way to describe a tube amp(for me). Soulful sound that resonates and gives life to your playing with superior tone. A laptop is good for mixing but i want to feel the sound
What are the 4 shapes you played @ : 32- : 37
ampsim sounder kind of muffled but not bad, it definitely has its pros
btw what interface did you use?
its in description
Very good comparison. Thanks!
great playing!
The laptop signal is not clean. I dont know if im right but it sounds driven and cracks a little. But the tube is so subtle and dynamic.
The tube sounds warmer just in general but I wouldn't pay that much when I can have something that similar for much much cheaper. Especially since I'm just a hobby player
he just exagerate by using a big expensive amp... Guitar rig is shit in more ways. Better buy a mid standard amp.
You can have it for free on torrent
You play so well that it doesn't matter on which one!!!
As always, I love how you jump STRAIGHT into what the video is about. No pointless blah blah blahing. Great vid!
Your neighbours complain? They should be paying to listen to you
Where's he live? I want to move in next door!
Hahaha! Well, to be honest, I got more complains from the soundguy and bandmates. But I understand, it's pretty f*cking loud 😃
In germany, your neighbors will call the cops on you if you cook outside two times in the same week.
Richard Smith que rompe huevos que son tus vecinos.
@@rich1051414 so sad and so true.
One thing I found was that using a midi controller with knobs made the VST amps etc a far more tactile & real experience. Adjusting the controls with a mouse, while workable, just didn't make me feel "Connected" to the gear if that makes sense lol
I've always used a VST for my playing (Guitar Rig 5, TH2, AmpliTube 4...)
I own a cheap amp, volume treble and bass but never used it (lack of options)
both sound different in away you can't choose between them
great vid Paul.
Excellent sounds from both sound sources.
Do I take it we're hearing the sound recorded directly into your DAW? I'd like to hear what it sounds like on both studio monitors, as well as a PA. Why does no one ever do this, in order to show what it will sound like playing live or even just amplified in your bedroom? Why does it always seem to be assumed that the only reason one might be interested in VST amp simulation is for strictly recording, rather than playing the darn thing out LOUD -- AMPLIFIED? I mean, what would the point be of having an AMP SIMulator if it not to do everything an AMPLIFIER actually does? And can anyone tell me, if using it for that purpose -- and not even necessarily to play live gigs, but just to have the sound amplified, even in your bedroom (and NOT so much for recording), would it be better to use studio monitors, or use a PA like a regular amp? I can't seem to really find any answers to this.
Much more latency with digital, my friend! (Or so I've been told.)
Where is the sound from the BiasFX coming from? Amp or other speakers?
Great video, duder.
Audio device and Computer allowed me to start to play guitar again after I moved to another country. I couldn't bring with me my JCM800. Also I find very useful playing a part and then move handles to set the sound when in loop until I find the right one.
Laptop ok for clean sound.
But in orverdrive, it still shows the old digital harshness.
Tube much smoother when distorting.
Nah
That's psychological, in a blind test you wouldn't differentiate between both...
@@fleisbester612 what is your evidence for your claim?
Tube is better but i was impressed by the laptop considering the price difference
There are also cheaper very great tube amps. For Example the Bugera V5 sounds very good at low volumes.
jeppep95 How can the tube sounds better than the laptop when both sounds great?
But I would prefer laptop for recording stuffs and as for tube I would use it for a live gig.
Shut up. You'd never tell the difference in a blind test.
But the issue isn't really whether we can tell the difference per se. The actual amp can be set up to sound more like the sim, and vice versa. The issue is which one, at their best, sounds the best, feels the best in the room, and which one inspires you to play more and better?
The real amp is always going to win on those fronts, and those aren't trivial concerns. You will play differently with a Marshall half stack or AC-15 cranked up nicely than you will sitting at a computer desk wearing headphones. With the former you feel like a rock god on a mountain with an eagle on your shoulder. The computer desk and headphones just doesn't get you to that place. And I've definitely done both.
Even if not all of that tone actually gets onto the recording, how it makes you FEEL while recording it still makes a big difference to the feel of the music itself.
A lot of popular music today SOUNDS like it was made at a computer desk wearing headphones, because it was. Of course a lot of it was made without ever picking up any real instruments at all, and it sounds like it.
i use vst regularly, but to see the results of this comparison surprised me. close your eyes when you listen. the digital vs analog sounds are finally coming to equilibrium! 🙌
Got to love the little 'Frusciante' 2 note invention thingy u had going for about a second.
"TUBE AMP" gives more crisp/readable articulation and "LAPTOP" is a bit blury.
Once your sublime playing is sitting in a track, I'm pretty sure the average listener (and most musos if they're honest) wouldn't know how you achieved your sound - the difference between an amp and vst!
Oh boy. I love tube amps and own a couple of them, but I have to admit that the virtual set up sounds really, really good. In fact, considering the enormous price difference here, the virtual set up makes a lot more sense.
Love BIAS FX! I have it on my iPad and run a iRig to my amp or my computer. Great comparison!
The tube amp has a more earthy tone which I love
What a BRILLIANT analysis and always so fantastic with the playing. You have highlighted to me why I have always hated the processed sounds. I call them "photographic" sounds. Like a photograph they seem very real to the person looking at the picture but it will always be 2 dimensional - but its nothing like being really "there" (which you could argue is 3 dimensional). When the player holds the guitar, they KNOW the World of difference between the digital and analog sound - they are worlds apart. To the average listener they sound "the same" but to the player - a world apart both in terms of sound but also how it feels when you play. I think you demonstrated this perfectly.
If someone put you in a room with a guitar and in the control room there was a tube amp and a Kemper and you had no idea which one was which I guarantee you, you wouldn't tell the difference, not just sound but feel too. I truly think it's psychosomatic, we all love our precious tube amps, the way they looks, feel, smell and of course sound but there's no gap any more. I think software like this doesn't hold up, but Kemper absolutely does, in fact to me, I think it's probably better all things considered (and yes I am a tube amp owner and user).
well said
I must admit I hear about them all the time - I would love to try one. Always very open to testing my pre-conceptions - have only heard amazing things about them..... but... I always heard amazing things about Line 6 too!
You know funnily enough, I'm the fool that has used a kemper in the studio as a curiosity, was utterly blown away and then went back to playing (ever exploding) tube amps live. I'm jonesing for a kemper in general though I have to say. Much of the time, the quality of the kemper is determined by the quality of the profile, you can download astonishing profiles, the best amps through the best preamps with the best software. Makes a fair difference! None the less, both tube and modelling are killer, amazing that we live in a time of such abundance. Side note.. That Roshi pic.. Awww yeah!!
For me its the price point and portability. I have a Mesa tube amp; it weighs a ton, it is fragile but it does what it does extremely well.
The modelling stuff these days is really good, totally usable sounds, and it can do almost anything for a fraction of the cost and the weight of a laptop. Also, I can track guitars in my apartment living room without my neighbors calling the cops, lol.
Its like those analog electric pianos and organs. They sound great, cost a fortune, and weigh enough to kill you. My digital keyboard sounds usable, is inexpensive, and is very portable. Use the right tool for the job, because analog and digital both have their uses.
0:32 - 0:43 is savage man haha, fucking awesome riff, can't stop playing it on repeat. Good job!
i always enjoyed the warmth in the tone of the tube amp more than anything else.
Laptop sounds too sharp, but considering the down sides of tube amps like weight, price, maintenance and that it's actually useless if you don't have a special room for such powerful amp (who wants to play with headphones the whole time?!), a simulator is the better choice. Rather spend the money on a decent guitar n stuff. If you're in a band, that's a whole different story though.
You can change how sharp it is tho, it's software. Not only to mention different software has different characteristics. It's like saying one amp is the same as all amps.
Yeah there's different amps you can switch to on the fly on a computer changing it infinitely and you can't change your physical amp sound infinitely.
StereoDeth I’m in a band, me and the bassist are using the virtual interface live and it’s all doing just great
I use an old car pedal control from video games to controll the wah wah and other pedals
Lot cheaper and people won’t notice de difference
You can have like 100 amps in this software...
Both have good tone but the amp sims sounded much thinner, that's the main difference.
The issue may be no one knows how much he tried to dial in the software sounds & input signal chain.
If you watch people use software chains they usually are a little lost in all the different configuration options & best practices. In this video I would agree the tube amp wins, but we don't know the whole setup circumstance in the comparison.
True ! But I'm sure (with all the existing tools) that you can make a laptop sounds pretty similar to an amplifier ;)
it can be solved with eq help
Ikram Maududi totally agree. We don't even know how he captured the final output.
In the PC you can equalize everything in detail, add more effects and therefore you can probably copy anything if you care to lose a bit of time setting up...
Both sounded great, but I'm curious of how would they perform in a band context.
Your playing was beautiful, by the way.
This may not be the best resolution for this, but I just want to share it anyway. First option is to use a vst that has a built in room ambiance feature. Like Amplitube. Which also has a 3D speaker mic adjustment. Them mix the volume between the room and the speaker mic sound. This will help you control the "too direct sounding" effect. Second option is to use a DAW, where you can send your sound to another channel with a reverb or another vst that can run an impulse response. Then mix the level of the send channel, til it feels natural. I remember downloading a room impulse response but I forgot what website. Maybe some torrent link somewhere.
Just a comment with the setup in this video: the mic on the amp also captures the room sound which affects the overall sound. I think it will sound similar or closer to the vst sound if the real amp is enclosed, to get rid of the room sound getting into the mic. Another factor is how the vst will sound, in the room coming out from a flat monitor, which will sound obviously different listening to this setup in youtube using my headphone. God bless you all. I hope this observation help.