Modelling Amps - What do you think?

[NeoN]

Hi folks,

I started this topic as I had recently been discussing this with some friends.
Modelling Amps... they are not designed for a specific kind of music. They are made to immitate as accurately as possible
the original sounds of world-wide known amp brands like Marshall, Fender etc.
I recently bought a Line 6 Spider IV 75W Amp (a modelling Amp) and I can say that ok it doesn't really have that tube-amp sound,
but for the money I payed, it really has a awesome sound.

I'd like to know what you think about this kind of Amps 

[MarioD]

Everything you have heard from me come from either a Johnson J-Station or a Behringer V-Amp amp modeler directly into the computer.  I haven’t turned on my “real” amp in about 5 years now!

Amp modelers can give you a close approximation of the real thing. For the real sound you need the exact combination of circuitry (tubes, transistors, wiring etc), speakers and cabinet construction. However few of us have the money to buy all of those different amps.  Plus what a pain it would be to carry all of those amps to a gig!

I’m a big fan of amp modelers. I can go from a Voxish, Fenderish, Marsallish, rectifierish or any other kind of ish sound I can program with a turn of a knob. 

You should get a reasonable tube amp sound with a little tweaking.  I have found that the preset on my modelers were there to show the different types of sounds it can create.  I’ve had to tweak most of them to get the sounds I want.

[Fred S]

I use a POD XT for direct into the computer.

I went through a couple amps recently. The Line 6 amps sound good, but what I've heard is that they wash out at volume in a live venue. With a mic to your computer, I would think they would be fine.

I wanted that modeling for live performance, so I bought a Line 6 Spyder Valve, which uses Line  6 modeling along with a true Bogner designed tube amp. You would think that would be the Bees Knees! But it wasn't. It was beastly loud, and the amp modeling was ok (not terrific), but the FX section was just woeful! I expected so much more from a Line 6 amp. My guess is that the regular Line 6 might sound better?

I sold that and bought the new model Vox Valvetronics amp; VT50. I love that amp. It cuts well enough (not quite as good as tube of course), and has an excellent variety of sounds. The footswitch is reasonably priced and provides 8 user presets.

Btw, I also added a Satchurator which I really like.

[rharv]

I am also all for the modelers.
I have a V-amp (the one I am least impressed with)
I also have a Digitech I am very impressed with, there are a lot of 'very close to genuine' sounds in it, and the effects are pretty controllable.  Easier to navigate than the V-Amp, since it comes with a nice software that commincates with the pedal via USB..

For a real amp I bought a GMX210 a few years ago and haven't felt the need to replace it, even when simpletonguru was playing some fairly large venues.
Bryan (other guitar player) had a Marshall 2000 (i believe) with the full stack
He should have been able to bury me on volume, but since I was playing thru the pedal first and sending a boosted signal to the amp I was always able to keep up.  I think its rated at 65watts (times two speakers) but it can get REALLY loud without getting crappy sounding, even on more honest tones (read no distortion)... I credit the speakers used for that.

It also has a few models built into it, but these, like the V-Amp, were not that impressive to me.  However the Digitech RP thru that amp was much better sounding than what I spent on it would suggest.

I'm all for Digitech lately.  My parents are pushing the Roland stuff at the music store, and it IS good sounding (they sell a lot of it). And normally I am really pro-Roland.  Their keyboards are all I ever use.  The COSM stuff just doesn't have enough life in it for me unless an amp/speaker is adding to it.

Another point about modelers; not only would you have to have all the original components, but also the mics to capture it in order to produce those sounds with a real amp/speaker rig.  They make recording guitars SO much easier.  I always felt like the Marshall amps lacked a really accurate line out, so you were forced to mic them, which could give a widely varying result, depending on mic placement and choice.

As for Line 6 - I have recorded a couple guitars with the larger Line 6 that sounded pretty good.  I have recorded the pedal version and found it to be less impressive (still better than V-Amp in my opinion).  And sometimes the line 6 pedals were just not up to snuff.  Could have been the individual using it, can't say for sure.

I have never yet had the chance to play with the Johnson (except built into an amp, once a while back), but I know a lot of people have given them great reviews, and the people that own one now won't let them go very often.  They do sound good! Just wish you could still get the version everyone raved about.

[Wyatt]

Limited experience with these puppies, but I have noticed a couple of things.

I have a student with a Les Paul that sounds pretty good doing distortion through a Line 6 amp.

My Custom Shop Strat, sounds pretty good played through a Fender Cyber Deluxe amp.

As you might imagine, Fender does a good job of modeling Fender amps, and that suits my single-coil temperament just fine.

My current favorite setup involves my Digitech GSP-1101. Haven't used my amp, (except for lessons), in a year and a half.


BTW department:

How do you know when you finally got your guitar tone dialed in??

One day you wake up and suddenly realize that you haven't tweaked your tone for a year!  

[Oren]

Neon,

I had an opportunity to try a Line 6 Pod, and realized that it was not for me because it actually does a good job of sounding like a real guitar amp - and I don't like guitar amps...

For those times when I have friends over to play some tunes at my little apartment, I have a crappy little 12 watt solid-state guitar amp; a Digitech pedal provides the sound-shaping, either my old RP-12, or a little RP-100A.
Digitech guitar processors will provide a reasonably accurate amp simulation, but they really shine when it comes to creating your own idea of how a guitar/amp should sound. Clean, powerful, versatile.

As with all equipment, learn how to use your Line 6 Spider. Work with it, explore the possibilities, then learn how to make it sound the way you think it should. It's a quality amplifier - you won't be disappointed. Besides, I've heard some really bad amps sound really good...in the right hands...