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Holy-diver
Well-known member
Yes.
For work flow they’re great but the amps are always needed.
For work flow they’re great but the amps are always needed.
Findthetone1
Well-known member
I'm am not a deep dive person so I usually end up settling with mediocre tones or just stop using digital for anything other than quick jam type of stuff. I've had a Tonex pedal for quite a while now and have used it 1 time. I though it sounded pretty damn good but the UI sucked so bad it turned me off to it. I understand it's been improved, I just haven't gotten around to trying it again.
SFW
Well-known member
Maybe. I know most casino gigs require silent stage. The clip I posted is one of the larger venues in Houston. I can assure you that we made well beyond $300 for that show.
It is what it is. I still bring the big rig when I can, but I don't feel limited when I have to use my Kemper or QC. I've put in the time to make sure that they will sound good in the mix.
Tone Monster
Well-known member
Yep, they suck
DanTravis62
Moderator
Maybe. I know most casino gigs require silent stage. The clip I posted is one of the larger venues in Houston. I can assure you that we made well beyond $300 for that show.
I'm with VBF on this, most silent stage gigs are a big red flag to me.
Honestly if a silent stage is required, they probably shouldnt be putting on a show at all.
rsm
Well-known member
I have several tube amps I enjoy.
I've sold / selling all my modelers including my FM9 MkII Turbo and Helix Floor; I'm keeping my SY-1000 (and SY-300).
I made a computer plugin rig last year, and I use it more than anything else I have; I still use and enjoy my tube amps, and my ISP Theta rack-in-a-floorboard.
There are several plugins I use for guitar, but the one that convinced me to ditch hardware modelers and go to a computer rig is PolyChromeDSP McRocklin Suite. Like most plugins, you can get a free trial version to see if you like it.
I've sold / selling all my modelers including my FM9 MkII Turbo and Helix Floor; I'm keeping my SY-1000 (and SY-300).
I made a computer plugin rig last year, and I use it more than anything else I have; I still use and enjoy my tube amps, and my ISP Theta rack-in-a-floorboard.
There are several plugins I use for guitar, but the one that convinced me to ditch hardware modelers and go to a computer rig is PolyChromeDSP McRocklin Suite. Like most plugins, you can get a free trial version to see if you like it.
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
If you're happy with it then I am happy for you. I just bring the big rig or I'm staying out of whatever shitty venue wants silent stage, IEM's, or unreasonably low volumes. If they want a dinner band I can do that but I need to have a heads up on volume caps cause I'm not a step and fetch that says how high when some POS ten minute club owner says jump and wants to play my guitar for me. I'm in it for the music, not the money. The money just greases the skids and keeps the players around.Maybe. I know most casino gigs require silent stage. The clip I posted is one of the larger venues in Houston. I can assure you that we made well beyond $300 for that show.
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
I call those gigs soul suckers because if you do enough of them eventually you will be dead inside.
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Wayniac3
Well-known member
That's what our day gigs are for!
GreatRedDragon
Well-known member
I've got an FM9 right now. I think it sounds great, but there is an incomprehensible something missing. I have my Marshall + Suhr RL in its effects loop. I'm finding that running the digital preamps into the tube power section of the Marshall makes a huge difference in feel and gives back what I found missing.
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obierns
New member
I use a UAFX Knuckles for my amp tones and it covers everything I look for without having to menu dive. Looking to add another one soon
Fusionbear
Well-known member
Nope, I find my FM9T very inspiring.
For the first time ever I'm thinking of ditching my amps...
For the first time ever I'm thinking of ditching my amps...
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CoreyW
Member
I am mostly running Fractal now. Not feeling the need to get rid of my amps, but they rarely get powered up. When I moved to digital load boxes/ir boxes, it took a while to get adjusted to listening through monitors or headphones but once I did all of my complaints about the modelers went away.
There is something magical about playing through a loud 4x12 or 2x12, but its not as practical as it was when I was younger, and quite frankly playing through an amp that is turned way down is pretty uninspiring to me.
I figured out a long time back that you will never be able to replicate what you are hearing coming directly from the cabinets, no Mic will capture everything that is coming from them, and all the great sounds we love are not what the amp sounded like in the room on that day when it was recorded, you have the mic, the pre amp, the room, the console, and for older stuff the tape. Even live, the audience isnt hearing your amp in its full glory, only so many people can be in the beam and just getting off center from the cabinet changes how it sounds, then you throw the mic and PA into the equation..
Do modelers sound like an amp sitting next to you? No... do they sound like/as good as a miced guitar cabinet... I believe so.
Regarding the initial post... Helix can sound amazing, but it takes work getting there.. I dont understand why line 6 didnt work more on getting their presets to sound as good as they can, but I guess they were more interested in showing off what it can do instead of how good it can do it. I had a helix for years and I struggled hard on getting it to sound great, my fractal's are so much easier for me to work with. Dropping in the amp, cab, and effects, and im 80-90% of where I want to be, hell I have been using these for about 5-6 months now and I mainly use factory presets still, and find those sounding fantastic and inspiring.
There is something magical about playing through a loud 4x12 or 2x12, but its not as practical as it was when I was younger, and quite frankly playing through an amp that is turned way down is pretty uninspiring to me.
I figured out a long time back that you will never be able to replicate what you are hearing coming directly from the cabinets, no Mic will capture everything that is coming from them, and all the great sounds we love are not what the amp sounded like in the room on that day when it was recorded, you have the mic, the pre amp, the room, the console, and for older stuff the tape. Even live, the audience isnt hearing your amp in its full glory, only so many people can be in the beam and just getting off center from the cabinet changes how it sounds, then you throw the mic and PA into the equation..
Do modelers sound like an amp sitting next to you? No... do they sound like/as good as a miced guitar cabinet... I believe so.
Regarding the initial post... Helix can sound amazing, but it takes work getting there.. I dont understand why line 6 didnt work more on getting their presets to sound as good as they can, but I guess they were more interested in showing off what it can do instead of how good it can do it. I had a helix for years and I struggled hard on getting it to sound great, my fractal's are so much easier for me to work with. Dropping in the amp, cab, and effects, and im 80-90% of where I want to be, hell I have been using these for about 5-6 months now and I mainly use factory presets still, and find those sounding fantastic and inspiring.
GreatRedDragon
Well-known member
I'm actually toying with the idea of trading my FM9T for a Helix Rack and controller. It would be roughly the same value, but with the Helix I could run three independent loops: one for analog pedals, one for tube preamps and one for outboard effects.
Essentially, I would be using the Helix primarily as an IR loader, rig hub and for supplemental effects and amp sims. So I could have my SD-1 and MXR phaser abd flanger running into a Synergy preamp, through the power amp of my Marshall, then into, say, an SPX90 and MPX-1, lacing through the Helix at various points in the signal and for final output.
But the big thing is I don't have as much faith in the Helix's ability to deliver tone. Going with a full Axe-FX III and FC-12 would cost a lot more, but I also know the Axe-FX can handle those outboard effects well enough to satisfy me. So that comes down to whether or not I want the fun of having those authentic effects units.
glpg80
Well-known member
Can’t tell you how many times I had to turn my 4x12s backwards or towards the drummer so he could hear WTF I was playing to satisfy the quiet crowd. Many times I just had them crank the PA to compensate and that was enough to shut them up. Loudness is all about perception.
glpg80
Well-known member
Like you I went down the authentic rack effect choice instead of an all in one box. I hate UI’s that much. I don’t want a laptop to configure anything. Just an outboard mixer and be done with it.
DanTravis62
Moderator
It's one of the reasons I play in the bands that I do, even if it isn't my first choice of music - it's not only allowed, it's required to be loud and play 4x12s in a punk band
shar-vell Dan
Well-known member
yep totally.
Devin
Well-known member
They're only uninspiring to me when played solo
In a mix I quite enjoy them
In a mix I quite enjoy them
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CoreyW
Member
I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to use the pedals with the FM9, I have an Axe FX3 and an FM3, on the FM I still have a pair of stereo send/returns and those are available for us on the input/output blocks. I do want to pick up an FM9 also, but I gotta let the toy savings get built back up.
Regarding the Helix. I have a helix floor. The Jason Sadites channel is a fantastic resource, but since I struggled with the Helix as much as I did, I never really dove into it like I have fractals. Jason in the earlier firmwares was using templates with pre configured EQs and shelving to give himself a starting point.
Lastly, I could be wrong but I believe you will run into DSP limits quicker on the Helix.