From what I can tell, most likely trying to get the same tone into headphones that you hear from a live amplifier is not really possible. I think it's something to do with the difference in sound waves coming from a little speaker right next to your ear, and the big ones several feet away in your amp. At first I was pretty dissatisfied with the Torpedo CAB+. It seemed like it put out a really tinny, in your face sound on one end of the spectrum, and on the low end of the spectrum a sound like speakers trying to be heard through a wet blanket. It was difficult to find the sweet spot. But with a lot of experimentation, I'm OK with what I'm getting. I think for me part of the problem was that I was trying to get a hard rock kind of sound with my Telecaster. It especially helped when I went out and bought a new guitar with humbuckers. I just couldn't get the sound I wanted with my Telecaster, but with the Squire Bullet HH Mustang, it drives my pedals in a much more hard rock way I guess. But I sent my question to the Two Notes technical support team, and I got a helpful reply:
Please first, start by just playing your guitar straight into the C.A.B M+, or with all the pedals in front turned off so as to focus on the clean foundation tone.
The tone shaping abilities in the C.A.B M are immense. There are so many places where you can set your tone - the preamp and the power amp to start with. Then the cabinet choice, and mic choice. And more importantly the mic placement and mic levels between the 2 mics.
What I recommend is to choose a cabinet you know (like the cabinet you have with your amp, or an amp you have been used to play in the past) . Turn off all after effects (reverb, EQ, enhancer). Then:
- start with Mic A (mute mic B). If you do not have much knowledge in mics, choose a 57. It will be a bit edgy but it will be easy to complement with another mic. Think of Mic A as your foundation tone, and move the mic around the cabinet until you get most of the tone you want. Once you have found this position, remember what you are missing and what you will be looking for (top end, bottom end,etc. ).
- Mute mic A and unmute Mic B. Choose a mic for B that will bring what you are looking for. If you are looking for bottom end and warmth, choose a ribbon mic. If you are looking for top end and a bit of air, choose a condenser mic.
- move mic B around in search of what you were missing in mic A.
- Once you have got what you was looking for, turn the level of Mic B all the way down.
- Unmute mic A, and bring back the level of mic B until you start feeling it, hearing it ever so slightly. To check what mic B is bringing to your tone, mute it occasionally.
You should have a right nice tone now in your headphones. Add reverb to give it more life, and see what the enhancer can bring you.