Tonex, fractal, helix, kemper-

[tallcoolone]

Or something else? Grab and go small footprint solution… opinions welcome here… thanks

Fractal AM4 is wicked cool, sent my Friedman IR-D and Tonex packing

 

[Eazy-ESP]

I love my kemper. Just the right balance between techy and simple. I couldn’t be bothered with the axe-fx style tweaking.

 

[JackBootedThug]

I love my kemper. Just the right balance between techy and simple. I couldn’t be bothered with the axe-fx style tweaking.

That’s why I don’t want a fractal… I don’t need super complex because I’m not really tech savvy with that stuff…..

 

[JackBootedThug]

Fractal AM4 is wicked cool, sent my Friedman IR-D and Tonex packing

Never seen that before…. Looks great

 

[dooredge]

I'm not interested in capturing my amps or anyone else's for that matter, I just want to play guitar.

Tonex - no experience with it, but the other guitarist in my band used one for a bit and it was surprisingly good through a KSR PA-50 into a 412.

Fender TMP - probably the most intuitive & easy user interface to build a signal chain. Sounds great through the PA-50 & 412.

Kemper Stage - is my go-to. I've invested a lot time in crafting my tone and it's tight/aggressive/fat through a KSR-PA 100. There is a learning curve with the Kemper, but Rig Manager was really helpful with that curve.

 

[stratjacket]

If I had no modelers and wanted to try, I’d probably go for something used off Reverb and look at Hotone Ampera, Mooer, Nux or Donner. Something like those that’s cheap just to see if I like the workflow and editing units like that. If you like it, then you can sell it for about what you paid and then get a bigger and better unit.

 

[Shask]

Fractal AM4 is wicked cool, sent my Friedman IR-D and Tonex packing

I have been opposite. I get annoyed playing my FM3 because it doesn’t sound and feel as good as my ToneX plugin.

 

[cardinal]

I couldn't figure out how to make Kemper profiles that sounded right to me.

Ended up with a Nano Cortex and have been very happy. I had the QC but it was over kill for me. I just need an amp and maybe some delay. Run a wah pedal in front.

I had Fractal stuff but it also was overkill and I couldn't stop fussing with it. Taking an amp capture is much better for me: it just sounds like the amps I have and I'm done.

 

[tallcoolone]

I have been opposite. I get annoyed playing my FM3 because it doesn’t sound and feel as good as my ToneX plugin.

To each their own—to me the AM4 is heads and shoulders better under my fingers. I wanted to like the Tonex—bought all the reamp stuff so I could profile my amps, went all in. Most frustrating and nonsensical UI I’ve ever dealt with. Profiling not close to ready for prime time. You can tell they are a software company, you need to be in IT just to get it up and running

 

[Shask]

To each their own—to me the AM4 is heads and shoulders better under my fingers. I wanted to like the Tonex—bought all the reamp stuff so I could profile my amps, went all in. Most frustrating and nonsensical UI I’ve ever dealt with. Profiling not close to ready for prime time. You can tell they are a software company, you need to be in IT just to get it up and running

Yeah, it helps if you have used other studio software. I have used Native Instruments software synths and such for years, so the IK programs have always been easy for me. I think when people buy it expecting it to be a pedal editor is when they run into issues. It was not designed to be that so just editing the pedals is kind of strange without using it as a plugin first.

The V2 updates to the capturing made all the difference. It is very easy now.

 

[JackBootedThug]

I'm not interested in capturing my amps or anyone else's for that matter, I just want to play guitar.

Tonex - no experience with it, but the other guitarist in my band used one for a bit and it was surprisingly good through a KSR PA-50 into a 412.

Fender TMP - probably the most intuitive & easy user interface to build a signal chain. Sounds great through the PA-50 & 412.

Kemper Stage - is my go-to. I've invested a lot time in crafting my tone and it's tight/aggressive/fat through a KSR-PA 100. There is a learning curve with the Kemper, but Rig Manager was really helpful with that curve.

What is up my brother!?

 

[JackBootedThug]

If I had no modelers and wanted to try, I’d probably go for something used off Reverb and look at Hotone Ampera, Mooer, Nux or Donner. Something like those that’s cheap just to see if I like the workflow and editing units like that. If you like it, then you can sell it for about what you paid and then get a bigger and better unit.

Honestly it’s for a grab n go ultralight rig. Might just get a Marshall pre pedal. It’s for an ACdC gig…. Imagine angus but more along the lines of Fat Bastard….if he played acdc….

 

[rsm]

Or something else? Grab and go small footprint solution… opinions welcome here… thanks

Something good: Fractal, Helix. I sold both my Helix Floor, and FM9 MkII Turbo.

Something small, cheap and acceptable: Ampero, Mooer, etc. I have the Mooer Prime P2 and S1.

Boss just released a GX-1 , https://www.boss.info/us/products/gx-1/

$229.99 at MF, has integrated expression pedal.

I still have a Boss GX-100 .

I use computer plugins now instead of a hardware modeler; except the Boss SY-1000. GX-100 is for effects; though considering a VP-4

 

[rsm]

Honestly it’s for a grab n go ultralight rig. Might just get a Marshall pre pedal. It’s for an ACdC gig…. Imagine angus but more along the lines of Fat Bastard….if he played acdc….

Mooer Prime S1. (I own one)



Or

NUX Amp Academy Stomp

 

[rsm]

 

[JackBootedThug]

View attachment 433522

Thank you!

 

[tallcoolone]

Yeah, it helps if you have used other studio software. I have used Native Instruments software synths and such for years, so the IK programs have always been easy for me. I think when people buy it expecting it to be a pedal editor is when they run into issues. It was not designed to be that so just editing the pedals is kind of strange without using it as a plugin first.

The V2 updates to the capturing made all the difference. It is very easy now.

I assemble my own PCs—the IK platform is retarded and I’ll never try another one of their products.

Thought the Tonex actually sounded pretty good but not close to the new Fractal stuff…and again, the IK UI is impossible

 

[CoreyW]

That’s why I don’t want a fractal… I don’t need super complex because I’m not really tech savvy with that stuff…..

Fractal is only as complex as you want it to be. Each effect block has a Basic page as the first page and you will do the lions share of your editing there. You dont have to deep dive into the depths of the pit of despair tweaking every little thing. But you can if you want.

Don't sleep on the Helix either, with the Stadium release, the Helix LT (if you can get by without scribble strips) is a hell of a lot of bang for the buck. The helix does need more set up per patch than the Fractal, lots of people have templates with preset low and hi cuts. The helix is easier to edit on the unit itself, but having had both I greatly prefer the Fractal.

 

[JackBootedThug]

Fractal is only as complex as you want it to be. Each effect block has a Basic page as the first page and you will do the lions share of your editing there. You dont have to deep dive into the depths of the pit of despair tweaking every little thing. But you can if you want.

Don't sleep on the Helix either, with the Stadium release, the Helix LT (if you can get by without scribble strips) is a hell of a lot of bang for the buck. The helix does need more set up per patch than the Fractal, lots of people have templates with preset low and hi cuts. The helix is easier to edit on the unit itself, but having had both I greatly prefer the Fractal.

What is up with kemper wanting money for updates? Like line 6 did with their packs? I seen it mentioned on a video on YouTube but didn’t really look very closely at it. I remember thinking that’s stupid….

 

[Findthetone1]

I assemble my own PCs—the IK platform is retarded and I’ll never try another one of their products.

Thought the Tonex actually sounded pretty good but not close to the new Fractal stuff…and again, the IK UI is impossible

I bought one early on and it's pretty much been in the box after a couple of uses. I though it sounded really good, but the UI is so stupid I gave up. They supposedly have made improvements, but I don't know what they've done, if anything, to make it easier.
I'm not a deep dive tweaker kind of person so maybe I'm the wrong demographic for new tech