Author Topic: Modeling Amps (Read 202 times)

gare · « **on:** September 20, 2007, 11:04:14 AM »

Hi everyone.
A few months back I picked up a Line 6 Basspod XL Pro, for the first time 2 weeks ago I used it live to FOH. Sounded good, sure was nice to not have to drag an amp around, and I like the fact that you can preprogram sounds/amps/cabs/effects for different types of songs and switch on the fly.
I'm curious about others experiences using an amp modeler live..good or bad.
I'll bet there's been other threads on this subject, but I couldn't find much when searching the archives.
Now all you purists out there, don't shoot me, I'm just a curious kinda guy.

Gary

hydrargyrum · « **Reply #1 on:** September 20, 2007, 11:31:35 AM »

Weezer (yeah, I am guessing there aren't many weezer fans around here) switched to PODs some time back due to their portability and supposedly think they are the bee's knees. Here is a link discussing the change:

http://www.weezer.com/info/equipment/r_01h.html

georgie_boy · « **Reply #2 on:** September 20, 2007, 11:37:35 AM »

Souds great to me!
I'm considering buying a berhinger V Amp bass modeller to do a similar job and would hence like similar feedback. Let's share the thread!!

G

fmm · « **Reply #3 on:** September 20, 2007, 01:21:25 PM »

I've got a V-Amp Pro, and I'm not crazy about it. Part of that is my own fault, I just haven't had the time to properly learn the machine. It isn't the quietest piece of gear, and there are times when it seems that an effect will get locked on, and the only way I can remove the effect is to reboot the preamp (and that's a phrase I hate to use at a gig: Give me a minute while I reboot my preamp). Again, maybe I need to go through the manual one more time, but I still haven't figured out my SF-2, and I want to learn that first.

alembic_doctor · « **Reply #4 on:** September 20, 2007, 01:56:58 PM »

I have found that unless you gotta nail a paricular tone, going straight through the PA is the absolute best tone you can get. Especially if you're playing an Alembic. I have not used an amp for two years now. I love it. And there is no time smear issues between the bass amp and the PA. Much Punchier & Tighter.

My $0.02

dannobasso · « **Reply #5 on:** September 20, 2007, 06:45:41 PM »

I use the pod pro for my Doomtree Demos. The last cd was done with the fix, plx2402 and acme low b2. Our latest preproduction was the pod again and no one has complained so far. The pod pro for guitar is great. I picked up a boogie solo 50 rectifier but i keep crawling back to the pod. Very easy for consistant sounds.

jbybj · « **Reply #6 on:** September 20, 2007, 09:59:02 PM »

Berhinger is to pro audio as Daewoo is to high performance cars. Instead of spending money on Berhinger equipment, just donate that cash to your favorite charity, or spend twice as much on something that will work. just my .02. For the record, I have never owned any Berhinger equipment, but I've had plenty of peripheral experience. Phwew!! I have had experience with Korg and Line 6 modeling, and I think what you get, more than a faithful recreation of the originals, is a very wide, mostly useful pallette, that can be very convenient in a live or recording situation. If you have your heart set on an SVT with an 8x10 cab and a Mutron phaser, you'll be disappointed.

grooveman · « **Reply #7 on:** September 21, 2007, 12:05:07 AM »

Last August I've bought this thing just for fun and for trying a while! .... But now I've used it for several gigs and I'm absolute satisfied about quality, sound and possibility's! It's really amazing and it comes really, really, really very close to the original amps and cabinets! Even my heavy grunting low B has no problems with it and stay's as tight and low as it should be! This is one of the punchiest amps I've ever heard with lots of low, great overhead and no unwanted distortions! You really can make every kind of sound without any limitation! Also the build-in effects are very good and the build-in compressor is very high-quality! For absolute shocking fat sound put a 15 or 18 cabinet below! With that you get a fullrange 500 watts powerconfiguration! Without you get a 350 watts crystal-clear-top-quality -combo also with fat lows ... more then enough to blow your band-fellows away from stage!

For as long as I have this thing I'm using my original SWR-SM500(& 4x10) as a backup now! That means; I don't use it anymore! If you ever get a chance to try this thing ... just do it! I'm sure you will not be disappointed!

Andy

88persuader · « **Reply #8 on:** September 21, 2007, 03:02:24 AM »

I have the line-6 BassPodXT and use it when my band runs ampless and the drummer uses Roland V-drums. I tend to only use the SVT setting with optional reverb and chorus. (punch in punch out) It's better then running directly into a channel or a direct box. I'm SURE it can do a lot more then i use it for. When I bought it I explored all the fun sounds but now that it's part of my set up I find i'm OK with one setting. Fact is when I run with my Ampeg SVT PRO-5 head and 4X10 cabinet I use one setting too! Guess i'm just the type of bass player that finds an amp sound i like and i stick with it. :-)

haddimudd · « **Reply #9 on:** September 21, 2007, 06:34:22 AM »

Raymond, just these days I was thinking of your amazingly interesting Gigging AMP LESS! thread from last year and wanted to post a comment, just to resurrect that topic. What a coincidence that this thread comes up now.

Already for a while I am thinking of checking out Native Instrument's Guitar Rig to see how useful it can be for an Alembic bass in the amp-less realm. Since version #2 they claim to have some bass amp modeling too and version 3 is just about to come out these days.

I had the pleasure to mess around with version 1 using a fretless Fender Jazz a few years ago. I was very pleased with the results, they sounded very much like the tone of some of the greatest Jaco recordings. Ironically, the best sounds came from not using any virtual cabinet simulation at all. And that was with just the guitar amp modelling, when they didn't even have bass amps in the package yet. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to test it with my Alembic that day.

I am particularly curious now, as the Guitar Rig hardware offers two inputs since v2, so I would love to see what you can get out of it using the Series II stereo outputs.

I still have my SF-2 and FX-1. I am curious if the same sound can be modeled in a software like this? Probably not as comfortably as with the real amps but I think once the correct settings are found, being able to restore them as presets may just be fine enough.

In any case, what this software can do in terms of guitar sounds is just amazing! I definitely want to try it for my Alembic one day.

BTW. Andy, following your link it seems like Peavey discontinued the combo version and only offers the amp head now. Is that right?

Hartmut

grooveman · « **Reply #10 on:** September 21, 2007, 07:34:26 AM »

Yes you're right Hartmut!

... But that shouldn't be a problem because I saw some secondhand BAM210-combo's in the market and Peavey gives you always all the support if you need it! I played 18 years with a MARK IV dual-channel and never had any problem with it! They gave me some new pots and buttons after 18 years for free!

If this thing is stolen from me, I'm sure I go do all the best I can to get another one!! Second hand or not!

Just try it if you can! You can always make your own decision if you don't like it! But You have to try this one if you are lookin for a serious modeling-amp! It's the best modeling ever! Even the top only with a different nice cabinet is really worth it! It's a totaly different concept than the Line-6 and Behringer cheap toy-stuff!

Another pre is that those BAM's are not really old because they don't exist for a very long time yet! The reason for discontineuing is that the productionline was to expensive cause Peavey didn't sell a lot BAM's!

Good luck, and I did warn you to try!!!!

Andy

gare · « **Reply #11 on:** September 21, 2007, 09:44:38 AM »

Wow..thanks you all the quick responses.

Georgie..always happy to share. I've tried the V-Amp, the Line 6 blows it away in my opinion. You may want to check out the Line 6 Basspod XT Live board, less money but doent have the digtal outs etc.

Doc..I havent tried going direct so to speak, but I do like the effect of the speaker cabinets, seems a little fuller sound to my ears. I only ran the modeling out but I have been experimenting with blending in the direct signal and recently been messing around with the bi-amp mode plus a direct so any effects are only in the upper range.

Hartmut..thanks for reminding us of Raymonds thread, I overlooked that one.

So far my favorite amps in that box are the 360 and the Coliseum + 2/15 cab, both of which I played thru back in the 70's.

Gary

georgie_boy · « **Reply #12 on:** September 21, 2007, 12:47:52 PM »

Thanks Gary!
I'm trying to get theRight sound without all the backline.
Someone told me that the V Amp was really good but, if the POD is really that much better, then maybe I should save up for that.

Anyone rate the V Amp Pro???

G

88persuader · « **Reply #13 on:** September 22, 2007, 01:44:28 AM »

The BassPodXT does the job however I'm SURE there are better units out there. It is cheap but for the money it does a heck of a lot. Hartmut it's funny your remembered that old thread ... I forgot about that one. Sooooooooooo I'll give you my feelings now that i've been using it.

Running ampless is a blessing and a curse. It's GREAT to know you're getting a nice fat balanced sound out front. So often my amp was hardly bled into the front end because of my stage volume, with ampless it's ALL front end so the end mix is much more CD like. The down side is the instruments simply don't sound NATURAL on stage ... you don't FEEL them and unfortunately a lot of times it's hard to HEAR them. So you definitely sacrifice a lot of personal sound comfort for the benefit of the whole ... but the whole DOES benefit. One bit of negative feedback occasionally comes from people who see the Roland V-drums and don't like the way they LOOK. Big drum kits with big shinny cymbals are expected ... little black rubber cymbals aren't pretty to look at ... but the SOUND QUALITY is surprisingly top end. What my band does now is we run ampless at several venues that are small rooms and hard to mix and we run with amps and real drums at big rooms. We refer to running with amps and real drums now as running OLD SCHOOL! :-) Tonight we gigged in Hampsted NH at a club called 111 Village SQ. and played old school for the 1st time in 2 months. when you're away from real amps and drums for a long time it's always fun to go back to basics. BUT I'm a definite believer in ampless and Roland V-drums for smaller clubs. You can rock and get a great sound without killing people and without playing like a lounge band!

Ray

olieoliver · « **Reply #14 on:** September 22, 2007, 06:00:23 AM »

I have the BassPodXt-Live and I like it. I don't use the Amp Models very much but do like some of the effects. The Auto-Wah is really cool.