# Computer based fx processors



## SinCron (Mar 2, 2006)

I've used Amplitube Live and I sorta liked it but it didnt do enough for me. I want to get Amplitube 2 since you can use it live and it has loads of amp models. I used to use Guitar FX Box and I vouch for it being a fun program with lots of options to mess with. Any others that people have tried?


----------



## TheTallCoolOne (May 15, 2006)

Check out this guy: http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/trash/
I'd say it sounds as good as Amplitube but a bit more complex to set, though probably more versatile.


----------



## SinCron (Mar 2, 2006)

I hate all these things that require all this other crap to use. I tried so much other stuff but it just told me it needed Digidesign, Steinberg, Cakewalk or other stuff. Where do I get this (preferably free as I have no money)? Cool Jon Davis interview though.


----------



## TheTallCoolOne (May 15, 2006)

You could use http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/
It's free and accept VST plugins.

And if a company doesn't offer a demo version of their soft well tough luck then.
I'm not going to tell you where to get illegal copies of commercial software.
:wave:


----------



## SinCron (Mar 2, 2006)

Thanks man. I needed one of these. Now all I need to do is take a piss and then I'll grab my 1/4" - 1/8" Planet Waves adapter.


----------



## SCREEM (Feb 2, 2006)

that guitar effects prog sucks big time because of latency, but man does it sound cool on the stock setting


----------



## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

ableton live 5, not for guitar, but has really cool midi effects. It' a real process whore though.


----------



## TheTallCoolOne (May 15, 2006)

SCREEM said:


> that guitar effects prog sucks big time because of latency, but man does it sound cool on the stock setting


It really depends on your computer power and how it is setup.

I'm running a Celeron 2.4Ghz with 1Gb RAM and I can usually handle more than 5 VST plugins at once and have a latency of about 10ms, with a SoundBlaster Live soundcard.

The souncard drivers will make a big difference too on the latency.
If you have a SoundBlaster card, you can try the KxProject drivers www.kxproject.com
Or look at the www.asioforall.com for some more generic ASIO drivers.
The ASIO drivers communicate directly with the soundcard without going thru the Windows infrastructure.
But be prepared to do lotsa reading. The drivers can be a beast to master and setup.

And VST plugins vary a lot in processing power required.
A good source of free VST plugins that are not too CPU demanding:
for some slightly unusual and very nice sounding plugins,
http://www.digitalfishphones.com/main.php?item=2&subItem=1
for some more standard plugins,
http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-series.php

And you can browse this site http://www.kvraudio.com/get.php for some other free and commercial plusgins.


----------



## bucky (Mar 4, 2006)

Native Instruments Guitar Rig 2 is a really good one.


----------



## SinCron (Mar 2, 2006)

bucky said:


> Native Instruments Guitar Rig 2 is a really good one.


I got it with loads of clipping. I dont mean clipping as in the good stuff. I mean like running BattleField 1942 on a 500 mhz machine.


----------



## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

SinCron said:


> I got it with loads of clipping. I dont mean clipping as in the good stuff. I mean like running BattleField 1942 on a 500 mhz machine.


that's a good analogy.


----------



## SinCron (Mar 2, 2006)

Xanadu said:


> that's a good analogy.


Know what else is a good? An RG 560.


----------



## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

SinCron said:


> Know what else is a good? An RG 560.


or maybe the $800 I still owe on the SR506


----------



## bucky (Mar 4, 2006)

SinCron said:


> I got it with loads of clipping. I dont mean clipping as in the good stuff. I mean like running BattleField 1942 on a 500 mhz machine.


Clipping as in distortion, or were you getting lag?


----------



## SinCron (Mar 2, 2006)

I thought my analogy was a fair description. It lags by cutting in and out at a semi rapid pace. Now go play Battlefield 1942 on an old computer


----------



## bucky (Mar 4, 2006)

Okay, I get what you mean. GR2 really needs a good audio interface to run without lag.


----------



## SkunkWorks (Apr 12, 2007)

I've tried every amp sim that's come out within the last 3 years and Amplitube 2 is the first one to get it right... to the extent that I would actually use it as a final product and not just a quick writing or demo tool. Best Marshalls I've tried so far in the sense that it actually reacts, feels and sounds like playing through an amp and has the tight bottom end.

Revalver MKII has the best Mesa sims I've ever tried. Most other companies just don't seem to "get it" when it comes to modeling a Rectifier... they either seem not to be Mesa fans or think that just having massive flabby scooped distortion equals a Mesa sim. Alien Connections got this one right... simply amazing if you use the convolution impulse section for the cabs and mics and not the modeling section. The amp models in this product were created by going to actual schematics of the actual amps and building them "virtually" by modeling the actual components that make up the amp... resistors, capacitors, tubes, transformers, pots etc. At a component level they say these things are actually pretty easy to model.

Native instruments Guitar Rig 2 was my goto modeler before I got my Soldano and before the 2 products I mentioned above came out... there is no comparison as far as these 2 new ones reacting like an amp and sounding like a recorded amp even with no tweaking. My Soldano hasn't even seen much recording use over the last month or two.... going to try blending one of these sims simultaneously with my Soldano amp (picked up a Radial Engineering Tonebone Switchbone for trying this... another fine Canadian company by the way. Mine apparently belonged to Wolfmother and was thrown out into the audience after their last show of their tour in Ontario... the guy put it on ebay).


----------

