Captures (yay or nay)

guitarcookie1

I've come to the conclusion that captures are not for me.

In looking for a small portable amp/pedalboard I've had a Tonex/Tonex One (the editing is enough to put you off) and a Nano Cortex (what happens when the app stops working).

For me, the sounds are just not there (tinny, fizzy digital high end).

There's too much choice - is this IR better than that IR, do I want gain 1 or 5 of the same amp, is this Fender (or other) better than that Fender, etc.

I've tried many sources for captures too (Neural, Tone Junkie, Amalgam, etc) and every one is just a slight variation on the same thing (maybe that's the point), so round and round in circles I go looking for the answer.

Will keep the Tonex One as an emergency backup (one clean capture loaded & it's tiny) but the others are now gone.

thecolourbox

I guess if it's not for you then that's cool, it's good that a choice exists. I prefer the Tonex for playing through, but often find the Helix Native is easier for me to use whilst recording but that's just laziness on my part (because i can do all the tweaks in one app rather than having amp in one plugin, reverb in another etc.)

They do sound different though, so if you have a preference for how things should sound for you then at least you've tried other things and reinforced what you like as a result so you can be sure you've got the right setup for you

FarleyUK

Have you thought about an FM3 or FM9? Actual amp modelling instead of captures, and while you can use IRs, you can also use their proprietary DynaCabs.

guitarcookie1

FarleyUK said:

Have you thought about an FM3 or FM9? Actual amp modelling instead of captures, and while you can use IRs, you can also use their proprietary DynaCabs.

Re modelling, I've had/got:

HX Stomp - on my third, but find the dsp limiting if you want to use an amp, delay and anything poly in the same patch.

Helix LT - physically too big for what I wanted.

Boss GX100 - touch screen wasn't for me and found it sounded a bit meh.

Boss IR200 - probably the best sounding out of the bunch but patch switching live was impossible as I remember.

Boss GT1000Core - lack for foot switches was limiting, which led to..

Boss GT1000 - sounds great (the natural and crunch amps are probably all I'd ever need) but the editing is a pita (getting used to it and the assign function is very useful).

Friedman IR-X - s/h unit arrived today. Hoping that the wysiwyg approach is easier to use and the real valves might remove any digital fizzy-ness.

If the IR-X works out then It'll be paired with the Stomp (fx only) for a small board.

drwiddly

I assume that, with your experience of various digital units, you've tried using a low pass filter to get rid of the digital fizz? I have Kemper, Fractal, Helix and Tonex and none of them sound fizzy.

Roland

…. and the low pass filter with a surprisingly low frequency. 

Basher

guitarcookie1 said:

There's too much choice - is this IR better than that IR, do I want gain 1 or 5 of the same amp, is this Fender (or other) better than that Fender, etc.

You have the right not to choose!

Surely, if you find something you like, there's no harm sticking with it, at least for a while?

I love the Amalgam capture of the Tone King Imperial and find it does almost everything I want and works with different guitars very well.

Yes, there are multiple gain levels but I don't find that too much of a pain. 

Sorry if this is obvious but I just treat it like owning an amp. You have a basic tonality and a degree of variance within that, some more than others. I don't find the fact that there are thousands of JCM800 (or whatever) captures out there to be a source of irritation. 

guitarcookie1

Basher said:

guitarcookie1 said:

There's too much choice - is this IR better than that IR, do I want gain 1 or 5 of the same amp, is this Fender (or other) better than that Fender, etc.

You have the right not to choose!

Surely, if you find something you like, there's no harm sticking with it, at least for a while?

I love the Amalgam capture of the Tone King Imperial and find it does almost everything I want and works with different guitars very well.

Yes, there are multiple gain levels but I don't find that too much of a pain. 

Sorry if this is obvious but I just treat it like owning an amp. You have a basic tonality and a degree of variance within that, some more than others. I don't find the fact that there are thousands of JCM800 (or whatever) captures out there to be a source of irritation. 

You’d think, but my brain won’t let me stick with one thing; it’s very annoying

Lewy

guitarcookie1 said:

Basher said:

guitarcookie1 said:

There's too much choice - is this IR better than that IR, do I want gain 1 or 5 of the same amp, is this Fender (or other) better than that Fender, etc.

You have the right not to choose!

Surely, if you find something you like, there's no harm sticking with it, at least for a while?

I love the Amalgam capture of the Tone King Imperial and find it does almost everything I want and works with different guitars very well.

Yes, there are multiple gain levels but I don't find that too much of a pain. 

Sorry if this is obvious but I just treat it like owning an amp. You have a basic tonality and a degree of variance within that, some more than others. I don't find the fact that there are thousands of JCM800 (or whatever) captures out there to be a source of irritation. 

You’d think, but my brain won’t let me stick with one thing; it’s very annoying

This seems to be what turns so many people off digital - the compulsion to use everything in the unit or a huge range of different sounds because that's what's available. I suspect that many people never even use the same sounds over multiple gigs/jams to learn how to EQ them at all before moving on to trying other ones. Not judging anyone, just observing that most of the people who are happy with digital stick to a small number of sounds and just enjoy all the convenience and consistency, and many if not most of the people who try it and swear off it do so citing complexity and option paralysis. When people say they can't stand all the "menu diving" it tends to indicate they can't stop tinkering. 

drwiddly

When I started using digital gear live, I set up 10 sounds that I really liked, ranging from clean to solo with a few specialist sounds. All of them used the same IR and probably two or three different amps. Why 10? Because my midi controller had 10 buttons

So what's the point of having loads of options and only using a few? Well there are other advantages to digital but every now and then I like to have a new amp day and program a new set of presets or just try out a few new amps or effects to see if I like them or can use them for something. I really don't feel any compulsion to download 40,000 captures and try them all out.