Amplitube 5 vs Neural DSP

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NeillNeill Frets: 941
edited June 2021 in Studio & Recording
I'm currently looking at the free/trial versions of these two offerings, specifically the Archetype Plini version of Neural.

When I first tried Amplitube 5 I thought I had finally found a plugin that I really liked, and given the free version is quite limited, I thought the full fat version would be even better.  But I heard a few people raving about Neural so...  I downloaded the Plini Archetype first and my immediate reaction was just wow, even better than Amplitube, but having got over the initial euphoria I'm not so sure now.  Frankly I can't decide which is better (there's only one way to find out...)  so I would appreciate any thoughts others have on these two offerings. 

I'm not looking for someone to make up my mind for me, I just think others experience of these sims might throw up something that I hadn't considered. 
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Comments

  • steamabacussteamabacus Frets: 1258
    edited June 2021
    I've no experience with the plug-ins but did watch this pair of comparision videos for the Soldano models a while back. My memory is that the Neural stuff does sound better (but Amplitube gives you more effects, etc.) Especially interesting is the second video using the same cabinet IRs.







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  • Re-the above video: Amplitube Soldano is shocking

    However, everything else on amplitube is superb and it's now my go to plugin for tones. With the exception of a few Nembrini plugins which as class.

    Incidentally, I prefer Nembrini's SLO to Neural's version. But I have Neural's plugins there just in case. And that's the beauty of plugins, you don't have to choose as they're almost always within budget at some point or another due to the many sales. But for my money, I'd definitely get Amplitube Max, it's worth it, for my needs. @Neill ;
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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  • NeillNeill Frets: 941
    Re-the above video: Amplitube Soldano is shocking

    However, everything else on amplitube is superb and it's now my go to plugin for tones. With the exception of a few Nembrini plugins which as class.

    Incidentally, I prefer Nembrini's SLO to Neural's version. But I have Neural's plugins there just in case. And that's the beauty of plugins, you don't have to choose as they're almost always within budget at some point or another due to the many sales. But for my money, I'd definitely get Amplitube Max, it's worth it, for my needs. @Neill ;
    It's a good point - you can buy an awful lot of plug ins for the price of a Kemper, say, and the quality these days is pretty amazing.  I presume the Nembrini BST100 is the SLO equivalent, but you can't try it for free unlike Neural's.  I have had a play with the Neural SLO - I do like that you can try all their products at once - and it's fantastic.  I have seen a comparison with the Nembrini and I can hear a difference but it's down to personal preference, they are both totally convincing.   At the moment I'm inclined to get the full spec Amplitude plus the Neural SLO.
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  • Neill said:
    Re-the above video: Amplitube Soldano is shocking

    However, everything else on amplitube is superb and it's now my go to plugin for tones. With the exception of a few Nembrini plugins which as class.

    Incidentally, I prefer Nembrini's SLO to Neural's version. But I have Neural's plugins there just in case. And that's the beauty of plugins, you don't have to choose as they're almost always within budget at some point or another due to the many sales. But for my money, I'd definitely get Amplitube Max, it's worth it, for my needs. @Neill ;
    It's a good point - you can buy an awful lot of plug ins for the price of a Kemper, say, and the quality these days is pretty amazing.  I presume the Nembrini BST100 is the SLO equivalent, but you can't try it for free unlike Neural's.  I have had a play with the Neural SLO - I do like that you can try all their products at once - and it's fantastic.  I have seen a comparison with the Nembrini and I can hear a difference but it's down to personal preference, they are both totally convincing.   At the moment I'm inclined to get the full spec Amplitude plus the Neural SLO.
    @Neill good plan. Can't go wrong with that. However, you definitely can try any Nembrini amp plugins for free for a trial period. Have another look. Also, their free Klon plugin is amazing. Enjoy

    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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  • NeillNeill Frets: 941
    Neill said:
    Re-the above video: Amplitube Soldano is shocking

    However, everything else on amplitube is superb and it's now my go to plugin for tones. With the exception of a few Nembrini plugins which as class.

    Incidentally, I prefer Nembrini's SLO to Neural's version. But I have Neural's plugins there just in case. And that's the beauty of plugins, you don't have to choose as they're almost always within budget at some point or another due to the many sales. But for my money, I'd definitely get Amplitube Max, it's worth it, for my needs. @Neill ;
    It's a good point - you can buy an awful lot of plug ins for the price of a Kemper, say, and the quality these days is pretty amazing.  I presume the Nembrini BST100 is the SLO equivalent, but you can't try it for free unlike Neural's.  I have had a play with the Neural SLO - I do like that you can try all their products at once - and it's fantastic.  I have seen a comparison with the Nembrini and I can hear a difference but it's down to personal preference, they are both totally convincing.   At the moment I'm inclined to get the full spec Amplitude plus the Neural SLO.
    @Neill good plan. Can't go wrong with that. However, you definitely can try any Nembrini amp plugins for free for a trial period. Have another look. Also, their free Klon plugin is amazing. Enjoy

    Yes @Jonathanthomas83 thanks for putting me right there I just saw the free stuff and presumed that was it - I'm looking at the Nembrini plug ins as well now - this could end up being an expensive exercise..!
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  • Neill said:
    Neill said:
    Re-the above video: Amplitube Soldano is shocking

    However, everything else on amplitube is superb and it's now my go to plugin for tones. With the exception of a few Nembrini plugins which as class.

    Incidentally, I prefer Nembrini's SLO to Neural's version. But I have Neural's plugins there just in case. And that's the beauty of plugins, you don't have to choose as they're almost always within budget at some point or another due to the many sales. But for my money, I'd definitely get Amplitube Max, it's worth it, for my needs. @Neill ;
    It's a good point - you can buy an awful lot of plug ins for the price of a Kemper, say, and the quality these days is pretty amazing.  I presume the Nembrini BST100 is the SLO equivalent, but you can't try it for free unlike Neural's.  I have had a play with the Neural SLO - I do like that you can try all their products at once - and it's fantastic.  I have seen a comparison with the Nembrini and I can hear a difference but it's down to personal preference, they are both totally convincing.   At the moment I'm inclined to get the full spec Amplitude plus the Neural SLO.
    @Neill good plan. Can't go wrong with that. However, you definitely can try any Nembrini amp plugins for free for a trial period. Have another look. Also, their free Klon plugin is amazing. Enjoy

    Yes @Jonathanthomas83 thanks for putting me right there I just saw the free stuff and presumed that was it - I'm looking at the Nembrini plug ins as well now - this could end up being an expensive exercise..!

    No probs at all. IMO, the Nembrini stuff is absolutely incredible - my favourite is their Vox. Their new Marshall is on introductory sale right now. It's worth waiting for the sales with all these things...the Amplitube stuff is the most expensive of the bunch, of course. But Nembrini and Neural have sales all the time. I'm waiting for the next Neural sale to pick up the Plini, Fortin and Soldano plugins. Although the Nembrini is my favourite, they're all worth having in the arsenal for when the feeling takes over. I've built up a great colelction over the years by taking advantage of the sales. Overall, you can't go wrong with them and since selling all my physical gear last year, I've honestly never been happier than I am now with the flexibility of these plugins. Oh, by the way, the Gojira plugin is great too!
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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  • For sound I prefer Neural over Ampitube. But Ampitube 5 is quite good and has the advantage of the inmense amount of gear available under 1 suite.
    For Neural, even if you have more than one of their products you can not match and mix unless you are inside your DAW or a Plugin Host (I use Gig Performer 3 and is like the best thing you can hve to play guitar through a computer if you own a few plugins).
    I love some of the Nembrinis as well, their latest MHR195 Brown Sound is just great.
    I also love Mercuriall offerings, some of the Plugin Alliance amps (many of them made by Nembrini as well) and the some of the softube Marshalls. These ones I found they need more tinkering to get the sound I am looking for, but when I get there they are fantastic as well.
    Nowadays there are just so many great amp sims available. But yeah, Neural DSP are still on top of the game, followed by Mercuriall and Nembrini, in my opinion.
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    Re-the above video: Amplitube Soldano is shocking



    Amplitube's Soldano model has been around since day one and needs upgrading. The company gave it away as a free plugin a while back.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • For sound I prefer Neural over Ampitube. But Ampitube 5 is quite good and has the advantage of the inmense amount of gear available under 1 suite.
    For Neural, even if you have more than one of their products you can not match and mix unless you are inside your DAW or a Plugin Host (I use Gig Performer 3 and is like the best thing you can hve to play guitar through a computer if you own a few plugins).
    I love some of the Nembrinis as well, their latest MHR195 Brown Sound is just great.
    I also love Mercuriall offerings, some of the Plugin Alliance amps (many of them made by Nembrini as well) and the some of the softube Marshalls. These ones I found they need more tinkering to get the sound I am looking for, but when I get there they are fantastic as well.
    Nowadays there are just so many great amp sims available. But yeah, Neural DSP are still on top of the game, followed by Mercuriall and Nembrini, in my opinion.

    I find it interesting how we all have different takes on this. Amplitube is effortless for me, where I feel that I need to work a lot harder for the tones I like, in the Neural plugins.

    I'm a massive fan of Gig Performer, I just got 4 and am really enjoying it. You're absolutely right that it's the best piece of software you can use if you're a guitarist and use plugins to get your tones.

    I'm looking forward to payday to get the new Nembrini MHR195, sounds absolutely great.

    Fretwired said:
    Re-the above video: Amplitube Soldano is shocking



    Amplitube's Soldano model has been around since day one and needs upgrading. The company gave it away as a free plugin a while back.

    Yes indeed. I was just shocked how low gain it was compared to other offerings from Neural and Nembrini, it feels very weak to me. After chatting to an owner of the real amp, he mentioned that the Nembrini plugin sounds good and is almost a fair representation. The Neural gets close in Rabea's demo's. Not that I'm after dead on replica's, but I want them to sound good, and Amplitube's (once official) Soldano model doesn't sound great, IMO.
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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  • PolarityManPolarityMan Frets: 7273
    I love the aplitube SLO. I have been using it on and off since amplitube 3 or so though so prob a lot of that is down to familiarity. For prob about half a decade my standard tone for band demos was quad tracks with 2 x amplitube tiny terror and 2 x amplitube SLO. 
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  • Jonathanthomas83Jonathanthomas83 Frets: 3466
    edited June 2021
    I love the aplitube SLO. I have been using it on and off since amplitube 3 or so though so prob a lot of that is down to familiarity. For prob about half a decade my standard tone for band demos was quad tracks with 2 x amplitube tiny terror and 2 x amplitube SLO. 
    Hey, if it works for you then it's not bad at all.
    Perhaps is wrong of me to slag it off really, especially given my statement about not needing something to be bang on how the actual real amp sounds. I shall give it another go tonight. I'm so used to ramming the normal channel with a tube screamer that I was surprised that I couldn't do that with this one (and achieve the results I'm used to). The boost channel is good enough for that though, I guess.
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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