12-27-2010, 04:37 PM

As you all may know, GarageBand has some pretty cool amp models preset into it.
Any of you think theyre good enough to replace your existing guitar amp? Can you plug your computer to play out of say a, guitar cabinet for example?
I still havent gotten a chance to mess with them myself, but ive heard good things online.

Edit: My current amp is a 100Watt B-52 all tube head with a Behringer cab. Sounds really good by the way.

12-27-2010, 05:00 PM

This is just my opinion so take it with a grain of salt. I don't care how expensive your software gear is, it won't ever make me switch from using a nice tube amp. If you're more into solid state gear, then half of the components are already very much alike and it's only a matter of tweaking to taste. But I don't really think you can ever replace the kind of ever changing sound signature which aging tubes supply. A lot of the other things which shape the sound aside from the tubes is the kind of wood used for the cabinet, as well as how the speakers have been tuned, frequency wise.

Sure, some of that can be simulated, but it's a lot like vinyl vs digital. The former will always have its proponents vs digital or solid state. I guess it's simply a matter of taste when it comes right down to it. Sure, you can have a fantastic sounding all digital rig.... and that's really the answer you were looking for, isn't it ?

As for me, I'd never toss my Fender Twin Reverb to the curb. Never.

Doug

12-27-2010, 11:28 PM

I get ya... Just wanting to know how good these amp models are.

I just got the M-Audio Fast Track Pro. Got it installed but I cant open the preferences for it!!? Says the preferences dont work on "Intel-Based Macs" WTF?!

So I dont know what sampling rate im using. I transfered an electric guitar and vocal track onto iTunes and it sounds small and dull. Im sure theres things im missing. But the tracks sound really good on my studio monitors. But when I play the same song I used my Roland VS-2000CD, the roland mastered song sound more rich and full.

What am I missing?

Is there an input mixer I can use on this? Cause all I have to reference is the little LED light on the M-Audio unit.

12-31-2010, 07:41 AM

No way in **** can you replace a quality All tube head with software.

Unless your all tube head is a Marshall TSL 602. They suck so badly. LOL!

Ok, but seriously, I have a 1988 Marshall Silver Jubilee 2553 all tube head and no way can any synth or sim replace it. Guitar Rig, Amplitube etc ... tried them all.

But for studio demo's and if the guitar isn't the focus, I'd say yes ... they can be great. In some cases, perfectly fine.

12-31-2010, 10:12 AM

Yeah, just had time to really go thru the amps and effects. They're "ok"
But it looses my the sound of my Strat (nice, bright single coil sound - you know what i mean), so that means I wont be replacing my B-52 all tube amp head anytime soon (which sounds AWESOME by the way)

Also, Im gonna be returning the M-Audio Fast Track pro and trading it for the PreSonus Firestudio Mobile. Apparently the quality of the preamps on the presonus is WAY better than the M-Audio fast track. Theres quite a bit of "hiss" on the preamps on my m-audio.
Hope i get better sound out of the Presonus (crossing fingers)
Will be paying Guitar Center a Visit after new years...

Have a happy/safe new year everyone!

01-01-2011, 07:01 AM

Depends on the situation and volume.

Jamming at home and wanting to keep the neighbors happy, a cheap solid state amp, or your computer, is perfectly fine. To get the real benefits of tubes you need to really crank it and get the heat flowing, at low volume levels you're just not going to get the same effect.

Then there's recording in a professional studio, even then there's variables. Most people will want that rich sustain you get from a cranked tube amp which can be easily produced in a soundproofed studio. There's still music that sounds good without tube amps though, take a listen to Nine Inch Nails. From what I read, Trent Reznor very rarely uses amps when recording guitar parts, it creates this really distinct sound which isn't much like a traditional guitar at all!

Live, there's no other way to go than a tube amp on 11