Which amp modeler do you think sounds the best?

Don't choose what you have or use the most, but what you think sounds the best.

Search each one if you have not heard them before
https://www.youtube.com/
https://www.google.com/

If you think there are other amps that sound better than these, comment them below.

The options are meant for the songs that Guitar plays an important role. Obviously, for some background guitar in a pop song, no one cares what plugin you use.

Because new amp modelers have come since the latest poll which was in 2018, I created a new poll.

 

Last edited: Jun 20, 2020

I hope no one will chose one he thinks is the best but does not use it mostly.

 

Sometimes you don't have that plugin to use it regularly, but you have tried its trial or have listened to its demos

 

Not a singular plugin works better then my AMT F1 (clean fender) + AMT P2 (5150 distortion/metal), and my delay/reverb pedals. There is and always will be delay when you play through plugins, preamp pedals are the way

 

Seems a big part of how a software modeler sounds is the signal fed into your audio interface. In this I'm a bit confused though about the proper device to use.
With some hardware modelers for example, like the Line6 HD500x I have, you can set different impedance settings for the guitar signal, as does their Axiom A/D/A afaik. I understand that bit of electronic theory.

But watching some recent tutorials uploaded on sister site concerning this very issue, the advice on getting a software modeler to sound its best, is to get a good DI box between guitar and your audio interface. So what exactly would this be doing to the guitar signal as opposed to some hardware modelers impedance settings?
AFAIK, the various DI boxes recommended to use in the tut videos don't offer variable impedance settings. So what is the magic a DI does that supposedly can make a modeler sound virtually night and day better than plugging your guitar directly into your A/D/A's instrument input?

I always understood the use of DI boxes was to create a low impedance signal so as to be able to run very long lengths of cabling with the benefit of very low noise

 

Last edited: Jun 20, 2020

IK Multimedia Z-Tone Buffer Boost or DI is what you need if you already have an audio interface. It has some controls for shaping the DI sound before it goes to the actual interface.
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/ztonedi/

There is a full audio interface version called AxeIO too:
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/axeiosolo/

 

Last edited: Jun 20, 2020

I used to dislike Helix, but nowadays it's my favorite.

The interface is not very inspiring, the presets suck, it's kind of hard to find the sweet spot...But once you learn it, it's great. Very versatile.

Oh, and it's got the "note bloom" thing going on really well, once you learn to dial up the sag. This is where most amp sims fall short...This isn't a big deal for metal players, but for blues-rock guys, it's basically essencial.

But, like I said, there's a learning curve to it... I've got basic presets for each of my guitars, because it responds really different to all of them. It's VERY level sensitive.

 

I'll check it out, thanks. Right, it's named AXE, not Axiom, lol.

I was thinking about getting the AXE but I already have an interface. And a DI box is almost/about the same price.

Also been wondering if with the HD500X , I was able to take advantage of the variable input impedance feature and then output the clean guitar thru signal to the interface.... and would that be some sort of solution in making the software modeler sound better. Or is that stuff all bypassed in the thru signal

 

Last edited: Jun 20, 2020

You can use any regular pedal with inbuilt buffer to achieve this same objetive, like Boss pedals, which are my favorites for this kind of thing. They have very effective buffering circuits.

You can check the difference using a multimeter to check impedance at the tip of the cable.

 

Ah, ok, thanks!

I have that NI Audio6 as my interface...the first one, not the new ones they came out with. I have Amplitube and Guitar Rig. Hard to get a tone that sounds 'quite right'. Like its always just 80% there or something, lol.

Oh, and every software pedal, including the ones that come with the various Line6 hardware models I use, all sound so tinny, harsh and brittle. I generally avoid using them

 

Last edited: Jun 20, 2020

Besides everything else use a better amp modeler. It is 2020 and Neural technology has changed many things. Among the modelers I know of, Mercuriall and Neural DSP use artificial neural networks. Other companies may use it, but not state it in their ads.

 

Running a buffered pedal in before your interface can make a difference. A buffered EQ pedal, like Boss GE7, is even better, because you can EQ your dry signal to taste...You can get one of those for cheap on ebay...Way better than IK's Z-TONE DI, in my opinion...And waaaay cheaper.

 

Did not know this or aware of those products thanks! Will be checking them out.

Edit: Wow. They sound fantastic, especially the Neurals. Sold! lol

Will do. Thanks for your advice!

 

Last edited: Jun 20, 2020

Ampire from Presonus deserves a place on your listing

 

A fried egg is a fried egg. No matter what you do with it the results will be a processed fried egg. If it is raw it can be anything you want. That is if the modellers are only used for monitoring for the player and the sound is recorded clean, you can do anything you like with it afterwards. Pedals before the input are good and serve a purpose as sure as post-processing does without them. It all depends on the situation.

 

But the quality of the egg makes a world of difference to those that can appreciate the subtle difference of flavor and color that a great organic/bio egg can literally bring to the table. A chicken that scratches around the soil and eats up bugs, which has the sky above her head, is fed quality ingredients and has a real social life among her colleagues will produce a yummy egg. The shell will be thick and not easily cracked, have a deep yellow yolk with a viscous albumen, whereas a factory egg's shell is thinner, the yolk a week yellowand the white us runny.. Factory eggs taste badly and cannot compete with the freedom and nutrition with which a great small farm or private home environment chicken can lay. There really is no competition. Pedals are a different animal completely.

 

I haven't tried NeuralDSP because they're not "vaccined" yet . These are the things I find more remarkable lately since the last poll. I have an old PC so keep that in mind.

Complex ones (pedals, reverbs, all the stuff)
- Kuassa Amplifikation360: sounds very good like previous separate ampsims. The same for their gorgeous pedals. Most productive GUI ever. Very low CPU usage and insanely low RAM one (thanks JUCE). Great cabinet emulation. Great cabinet IR-loader. You can even change presets without sound artifacts (@Torrao that's for you ;) ). This is my new all-around favorite along with Helix Native. Remember to set some oversampling in high-gain amps, disabled by default.
- Helix Native: for guitarists and hardware people the GUI might be confusing but I love the minimalist approach. Light on RAM, heavy at CPU but keep in mind some presets are insanely complex. @RMorgan said it perfectly, it takes a bit of tweaking. If you hear "hiss noise" is because that preset wants that noise, like some hardware rigs have. Put a low-pass filter and solved.

Simple ones (amp, cab an your average delay/reverb/tube screamer effects)
- Plugin Alliance/Brainworx (rock_rack, ENGL, megasingle and dual): Nearly forgot them but they sound really good. Most of them are plug-and-play easy. I don't know if you can disable the cab emulator though. Perhaps CPU intensive some years ago but now they are pretty standard.
- TSE X50 2: still my favorite but seriously threatened by PA's
- Mercuriall: sounds amazing, especially the Re-Axis (Mesa). Not to mention it has a nice wah pedal (personal soft-spot). Hard on the CPU but that's expected. Takes a bit to get the most of them.
- STL: sound great and out-of-the box. I really like Howard Benson, very balanced. I guess they're designed to fit straight in the mix. Hard on the CPU, again expected. Kills my RAM though.
- Blue Cat Audio's: the technical features are mind-blowing but sound-quality wise I haven't tested them properly.

Free ones
No changes: Emissary and LePou all the way!!

 

Last edited: Jun 20, 2020

I enjoyed the rest of the post - very creative. As an owner of many pedals over the decades, and lots of studios no argument. They also tend to be noisy. But you can achieve a similar and sometimes, better result, situation dependent. There is also the option of using a real amp if a live sound is required with a microphone in front of the cabinet, but while related, it is on a tangent. It all comes down to personal choice and likes.

 

I am surprised by the popularity of Overloud TH-U is! . Although at least, this is a step up from that shitty Guitar Rig thingy in the last year's poll.

How do people consider this as the best sounding amp sim?!


To me, this sounds like a broken amp shouting in a swamp

or like a hollow balloon:


This video shows it all at 5:00

 

Last edited: Jun 21, 2020

Well, thing is, it comes with what is essentially a Kemper. No, you can't create your own profile, but you can use the ones they sell.