Guitarists like to listen with their eyes. They see a nice UI and *insert very famous guitarist* in the name of the product and go apeshit. Also probably the majority of their budget is spent on marketing. Everyone's favorite youtuber makes videos about them and their ads are everywhere on socials.

I can say it's relatively easy to make them sound good but from my experience they are not that accurate with respect to the original hardware. I've had wayyy more accurate recreations of amps with NAM>>STL Amphub>L6 Helix Native>Mercuriall>Overloud. Most of those also have a plethora of effects, which I can also rearrange in whatever order I want.

And I absolutely hate their piecemeal approach with plugins. It would be interesting though if they released a fully featured amp sim suite with like everything they released so far, kinda like a VST Quad Cortex...

 

Nothing special, NDSP makes good plugins, that's all. I don't think all of them are great either, but obviously we all have our own tastes. Plugins like Nolly (Nolly X is even better, I used it before the R2R release among other NDSP plugins), Nameless (I would still put it in the top 6-7 amp plugins, it gave a huge boost to the plugin scene back then), Gojira, or Soldano are the answer to why they are popular. I think their Mesa Mark IIC+ plugin is also excellent, although it is a divisive amp. I have been using these for years and they are solid tools in the box.

 

At one time they were but not anymore. Otto Audio 11 11 still reigns supreme and STL has evolved in all the right ways.

 

I know it isn't what they are really known for, but Mantra *looks* great. I will demo it on the next vocal I get loaded up in the daw, and hear what it really can do or not. As long as it sounds right, there are a lot of features in it that would a great tool for vocals. I think both UA and PA have a nice number of guitar related titles but then have many other offerings. If Neural continue to branch out into other plugins besides guitar-related stuff, it could be a good thing.

 

I'm not an Otto fan, but STL is indeed very good too. Let's be happy that we have so many options these days. It's like when someone writes/says why another Mesa OS 4x12 V30 IR pack? I haven't heard two Mesa IR packs in the last 10 years that sound the same. If you don't use the same SM57, or don't put the microphone exactly in the same place as another developer, or you use other equipment and/or methods, it will sound different. Yes, tons of plugins/IR etc. result in a kind of decision paralysis, which is a fact, but they say it's a first world problem.

 

Last edited: Dec 17, 2025 at 9:52 PM

have never heard of that one neither had a chance to try it, but will definitely consider it. Lately, i was totally impressed by the latest guitar amp plugin from UAD: the UAD Showtime '64 Tube Amp they were just giving away for free last week, i managed to grab one and tested quickly.. it was really impressive, worked as well on a bass.. it is last generation of guitar amp modeling by ua. It is a part of their new Guitar Paradise new suite. Highly recommend.

 

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YL8pwF7Mnc

 

@Balisani What do you disagree with? Explain it.

 

People financing all of this for a crazy bunch of distortion.

What a market!

 

anything is good it is not the VST it is YOU.