Digital Modelers vs Tube Amps

PDC

PDC

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Ran into this and had to share.
 

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You can get gigs with tubes, you wouldn't believe it. I think in ear monitors are gross too. The point of having an amp is because it's too short of changeover times at a lot of these gigs for the soundman to give you enough guitar in the monitor never mind the vocal, so you're screwed....and then you need both guitars in the monitor plus bass and drums and they need to be mixed correctly or you're screwed that way too. I don't think Hank done it this a'way.
 
The very first thing that came to mind when I saw this meme was Rocknchippy.

And I am definitely the guy with the guitar across my lap on the sofa with a room full of tube amps downstairs that don’t get played enough!! That’s what I get for being 57. What few years I spent playing out were with a pair of Mesa Mark IIIs behind me. Sold ‘em to get through school after tapping out on music and wish I had them back…

But I’ve got 3 friends who play full time - 2 locally and 1 with a national act - and all 3 swear by Fractal for ease of use, portability, and dead bang consistency / reliability for FOH.

I just loved the meme - and the cat
 
uggg...here we go again lol

Modelers are a tool. They fit in great in certain applications. This doesn't have to be a binary argument, you can do both.

Bar gigs, I use an amp. Big stages - sometimes an amp, sometimes a Kemper, depending on a few variables.
 
Half the people touting modelers have the time to fuck with menus to get them to sound almost like a tube amp. The others need to hit the gym because they’re too fucking weak to haul actual gear OR have a medical reason that necessitates their use because everyone ages. The rest are on the bandwagon because it’s cool.

Most modelers are running FOH through a not so cheap PA or through the effects loop of a house DSL anyway. Let’s not draw only half the picture here.

Every tool has its place. Today I’d still bring a tube amp and an active load/IR box for an awesome FOH PA if the gig requires a quiet stage. If it’s outdoors I’ve got two 4x12s and a slave Marshall to crank things up. Use the right tool for the job but modelers aren’t replacing the tool they try to copy.
 
The FOH sound can't be denied. They can sound killer. But, next to me/on stage unless you're running through a tube power amp, they fall short. And, at that point, might as well bring the big boy tube rig since you're using tubes with your modeler anyway.
But, as others have said, own both. No reason not to since they have multiple uses(recording direct, ease of use at gigs etc).
 
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I use both. Depends on the gig which tool I'll take.
I prefer to take my QSC CP12 with me unless it's an IEM gig only to amplify my FM9T.

I honestly can't tell much difference between tubes and the FM9T... It sounds so good now.

At the last gig I played, my drummer buddy who has toured the world with various bands stated: "damn! That thing sounds huge!" He was blown away by it... He was telling me that when he tours, most of the acts are using modelers or profilers to save money on cartage fees now.
 
VonBonfire said:
You can get gigs with tubes, you wouldn't believe it. I think in ear monitors are gross too. The point of having an amp is because it's too short of changeover times at a lot of these gigs for the soundman to give you enough guitar in the monitor never mind the vocal, so you're screwed....and then you need both guitars in the monitor plus bass and drums and they need to be mixed correctly or you're screwed that way too. I don't think Hank done it this a'way.
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This. The vast majority of touring/gigging bands sound reinforcement doesn't look like the meme.

Good luck ever hearing your glorious modeler tones in a monitor when 59% of the gigs you'll be playing don't even HAVE monitors lmfao

The majority of club/bar bands that do originals use amps, and then the modeler guys use a power amp of some sort with their modeler so they can actually use their modeler.

In the cover band scene it's much more common to have decent PAs, but it's still more like 60/40 with more real amps.


I like and use both, but the modeler zealots overstate their argument and make themselves look stupid.
 
I see lots of cheapo hot rods, blues juniors, deluxes, and supers which are affordable and plentiful. There are scores of modeling amps that are affordable and plentiful but I've yet to meet anyone who chooses to gig with a vintage Roland Cube. I wonder how many guys are still gigging their Johnson Millenium 150 combo or stack or have a Mustang III they proudly call their studio workhorse.

You can't do both. You have to take a side here and blindly defend it at any cost.
 
Fusionbear said:
I use both. Depends on the gig which tool I'll take.
I prefer to take my QSC CP12 with me unless it's an IEM gig only to amplify my FM9T.

I honestly can't tell much difference between tubes and the FM9T... It sounds so good now.

At the last gig I played, my drummer buddy who has toured the world with various bands stated: "damn! That thing sounds huge!" He was blown away by it... He was telling me that when he tours, most of the acts are using modelers or profilers to save money on cartage fees now.
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When I use my computer software rig for guitar into my nearfield studio monitors or a PA system, it sounds huge, full and stereo...at a wide range of volumes. I enjoy my tube amps, but I'd use my computer rig for anything real or serious. I enjoy both.

It's not the same experience as a tube amp with guitar cabs, it's just different, but both sound good to me; just need a different approach and expectations.

If a new / top tier digital modeler doesn't sound good, chances are it's not the modeler that's the problem. IMO
 
headlessdeadguy said:
My buddy is getting ready for a European tour, including Wacken and is playing an SNK VH-140C preamp pedal into a soundstage 300. Sounds monstrous in my jam room.
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Not that I have this kind of opportunity, but if I did...

I could (and would likely) use my ISP Theta DSP Pro Michael Sweet as a preamp and effects, into a tube amp backline with V30 cabs. It also has XLR direct outs to go to FOH if needed. I'd get a spare too, just in case...these may not be easy to find. Wish they'd release an updated version with effects loop, and software upgradable firmware...instead of the new Empyrean preamp pedal.

I've run it into a ISP Theta Pro Stealth (solid state amp) + 1 x Mesa Compact 2x12 (V30s), into my Engl E850/100 power amp into a pair of Engl PRO E212VHB (2x12 cabs with V30s), and just direct outs to PA. Sounds great, and it does more than Stryper tones, if needed.
 
rsm said:
Not that I have this kind of opportunity, but if I did...

I could (and would likely) use my ISP Theta DSP Pro Michael Sweet as a preamp and effects, into a tube amp backline with V30 cabs. It also has XLR direct outs to go to FOH if needed. I'd get a spare too, just in case...these may not be easy to find. Wish they'd release an updated version with effects loop, and software upgradable firmware...instead of the new Empyrean preamp pedal.

I've run it into a ISP Theta Pro Stealth (solid state amp) + 1 x Mesa Compact 2x12 (V30s), into my Engl E850/100 power amp into a pair of Engl PRO E212VHB (2x12 cabs with V30s), and just direct outs to PA. Sounds great, and it does more than Stryper tones, if needed.
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I’m sure at Wacken and some of the other festivals he will use the back line if there are 6505’s or something similar. He built this pedal board as a fly rig for simplicity. He has a Kemper but prefers his 6505 if they are in the states.
 
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