Neural DSP plugins for practise?

[Emperoff]

I like my $150 monitors

I did, until I upgraded to an Audient ID22 with a pair of Neumann KH120A... The audio quality difference was as massive as the price one

People spend small fortunes on amps they play maybe 1-2 times a week. But audio interfaces and monitors that get used everyday? Fuck that!

 

[budda]

I did, until I upgraded to an Audient ID22 with a pair of Neumann KH120A... The audio quality difference was as massive as the price one

People spend small fortunes on amps they play maybe 1-2 times a week. But audio interfaces and monitors that get used everyday? Fuck no. Just the cheapest one

Oh I barely ever get to use the monitors these days, but my headphones are plugged into their aux jack

 

[Blytheryn]

I’ll say that the Granophyre is such a fun amp to play through.

 

[darkinners]

I have all of them and yeah they are great, especially the newer ones like Gojira and SLO. Don't know what Neural did but both Gojira and SLO sound crazy good even at the default setting.

 

[sevenfoxes]

They’re definitely good enough for practice, but if all you’re interested in doing is practicing, then buy a digital or solid state practice amp. I wouldn’t recommend plugins for that.

Btw, a lot of what you’re hearing in YouTube demos is a polished mix with double or quad tracking, so these plugins aren’t going to sound as good as that outta the box.

You’ll also need decent headphones or monitors to get anything good sounding.

Seriously, just go with a practice amp. I recently picked up a Peavey Vypyr Tube 60 and it’s great for lower volume playing.

 

[profwoot]

I've been doing a 5150 shootout the last couple days, using the same boost and IR in each case. Here's what I've found:

The 5153 in Archetype Gojira is indistinguishable in every way from the one in STL Andy James. That comparison is what started this, as I was curious about how far the tech has come in two years. Apparently not very.

I tend to prefer the 5150 over the 5153, and this shootout has confirmed that for me. I compared the 5150 models in Archetype Nolly, STL AJ, and STL Will Putney. Nolly and AJ sound very similar, but Nolly has some extra low end (apparently reflecting a mod on Nolly's 5150), while Will Putney's has some weird glitchy fuzz thing going on that presumably wasn't intended. I think I prefer the STL AJ of the 3.

It's also notable that all the STL amps are switchable between EL34s, 6L6s, and KT88s, with the VH4 offering KT77s as well. NDSP lacks this functionality entirely.

I love the VH4 and Uberschall in the Putney plugin, although after all this I think the Fortin Cali will still be my main go-to.

I find it odd that STL gets mentioned so rarely. NDSP makes great stuff but it's really not any better than STL. STL should really get on the influencer bandwagon, since it seems that's what it takes to get any word-of-mouth going these days.

 

[70Seven]

Thanks for all the replies. Really giving me a good idea of my options. I might just get two Yamaha hs5 and a Scarlett audio interface. Not the best to start out with but it would be just to try out these plugins. I can always return the speakers and get 8 inches if I find 5 not to be enough(that’s what she said).

I played with my amp all day. Twisting those knobs and I can’t find a setting I like. Been feeling like this for a few weeks. Think the amp has to go. No need keeping it if I’m not happy with it. I’m practising less and spending my time trying to find a tone. Don’t like this.

 

[Millul]

I just bought the NDSP Gojira plugin, given the discount, and it being one of the most versatile suites (3 amps, several types of effects, etc).
The SLO one sounds great to me, and so does the Plini one - lots of options.

 

[Emperoff]

I find it odd that STL gets mentioned so rarely. NDSP makes great stuff but it's really not any better than STL. STL should really get on the influencer bandwagon, since it seems that's what it takes to get any word-of-mouth going these days.

Because they are priced similarly, but they lack a strong Youtube marketing to put the product out. The names behind their plugins are not as strong either.

So all things being equal, people will get the tried and true option.

 

[Deadpool_25]

I recently tried the NDSP Granophyre, Nameless, and SLO100. The initial thing I noticed using all 3 with their stock IRs is the stupid amount of gain even without an overdrive on. Keep this in mind if you don't want balls to the wall gain it might be kind of hard to dial in unless you get a plugin with clean/crunch amps included like Plini or Nolly

My current favorite is the NDSP Granophyre using my actual TS9 pedal or a free TS plugin like the TSE808 (Rather than the built-in Earthquaker OD) and some OwnHammer IRs that just sound better to my ears.

Cali would probably be my favorite if it had delay amd reverb (I tend to use them in standalone mode). As it is though Plini is still my favorite, Nolly is a close second, and SLO is pretty good too. I shouldn’t have bought the SLO though. I’m almost exclusively using the FM3 these days.

 

[Deadpool_25]

They’re definitely good enough for practice, but if all you’re interested in doing is practicing, then buy a digital or solid state practice amp. I wouldn’t recommend plugins for that.

Btw, a lot of what you’re hearing in YouTube demos is a polished mix with double or quad tracking, so these plugins aren’t going to sound as good as that outta the box.

You’ll also need decent headphones or monitors to get anything good sounding.

Seriously, just go with a practice amp. I recently picked up a Peavey Vypyr Tube 60 and it’s great for lower volume playing.

Vypyr Tube 60 is so good. Still the best “practice” amp I’ve tried. The amp models are pretty damn good. And did you know the effects were done by Damage Control (aka Strymon)?

 

[Kyle Jordan]

Vypyr Tube 60 is so good. Still the best “practice” amp I’ve tried. The amp models are pretty damn good. And did you know the effects were done by Damage Control (aka Strymon)?

Before I got my Axe, my little Vypyr 30 was the only actual amp I’ve owned for the past three years. It’s actually the amp I’ve owned the longest. Outlasting Mesa Marks, Rectifiers, Bogners, and others.

Once I stopped playing out, that little amp just worked really well. Hard to beat for $300.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

A small modeling practice amp would definitely be a great option if OP doesn't feel like diving into the world of "computer-as-guitar-rig".

Tons of great stuff out there, for not a lot of money. The already mentioned Vypyr comes to mind, as well as Yamaha THR, BOSS Katana, and even Line 6 Spiders are pretty damn good these days.

 

[sevenfoxes]

Vypyr Tube 60 is so good. Still the best “practice” amp I’ve tried. The amp models are pretty damn good. And did you know the effects were done by Damage Control (aka Strymon)?

Whaaaat?! I had no clue! Makes sense why I like the fx so much, lol!

And yeah, the amp is crazy good for what it is.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

The Vypyr is underrated AF. Peavey's Transtube SS gear is killer and I believe they use that special sauce in the Vypyr alongside some digital wizardry.

 

[Deadpool_25]

The Vypyr is underrated AF. Peavey's Transtube SS gear is killer and I believe they use that special sauce in the Vypyr alongside some digital wizardry.

Was the Vypyr VIP line (or whatever it was that came after they stopped making the tube 60 and 120) as good? I never tried those because I felt like the Tube 60 was significantly better than the (non-tube) 75.

There was a time when damn near every “which amp” thread on UG had rec’s for the Vypyr 60. I had the 60 for a long time and eventually sold it. The only thing I wished it had was an FX loop because while the onboard effects are really good, I often like to run dual delays and it only had the one. Edit: it’s also pretty ugly lol.

A friend has a 120 and Every now and then I consider reaching out and seeing if he wants to sell it to me lol.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Was the Vypyr VIP line (or whatever it was that came after they stopped making the tube 60 and 120) as good? I never tried those because I felt like the Tube 60 was significantly better than the (non-tube) 75.

There was a time when damn near every “which amp” thread on UG had rec’s for the Vypyr 60. I had the 60 for a long time and eventually sold it. The only thing I wished it had was an FX loop because while the onboard effects are really good, I often like to run dual delays and it only had the one. Edit: it’s also pretty ugly lol.

A friend has a 120 and Every now and then I consider reaching out and seeing if he wants to sell it to me lol.

I never got a chance to compare any of the previous versions, but I really dug the VIP2 I tried FWIW. If I didn't have my POD Go I'd def consider getting one as a practice amp.

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Anyone use neural plugins for practise at home? Do they sound as good as how YouTube reviewers(influencers) make em sound?

I only play at home. Don’t gig and don’t record. I don’t like to play that loud so my 100 watt tube amp and 2x12 is total overkill. And because I keep the master volume so low it’s probably why I have a hard time finding tones I like from my amp. Considering selling it all and going plugins or amp modeler in studio monitors.

Any tips? Or did something similar?

Thanks.

You have a tube amp and a 2x12, I'd say all you need are an interface and free amp sims.

For several years, my home rig was Line 6 interface -> effect/amp VSTs -> tube power amp -> real cabinet.

Sounded awesome. Favorite amp sim was Legion (free). Used a program called Chainer to load/arrange the VSTs. Made it possible to save "patches" of any combination of amps/fx.

Using a tube power and a real cabinet (in my case, also a 2x12) kept if feeling "real."

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Forgot to mention:

Everything I used (except for the Pod Farm stuff that came with the interface) was free. ODs, amps, FX, all of it free.