JamUp — Crappy Sounds?

[Kemono]

I bought an iPad to make a portable rig based around JamUp with backing tracks.

I was hoping to get rock sounds out of JamUp for:

• AC/DC crunch
• Warm sounds with low/mid gain, for Rush covers
• Mesa/boogie for higher gain crunch and lead sounds

The stock sounds coming out of JamUp sound fake and digital.

I emailed support to ask what I should do to get a good sound and if I needed to buy amp models to get higher quality versions of the sounds that I want. They replied that the stock sounds are pro-quality, that they use them all the time, and that producers are calling them back.

Do I need to buy BIAS or something else? I don't like dumping more and more money into it, and it's starting to remind me of guitar center ("it sounds awesome dude, but it!").

 

[tylerpond05]

what interface are you using?

 

[Kemono]

Guitar -> iRig 2 -> iPad -> Audio-technica headphones.

I intend to buy a JBL Flip speaker for it.

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

I've heard mixed reviews on the iRig, so it could be an issue with the quality of your interface but it might not be.
I don't know where, but I watched a really good comparison video a few weeks ago that compared Jamup to BIAS FX and BIAS FX definitely was better in terms of quality and fidelity; however, JamUp still sounded alright.

EDIT: Here is a pretty good video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNm2D2-le7k

 

[sefloval]

I am experimenting with Jamup and Bias through an ipad similar to you as well. I'm running it through the return of my Egnater Tweaker head into my 2x12 cab for live use. I bought iRig 2 and it had way too much hiss and didn't sound good. my Advice is spend the extra cash and get Bias! It is well worth it. Changing the tubes and especially lower gain preamp tubes in higher gain amps sounded much better. Also Bias comes with more amps and some effects.

Also, I didn't like the iRig2 and attribute it to going through the headphone input on the iPad which caused extra noise/hiss. I sold it and am going to try the Line 6 Sonic Port ($99) as it uses the lightning connection instead which should cut down on the hiss.

From my experience, I would recommend Bias and giving the Line 6 Sonic Port as shot

Also check out the new pedalboard:
https://www.positivegrid.com/bt4/

 

[Hachetjoel]

I honestly just think all of the bias products sound like crap, try before you buy or in your case upgrade. I've been much more satisfied with free vsts

 

[Mr_Marty]

I honestly just think all of the bias products sound like crap, try before you buy or in your case upgrade. I've been much more satisfied with free vsts

Yup.

 

[cardinal]

I like the BIAS stuff.

OP: are you using headphones? If so, you need to try to add a touch of delay and reverb. When you play into a speaker cabinet sitting in a room, you will hear some natural reverb and delay by virtue of the physics of the sound waves propagating in the room. So a completely dry signal into headphones will sound extremely unnatural. You need to add just a touch of reverb and delay to compensate if you're going direct.

 

[decreebass]

Better question: what iPad are you using? I think the minimum iPad that can run JamUp/Bias well would be the iPad 3.

In any case, your ears may just not like the sound. Have you tried Tone Stack?

 

[Kemono]

I honestly just think all of the bias products sound like crap, try before you buy or in your case upgrade. I've been much more satisfied with free vsts

Oh. Can I use other VST in jamup? Because I like that JamUp has the option to play backing tracks and the UI is pretty easy to use. I just don't like the sounds. Maybe they should call it DjentUp.

 

[Kemono]

I am experimenting with Jamup and Bias through an ipad similar to you as well. I'm running it through the return of my Egnater Tweaker head into my 2x12 cab for live use. I bought iRig 2 and it had way too much hiss and didn't sound good. my Advice is spend the extra cash and get Bias! It is well worth it. Changing the tubes and especially lower gain preamp tubes in higher gain amps sounded much better. Also Bias comes with more amps and some effects.

I don't care about more effects and amps. More is not better. Better is better. They could have a million and one versions of crap and that won't make me any happier. In fact, it would probably piss me off, going from one to another and trying them all out.

I like that with my mesa boogie, I can turn on, plug in, and it sounds like a real amp. Even when the knobs are dialed in weird, it never ever ever sounds fake. MOst of the tone comes from my hands.

AxeFX took a bit of getting comfortable with. I did not like it for a long time. Now I am dealing with JamUp… It's like I went from raw, organic cheese (mesa boogie), to processed cow cheese (AxeFX), to cheez whiz (JamUp).

Also, I didn't like the iRig2 and attribute it to going through the headphone input on the iPad which caused extra noise/hiss.

Now I see… iRig is low-end. Thanks to Guitar Center for taking advangate of my ignorance; it's too late to return it now.

The Apogee interface looks better — right into the iPad's lightning connector.

A good upgrade, but I don't believe better s/n will give me that much better guitar sounds. The presets sound like a digitally modeled amp.

 

[FifthCircleSquared]

I don't know about the iPad side of things, but I didn't really like BIAS until I upgraded my DAW's interface.

Better pre's definitely make BIAS sound and feel a lot more realistic.

 

[Kemono]

I honestly just think all of the bias products sound like crap, try before you buy or in your case upgrade. I've been much more satisfied with free vsts

Free VSTs? What do you suggest?

I just ordered the Apogee interface.

Thank you,

 

[Elric]

Okay gang, first he is talking about iOS not VSTs. Second he is talking about JamUp.

Bias > JamUp in terms of amp models; since you are in iPAd you may want Bias FX+Bias Amps rather than JamUp.

Second, give a look to Ampkit+ and Amplitube. Amplitube recently added Engl models and dual miking and competes well with Bias, IMHO. The newer amplitube models are much better than the original set. IMHO.

None of these are going to give you PC VST or high end hardware (Fractal, Kemper, Helix) level tones; but people do get tones good enough to record and gig so it should not "suck".

You should look at Audiobus and an IR Loader like Altispace. IRs are the thing all these stupid amp modelers have wrong and can actually get you to next level tones.

These apps are just like the low end modelers (POD, Boss GT, Digitech) that have been screwed up for years by bad cab models and just now with things like Two Notes and Amplifire and Helix and Fractal's new AX8 they are finally getting out there and the difference is immense.

 

[Kemono]

I got the Apogee Jam. It sounds a bit better. But, it must be kept a distance from the iPad. It seems it might need more sheilding. I'm considering adding some copper foil, if I can find it, to the inside of the lifeproof case, to possibly reduce this noise.

I can't figure out how to use JamUp with Jammit. Must I go with Line 6?

 

[Elric]

I got the Apogee Jam. It sounds a bit better. But, it must be kept a distance from the iPad. It seems it might need more sheilding. I'm considering adding some copper foil, if I can find it, to the inside of the lifeproof case, to possibly reduce this noise.

I can't figure out how to use JamUp with Jammit. Must I go with Line 6?

That's weird my Line 6 sonic port is rock solid noise wise. Maybe you should look at it if you want a L6 interface, anyway.

 

[InFlames235]

I have JamUp and think it sounds crappy as well. Stopped using it...