Amplitube 3 into GK1001rbii - How?

IPYF · #1 02-14-2013, 07:01 PM

I've been asked to fill in for a band who have some shows coming up. While rehearsing at home on my laptop using Amplitube software I've discovered that the tone I'm using on the computer (A scooped Trace Elliot GP250x) is infinitely more appropriate for the sound of this band than my actual amp, and I'd be keen to try it on in the rehearsal space.

Problem is that I don't know if this is going to be possible and if so, I don't know if it will sound even slightly ok. Secondly I'm not sure how to do it.

My plan was to run a patch lead from my external soundcard's headphone output into the GK and control the overall sound from the laptop. But the problem is I don't know where to stick the lead in. If I go into the input I'll get the GK preamp as well as the simulated preamp and I reckon that will land me in hot water.

So is there a way to get around the GK preamp and go straight into the unit's power amp? Is this even worth trying? I'm assuming since the computer isn't running at line level I'm going to get some at least some hum.

Any input would be appreciated. I've got a rehearsal with my main band tomorrow which I can use as a test run before I have to try it with the other band.

B-string · #2 02-14-2013, 07:03 PM

Run the signal into the effects return jack. This will bypass the preamp and you still have the woofer/tweeter masters and boost control active on the head.

IPYF · #3 02-14-2013, 07:07 PM

Thanks. That's great news. I'll take a run at that and see how it turns out.

B-string · #4 02-14-2013, 07:16 PM

Use the laptop's volume just like you would the input volume on the head and you should be okay. Hum is a possibility but just as possible it will work fine. Just remember any cab will not sound like your headphones so adjustments may be needed.

IPYF · #5 02-14-2013, 07:30 PM

Well I'm throwing a pretend Trace amp at a real Trace cab. What could possibly go wrong?

The volume is the bit that I will need to play with really carefully. I'm going to assume that the GK poweramp will work best with the master woofer on maximum so I'll have to be really really careful with the output of the computer. Luckily because I don't have a bass amp at my house I'm a bit of an Amplitube Lord.

Guaranteed to get a bit of hum I think but I can feel that the computer is giving out a lot more low frequencies then my headphones can handle so the cab will probably sound pretty alright.

majortoby · #6 02-14-2013, 08:15 PM

Man, hearing stuff like this always makes me so sad that I just CANNOT get a tone I like out of amplitube on bass :-( I mean, on guitar, I've heard absolutely mind blowing results, but bass has always left me wanting something else. I suppose it does a grand job of simming a recorded tone, but it seems to lack that raw quality of running my bass into an amp. To.each their own, but I've sworn off digital preamplification for the time being, lol

IPYF · #7 02-14-2013, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by majortoby

Man, hearing stuff like this always makes me so sad that I just CANNOT get a tone I like out of amplitube on bass :-( I mean, on guitar, I've heard absolutely mind blowing results, but bass has always left me wanting something else. I suppose it does a grand job of simming a recorded tone, but it seems to lack that raw quality of running my bass into an amp. To.each their own, but I've sworn off digital preamplification for the time being, lol

Amplitube's actually one of the better ones but I agree that it's not as good as I'd really like and it's ultra fiddly.

Each of the amp sims has its own strengths and weaknesses and I think Amplitube does bass the best out of the majors. Don't get me started on GR5's bass modelling. If you bought that sim for it's bass component I weep for your wallet. It's truly frightful.

My go to recorded sound is running a stereo patch: one GK MB combo sim quite loud with the lows a little boosted with the contour cut, the other side's a lower volume scooped Trace with a high boost and a slight preamp overdrive. Massive, slick, rock tone which is great for my low tuning.

For guitars Amplitube is best for Tube and crunch tones. GR5 is the best sim for leads and TH2 is the sim you want for clean tones. That's just a little by the way.

jungleheat · #8 02-14-2013, 08:44 PM

Why would you use the headphone output? Just use a regular line out from the sound card into the fx return/power amp in of the GK.

Also, make sure to turn off any cab simulation in the software, otherwise it will sound like garbage coming out of an actual cab.

IPYF · #9 02-14-2013, 09:04 PM

Unfortunately my soundcard is my weakest link. It's does have a line out but it's not assigned to the volume control on the card and it doesn't even have the decency to put out a better signal than the headphone out. Might as well use the headphone out so I can at least control the output volume.

Yeah I like that you can bypass the cab sim. I find most of the cab sims are not all that great anyway.

IPYF · #10 02-17-2013, 03:03 PM

Sorry for the shameless bump but I wanted to share how this experiment went.

I don't actually believe just how well this worked. I went from my laptop, through the output of my soundcard straight into the power section of my 1001. There was no hiss whatsoever, just pure unadulterated tone.

I had about 30 minutes to fiddle while my band were setting up. The Trace tone I dialed in was mindblowing. I had a play with some of the other amp models and I was so seriously impressed I've decided that this is how I'm going to be rolling from now on. I tested the computer pre-amp against the GK preamp in the actual amplifier and the computer won both solo and in the band mix. It actually had me wondering why I haven't tried this earlier. Since Amplitube is MIDI compatible I'm going to buy myself a foot board and get all my tones running through there.

I've always been very skeptical of the computer generated sounds before, but that was before I had them running through a real power-amp into a real cab. I was the happiest with my tone that I've been in over 3 years and this cost me nothing extra. The only tough part is going to be figuring out how to get the sound I like into the PA for shows, because with nothing running into the input of the GK I'm not sure the DI on this particular amp will actually work.

B-string · #11 02-17-2013, 03:12 PM

Good to know it worked well! I would say to pickup a pass through DI like the countryman (use the 1/4" speaker connection). The DI on the GK will not work (no input).

seamonkey · #12 02-17-2013, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPYF

Sorry for the shameless bump but I wanted to share how this experiment went.

I don't actually believe just how well this worked. I went from my laptop, through the output of my soundcard straight into the power section of my 1001. There was no hiss whatsoever, just pure unadulterated tone.

I had about 30 minutes to fiddle while my band were setting up. The Trace tone I dialed in was mindblowing. I had a play with some of the other amp models and I was so seriously impressed I've decided that this is how I'm going to be rolling from now on. I tested the computer pre-amp against the GK preamp in the actual amplifier and the computer won both solo and in the band mix. It actually had me wondering why I haven't tried this earlier. Since Amplitube is MIDI compatible I'm going to buy myself a foot board and get all my tones running through there.

I've always been very skeptical of the computer generated sounds before, but that was before I had them running through a real power-amp into a real cab. I was the happiest with my tone that I've been in over 3 years and this cost me nothing extra. The only tough part is going to be figuring out how to get the sound I like into the PA for shows, because with nothing running into the input of the GK I'm not sure the DI on this particular amp will actually work.

Nice work!
Getting the signal to noise, the gain set right is very important. Skipping the amps pre and going straight into the power amp is a very good way to go.

With the midi pedals you don't even need to have the laptop lid open. I have a KM 12 step, but it's way overkill, sometimes I use it to play parts and loops, and start backing tracks.

You could add an audio interface with more than one output. Or any FOH engineer is going to know how to take a stereo line level signal, like that of a keyboard, it's the same, to the FOH.