Ampeg SVX or GTR3 Bass

[Night Prowler]

Wich one sounds the best? I have listened to IK Multimedia sound examples but the SVX sounds to digital to me. Has anyone tried GTR3?

[Kipaste]

GTR 3 by waves all the way. The ampeg SVX was the first plug in I got but I never got a sound that I like out of it. Then I got the waves bundle and I've been really happy with it. I don't use it all the time as I often mix a DI and a mic signal, but if I'm lazy and go DI only the gtr3 is usually on. Oh yeah, then there's also the guitar rig 3 by native instruments. It's ok too, but I haven't really got into it yet. I think that the gtr3 has a bit wider selection of tones.

[Night Prowler]

Sounds great! What I like about the gtr3 is that it have better amp specs then the SVX. Example, SVT810AV instead of SVT810H.

Just another question, When you are lazy and use gtr3 do you use a DI box also?

[2minkey]

i'm not sure what gtr3 sounds like, but FYI right now IK is running a special on amp sims that is essentially 2 for 1 pricing.

[Bjazzman]

fyi guitar rig 4 is coming out in a few weeks. check it out with native instruments

[GearHeadBassMan]

I have GTR 3, and I love it. I can grab tons of great sounds for bass or guitar. When I tried out guitar rig, I couldn't get anything other than a nondescript buzz. Probably not what it's supposed to sound like, but GTR 3 is straightforward, easy to set up, and sounds great.

[Kipaste]

Originally Posted by Night Prowler

Sounds great! What I like about the gtr3 is that it have better amp specs then the SVX. Example, SVT810AV instead of SVT810H.

Just another question, When you are lazy and use gtr3 do you use a DI box also?

Well, if I'm lazy, then no. I just plug straigh into the presonus interface. I can get a pretty decent sound that way since the presonus preamps are really not that bad. Sometimes I have a DI box in front of, but usually not.

If I'm doing it the long way, I use a splitter/DI box. The other line goes to the interface and the other goes to an ampeg rig which is micced with a SM57.

I'm currently recording a short album which will hopely be done in a few months. And now that I think of it, so far only one of the songs is recorded with the DI/mic combo. It sounds a bit fatter and warmer, but since most ideas come to me during night time and I like that first take magic, I usually end up using the GTR3. I really like the supertube/810 combo for slap and the b-15 for fingerstyle. I'll probably post some songs when I'm done but it will still be a while.

After I replied to this post I spent a few hours noodling with the native instruments guitar rig 3, but I got to say I do still prefer the gtr3 by waves. The native instruments one is definately not bad compared to the ampeg svx, but I'm yet to actually use it.

[Night Prowler]

Cool! Is the supertube supposed to be a SVT2 or a 70`s head? Or maybe something else?

[Kipaste]

Honestly, I don't even know. I'm guessing the original SVT. But do remember, amp modelling plug in will ever sound exactly like the real deal. It's always a sort of a compromise. Good plugins bring together the main characteristics of the amp in question, but it'll never be the same. That doesn't mean that the plug ins sound bad though. It's simply impossible to totally nail down a tone of old tube amplifier with some software. If it wasn't, we'd all be playing lightweight digital modellin amplifiers.

[Night Prowler]

Yeah, the problem with plug ins is that they sound to digital. Hopefully the gtr3 does not.

[GearHeadBassMan]

I've found that when it's all in the mix together the only things that really sound digital are drums, bass and guitar usually hide their 0s and 1s pretty well

[Night Prowler]

Originally Posted by GearHeadBassMan

I've found that when it's all in the mix together the only things that really sound digital are drums, bass and guitar usually hide their 0s and 1s pretty well

What a relief! But I have Addictive Drums and they suppose to sound really good also.

[seamonkey]

Originally Posted by Kipaste

Honestly, I don't even know. I'm guessing the original SVT. But do remember, amp modelling plug in will ever sound exactly like the real deal. It's always a sort of a compromise. Good plugins bring together the main characteristics of the amp in question, but it'll never be the same. That doesn't mean that the plug ins sound bad though. It's simply impossible to totally nail down a tone of old tube amplifier with some software. If it wasn't, we'd all be playing lightweight digital modellin amplifiers.

And the future is coming. For some it's here.
More and more and listening and liking the plugins and other modelers. Not everyone needs to be convinced - but's it's happening big time. Modelers also do SS amps, cabinets, mics and rooms, etc.

For software modelers there's always going to be someone saying it doesn't sound like their real amp, but real tube amps have a large variance in sound from one to the next even in the same physical model of amps. Tube rollers know from tube to tube there's a big difference.

One problem software modeling companies have is finding a gold standard amp they can model. They can't, they have to model the best amp they can find - one that is subjectively the sound that people want. Out of the box it may not sound like an real amp someone has sitting in the garage, but it doesn't mean it can't without some tweaking. The modelers provide adjustments to allow people to go from one extreme to another.

[seamonkey]

Originally Posted by GearHeadBassMan

I've found that when it's all in the mix together the only things that really sound digital are drums, bass and guitar usually hide their 0s and 1s pretty well

That's kind of odd. The drums, and percussion, including many piano's are usually just sample playback. They work really good. There's so many good drum libraries out there. Maybe you're settings need adjusting, or you've got a bad library?

Maybe it's the feel of the drums - like the midi track is too accurate?
Check out Jamstix at http://www.rayzoon.com/
It'll add a human sound to any midi sequenced track.

[Kipaste]

Originally Posted by Night Prowler

Yeah, the problem with plug ins is that they sound to digital. Hopefully the gtr3 does not.

I sincerely don't think it sounds hopelessly digital, on the contrary, set up right it sounds pretty sweet. But the great thing is that it features the blend button. It's nothing you couldn't achieve with a duplicate track without the plugin in the other and the mixing to your liking, but less tracks means less hassle and if you happen to use, let's say a compressor,eq and some other audio tools, it can save some cpu power too if it's a problem. And you still have the option of treating them separately if you wan't to go more into detail. I've never actually used the plugin on it's own, I use it to make up for the mic feed from cab. I've always preferred to have a mic and a DI line, and that plugin makes it easier than ever. I tend to go heavy on the plugin when slapping (usually around 2/3 to 3/4) to get some meat and back it up when playing fingerstyle to get more definition. Just like I would with a mic line. Naturally everyone will have their own preferences, but because of the easy controls, dialing up something you like is very quick.

Originally Posted by seamonkey

And the future is coming. For some it's here.
More and more and listening and liking the plugins and other modelers. Not everyone needs to be convinced - but's it's happening big time. Modelers also do SS amps, cabinets, mics and rooms, etc.

For software modelers there's always going to be someone saying it doesn't sound like their real amp, but real tube amps have a large variance in sound from one to the next even in the same physical model of amps. Tube rollers know from tube to tube there's a big difference.

I actually mostly agree with you. The reason why I said it won't sound like "real deal" is because the "real deal" is a mix of so many variables that expecting to dial up the exact same tone from a plugin no matter how many things it allows to be adjusted is pretty much doomed. And one thing to note is that especially people who don't mess with homestudios play their, let us say SVT's all day and hear the plug in trough a pair of studio monitors and go "my rig doesn't sound like this" expecting to get the same sensation as when they're standing next to a 8x10 with trousers flapping from the air pressure.

But there is still the question of plugin quality. Take for example the ampeg svx. I don't like it. To me, it doesn't sound good and I don't think it's because I'm in a differend kind of room with differend kinds of tubes. Plugins, especially really good ones, are still a relatively new thing and I do think there still is room for improvement and I do honestly believe, that even the good ones will get better and more accurate. I'm not trying to knock the technology, as I said I'm pretty much using it over the old techniques simply because of the ease and the good results it yeilds. Not exactly the same kind I would get with a mic, and even though I still do prefer the sound of a mic over a plugin, I usually don't prefer it enough to bother with it all that often. In my books, that's a pretty big compliment.

[skiltrip]

I've tried both, and currently own GTR3. I much prefer GTR3. But SVT was pretty good. It's just GTR3 just keeps blowing me away on both guitar and bass. And Stomp is just tooooo useful for pretty much everything else, drums, vocals, etc.