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IK TONEX pedal

#221
Wanted to jump in on this thread to ask how you all are using devices like the IK Tonex (or Quad Cortex and Kemper) ... particularly for live work.

I've used Amplitube for some time now for silent/travel practice using an iPad and iRig, and I have used some Amplitube models on a few sessions over the past few years. So, I have some ears on experience with that. I'm intrigued by the pedal versions of these devices and am really impressed by the tech involved, but I kind of wonder how they would work for my playing situations.

For live and session work I have spent a reasonable amount of time building a stage and studio rig that I really like (and gets the thumbs up from people who hire me). Pretty simple really: bass (generally passive) => Cali76CB => Phat Phuk B => VT => Noble DI out to amp & FOH. I'm not called on to use FX very often (other than the EQ shaping of the Noble and VT) and maybe just a bit of grit from the VT at times, and when I do, it's potentially just an occasional filter and/or octaver. I typically use the same for sessions (minus FX) unless I'm directed to do otherwise. Amps/cabs involved are Mesa WD800 or Walkabout into either a Berg NV212t or CN112 depending on how much monitor I need on stage. I am equipped for (wired) IEM and end up using that about 1/2 the time for live work and I'm trying to increase that number whenever possible.

From reading this thread, it seems those using the IK Tonex pedal, mostly go through a power amp (or powered cab) & FRFR cab .... or are running IEM only and a silent stage. I wish I was there as far as going with no stage amp/cab, but for now that's aspirational.

From reading here, it seems as if Tonex already has amps and cabs that I could probably use for my generally clean tone approach just fine. It also appears to have a solid Noble model, which is very cool as I love my real one. I'm good to spend the $$ to go this route but I'm not quite sure what it would get me in my current playing situation.
My pedal board is pretty small and my amp/cab is never a hassle to move ... although no amp/cab would be even easier.

So, any insight on use cases that would help me make a decision here is welcome.

thanks!
 
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#224
I’m not using mine live for bass yet. I’m hoping to use it with my QSC K10.2 when I do. It sounds good in the home studio setting, but I haven’t gotten to a live band setting with it to really test it yet.
 
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#225
@pfschim I can't answer directly to using the Tonex, since I have Two Notes Torpedo, but the core of the discussion is something I've also had to navigate.

At this point, like you, I have a small, fairly portable (and yet still powerful) amp and pedal rig that's easy to move around, and sounds great. I didn't really wanna mess with it. If the gig is ampless/IEM (which is still pretty rare for me, but it does come around now and again), then the Torpedo is obviously all I'm gonna bring (besides pedals). But, if it's an amped gig, I still like how the cab sims on the Torpedo colours my DI/FOH line (and so do all the sound techs who I've worked with thus far!), so I'm using it basically as a fancy DI box. I run a small XLR line out from my amp head to the input on the Two Notes, and then the FOH is fed from the XLR out from there. It means my amp is really just a stage monitor for me, but that's great; I can EQ as needed to fit the room/stage, and it doesn't impact the FOH signal in the slightest. It also means I avoid the huge faux pas of running a cab sim modeller into a non-FRFR cab!

Now, I'm not sure how to rig something similar on the Tonex, as it's got the two outputs, but they appear to be a stereo thing, rather than dual mono outputs. So, you may have to commit to an either/or scenario, where you are either running your speaker cab/amp, and using the Tonex for its effects and/or preamps, or running a power amp/FRFR and using the IR's on the Tonex.
 
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#226
I also haven't gigged out with bass through Tonex. But here's the deal. The stereo output is primarily there for when the built-in reverb. With reverb off, the two outputs are basically "dual mono" for the effected amp tone. This gives you some routing flexibility if you need it.

With Tonex you have a choice of using DI captures (no cabinet IR), or amp+cab captures (includes cabinet IR). In both cases, you are getting the tonal coloration of the captured amp. Some folks run their Tonex into an amp and cabinet, or just a cabinet ... and so like using just Tonex DI captures with the cabinet adding the cabinet sound. How you use Tonex with bass will depend on your monitoring situation, and what the audience will be hearing. (This is basically what @sloppy_phil is saying.) Just think of Tonex as an amp tonal/color simulator in a box, with the ability to also add cabinet IR/sound. If you're using additional pedals, you would typically use them between your bass and Tonex (as you would with a bass amp).

This thread has been a bit quiet, but its like @gumtown sez. Also, some of us are waiting on Amalgam audio to release some bass amp captures. The quality of the amp captures varies from great to crappy, but Amalgam has been delivering exceptional guitar amp captures.
 
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#228
gumtown said:
Seems to be the way of most TB threads on anything high tech, an initial flurry of interest, then threads fade in obsurity.
So I suppose it comes down to...
A) all Tonex users are super happy and have no questions.
B) no one is interested and continue to use p bass and ampeg amp and 8×10 as man has for the past 10,000 years.
Click to expand...

Don’t forget the nickel flatwound strings and the tone control rolled all the way down. Bass hasn’t progressed since 1954, don’t you know.
 
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#229
hey, thanks for the additional responses. I had seen the upthread references to Amalgam captures. I understand there is also a growing list of other decent-to-great rig captures. Without going back to re-read everything on this thread, aside from the Noble capture, are there comps as well ?

For reference, my favorite amp remains my Mesa Walkabout into a sealed cab (I use a Berg NV212t, but others have worked well too). It would be great to have a signal chain capture of: bass => Cali76CB => Noble => Mesa Walkabout (set to my favored light eq settings) => Berg NV212t.

Would that either be avail already, or would I be able to capture that myself with the full Tonex gear set (Tonex pedal and Tonex Capture/Reamp box) ?

On edit: This would be interesting to me, but I'd have to consider why I wanted this signal chain modeled considering I already have it .... other than the possibility that I could really reduce the gear I carry to a gig or session. Hmmm
 
#230
@pfschim - wow, nice setup. You won't find any existing Tonex captures that are similar, at least that I have seen. IK Multimedia has a decent G&K set. Otherwise, its been hit or miss for bass stuff. If you had a Tonex Pedal and a reamp box you could for sure capture the entire chain. If done well and played through a nicely amped full-range speaker or PA, it should sound damned close to the captured settings. Or you could do a DI capture and play through an amp/cab, but that doesn't help weight-wise.
 
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#231
One other reason you might want to capture your signal chain over using your actual gear is that you would then have the options of presets for gear that does not offer it. Different settings for different basses or different songs becomes effortless.
 
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#232
soundog said:
@pfschim - wow, nice setup. You won't find any existing Tonex captures that are similar, at least that I have seen. IK Multimedia has a decent G&K set. Otherwise, its been hit or miss for bass stuff. If you had a Tonex Pedal and a reamp box you could for sure capture the entire chain. If done well and played through a nicely amped full-range speaker or PA, it should sound damned close to the captured settings. Or you could do a DI capture and play through an amp/cab, but that doesn't help weight-wise.
Click to expand...
hey, great! thanks for that. Is there some guidance on what goes into a "good capture" ?
 
#233
The Tonex documentation has good info. Also search on youtube, and gearpage forums. Karlis at Amalgam Audio discusses his capture method a little bit on his gearpage forum, although its guitar amp specific.

I haven't seen much info for bass captures, so it would take some experimentation. Mics used, mic placement, and the room will be significant factors if capturing amp+cabinet. Also, volume settings in the Tonex app weigh heavily.
 
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#235
Can you load third party IR's into the Tonex? I only ask for you folks waiting for Amalgam to do some more bass captures. There are lots of great bass IR's out there in the world now (whether through Line 6, Two Notes, or whoever else), and if they could be loaded into the Tonex, then you wouldn't need to wait!
 
#238
sloppy_phil said:
Can you load third party IR's into the Tonex? I only ask for you folks waiting for Amalgam to do some more bass captures. There are lots of great bass IR's out there in the world now (whether through Line 6, Two Notes, or whoever else), and if they could be loaded into the Tonex, then you wouldn't need to wait!
Click to expand...
I have neither sought nor tried to upload any separate IRs, but I have swapped cabs within the pedal - with good results!
 
#239
Giff said:
I have neither sought nor tried to upload any separate IRs, but I have swapped cabs within the pedal - with good results!
Click to expand...
I enjoy experimenting with some guitar amp captures on bass. The 65 DLX with a clean cab (not the stock cab) sounds very nice - even with my 5-strings. I don’t think the cab is a bass cab, but it works great! That is one area that’s quite confusing when working within the pedal - the naming and labeling of what is what leaves a lot to be desired. I wish there was an icon or some indication of whether an amp or cab is bass-specific. It can be fairly easy to tell what works and what doesn’t when scrolling through options, but it would be helpful if you could scroll to/through a “bass section.” I am still enjoying the Tonex on my pedalboard, and it has been working nicely for full band practice sessions. I have not used it live yet, but I believe it will be great!
 
#240
sloppy_phil said:
Can you load third party IR's into the Tonex? I only ask for you folks waiting for Amalgam to do some more bass captures. There are lots of great bass IR's out there in the world now (whether through Line 6, Two Notes, or whoever else), and if they could be loaded into the Tonex, then you wouldn't need to wait!
Click to expand...

Tonex captures are usually of two types: 1) DI + Cabinet/IR (these are the "usual ones", with everything baked into the capture), and 2) DI only. For DI only, you can then add any IR you want into Tonex. For the DI + Cab/IR captures, Tonex also includes the ability to "turn off" the cabinet so you can add your own IR (or use a real cabinet) .... but this doesn't work as good as using a pure DI-only capture. In short, yes you can load third party IRs into Tonex.
 
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