I listen to this stuff on shit headphones (iPhone and Bluetooth) and I can’t tell but sometimes I wonder if I’d notice on my ultrasone studio headphones or Sennheisers. The jagged freq graph was way cool. I’m sure that has something to do with processing.
I listened through iPad built in speaker, but the only time I heard a difference was on single note “solo” playing. I assumed the one I preferred was cortex, except it ended up being the Tonex, Awesome! I don’t know if it was his playing that changed or if it was the cortex for the “B” solo.
the quad cortex sounded fractionally clearer, the gain sounded a touch lower too. both are very good though, the quad definitely seems worth it if you have the money, but the tonex got some seriously good results that I wouldn't turn my nose up too
@@Rokken2Dokken I wonder if its the accuracy of the capture. Idk anything, but I'm guessing IR captures work at resolutions much like a camera, so the tonex was a lower resolution, but still solid
A while ago I bought a Ampero Mini and run that through a HB 100W power amp and a HB 1x12 cab with a V30. I use it the same way I use my real amps (an amp, a delay, a boost and maybe a little bit of reverb) and it sounds great. It set me back about €450 in total, but it saves on back pain.
I've got the Ampero One and just run it straight into a powered PA speaker. There's only two things I wish the One and Mini did better: having the processing power to run multiple channels, and harmony effects.
Yeah the small power amp pedals and multi-fx are great. I want to get a bigger unit but, I’ve been using a Mooer Baby bomb (30 watt) solid state amp mini pedal and my HX Stomp and it rips through my 4x12.
@@JosePineda-jn8jk Had the same setup only difference is that I owned the 1x12 Harley Benton V30 cab, I sold the cab and the baby bomb because I don't gig and was too loud and space-consuming in the room.
I got the original Tonex from u recommending it. I've never been happier with a piece of gear. I blend a fractal amp sim on the tonex with a diezel and get a great recording sound. Dual recto with a overdrive on it for live sound. What a time and money saver. Thank you Glenn
i kept my eyes shut before it started to not see and you can hear the tonal change but its very small, ironically I ended up choosing the tonex as to what I thought sounded best
@@dvckclub This is similar to when I manage to notice it. Sometimes I choose the cheaper one as better, sometimes I choose the more expensive one. However, when the expensive one sounded better, I wouldn't pay the price difference of the expensive one when it's more than maybe 10-20% more vs the cheaper one.
i have learned so much from this channel. Its great that tech has changed so much that we can even buy what used to be considered horrible pedals and update the irs, install custom firmware, or just use the effects to give these old devices new life. It really captures the reason why we all play in the first place. Thanks for the content.
Glen I am 62 years old and back in the 80’s my guitar teacher gave me one of the best lessons ever. And that was don’t be a slave to a name tag and I’ve lived by that motto ever since. Videos like yours not only enforce that lesson but prove it. Keep up the great work.
Thank you for stopping me from buying the Kemper. I am getting back into guitar for a hobby and your channel saves me so much time and money. Sounds really good. Thank you!
Glenn!!!! I just received my TonexOne. TBH I jumped into the modelling dgital stuff with line6 about 15 years ago, but didn't find my tones with that technology. But now, everyone praising this new generation of digital modelling, I thought to myself I give it a shot. Tonex sounds awesome, exactly what I need for my talentless, lazy tone-enjoying chugging... I saw your recent video about the old Digitech gear and I realized that I have my RP255 in my parents' house, it was one of my first multieffect processors. So the idea came to combine the two and see the results. And today you posted this video!
For what it's worth...I've had a ToneX ONE since release, and it's absolutely excellent. For the first time, I actually have an ADA MP-1 in my rig without having to arse around with a rack (and all the hassle that entails). Don't forget, you can also tweak the EQ frequencies for the onboard controls - look up the bass/mid/treble frequencies for the amp you're aiming to replicate, and you can set it accordingly on the pedal using the software. For me, the major selling point is that it slots into your existing pedalboard with no tweakery - that's something that can't be said for the AxeFX and Kemper, and can only _just_ be said for the Quad Cortex. The problem, as with all the IK stuff, is that the software is utter junk. It's slow, it's clunky, it's unstable and I'm pretty sure I'd be fired if I ever put something like that into a production environment. Fortunately, you only have to touch it when loading new models onto your pedal.
I just commented about using the SLA-1 or SLA-2 with modelers, for cheap. I see you have the SLA-2. I use SLA-2 in my home studio as a PA when rehearsing.
It is amazing how bad IK Multimedia software is year after year. You’d expect their skills would improve over time from simply writing code but maybe they always hire new juniors to replace anyone who becomes somewhat competent.
I have a Digitech RP350, a BP355 for my bass (which is actually nearly identical to the RP350). Then I got an RP1000, which I bought because I figured that the RP line would be discontinued. Indeed it was, but these pedals had a nice production run. Although I put a lot of praise on them, I only use one or two distortions on them (but that's enough for me). I may get another pedal or two at some point, but I'll always keep my Digitechs. They are super versatile. It may take some tweaking and experimentation to dial in your tones, but they do a lot really well.
I've been an advocat for amp sims, keyboard sims and the like for atleast 25 years! My opinion didn't change during the revealed A/B test they both sounded great. Compairing them side by side you might hear a slight difference but in a mix you won't unless you are one of those savant guys like Bob Rock or one of his peers. Great video Glen!
I was far into the weeds of ~Tone~ chasing until I very suddenly and shockingly realised that as a musician and composer I actually don’t care beyond the broad strokes! It’s the tech nerd side of me that cares. I realised it when I was knee deep and hours in tweaking two HX Stomp presets that I already loved and was inspired by. So now, instead of letting that side of me get in the way of my music, I’m satisfying it by learning about: electricity and electronics and later programming, sound design, acoustics, physical modelling, FM synthesis and whatnot. The rule is that I do that on my iPad or at the kitchen table. My music space is for playing and creating music!
I owe you an apology, Glenn. I'm sorry to say that my cynicism got the best of me, and I had you figured all wrong at first. I thought you must have had some kind of angle, but no-you’re definitely one of the good guys who are saving people (those smart enough to listen to you) money. I get it now, and I should have gotten it earlier, being a decades-long musician myself. My bad. Keep up the good work!
It’s cognitive dissonance. Admitting you were wrong opens up the possibility of everything you’ve ever thought or thought you’ve known may have also been wrong. Generally people will react to this with aggression or insults. That’s how I did when I saw the pickup video (just bought a duncan for my guitar at the time lmao) and I got kinda mad, mostly because I was always told pickups are a massive part of the tone. Then I tested it myself, setup my mic in the exact same spot (didn’t move it), and just swapped between guitars with different pickups, I heard differences, but they were so small there was no point in caring. When I sent my friend the same recordings, he couldn’t tell the difference.
@@watersnortmoment3734 I think part of it too is that as humans these days we're so used to hearing bullshit from companies trying to sell us stuff that the bullshit has just become part of the system that we accept. When someone loudly challenges that status quo, we automatically assume they're a pious asshole who thinks they're better than everyone else. And you're right; as soon as you take a step back, you realise how much of the stuff you thought you knew might actually be bullshit. To me, that realisation makes it more fun. Now I have a better understanding of all this shit, I can make better music more easily than I ever did before. Cheers to blokes like Glenn for stirring the pot and copping the attitude from us poor bastards so we can learn something.
@@watersnortmoment3734 I did a test a few months ago, I did a full song recording with the cheap Chinese humbucker and one with a Dimarzio Super Distortion, no one on the local guitar forum could guess which one was the DP100 and which one was the Chinese.
Not really your fault. So many people on the internet are trying to sell you something or be edgy for clicks. And, yea, Glenn does go for the edgy persona but at the end of the day he's really just trying to help out.
Just to add something - I've been using NUX MG-300 for about a year or two, costs just over $100. Cheap and convenient, sounds decent enough and has more features than I can be bothered with. (For recording I capture DI and use plugins - not sure how NUX would hold up in that scenario but I absolutely love it for my use case).
In 2024 you can get a great sound with pretty much anything. The reason I shelled out for a QC in the end was the interface, because in a live context the easier things are to adjust if needed, the better. The user experience in my opinion was worth the price, other's mileage may vary.
That was why I got one. When I was trying to figure out if I wanted a Tonex or a QC, I had a few issues with the Tonex. What I wanted was something compact and something easy to use. With the Tonex, to get stereo outputs, you'd have to buy two of them. Then you have to buy effects and a midi switcher if the effects aren't midi capable. I figured by the time it was all said and done, I'd only be saving myself a couple hundred dollars, and my pedalboard would be almost double in size. I also didn't like the Amplitube software. You can get some great tones from it, but you have to work a lot harder for it. The QC it is super easy to get a great tone. I know some people get option paralysis from the QC, but for me, it's the opposite. I save a ton of time by not having to tinker with it to get something that makes me happy.
The A/B test had 110% usable sounds and no one in the crowd would notice the difference. Also very honest takes on gear that more people need to hear. You're doing some great work.
Plus they added the option to enable/disable the IR on each of the outputs (L/R), which is a great feature not found in other similar modelers as the MG30. NUX should actually update their firmware for this to be possible in their unit.
Running my Tonex trough a Joyo Clean Channel. 2x12 Self built Cap. I never was more happy with the sound, then now 😊 Thank you so much for your work Glen, because of you, we have so much fun with our cheaper gear !!
As someone who uses an amp modeler live and at home, I highly recommended trying to find a second hand headrush MX5. Its small form factor makes it easy to transport and it has a touch screen interface with an expression pedal. I used one for about a year before I upgraded to the pedalboard. But there’s 0 sound difference between all headrush models. Get yourself a great IR and you’re off to the races for under $250.
I totally agree! I've been using HR products for many years now and they are great overall. SOOOOOO easy to use...I'm a simple man and its user-friendly interface is one of the reasons why I went with them in the first place. I'll probably get the Core soon since it has more amps, pedals and features compared to the original products. I'm also tempted by the Ampero Stage 2 though I must say!!
I have the original hrpb.. I love it! They now make the prime which is their focus but there’s still support for the older models like mine and the mx5. A great choice for the price, mainly because people are buying the prime and that makes for a buyers market on older models
I just scored the original Tonex (the larger one) for a steal at $270 used, and I’ve set it up in the effects loop of my trusty old Line 6 HD500x. The result? Absolutely killer! Now I’ve got an endless selection of amps and plenty of effects at my disposal. I run it with the cab sim off and plugged directly into the effects return of a power amp. I was going to get the Tonex one, but went with the bigger one since it fully unlocks the software for free!
I've just bought a used Kemper Profiler Player and I'm very happy with the feel, sound and especially the price. The big plus for me is that I can now spend more time playing versus the constant tweaking I was doing with the FM3, HX Stomp, Boss Core, Tonex ect.
Blind test just highlighted how the ToneX sounds the same as the Cortex.the reveal didn't change my mind. Minor percentage differences in sound quality are nothing compared to the money saved, not to mention space saved in the kit bag.
This. I could tell the difference before the reveal, as mix B had a slightly fuller midrange sound than Mix A. But if I was just listening to Mix A on its own, I'd have never thought it sounded bad. This is why I have stopped chasing niche pricey stuff, and am just getting an HX Stomp. It's no Quad Cortex either, but it's good enough for a single "pedal" solution.
@@illegal_space_alien I hope that someday Overloud releases TH-U as a hardware modeller. TH-U is an absolute beast when it comes to amp and effects modelling. It even has amp profiling system like Kemper. And it's ability to combine IRs is unmatched by other modelling platforms.
@@milankotevski1663 Agreed. "Mix A" had more space between the parts, more high-mid "bite," and just sounded more alive to me, whereas "Mix B" was just slightly darker/muddier. I would have bet a hundred bucks Mix A was the cortex, just because of that little bit of difference.
if experienced guitar players and musicians have a very hard time noticing any differences, if AT ALL imagine 95% of the people out there who are the target audience and are most definitely not musicans.
It did hear a difference between the blind A-B test. Mix B: The guitar seemed to stand out slightly more in the mix. It was a bit clearer. I don't really know if I prefer the guitar standing out more or if I prefer the guitar sitting back slightly but I think that could have been balanced with a slight change in volume and maybe EQ.
Been using Boogie 1/2 stacks in my band for years. Had a new member come by my house one day and wanted me to play a few riffs he was having trouble with. I whipped out my Zoom 505, and 10 watt Peavey transtube. He couldn't understand why my $50 set up sounded better than his Soldano SLO combo. Tried to explain how staging inboard/outboard gain and eq is the difference between good and great, and there are more important things than turning the gain to 10. He could not follow. He was out of the band before he left my house.
@@miked9000 Damn. I would have been shocked too if ur system beat a Soldano! 😱 But I would have been keen to hear and learn why 🧠 I'm a hardcore into audio and science!
@@MaximusAdonicus It wasn't that it "beat" anything. I am making an illustrative point. Expensive equipment in the hands of somebody who has no ear for tone, is going to sound like crap. Dude was convinced- bass 10, mid 0, treble 10, gain 10, was "his sound". Great! Take that sound down the road, as far away from me as you can get.
I record at home with quad cortex, it’s great (you heard my song on stream). But when ToneX came out, I couldn’t be happier that this technology is becoming more affordable. If you’re a musician, you can find something great at any price point. What a time to be creative!
Harley Benton GPA100 is a pedal power amp that is £66 new. Loud enough to drive cabs and has an EQ. I've been using one for about 2 years now with no issues.
I've got one of these.... it's ok. I run it into a 2x12 but it only just keeps up with our drummer if it's running flat out. I got a 100w Katana Mk2 head instead and run my pedalboard into the power amp in instead - heaps louder.
@williamphillips24 Yeah, you got to remember it's 100 watts @ 4 ohms. My guitarist and I run them, so we have a bit of stage sound whilst our main signal goes through the P.A. They work well and are inexpensive. Ideally, I'd have a Powerstage, but for how we use our power amps the GPA100 works just fine.
@@DaveViner The GPA-100 is 190 into 4 ohms, 100 into 8. Having said that, I'm much the same, I have an IR going to the PA as well. For the money you can't complain. No doubt part of the issue is me standing right next to the drumkit on a small stage. One thing that massively surprised me, was running a TPA3118 (no enclosure) off a 19v laptop power supply straight from my Mooer Preamp Live (since died) to the rehearsal studio's 4x12.
@williamphillips24 Ah, yes, you are right it is 190 watts. Sorry, I'm going from memory! Yeah, most stage layouts aren't ideal, but for the price, and the fact it has an EQ, it's pretty decent imo. I find dropping the highs and boosting the mids usually helps me get that little bit of extra sound on stage!
@@DaveVinerBefore you get a power stage look into the Blackstar Amped1, it does more and sounds superb, I have mine between a QC and a 4x12, there's loads of headroom and feel.
I have an old PodXT I use for FX now. Probably still a bit expensive second hand for just that, but same thing. The models aren't that hot, but the time based FX are just fine, and there's quite a few of them. Works great for what I use it for. Works fine for bass and acoustic too.
I'm a Quad Cortex, Axe FX 3, and Helix Native owner. If I had to pick only one, it'd be the Axe FX 3 no question. I don't think the overall amp modelling sounds particularly different between any of them, at least quality wise. The QC definitely is the easiest to dial in a good tone with, and the on-unit interface is best in class (and the Axe FX is probably the worst of the high end stuff - you HAVE to use the on-computer software if you don't hate yourself). But the Axe FX absolutely destroys it when it comes to effects beyond the most basic of overdrives/reverb/delay/etc. It's just way more flexible and can do a far wider variety of sounds. Leon Todd has dozens of videos of cool things you can do with the Axe FX units that simply have no similar option in the QC - at least at the moment. This might change as they bring more and more plugins to it and continue to expand the functionality. I also think the Axe FX updates aren't represented fairly - Cliff doesn't act like any of the updates to the core amp modelling are necessary, or even something that will be audible for people using the presets or "simplified" interface - he's just a perfectionist and is always on a quest to get the modelling closer to matching the physical reality, even while readily admitting people are unlikely to hear a difference. From what I've heard of the Tonex One it does seem to be a world eater in it's price range. Super cool to see affordable options that easily hangs with the stuff that costs 10x or more it's price.
I I have a decent set of studio monitors and I really couldn't tell the difference, even with the labels. I just happened to guess which one was ToneX and Quad Cortex correctly. Great work as always Glen!
The noise floor on those old DigiTech pedals is insane. You can use a noise gate, but that digital hiss can still wind up in your signal when you play. It's not that big of a deal, just something to be aware of. If you're just starting out or on a tight budget, these old pedals are way better than having nothing at all. They'll also inspire you to work harder and do better to get that higher end gear.😂
I'm not even a guitarist yet and I love this guy. I was born in the 70s and did school in the 90s, so Im like 26 or something. Being around his age, I get exactly what he's talking about. And by the way, he knows what he's talking about.
Hey, that Space:1999 remote was genius! Instead of those awkward situations where you snag your pocket on the doorknob in a hurry and risk wardrobe failure, you put the doorknob _in_ the pocket!
Having been a gear hound since the 80's, Im now of the age of NOT wanting to carry lots if equipment, so i bought the Quad Cortex as the end all. Ine of the BIG selling points was the ability to run 4 separate inputs, which in a small gig situation will allow me to run vocals, bass, acousti and electric in as a sub mix, freeing the acoustic drums up to occupy the SMALL mixer....and be able to adjust them all tonally. Just my 2 cents worth....
A few alternatives are already out there. Bought a Mooer X2 preamp that supports captures imports and has 14 presets slots and also cab sims. All this for only 100$, and you can download hundreds of captures from the library.
For me it sounds perfect, but I can only compare it to software simulations since I've only ever used plugins. Next I'll probably buy the Mooer R7 X2 reverb as well because of it's capability to save presets and it's also stereo.
Your channel Sir is so true in helping musicians not to be blinded with technology but to stick on what's important "Practice your instrument".. Thank you so much Sir!!!
That was inspired, should enter that for an Academy Award! Although I read that costs thousands so better not waste money on that Hollywood paedo, lucifer worshipping Freemason cult according to Mel Gibson.
I listened to this through Heavys Headphones. I'm just a music lover, I can't tell the damn difference! I'm going to pay attention to this guy. If i decide to pick up guitar after a 35 year hiatus, this will be my go to for info. Thanks and fu Glen!
If you haven't been into guitar for 35 years, man are you going to be lost. I took a 20 year break and oh lord do I feel like something happened and I completely missed it. I am trying to catch up but a lot has changed! Good Luck to both of us! This is about the tech, not actual playing.
I just bought a new MOOER GE150 on sale off Amazon for $130. Bunch of amp sims, effects, 3rd party IR support, looper, drum machine, expression pedal... No one in the band (and certainly no non-musician) would know the difference between this cheap thing and a Kemper.
mooer ge250 (200€) is amazing and comes with on-board tone capture and expression pedal too; if I had to go back I'll probably save a few bucks and get the 300 lite just because I don't find myself using the exp as much as I wanted (maybe because I'm not satisfied with wah sounds). Amazing units anyway!
@@carlocastelli8381 I second that, GE250 is great, everything you need in a small package, not the best unit out there but one of the best budget unit to get the job done. I even considering getting GE300 or Lite and run them in paralel just for fun if I find a good deal.
I had the GE300 Lite for a while and really dug it. The amps, especially the EVH 5150, are really good. You can even capture your amps with this thing! I got rid of it because it didn't enough types of reverbs and other effects that I use when I play ambient/post rock stuff. But apart from that, for people who don't care that much about that stuff, I would argue it's still great!!
I have the Flamma's equivalent tier model which shares many of the same effects and algorithms. It's basically useless unless you're playing through the effects return of an amp with the cab sims off. The onboard distortion and drive pedal models sound extremely digital and don't work like the real hardware e.g. the Rat filter knob filters high end as you turn it clockwise but the Flamma model has a traditional high pass. There's no high cut on the cab models so recording realistic amp tones requires using plugins or else you'll end up with an overly bright tone. It also managed to make external analog drive pedals sound fake and digital. I got an HX Stomp shortly after and have otherwise only used my cheap Boss multieffects because it has good reverbs, modulations and obscure Boss effects like slow gear, tera echo and harmonizer.
Awesome video. Thank you. I have some Neural plugins and they sound AMAZING but how much of that "amazing" over "really good" older gear survives in a mix is highly debatable, as you say (assuming your engineer doesn't muck up the "amazing"). Also, I've had an RP255 for twenty years, and I still prefer its tape delay over anything else I have used (a bunch of stuff).
Both options sounded great, I currently run a Helix LT and am looking into a Quad Cortex, the invaluable thing to me is the all in one solution and ability to capture pedals too. As always love the vid Glenn
Mr. Fricker, I absolutely love the Universes' unbeatable sense of irony of your last name (which is fun to say btw) . Considering all these materialists, with a penchant for guitar, leave each video you post, fuming like those factory production floors we know so well, always possibly muttering "fucker". Peoples' promised world of things and stuff, the nicer the better, will fill all them holes, baby. Shattered quite enjoyably by Mr. Fricker.
I still use the avid eleven rack it still stands up to these after 14 years and it's an audio interface mic pre amp model after amp model stunning reverbs and delays,,,great video best wishes from Shropshire UK 👍
That's some real good advice. In the budget days I used a Peavey solid state amp + Metal Zone + Boss Rev/Del pedal and achieved some of the most satisfying tones I've ever played. Now I have access to millions of effects on my Helix + Tones + 1000 pedals and spend more time pressing buttons that enjoying the tones. My first tube amp was a laney 210, and I managed to drive the shit out of those speakers with a Moer amp sim pedal that gave me some realistic Fender tones, only to be repeated on my Helix with 2,000 hours of tweaking digital tone models. As much as I love messing with new stuff and am thrilled with the technology available, it does get in the way of good common sense and just enjoying playing.
Wow. I had chosen A and was sure that was the Quad, even though I thought it was only slightly better. Great job ToneX. And thanks for the illuminating video.
and somewhere in the middle is the BluGuitar Amp1 - 100watt tube amp that weighs less than a quad cortex and has all the i/o you need. With the same multi-effects units Glenn refers to, it's an amazing sound and a real tube amp and all for under 1000$ USD
I like these kinds of videos. They are genuinely helpful to musicians on a budget. Much better than the "Paid promotion" shilling videos so many guitarist youtubers make.
Even with the labels on screen I couldn't really tell a difference between the two in the full mix. I really love these kinds of videos. Thank you, Glen for providing useful tips, tricks and information for everyone out there!
Spent a lot of time researching my first Modeller/ effects unit. So much to choose from these days. I ended up with the headrush Core and i am digging the unit. I have nice amp heads in the closet but playing live doesnt happen much these days. 7 inch touch screen and tons of different amps, speakers, effects with lots of ir's as well. Are they perfect? Nah but they come close in my opinion. Being 68 now this unit is so much cheaper than a Mesa dual rectifier or Soldano or even a Diesal. Tech has come a long way and its all fun. Bought a modeller back in the 80's called the Rockman x100. Wish it never got stolen.
I recently saw a rig rundown with Satchel from Steel Panther and his live rig is basically just an Atomic Amplifire 3 and I was blown away with the tones he was playing with it. I was able to get one for like $250 and it sounds killer in person.
I think that the best choice for most people looking to go digital would be a modeler, got my Boss me90 for 150 euro on Reverb the other day and the thing is amazing. Unless amp profiling is a must for you that is.
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3:00 actually i love the controls on the kemper because no menudiving is needed since everything has a physical button and you do not have to play around with the digital routing, the direct out is always a direct out etc. i can work superfast with the kemper, and after having helix, axe fx etc. ... and the kemper holds it's value since they do not update the hardware. Now you can change tonestacks/EQ, profiling an marshal but giving it the amp controls of a mesa or v30 etc. it is still my first choice i just wish they would make a kemper vst too
Great video! Last year I sold my big 5150, and used the money to buy a Blackstar Power Amp and a TCelectronic Preamp 5150 style pedal. I had plenty of chance left over, and now I don't have a sore back carrying around a heavy arsed amp head. No one in my band or watching us play noticed any difference in guitar tone, especially when the full band was playing.
I now use the blackstar amped 1 as my amp. I wouldn’t say cheap at £400 but it’s amazing. I run it clean with either a friedman be od or a Wampler plexi drive clone. More recently I use it as a power amp with the Mooer micro 5150 or a sunn beta lead preamp. Hoping to get a tonex 1 soon though!
I have been using the ToneX (the big pedal) for now over a year. I pulled the tone I used on my mix (through the ToneX Amp Sim) onto my pedal. I have turned off the cab sim and using the Mooer Cab pedal to double my signal. So I have one pre amp tone going into this pedal and out of that there are coming two different signals out. With different IRs. A second PreAmp tone goes out to my PowerAmp. Which can be hooked up live up to two cabs. This rig rips! and I can only recommend to anyone the big pedal. Because it is still midi controllable!
I appreciate what you‘re trying. And for those who will just download their favorite amp capture and who only need an amp out and don‘t care for balanced signals and don‘t want to create complex presets, that‘s a neat alternative. But if you need a costly re-recording-kit and PC and interface and so on, it‘s not below 200 bucks on the tonex side. In order for it to do its thing, you have to include all these other costs.
Without the labels, they sounded almost EXACTLY the same, and with them, too! I am using a Caline the Americana, though, and since I don't change amps, it MIGHT be a good solution to the end of my analog pedalboard. Thanks Glenn! I love watching your vids!
I logged hundreds of hours on a Digitech RP200, at home, regular band practice, and all my live shows for about 15 years. The RP200 expression pedal could run a wah, volume, or a DigiTech Whammy. I'd put my OD and distortion pedals before it, and a Boss DD6 after it. Ran through a used Roland 60. My rig kept up with my buddy's Peavy Ultra Plus Half stack. Life was great, the rig was cheap, and the gigs paid in beer... money if we were lucky.
I actually like using the Kemper, I don't need to go through menus since theres a knob for most of the useful adjustments. I have no interest in getting rid of it but I still like what you're doing here.
I run a tonex one into the power amp input on a Katana MKII 100W combo. Sounds wicked. Sprung for the "Metal Gems" TONEX amplifier models upgrade ($50 CDN) and now have the best sounding rig I have ever owned in 40 years playing guitar!
Affordability and ease of use is why I ended up going with the Boss ME-90 in my modeler transition, still the convenience of a helix or Kemper but a little more easy and stripped down with physical knobs more akin to a pedal board. Does the job and does it well, who cares it didn't cost me a long term loan to get
I'm loving my ToneX One.. paired with a Two Notes CAB M+ I have a great dual amp setup (wet/dry) and not horribly expensive.. and I use normal pedals for drive and time based stuff. and I have a RP150 and have used it live for modulation and time based effects.. the reverb is superb.
Thanks to Glen i Bought Tonex (the bigger one), and I use orange pedal baby with it. My back thanked me, no gigantic head for gigs. And just for the sound i think it is great, sice we play small gigs and if you ever played in bar, basements, small venues you know the "room sound" is not existing, and the unbrend broken 2 x 12 they will provide is god tier. Anyway thanks Glen.
As usual, a phenomenal test. On the qc: As a touring foh engineer, I've seen a bunch stuff go wrong with QCs (mostly output ground issues) and it's rarely pretty. Kempers on the other hand I've yet to see not work properly. But all that aside: the tonex is the no1 thing everyone has as a backup these days. It's cheap, travels well and in the metal realm one good amp sound for drive and maybe one for clean will get you pretty far.
Without knowing what they are I like B more sounds much more alive but it doesn’t take anything away from A they both sound great. It has just a touch more breath to it I guess you would say but in a mix it is very VERY similar . Great job Glenn
Buying older gear is right on. I picked up a Headrush Gigboard & Expression pedal for under £300 recently, all boxed with the screen protectors still on and still with the OG firmware. Its bloody amazing. I suspect someone bought it, didnt like it and it spent the last 6 years in a cupboard somewhere.
no way! i ended up choosing the tonex as my favourite mix, very cool to see that cheap gear can still kickass against expensive stuff when it comes to just what matters which is the tone. Time to go to Long & Mcquade
I have a Boss GT 1 that's 200 bucks new and for screwing around at home and bedroom recording this thing is fantastic. Dial in your own patches tweak global eqs and WOW. ..HARD TO TELL from the big expensive units in blind tests.. having 50-60 killer pedals I find myself using this just as often in its own
I don't usually hear the difference in this stuff. Im using Neumann Active DSP monitors. But I actually heard a difference in this one. The ToneX did sound more present and the Quad sounded a little more setback for lack of better terms. But the difference is so minimal it doesn't really matter. Both sound great. Guitar players no longer have any excuses.. They actually have to learn to play and quit obsessing over stupid gear.
20 years ago i started my digital modeler journey with zoom 505ii with my first profesional band. I just used chorus, delay and reverb in fx loop of my b52 at112 combo (gleeeeeen get your hands in this unit, it punches waaaay above its pricepoint). With that setup i would regulary get much older guys checking my on stage gear with awe. If it sounded good 20 years ago, it sounds good today
I've got a Boss GX-100 and a Zoom G3n and they're both awesome! The amp modelling in both is superb as are the legions of FX... Oh, and I've also got a Line HX Effects... I'm very happy!
You should look into the Valeton GP-200. I use one for my cover band, we play everything from country, to classic rock to um, I guess you can call it metal (For Whom The Bell Tolls 😴) I'm using the stock presets and when people can hear me (my lead guitar player gets louder and louder and louder throughout the night). People are always impressed. Several times I've had people who work as sound techs ask who's playing the acoustic guitar. It's my Valeton GP200s acoustic sim.
Five months ago I bought a Harley Benton dna fx git pro and I’m very happy with that. That thing can do a lot for 270€ I bought it for. After spending some time learning to use it and making my tones, I’ve started using it as my main multi effect for live and home recording. The sound although it is a little “digital” has a very good quality. Especially in live situations the tone is very bright and big compared to other multi effects in this price range I’ve tried. In conclusion, it’s a very value for money multi effect and in my opinion one of the best Harley Benton products.
The "last year's technology" thing is so relatable. I had a professor in college who told us the same, but also told us to find it used for a fraction of the price of new. Best advice ever.
I Have a used Tonex and a Two Notes Torpedo, both of which I got for < $300 each. I just run my guitar througha Boss ME-80 into the Tonex, and for bass I run it in a Hotone Xtomp set as a Bass DI into the Torpedo, and use the Torpedo's effects for the bass. Both Solutions work spledidly. Necessity, the mother of invention. Great vid, Glenn!
This guys got to be on of the hardest working TH-camrs I can think of. I hope his wife is getting better.
"You just heard both of them, did you even notice ?" I really love this :)
Classic Glen, the kempercucks are gonna hate this one
I listen to this stuff on shit headphones (iPhone and Bluetooth) and I can’t tell but sometimes I wonder if I’d notice on my ultrasone studio headphones or Sennheisers.
The jagged freq graph was way cool. I’m sure that has something to do with processing.
I listened through iPad built in speaker, but the only time I heard a difference was on single note “solo” playing. I assumed the one I preferred was cortex, except it ended up being the Tonex, Awesome! I don’t know if it was his playing that changed or if it was the cortex for the “B” solo.
the quad cortex sounded fractionally clearer, the gain sounded a touch lower too. both are very good though, the quad definitely seems worth it if you have the money, but the tonex got some seriously good results that I wouldn't turn my nose up too
@@Rokken2Dokken I wonder if its the accuracy of the capture. Idk anything, but I'm guessing IR captures work at resolutions much like a camera, so the tonex was a lower resolution, but still solid
A while ago I bought a Ampero Mini and run that through a HB 100W power amp and a HB 1x12 cab with a V30. I use it the same way I use my real amps (an amp, a delay, a boost and maybe a little bit of reverb) and it sounds great. It set me back about €450 in total, but it saves on back pain.
tried exactly the same setup and it sounded better than BOSS Katana in my opinion...
I've got the Ampero One and just run it straight into a powered PA speaker. There's only two things I wish the One and Mini did better: having the processing power to run multiple channels, and harmony effects.
Yeah the small power amp pedals and multi-fx are great. I want to get a bigger unit but, I’ve been using a Mooer Baby bomb (30 watt) solid state amp mini pedal and my HX Stomp and it rips through my 4x12.
@@JosePineda-jn8jk Had the same setup only difference is that I owned the 1x12 Harley Benton V30 cab, I sold the cab and the baby bomb because I don't gig and was too loud and space-consuming in the room.
I got the original Tonex from u recommending it. I've never been happier with a piece of gear. I blend a fractal amp sim on the tonex with a diezel and get a great recording sound. Dual recto with a overdrive on it for live sound. What a time and money saver. Thank you Glenn
"The gear isn't what's holding you back; marketing is."
Couldn't agree more!
I am not technically savvy but I have no issues with my Kemper. Love that there is not a new version to replace it every two years. Free upgrades.
This aged badly 🤣. Didn’t temper just announce paid upgrades?
Without any labels, without being told there's an A/B test, I don't think I'd notice. The two were so close
i kept my eyes shut before it started to not see and you can hear the tonal change but its very small, ironically I ended up choosing the tonex as to what I thought sounded best
@@dvckclub This is similar to when I manage to notice it. Sometimes I choose the cheaper one as better, sometimes I choose the more expensive one. However, when the expensive one sounded better, I wouldn't pay the price difference of the expensive one when it's more than maybe 10-20% more vs the cheaper one.
Which one was A? Cus that one was slightly brighter and better. But live, no one would care. @@dvckclub
i have learned so much from this channel. Its great that tech has changed so much that we can even buy what used to be considered horrible pedals and update the irs, install custom firmware, or just use the effects to give these old devices new life. It really captures the reason why we all play in the first place. Thanks for the content.
Glen I am 62 years old and back in the 80’s my guitar teacher gave me one of the best lessons ever. And that was don’t be a slave to a name tag and I’ve lived by that motto ever since. Videos like yours not only enforce that lesson but prove it. Keep up the great work.
Still using my DigiTech GNX4 from about 15 years ago. Sounds great to me and does everything I'll ever need it to!
Thank you for stopping me from buying the Kemper. I am getting back into guitar for a hobby and your channel saves me so much time and money. Sounds really good. Thank you!
Mooer has some pretty cheap multi effets pedals that sound really good as well. You can't capture an amp, but the built in sims are enough.
Glenn!!!! I just received my TonexOne. TBH I jumped into the modelling dgital stuff with line6 about 15 years ago, but didn't find my tones with that technology. But now, everyone praising this new generation of digital modelling, I thought to myself I give it a shot. Tonex sounds awesome, exactly what I need for my talentless, lazy tone-enjoying chugging...
I saw your recent video about the old Digitech gear and I realized that I have my RP255 in my parents' house, it was one of my first multieffect processors. So the idea came to combine the two and see the results. And today you posted this video!
I sent mine back. Fizzy overdrives and very flabby bass
For what it's worth...I've had a ToneX ONE since release, and it's absolutely excellent. For the first time, I actually have an ADA MP-1 in my rig without having to arse around with a rack (and all the hassle that entails). Don't forget, you can also tweak the EQ frequencies for the onboard controls - look up the bass/mid/treble frequencies for the amp you're aiming to replicate, and you can set it accordingly on the pedal using the software. For me, the major selling point is that it slots into your existing pedalboard with no tweakery - that's something that can't be said for the AxeFX and Kemper, and can only _just_ be said for the Quad Cortex.
The problem, as with all the IK stuff, is that the software is utter junk. It's slow, it's clunky, it's unstable and I'm pretty sure I'd be fired if I ever put something like that into a production environment. Fortunately, you only have to touch it when loading new models onto your pedal.
I just commented about using the SLA-1 or SLA-2 with modelers, for cheap. I see you have the SLA-2. I use SLA-2 in my home studio as a PA when rehearsing.
It is amazing how bad IK Multimedia software is year after year. You’d expect their skills would improve over time from simply writing code but maybe they always hire new juniors to replace anyone who becomes somewhat competent.
I have a Digitech RP350, a BP355 for my bass (which is actually nearly identical to the RP350). Then I got an RP1000, which I bought because I figured that the RP line would be discontinued. Indeed it was, but these pedals had a nice production run. Although I put a lot of praise on them, I only use one or two distortions on them (but that's enough for me).
I may get another pedal or two at some point, but I'll always keep my Digitechs. They are super versatile. It may take some tweaking and experimentation to dial in your tones, but they do a lot really well.
I like the fact that this channel provides info on gear that is studio and stage worthy without braking the bank.
I've been an advocat for amp sims, keyboard sims and the like for atleast 25 years! My opinion didn't change during the revealed A/B test they both sounded great. Compairing them side by side you might hear a slight difference but in a mix you won't unless you are one of those savant guys like Bob Rock or one of his peers. Great video Glen!
I was far into the weeds of ~Tone~ chasing until I very suddenly and shockingly realised that as a musician and composer I actually don’t care beyond the broad strokes! It’s the tech nerd side of me that cares. I realised it when I was knee deep and hours in tweaking two HX Stomp presets that I already loved and was inspired by.
So now, instead of letting that side of me get in the way of my music, I’m satisfying it by learning about: electricity and electronics and later programming, sound design, acoustics, physical modelling, FM synthesis and whatnot. The rule is that I do that on my iPad or at the kitchen table. My music space is for playing and creating music!
Yeah man, exactly. We do that crap for our own entertainment. the crowd neither knows nor cares.
Good idea.
Riveting
The best thing about your channel is that you tell things how they really are. Love this channel
I owe you an apology, Glenn. I'm sorry to say that my cynicism got the best of me, and I had you figured all wrong at first. I thought you must have had some kind of angle, but no-you’re definitely one of the good guys who are saving people (those smart enough to listen to you) money. I get it now, and I should have gotten it earlier, being a decades-long musician myself. My bad. Keep up the good work!
It’s cognitive dissonance. Admitting you were wrong opens up the possibility of everything you’ve ever thought or thought you’ve known may have also been wrong. Generally people will react to this with aggression or insults. That’s how I did when I saw the pickup video (just bought a duncan for my guitar at the time lmao) and I got kinda mad, mostly because I was always told pickups are a massive part of the tone. Then I tested it myself, setup my mic in the exact same spot (didn’t move it), and just swapped between guitars with different pickups, I heard differences, but they were so small there was no point in caring. When I sent my friend the same recordings, he couldn’t tell the difference.
@@watersnortmoment3734 I think part of it too is that as humans these days we're so used to hearing bullshit from companies trying to sell us stuff that the bullshit has just become part of the system that we accept. When someone loudly challenges that status quo, we automatically assume they're a pious asshole who thinks they're better than everyone else. And you're right; as soon as you take a step back, you realise how much of the stuff you thought you knew might actually be bullshit. To me, that realisation makes it more fun. Now I have a better understanding of all this shit, I can make better music more easily than I ever did before. Cheers to blokes like Glenn for stirring the pot and copping the attitude from us poor bastards so we can learn something.
@@watersnortmoment3734 I did a test a few months ago, I did a full song recording with the cheap Chinese humbucker and one with a Dimarzio Super Distortion, no one on the local guitar forum could guess which one was the DP100 and which one was the Chinese.
I put Donlis DH05 on one of my guitars and they sound incredible. For a fraction of the price of DiMarzio's or Duncan's.
Not really your fault. So many people on the internet are trying to sell you something or be edgy for clicks. And, yea, Glenn does go for the edgy persona but at the end of the day he's really just trying to help out.
Just to add something - I've been using NUX MG-300 for about a year or two, costs just over $100. Cheap and convenient, sounds decent enough and has more features than I can be bothered with.
(For recording I capture DI and use plugins - not sure how NUX would hold up in that scenario but I absolutely love it for my use case).
In 2024 you can get a great sound with pretty much anything. The reason I shelled out for a QC in the end was the interface, because in a live context the easier things are to adjust if needed, the better. The user experience in my opinion was worth the price, other's mileage may vary.
That was why I got one. When I was trying to figure out if I wanted a Tonex or a QC, I had a few issues with the Tonex. What I wanted was something compact and something easy to use. With the Tonex, to get stereo outputs, you'd have to buy two of them. Then you have to buy effects and a midi switcher if the effects aren't midi capable. I figured by the time it was all said and done, I'd only be saving myself a couple hundred dollars, and my pedalboard would be almost double in size. I also didn't like the Amplitube software. You can get some great tones from it, but you have to work a lot harder for it. The QC it is super easy to get a great tone. I know some people get option paralysis from the QC, but for me, it's the opposite. I save a ton of time by not having to tinker with it to get something that makes me happy.
The A/B test had 110% usable sounds and no one in the crowd would notice the difference. Also very honest takes on gear that more people need to hear. You're doing some great work.
As a not good guitar player, I have a Sonicake Matribox 2 and I love it. You can load your own IR if you're into that. Got it off ebay for $150ish.
Plus they added the option to enable/disable the IR on each of the outputs (L/R), which is a great feature not found in other similar modelers as the MG30. NUX should actually update their firmware for this to be possible in their unit.
Running my Tonex trough a Joyo Clean Channel. 2x12 Self built Cap.
I never was more happy with the sound, then now 😊
Thank you so much for your work Glen, because of you, we have so much fun with our cheaper gear !!
Hi, how have you connected it? Guitar > Tonex > Joyo Clean (with chosen FX tones). Is this correct? I'm wondering how Glenn has connected this gear.
As someone who uses an amp modeler live and at home, I highly recommended trying to find a second hand headrush MX5. Its small form factor makes it easy to transport and it has a touch screen interface with an expression pedal. I used one for about a year before I upgraded to the pedalboard. But there’s 0 sound difference between all headrush models. Get yourself a great IR and you’re off to the races for under $250.
The ir really brings it to life
I totally agree! I've been using HR products for many years now and they are great overall. SOOOOOO easy to use...I'm a simple man and its user-friendly interface is one of the reasons why I went with them in the first place. I'll probably get the Core soon since it has more amps, pedals and features compared to the original products. I'm also tempted by the Ampero Stage 2 though I must say!!
I second that. The Mx5 is fantastic for the money
I have the original hrpb.. I love it! They now make the prime which is their focus but there’s still support for the older models like mine and the mx5. A great choice for the price, mainly because people are buying the prime and that makes for a buyers market on older models
You improved so much in terms of editing. I love it.
I just scored the original Tonex (the larger one) for a steal at $270 used, and I’ve set it up in the effects loop of my trusty old Line 6 HD500x. The result? Absolutely killer! Now I’ve got an endless selection of amps and plenty of effects at my disposal. I run it with the cab sim off and plugged directly into the effects return of a power amp. I was going to get the Tonex one, but went with the bigger one since it fully unlocks the software for free!
I've just bought a used Kemper Profiler Player and I'm very happy with the feel, sound and especially the price. The big plus for me is that I can now spend more time playing versus the constant tweaking I was doing with the FM3, HX Stomp, Boss Core, Tonex ect.
Blind test just highlighted how the ToneX sounds the same as the Cortex.the reveal didn't change my mind. Minor percentage differences in sound quality are nothing compared to the money saved, not to mention space saved in the kit bag.
This. I could tell the difference before the reveal, as mix B had a slightly fuller midrange sound than Mix A. But if I was just listening to Mix A on its own, I'd have never thought it sounded bad. This is why I have stopped chasing niche pricey stuff, and am just getting an HX Stomp. It's no Quad Cortex either, but it's good enough for a single "pedal" solution.
@@illegal_space_alien I hope that someday Overloud releases TH-U as a hardware modeller.
TH-U is an absolute beast when it comes to amp and effects modelling. It even has amp profiling system like Kemper. And it's ability to combine IRs is unmatched by other modelling platforms.
If there are any "minor percentage differences", it's in Tonex' favour, not the other way around. They can both sound great though.
@@milankotevski1663 Agreed. "Mix A" had more space between the parts, more high-mid "bite," and just sounded more alive to me, whereas "Mix B" was just slightly darker/muddier. I would have bet a hundred bucks Mix A was the cortex, just because of that little bit of difference.
if experienced guitar players and musicians have a very hard time noticing any differences, if AT ALL imagine 95% of the people out there who are the target audience and are most definitely not musicans.
It did hear a difference between the blind A-B test. Mix B: The guitar seemed to stand out slightly more in the mix. It was a bit clearer.
I don't really know if I prefer the guitar standing out more or if I prefer the guitar sitting back slightly but I think that could have been balanced with a slight change in volume and maybe EQ.
Been using Boogie 1/2 stacks in my band for years.
Had a new member come by my house one day and wanted me to play a few riffs he was having trouble with.
I whipped out my Zoom 505, and 10 watt Peavey transtube.
He couldn't understand why my $50 set up sounded better than his Soldano SLO combo.
Tried to explain how staging inboard/outboard gain and eq is the difference between good and great, and there are more important things than turning the gain to 10.
He could not follow.
He was out of the band before he left my house.
Funny, My first guitar amp and modeler was a peavey transtube (audition 110) and a zoom 505, I kinda miss those two now
But why did u kick him out of the band though?! Seemed like a nice guy willing to learn 😭
@@MaximusAdonicus
I have no patience for ignorance.
@@miked9000 Damn. I would have been shocked too if ur system beat a Soldano! 😱 But I would have been keen to hear and learn why 🧠 I'm a hardcore into audio and science!
@@MaximusAdonicus
It wasn't that it "beat" anything.
I am making an illustrative point.
Expensive equipment in the hands of somebody who has no ear for tone, is going to sound like crap.
Dude was convinced- bass 10, mid 0, treble 10, gain 10, was "his sound".
Great!
Take that sound down the road, as far away from me as you can get.
I record at home with quad cortex, it’s great (you heard my song on stream). But when ToneX came out, I couldn’t be happier that this technology is becoming more affordable. If you’re a musician, you can find something great at any price point. What a time to be creative!
Harley Benton GPA100 is a pedal power amp that is £66 new. Loud enough to drive cabs and has an EQ. I've been using one for about 2 years now with no issues.
I've got one of these.... it's ok. I run it into a 2x12 but it only just keeps up with our drummer if it's running flat out. I got a 100w Katana Mk2 head instead and run my pedalboard into the power amp in instead - heaps louder.
@williamphillips24 Yeah, you got to remember it's 100 watts @ 4 ohms. My guitarist and I run them, so we have a bit of stage sound whilst our main signal goes through the P.A. They work well and are inexpensive. Ideally, I'd have a Powerstage, but for how we use our power amps the GPA100 works just fine.
@@DaveViner The GPA-100 is 190 into 4 ohms, 100 into 8. Having said that, I'm much the same, I have an IR going to the PA as well. For the money you can't complain. No doubt part of the issue is me standing right next to the drumkit on a small stage.
One thing that massively surprised me, was running a TPA3118 (no enclosure) off a 19v laptop power supply straight from my Mooer Preamp Live (since died) to the rehearsal studio's 4x12.
@williamphillips24 Ah, yes, you are right it is 190 watts. Sorry, I'm going from memory!
Yeah, most stage layouts aren't ideal, but for the price, and the fact it has an EQ, it's pretty decent imo. I find dropping the highs and boosting the mids usually helps me get that little bit of extra sound on stage!
@@DaveVinerBefore you get a power stage look into the Blackstar Amped1, it does more and sounds superb, I have mine between a QC and a 4x12, there's loads of headroom and feel.
I have an old PodXT I use for FX now. Probably still a bit expensive second hand for just that, but same thing. The models aren't that hot, but the time based FX are just fine, and there's quite a few of them. Works great for what I use it for. Works fine for bass and acoustic too.
I'm a Quad Cortex, Axe FX 3, and Helix Native owner. If I had to pick only one, it'd be the Axe FX 3 no question. I don't think the overall amp modelling sounds particularly different between any of them, at least quality wise. The QC definitely is the easiest to dial in a good tone with, and the on-unit interface is best in class (and the Axe FX is probably the worst of the high end stuff - you HAVE to use the on-computer software if you don't hate yourself). But the Axe FX absolutely destroys it when it comes to effects beyond the most basic of overdrives/reverb/delay/etc. It's just way more flexible and can do a far wider variety of sounds. Leon Todd has dozens of videos of cool things you can do with the Axe FX units that simply have no similar option in the QC - at least at the moment. This might change as they bring more and more plugins to it and continue to expand the functionality. I also think the Axe FX updates aren't represented fairly - Cliff doesn't act like any of the updates to the core amp modelling are necessary, or even something that will be audible for people using the presets or "simplified" interface - he's just a perfectionist and is always on a quest to get the modelling closer to matching the physical reality, even while readily admitting people are unlikely to hear a difference.
From what I've heard of the Tonex One it does seem to be a world eater in it's price range. Super cool to see affordable options that easily hangs with the stuff that costs 10x or more it's price.
I I have a decent set of studio monitors and I really couldn't tell the difference, even with the labels. I just happened to guess which one was ToneX and Quad Cortex correctly. Great work as always Glen!
The noise floor on those old DigiTech pedals is insane. You can use a noise gate, but that digital hiss can still wind up in your signal when you play.
It's not that big of a deal, just something to be aware of.
If you're just starting out or on a tight budget, these old pedals are way better than having nothing at all.
They'll also inspire you to work harder and do better to get that higher end gear.😂
I'm not even a guitarist yet and I love this guy.
I was born in the 70s and did school in the 90s, so Im like 26 or something. Being around his age, I get exactly what he's talking about. And by the way, he knows what he's talking about.
Hey, that Space:1999 remote was genius! Instead of those awkward situations where you snag your pocket on the doorknob in a hurry and risk wardrobe failure, you put the doorknob _in_ the pocket!
A doorknob I can take with me wherever I go? I'm intrigued.
Even the restrooms?
Love the tone (pun intended) and direction of this channel lately! Keep doing what you’re doing!
Thanks so much!
Mix A sounded slightly, VERY slightly more open on the solo tone than B, like it had a touch more reverb on it . Only noticeable difference
Having been a gear hound since the 80's, Im now of the age of NOT wanting to carry lots if equipment, so i bought the Quad Cortex as the end all. Ine of the BIG selling points was the ability to run 4 separate inputs, which in a small gig situation will allow me to run vocals, bass, acousti and electric in as a sub mix, freeing the acoustic drums up to occupy the SMALL mixer....and be able to adjust them all tonally. Just my 2 cents worth....
A few alternatives are already out there. Bought a Mooer X2 preamp that supports captures imports and has 14 presets slots and also cab sims. All this for only 100$, and you can download hundreds of captures from the library.
does it sound good? I've seen that pedal around
For me it sounds perfect, but I can only compare it to software simulations since I've only ever used plugins.
Next I'll probably buy the Mooer R7 X2 reverb as well because of it's capability to save presets and it's also stereo.
I gotta try this
Your channel Sir is so true in helping musicians not to be blinded with technology but to stick on what's important "Practice your instrument"..
Thank you so much Sir!!!
0:39 "you just heard both of them" hahhh, love how you did that
Great vid, I had a RP200 and still have a RP350 in the loop for fx, stood the test of time, stereo fx and even a great whammy and octaver
That quad cortex tug of war made me spit out my tea lol
Glad you liked it!
That was inspired, should enter that for an Academy Award!
Although I read that costs thousands so better not waste money on that Hollywood paedo, lucifer worshipping Freemason cult according to Mel Gibson.
I listened to this through Heavys Headphones. I'm just a music lover, I can't tell the damn difference! I'm going to pay attention to this guy. If i decide to pick up guitar after a 35 year hiatus, this will be my go to for info. Thanks and fu Glen!
If you haven't been into guitar for 35 years, man are you going to be lost. I took a 20 year break and oh lord do I feel like something happened and I completely missed it. I am trying to catch up but a lot has changed! Good Luck to both of us! This is about the tech, not actual playing.
I just bought a new MOOER GE150 on sale off Amazon for $130. Bunch of amp sims, effects, 3rd party IR support, looper, drum machine, expression pedal...
No one in the band (and certainly no non-musician) would know the difference between this cheap thing and a Kemper.
mooer ge250 (200€) is amazing and comes with on-board tone capture and expression pedal too; if I had to go back I'll probably save a few bucks and get the 300 lite just because I don't find myself using the exp as much as I wanted (maybe because I'm not satisfied with wah sounds). Amazing units anyway!
@@carlocastelli8381 I second that, GE250 is great, everything you need in a small package, not the best unit out there but one of the best budget unit to get the job done. I even considering getting GE300 or Lite and run them in paralel just for fun if I find a good deal.
I had the GE300 Lite for a while and really dug it. The amps, especially the EVH 5150, are really good. You can even capture your amps with this thing! I got rid of it because it didn't enough types of reverbs and other effects that I use when I play ambient/post rock stuff. But apart from that, for people who don't care that much about that stuff, I would argue it's still great!!
I have the Flamma's equivalent tier model which shares many of the same effects and algorithms. It's basically useless unless you're playing through the effects return of an amp with the cab sims off. The onboard distortion and drive pedal models sound extremely digital and don't work like the real hardware e.g. the Rat filter knob filters high end as you turn it clockwise but the Flamma model has a traditional high pass. There's no high cut on the cab models so recording realistic amp tones requires using plugins or else you'll end up with an overly bright tone. It also managed to make external analog drive pedals sound fake and digital. I got an HX Stomp shortly after and have otherwise only used my cheap Boss multieffects because it has good reverbs, modulations and obscure Boss effects like slow gear, tera echo and harmonizer.
I have a GE150, I just can't get it to sound how I like :(
I'm here to support the algorithm
You're awesome man. Still gona stick with my Legacy. Keep kicking ass brother.
The Carvin Legacy?
@steveclark9934 Yes, sir. Picked it up in 2010.
@@LastSaxon Got a like new 2x12 myself a few years back for $450 a solid rig.
Awesome video. Thank you. I have some Neural plugins and they sound AMAZING but how much of that "amazing" over "really good" older gear survives in a mix is highly debatable, as you say (assuming your engineer doesn't muck up the "amazing"). Also, I've had an RP255 for twenty years, and I still prefer its tape delay over anything else I have used (a bunch of stuff).
GodSpeed Brotha! Hello From Ruf Guitars!
Good morning!
Great video Glenn. Hope this blows up for you.
really surprised Glenn hasn't checked out the Ampero mini yet 225 dollars and its not a plug in
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll check it out!
Yes! I have one and LOVE IT. The touchscreen is fantastic, as are the effects and amps. Killer!!
Both options sounded great, I currently run a Helix LT and am looking into a Quad Cortex, the invaluable thing to me is the all in one solution and ability to capture pedals too. As always love the vid Glenn
Mr. Fricker, I absolutely love the Universes' unbeatable sense of irony of your last name (which is fun to say btw) . Considering all these materialists, with a penchant for guitar, leave each video you post, fuming like those factory production floors we know so well, always possibly muttering "fucker". Peoples' promised world of things and stuff, the nicer the better, will fill all them holes, baby. Shattered quite enjoyably by Mr. Fricker.
I still use the avid eleven rack it still stands up to these after 14 years and it's an audio interface mic pre amp model after amp model stunning reverbs and delays,,,great video best wishes from Shropshire UK 👍
4:35 Nah I'd love to buy last year's technology but my wallet says 10+ y.o. technology or nothing
Neo vintage 😏
That's some real good advice. In the budget days I used a Peavey solid state amp + Metal Zone + Boss Rev/Del pedal and achieved some of the most satisfying tones I've ever played. Now I have access to millions of effects on my Helix + Tones + 1000 pedals and spend more time pressing buttons that enjoying the tones. My first tube amp was a laney 210, and I managed to drive the shit out of those speakers with a Moer amp sim pedal that gave me some realistic Fender tones, only to be repeated on my Helix with 2,000 hours of tweaking digital tone models. As much as I love messing with new stuff and am thrilled with the technology available, it does get in the way of good common sense and just enjoying playing.
Tried them all. I'll take the Headrush Core over every single one.
10000%
Just got one a couple weeks ago and it’s been great.
Full of crap
Wow. I had chosen A and was sure that was the Quad, even though I thought it was only slightly better. Great job ToneX. And thanks for the illuminating video.
and somewhere in the middle is the BluGuitar Amp1 - 100watt tube amp that weighs less than a quad cortex and has all the i/o you need. With the same multi-effects units Glenn refers to, it's an amazing sound and a real tube amp and all for under 1000$ USD
I like these kinds of videos. They are genuinely helpful to musicians on a budget. Much better than the "Paid promotion" shilling videos so many guitarist youtubers make.
Even with the labels on screen I couldn't really tell a difference between the two in the full mix. I really love these kinds of videos. Thank you, Glen for providing useful tips, tricks and information for everyone out there!
Spent a lot of time researching my first Modeller/ effects unit. So much to choose from these days. I ended up with the headrush Core and i am digging the unit. I have nice amp heads in the closet but playing live doesnt happen much these days. 7 inch touch screen and tons of different amps, speakers, effects with lots of ir's as well. Are they perfect? Nah but they come close in my opinion. Being 68 now this unit is so much cheaper than a Mesa dual rectifier or Soldano or even a Diesal. Tech has come a long way and its all fun. Bought a modeller back in the 80's called the Rockman x100. Wish it never got stolen.
I recently saw a rig rundown with Satchel from Steel Panther and his live rig is basically just an Atomic Amplifire 3 and I was blown away with the tones he was playing with it. I was able to get one for like $250 and it sounds killer in person.
I think that the best choice for most people looking to go digital would be a modeler, got my Boss me90 for 150 euro on Reverb the other day and the thing is amazing. Unless amp profiling is a must for you that is.
3:00 actually i love the controls on the kemper because no menudiving is needed since everything has a physical button and you do not have to play around with the digital routing, the direct out is always a direct out etc. i can work superfast with the kemper, and after having helix, axe fx etc. ... and the kemper holds it's value since they do not update the hardware. Now you can change tonestacks/EQ, profiling an marshal but giving it the amp controls of a mesa or v30 etc. it is still my first choice i just wish they would make a kemper vst too
Great video! Last year I sold my big 5150, and used the money to buy a Blackstar Power Amp and a TCelectronic Preamp 5150 style pedal. I had plenty of chance left over, and now I don't have a sore back carrying around a heavy arsed amp head. No one in my band or watching us play noticed any difference in guitar tone, especially when the full band was playing.
Tons of cheap and lighter options these days compared to lugging amps around.
I now use the blackstar amped 1 as my amp. I wouldn’t say cheap at £400 but it’s amazing. I run it clean with either a friedman be od or a Wampler plexi drive clone. More recently I use it as a power amp with the Mooer micro 5150 or a sunn beta lead preamp. Hoping to get a tonex 1 soon though!
I use my Tonex pedal with my Line 6 HX Stomp XL. The Tonex/Amplitube software is really good too !
I absolutely love Glen and this channel. One of the most enjoyable channels on YT. Keep up the good work Glen!!
I have been using the ToneX (the big pedal) for now over a year. I pulled the tone I used on my mix (through the ToneX Amp Sim) onto my pedal. I have turned off the cab sim and using the Mooer Cab pedal to double my signal. So I have one pre amp tone going into this pedal and out of that there are coming two different signals out. With different IRs. A second PreAmp tone goes out to my PowerAmp. Which can be hooked up live up to two cabs.
This rig rips! and I can only recommend to anyone the big pedal. Because it is still midi controllable!
IK Multimidia really did a fantastic job with the Tonex One. Excellent comparison.
I appreciate what you‘re trying. And for those who will just download their favorite amp capture and who only need an amp out and don‘t care for balanced signals and don‘t want to create complex presets, that‘s a neat alternative. But if you need a costly re-recording-kit and PC and interface and so on, it‘s not below 200 bucks on the tonex side. In order for it to do its thing, you have to include all these other costs.
Without the labels, they sounded almost EXACTLY the same, and with them, too! I am using a Caline the Americana, though, and since I don't change amps, it MIGHT be a good solution to the end of my analog pedalboard. Thanks Glenn! I love watching your vids!
I logged hundreds of hours on a Digitech RP200, at home, regular band practice, and all my live shows for about 15 years. The RP200 expression pedal could run a wah, volume, or a DigiTech Whammy. I'd put my OD and distortion pedals before it, and a Boss DD6 after it. Ran through a used Roland 60. My rig kept up with my buddy's Peavy Ultra Plus Half stack. Life was great, the rig was cheap, and the gigs paid in beer... money if we were lucky.
Dude this is a phenomenal video, the editing and content are both at their peak
I have the RP-200. I've had it about a month and its starting to sound good. I agree wholeheartedly and got mine for $40.
I actually like using the Kemper, I don't need to go through menus since theres a knob for most of the useful adjustments. I have no interest in getting rid of it but I still like what you're doing here.
I run a tonex one into the power amp input on a Katana MKII 100W combo. Sounds wicked. Sprung for the "Metal Gems" TONEX amplifier models upgrade ($50 CDN) and now have the best sounding rig I have ever owned in 40 years playing guitar!
Loved the channel's mission statement at the beginning and the video actually proving it. Thanks!
Affordability and ease of use is why I ended up going with the Boss ME-90 in my modeler transition, still the convenience of a helix or Kemper but a little more easy and stripped down with physical knobs more akin to a pedal board. Does the job and does it well, who cares it didn't cost me a long term loan to get
I'm loving my ToneX One.. paired with a Two Notes CAB M+ I have a great dual amp setup (wet/dry) and not horribly expensive.. and I use normal pedals for drive and time based stuff. and I have a RP150 and have used it live for modulation and time based effects.. the reverb is superb.
Thanks to Glen i Bought Tonex (the bigger one), and I use orange pedal baby with it. My back thanked me, no gigantic head for gigs. And just for the sound i think it is great, sice we play small gigs and if you ever played in bar, basements, small venues you know the "room sound" is not existing, and the unbrend broken 2 x 12 they will provide is god tier. Anyway thanks Glen.
As usual, a phenomenal test.
On the qc: As a touring foh engineer, I've seen a bunch stuff go wrong with QCs (mostly output ground issues) and it's rarely pretty. Kempers on the other hand I've yet to see not work properly.
But all that aside: the tonex is the no1 thing everyone has as a backup these days. It's cheap, travels well and in the metal realm one good amp sound for drive and maybe one for clean will get you pretty far.
Without knowing what they are I like B more sounds much more alive but it doesn’t take anything away from A they both sound great. It has just a touch more breath to it I guess you would say but in a mix it is very VERY similar . Great job Glenn
Buying older gear is right on. I picked up a Headrush Gigboard & Expression pedal for under £300 recently, all boxed with the screen protectors still on and still with the OG firmware. Its bloody amazing. I suspect someone bought it, didnt like it and it spent the last 6 years in a cupboard somewhere.
no way! i ended up choosing the tonex as my favourite mix, very cool to see that cheap gear can still kickass against expensive stuff when it comes to just what matters which is the tone. Time to go to Long & Mcquade
Man, I'm with you on the Digitech effects (and yeah, not so much their amp sounds!). Thanks for sharing this.
I have a Boss GT 1 that's 200 bucks new and for screwing around at home and bedroom recording this thing is fantastic. Dial in your own patches tweak global eqs and WOW. ..HARD TO TELL from the big expensive units in blind tests.. having 50-60 killer pedals I find myself using this just as often in its own
The mixes sounded pretty awesome. :D Thank you for sharing Glenn.
I don't usually hear the difference in this stuff. Im using Neumann Active DSP monitors. But I actually heard a difference in this one. The ToneX did sound more present and the Quad sounded a little more setback for lack of better terms. But the difference is so minimal it doesn't really matter. Both sound great. Guitar players no longer have any excuses.. They actually have to learn to play and quit obsessing over stupid gear.
20 years ago i started my digital modeler journey with zoom 505ii with my first profesional band. I just used chorus, delay and reverb in fx loop of my b52 at112 combo (gleeeeeen get your hands in this unit, it punches waaaay above its pricepoint). With that setup i would regulary get much older guys checking my on stage gear with awe. If it sounded good 20 years ago, it sounds good today
I've got a Boss GX-100 and a Zoom G3n and they're both awesome! The amp modelling in both is superb as are the legions of FX... Oh, and I've also got a Line HX Effects... I'm very happy!
You should look into the Valeton GP-200. I use one for my cover band, we play everything from country, to classic rock to um, I guess you can call it metal (For Whom The Bell Tolls 😴) I'm using the stock presets and when people can hear me (my lead guitar player gets louder and louder and louder throughout the night). People are always impressed. Several times I've had people who work as sound techs ask who's playing the acoustic guitar. It's my Valeton GP200s acoustic sim.
Five months ago I bought a Harley Benton dna fx git pro and I’m very happy with that. That thing can do a lot for 270€ I bought it for. After spending some time learning to use it and making my tones, I’ve started using it as my main multi effect for live and home recording. The sound although it is a little “digital” has a very good quality. Especially in live situations the tone is very bright and big compared to other multi effects in this price range I’ve tried. In conclusion, it’s a very value for money multi effect and in my opinion one of the best Harley Benton products.
The "last year's technology" thing is so relatable. I had a professor in college who told us the same, but also told us to find it used for a fraction of the price of new. Best advice ever.
I use all ik products and will never switch. Glad I didn’t buy into the hype. I have owned I rigs since they were realized!! Good vid!
I Have a used Tonex and a Two Notes Torpedo, both of which I got for < $300 each. I just run my guitar througha Boss ME-80 into the Tonex, and for bass I run it in a Hotone Xtomp set as a Bass DI into the Torpedo, and use the Torpedo's effects for the bass. Both Solutions work spledidly. Necessity, the mother of invention. Great vid, Glenn!