I’ve had a Headrush I’ve used for gigs, recording and church and it’s saved my back, wallet and knees. No more half stacks or combos, pedalboard and making2-3 trips to the truck to load in. Just 1 trip now and different tones for days
Been playing the ACS1 since March and it's incredible! Especially being able to use two different amps and cabs for each side, makes for a more dynamic and full voiced tone. I was also able to use it for myself and the other guitar player in my band while we busked around SXSW this year, couldn't have done it without this. Definitely recommend playing with different amp and cab combos for a lush stereo sound!
I had an 11Rack in my studio for a long time, way past it's "end of life" cycle, because I never really finished plumbing the depths of what was available in it...I sold it and upgraded to the Headrush Pedalboard, which is still what I use today, because they upgraded the DSP, the sound library, and made the user interface absolutely painless to use...
Dude i used an HD500X for like a decade until this last year when I got a QC...That Line6 HD500X had so much going on that I kept discovering new things until the day the QC arrived. I only got caught up in the hype of the QC otherwise I wouldn't have thought twice about the Helix. This is a pretty irrelevant comment but I just wanted to share...those Line 6 modelers that came right before the Helix are actually nuts and built like tanks
I used the headrush pedalboard for about 2 years and I always thought it sounded ok, it was perfect since I didn’t have to carry anything else to my gigs, then about 6 months ago I discovered IRs and man my life changed… last week I upgraded to the Helix and I couldn’t be happier, way more effects and better sounding tones, it feels really organic and responsive, best part is I got it used locally for a steal of a price lol
Love my HX Stomp, awesome "signal chain in a box" experience. The size makes it super flexible too, can stick it on your board to add a tonne of options to your rig.
Have my Helix LT, and cannot get enough of it. Tones are great, and the versatility is unbelievable. The best part is I've left tracking signal chain behind me, and no longer change out tubes.
I’m a living room player. I have a Fender Blues Deluxe that sits in a corner while I play a couple of Strats through a humble little Fender Mustang L25. I’ve made my own presets, and I think it sounds amazing.
I have a Westminster Effects Augsburg Amp Sim that I used to run direct. It’s fantastic. It’s a fender voiced amp sim. I don’t like that it doesn’t turn off but that’s really not that big of a deal. I love that it’s an amp sim, cab sim and a DI in one box. It’s analog, it sounds great. It’s a good price at $219. It’s been a great amp sim for me to use at church.
I have a UAFX Dream 65 hooked up (with a simple power amp) to half of my Super reverb (2x10in speakers) and its amazing. Sounds and feels so close to the Super Reverb (with bright switch on). Couldn't believe it. I love that it has knobs just like an amp over something like the helix (I also own an HX Stomp)
@@christianpacode Think of the HX Stomp as the jack of all trades, the Dream65 is Master of the digital model with knobs. Think of it as an amp in a box without a power amp.
"Tell them that it's human nature." Why - why? I can tell you the one I've been using since September 2018. It is the boss ME-80. The reason I have it is that I was in search of a multi effects unit with an amp modeler built in that also ran on battery power. I have not regularly used it for any model except the JC-120, however it doesn't do a half bad Plexi tone. Its ability to function on battery power is why I didn't go for a different unit I was inclined to choose instead, the Line 6 Firehawk.
As a plugin, I use pretty much whatever Archetype by Neural DSP I'm into at the time, right now it's the tone king. I also bought a Line 6 Catalyst recently and it's been okay. The gainier settings sound terrible because it sounds like di and then gain, rather than just a really gainy sound. But the cleaner tones up to like a nice crunch are great.
The HX Stomp is a must-try pedal! All of the effects offerings of a full helix in a pedalboard friendly size. Not only are the amps and cabs fantastic (especially after the most recent update), but it’s a total catch-all that will cover any sounds you need in a pinch
@@jsook it depends on the drives and amp. Most are pretty good. Although my pedalboard is 2 dual switch overdrives, 2 fuzzes 2 delays and my stomp, sonfor drives and delays I usually use my pedals. Helps save on dsp for using insane reverbs and amp modeling if you need it
I am going to have to pick up an HX Stomp this year, probably wont use it for its drives, I will probably add an amp sim later so I have more dedicated precessing power for effects on the stomp.
Those are cool units! Thanks for the vid 👍 I’ve got an HX Stomp but it’s got way too many settings I’ll never use or understand lol. I like the Walrus and Iridium from what I’ve seen. Solid demo!
Idk man. On one hand i might agree being that back in the day you had people all using mostly the same stuff with pretty limited controls and getting different tones and it's hard to argue with anyone saying you'd be better off spending your time obsessing over technique. But damned if I haven't written whole songs around the sound or feel of a specific amp or effect.
I rock Guitar Rig 5 at home, plug my guitar into my DI and go. No amps, no pedals. Everything is controlled by the computer, and I just listen thru my studio monitors. Great practice setup, and even for high gain stuff it sounds really good, plus you can use third party IRs. I still own a half stack just because nothing will replace that live tbh.
My story is similar to yours with that lack of love for the cab sims & modelers & all of that world. I’m using a Quilter Superblock UK amp with a Moore Radar as my IR loader to get my many different amp cabs. My amp itself has three voices I can use but I gravitate to the JMP voice. I use this setup with a simple & small pedal board. The whole rig takes like 5 minutes to set up & I get a lot of crazy awesome tones. The amp is one channel so I get my clean sound from dialing back my guitar volume & my cleans are gorgeous! Seriously close to a Bassman type of sound. I don’t care too much about reverb. I like a more dry sound for myself because I want to hear the guitar & those notes ring out. That’s it in a nutshell.
I just got a Dream65 and I have to say that the tones are really good. I can dial in a great tone on the Dream and run it through my Fender Rumble 500 bass amp for home practice. Since the band I play in go direct anyway I really don’t need to keep my Marshall DSL40 around anymore. The bass amp is much lighter and more durable. The Marshall is heavy and never gets to be cranked anyway.
I was on a bill recently with a musician who used a UA Dream 65 and it sounded amazing. He had a board of really nice pedals going into it and his tones were beautiful. I was really impressed by it.
Fractals are the best. Choose any that fits your needs. I've recently bought an FM3 and it's the best gear purchase ever. It inspires me to practice more and more and more. The only downside is that it is so hard to turn it off to get some sleep.
Mike, I had a Line6 HD500 floor unit for a while, then moved to the HD500Pro rack unit and gigged extensively with it for some 3 years. It’s a great piece of kit for sure, but DOES require a huge learning curve to get the best out of it. There are plenty of tips and tricks out there to help out. Once you have it dialled in, it’s as good as the Helix imho. Certainly for live in any case, where 90% of the audience don’t care about tone, only the mix and whether they can hear you or not
Disclaimer: I should also point out that for my latest gig, a corporate show in front of 1k staff where I played lead on the Back To The Future Soundtrack with some Busted thrown in for good measure, I used a Boss BD2W into a Fender ProJunior mic’d up. I haven’t used my Line6 rig since 2019. Go figure 🤷🏻♂️
So if you're not interested in effects, try out the mooer preamp live. That thing hits way above its price point. If you're interested in effects and keeping things small and lightweight, the ling 6 hx effects is a beast. With it you can put your ac pedal in the effects loop and then wire them up for midi messages. Now you have a full featured pedalboard with every effect that is in the full size Helix. If you do this with the mooer preamp live and the line 6 hx effects, you will now have even more amp and cab features. As well as the desktop software that comes with both of these pedals that multiply the functionality. Its literally just 2 pedals that can do the job of any collection of pedals on the market. If you're set on your tone though and have no need for higher gain structures, just stick with the ac you got. Oh and the mooer has a very solid capture feature.
I just tried a Boss IR-200. I played it through a roland keyboard amp with a 12" woofer. I personally thinks it sounds fantastic. I owned several tube amps in the past and I don't miss them.
I started w/just a guitar and SS amp and eventually for a Boss ME-25 multi fx. It worked pretty well but, then one day the amp blew. I borrowed some stuff until I could afford an amp and was able to get a Carvin Legacy 100w half stack so I ditched all my pedals to go back to a guitar direct into an amp. I learned and progressed a lot more musically (and much more mature sounds). Eventually though I still needed something else and once the HX stomp was announced I got one within a month. Such a great pedal and I now use that for the majority of my stuff. Not to mention I don’t want to lug around 75lbs or more of gear, my back (and future self) thanks me for it 😂
Fwiw, I use a Two Notes Le clean for my preamp and a Two Notes Cab M for my amp sim. Its honestly really great to be able to choose the different power amp emulations as well as create a virtual miced up amp, or load your own IRs. I get some incredibly great tones out of it. The only downside is that the Cab M doesnt output in stereo.
Helix w/ 3.5 update has been a HUGE jump. Lots of free presets out there. The helix was a way for me to experience a ton of amps without ever buying them. Be careful though, lots of people have sold off entire amp & pedal collections after trying one. I personally use mine with a powercab and get a very good ‘amp in the room’ feel.
I did that (sold my pedals and amps) and now I regret it. While the Line 6 stuff works very well, I found myself missing my real amps and pedals in the live setting and at home. Tons of amp and speaker options, but I always ended up gravitating towards the same Marshall/V30 stuff that I used before I had it. I ended up selling my Powercab to get another Marshall head/cab and am in the process of building my pedal setup again. I'll probably pick up the HX stomp though to put on my board for some of the effects.
@@mrbungledisco that sucks. I got rid of that stuff and never missed it. Recently bought a tube amp wondering if there was really something special I was missing ... nope.
@kilrahi8696 that's awesome, I'm glad it worked out for you. I picked up a POD Go that I will probably keep for some solo gigs, but for most stuff I am switching back to my Marshall/2x12 cab and regular pedal setup
I was surprised the Dartford (Vox) was your favourite. Not because it sounded bad, but because to me you play and talk about Fender amps mostly. The Dartford was my favourite here as well. I have an HX Stomp and used it primarily in the same manner - near the end of my pedalboard as my stereo amp and cab simulator. I still have it, but these days I have been using the UA Ruby and it has been some of the best (and easiest) stereo tones I’ve ever had. Still, sometimes it is fun to get the tubes glowing and crank it up.
I've been a sound engineer as long as I've been playing guitar. I fell into the trap of hating all digital stuff after getting my own tube amp, but in the blink of an eye, modelers became so much better. Now it seems most guitarist have a fundamental understanding of shaping their tone and its easier to record guitarists who use amp modelers than actual amps. Still wouldn't use one personally, but they've definitely become the new standard
I like digital pedals that have analog fry-through, like the TonePrint pedals from TC. They are digital effects but still allow your analog signal to pass through unaffected.
i've been a sound engineer long before playing at all, got an OR15, and preferred my solid state crush 35RT to it, sold it, and got a super crush 100 solid state amp instead. Nothing about tubes is attractive to me. It's literally all in everybodies head. Listen to some kings X dogman riffs, one of the best guitar tones there is, and it's all solid state. If it sounds good it's good.
I've been a Line6 POD3 Pro (rack model) fan for over a decade and now own the Helix LT (pedal board) and it's actually amazing. You _have_ to dial in your own sound though, because the stock presets are kinda meh. Usually because the effects are waaaaay overdone or the amp lacks punch without some additional reverb, echo, equaliser or compressor tricks added in the chain too. The Helix is actually extremely powerful. Probably the best out there really, unless you really only ever play 1 type of sound and know which high end amp you want to buy. If you own a lot of separate pedals already, a 'regular' amp might make more sense. But if you don't really have any, the Helix is insane. And yes, you can combine with analogue pedals too of course. The Helix will also give you pretty much an unlimited amount of possibilities for like around a grand. It's pretty much impossible to beat at that price, compared to most tube amps out there. I know there are some other modelling floorboards that are on par or perhaps slightly better depending on who you ask, but the Helix LT is also easy to use and you can download other people their tone preset settings pretty much everywhere (and often, but not always for free). Not to mention hundreds of TH-cam videos that provide examples of dialling in a great tone.
I bought Boss GT100 and even though I love real amps, and I had Laney Ironheart for few years, I sold it because I live in Europe and we tend to travel across countries and I am a beginner/music fan with money to spend on gear I do not actually need. So there's that GT100 offers way more than Laney Ironheart with a bunch of pedals for half the price (amp + pedals + patch cables + power supply easily over 1k eur ), just around 500 eur or something. My bedroom, my fiancee and my neighbors actually appreciate my choice.
What about the FM3 fractal? I just borrowed one and it's pretty good. I still like the simplicity of an amp but yeah these new pedals are doing a pretty darn good job of sounding like an amp.
Started with the Iridium, switch to the ACS-1…. Ended up now with the UA Ruby 😅 I sware it got better every time. Take that for it’s worth. Only downside is the Ruby or any of their modelers have headphone outs
Got a UA ruby and Dream 65 and I have to say it was good till I got the walrus audio canvas where I run xlr out in stereo to either my interface or front of house. Now it’s much better with the line isolation . Less clipping and artifacting. Great tool for quick recording and it doesn’t quite match my amp setup in room but it’s dam close and no microphones to set up on amps. Workflow for quick recording is great actually. And minimal settings means I’m not diving into menus all day and I achieve a slightly better tone faster if that makes sense. I have line 6 stuff also and it’s great also but the menus can be a hindrance if you want to just get an idea down quick. Also can use pedals I already own. Either set it to last pedal in chain or before reverb and after delay and modulation pedals.
I am on tube amp (Mesa Mkv 25) and pedals. I am going to get an HX stomp, not really for models, but for the effects, to fill in gaps in my pedals.. Then I will most likely get an Iridium or one of the Walrus pedals or one of the UA pedals.
You actually have SIX cabs in your ACS-1 homeboy. All you do is hold down the LEFT foot switch button until its blinking; and then, while continuing to hold it down, you can switch between thee other cabs with the regular old cab switch on the left side. Once you’ve found the cab you want, release the depressed foot switch and you’re good to go! The three alternate cabs are much better than the normal ones too, imho. It’s baffling that they had theses ones set as the secondary “hidden” ones… Anyway, I hope that this helps you out with ur toanz.. !
The UA dream sounds pretty dang close to my Delux Reverb thru an OX. The truth about any tone is the ability to hear and adapt it to sound the best possible. Aka if you can't hear no amount of gear will help.
Personally, I'm using Archetype: Cory Wong for home practice and recording, and using a Line 6 Pod Go live. I love the tones you're getting with the ACS1! It's hard to argue with any of the options now - it's almost more about workflow than tone.
Have you tried Helix Native? It has the same sounds as Helix but since its a plugin it basically has unlimited dsp. The only difference would be the preamps you use(Helix's ones vs the one in ur audio interface)
Steven Slate TH-U, best one I’ve found however you need a pro tools set up. Also, if you can find a tube compressor pedal….get one of those. Especially on strats they sound great.
This video was so informative to me because I'm a bit of an old head and needed to see how these modelers work. I have a universal audio interface that has some amazing analog plug-ins that sound great, so much so that I sold the loud (for home) Princeton tube amp I had because I never played it anymore. Recently I bought a simple Fender Rumble 25 bass amp, as I saw a guitar player on TH-cam saying how great it is as compared to the similarly priced Fender Champion (which has some modeling) but sounds like a toy. The Rumble (for the price) has blown me away. Very rich sound and still plenty of trebles. I would love to hear your take on it, Mike, if you ever have the inclination to try a cheap solid state amp alternative. My Strat sounds great through it for a home practice amp that you don't have to play so loud and also has a headphone jack.
Modelers nail the tones of a tube amp, don’t quite nail the tube behavior in terms of sag and character at high volumes, but I’ve not found that to be something the keeps me from wanting to play with my HX Stomp. My ‘68 Deluxe Reverb sounds better, but the Helix still sounds very good, it doesn’t require me to shake the house to get good tones out of it. The effects built in are wonderful, the interface works well, the routing options are killer. I love my tube amp AND my modeler.
I got the acs1 over the iridium because it has a higher headroom. Apparently the iridium breaks up pretty quickly. i dont remember if you said it in the video but there's a secret second bank of cabs, and if you hook it up to your computer you can add your own Impulse Responses. the IR world is a whole other rabbit hole though. lol. What comes with the pedal are pretty great though so i just leave them in there.
Get the quad cortex I promise you won't regret it. All the captures are free from the cortex cloud and they are identical to the real amps and pedals even pre amps. You can use dumbles and klons and download them over the wifi that's on board. People have some amazing captures on there really unique one of a kind amps and pedals.
Ok question for y'all. Is it just me or is that sparkle from certain amps just a lower background type fizz, much like the mt2? Granted, that sparkle doesn't translate hardly at all when recorded, if it does, it is eqd out. In the room? That shit is magical.
Weird timing. I've been looking more into modelers too. I play and record mainly at home, so something that's space efficient and that doesn't need to be cranked to sound good has become appealing. Nice review of the Walrus ACS1. Keep it up!
Two cheap Joyo's an American Sound and a British running in Stereo. Into a RE201 and out into out into an ehx oceans 12 into my daw...pnned American on Left British on Right.
you are humbler than i. when i first encountered these (look up digitech from the early 90's), when there was no internet like it is today, and it sounded like absolute shite. those days were different. you either bought crappy beginner guitar center used car dealer radio ad items or your parents took out an equity loan on the home to buy a marshall and a gibson. now the science is so good with modellers and IRs... its about the cabs if you have the luxury if you want to change tones.
Hi Mike, I'm quite a bit older and have a few bucks. I have a Helix, HX Stomp, and an Iridium. Typically I use the HX Stomp 99% of the time. They all sound great but performance/size the HX Stomp wins. Lots of effects onboard and they sound good. It's a mini pedalboard in a box. John Cordy has tons of presets via his channel or Patreon. Also, as you play, often you pause a bit to let the music/thought sit. Your videos should do the same. You chop them as though you are not breathing and it's very unnatural. Check out "Five Watt World" for great presentation ideas.
It's a journey. The explosion of the sheer number of IRs can be overwhelming, but the good news IMO is that the current generation of digital modelers all sound great; it comes down to workflow and how deep into tweaking you want to go. I've been using modelers for many years, my first was the Vox ToneLab tabletop; Line 6, Fractal, Boss, etc. I prefer to use my tube amps; my current direct modeler is a Boss SY-1000, and selling my GT-1000. For a versatile solution, I use a Line 6 HX Effects + Catalyst 100 in 4CM with MIDI to switch amp channels and the amp boost on/off. The HX Effects sounds good into the front or effects loop of my tube amps too. Cheers!
I would fight for a fm-9 if you are ready to go with a helix. I have an Iridium, am I 100% happy with the tone, no. I'm also not unhappy enough to be shopping for another one. IRs are terrible too many options I hope the IR game takes some leaps this coming year.
Seriously try a sansamp or behringer clo e, the gdi21 or tube amp modeler pedal . Not saying theyre the best but the bang for your buck is amazing. Run either straight into the effects return of your amp. Shortcut to very usable tones and save tons of money by making sure it sounds better than that before you buy something else.
I think that one of the BIGGEST things to get maybe even BEFORE a modeler is a set of Studio Cups, not monitors or anything that does the room, and dial in your optimum tone. I have second-hand Sennheiser HD 558. They are DEFINITELY best Frequency Response in the room. **Whoops** I Just A/B'd it, and because im using my pd go as a direct in box - my line levels with the app/cab/eq off are literally what you would hear going from pedals direct to tape. My direct signal has more natural gain and dynamics than it does with the amp
How did u exactly record with this pedal? I’m thinking about buying an amp pedal, specifically the amped 1 from black star, and the thing I’m most interested for is how to record with this.
Man alive, I love your videos. One thing though... the sheer number of edits in your videos are practically epilepsy inducing. Often I find the image almost stroking. Love your content though.
The only thing with this pedal is that you can’t go stereo to the PA. You would have to buy 2 of these pedals to go fully stereo. I would suggest you look into the DSM Simplifier. It’s a power amp that you can go out stereo left and right. Plus choice of 3 amps, choice of tubes and they sound legit, mic placement, and choice of cabs for left and right. It’s a great DI pedal. Look into it. It’s way better than this pedal.
Thanks for the video! I'm starting my research on the amp modeling subject, and this was very helpful. What do you use at home for speaker? Do you connect the cs1 to a normal guitar amp, or do you only use your computer monitors? What is making my head hurt a little is the actual sound producing object to use with a modeler. Some people say to get a frfr speaker, others to get a "pedal platform" clean sounding amp. What do you use and what do you suggest?
I love those chords changes in the Cab Demos
I’ve had a Headrush I’ve used for gigs, recording and church and it’s saved my back, wallet and knees. No more half stacks or combos, pedalboard and making2-3 trips to the truck to load in. Just 1 trip now and different tones for days
Been playing the ACS1 since March and it's incredible! Especially being able to use two different amps and cabs for each side, makes for a more dynamic and full voiced tone. I was also able to use it for myself and the other guitar player in my band while we busked around SXSW this year, couldn't have done it without this. Definitely recommend playing with different amp and cab combos for a lush stereo sound!
I had an 11Rack in my studio for a long time, way past it's "end of life" cycle, because I never really finished plumbing the depths of what was available in it...I sold it and upgraded to the Headrush Pedalboard, which is still what I use today, because they upgraded the DSP, the sound library, and made the user interface absolutely painless to use...
Dude i used an HD500X for like a decade until this last year when I got a QC...That Line6 HD500X had so much going on that I kept discovering new things until the day the QC arrived. I only got caught up in the hype of the QC otherwise I wouldn't have thought twice about the Helix. This is a pretty irrelevant comment but I just wanted to share...those Line 6 modelers that came right before the Helix are actually nuts and built like tanks
I used the headrush pedalboard for about 2 years and I always thought it sounded ok, it was perfect since I didn’t have to carry anything else to my gigs, then about 6 months ago I discovered IRs and man my life changed… last week I upgraded to the Helix and I couldn’t be happier, way more effects and better sounding tones, it feels really organic and responsive, best part is I got it used locally for a steal of a price lol
Love my HX Stomp, awesome "signal chain in a box" experience. The size makes it super flexible too, can stick it on your board to add a tonne of options to your rig.
My problem was getting into making my own pedals. That turned into an addictive habit.
I’m about to start and I can already foresee that happening
@@RockWonder210 shameless plug, but youtube.com/@DiyguitarpedalsAu
I was thinking about making a treble booster and some simple pedals.
Very cool! I got the Simplifier when it came out a couple years ago and still really enjoy that one for an ampless solution
Have my Helix LT, and cannot get enough of it. Tones are great, and the versatility is unbelievable. The best part is I've left tracking signal chain behind me, and no longer change out tubes.
I own and use the HX Stomp xl and absolutely love it.
I’m a living room player. I have a Fender Blues Deluxe that sits in a corner while I play a couple of Strats through a humble little Fender Mustang L25. I’ve made my own presets, and I think it sounds amazing.
I have a Westminster Effects Augsburg Amp Sim that I used to run direct. It’s fantastic. It’s a fender voiced amp sim. I don’t like that it doesn’t turn off but that’s really not that big of a deal. I love that it’s an amp sim, cab sim and a DI in one box. It’s analog, it sounds great. It’s a good price at $219. It’s been a great amp sim for me to use at church.
Man you just spoke my life. Ended up with the Boss GX100 however.
I have a UAFX Dream 65 hooked up (with a simple power amp) to half of my Super reverb (2x10in speakers) and its amazing. Sounds and feels so close to the Super Reverb (with bright switch on). Couldn't believe it. I love that it has knobs just like an amp over something like the helix (I also own an HX Stomp)
Please i have an hx stomp I’m considering buying the dream 65 is it worth it ?
@@christianpacode Think of the HX Stomp as the jack of all trades, the Dream65 is Master of the digital model with knobs. Think of it as an amp in a box without a power amp.
@@Impractical_Engineer thanks for replying!
"Tell them that it's human nature." Why - why?
I can tell you the one I've been using since September 2018. It is the boss ME-80. The reason I have it is that I was in search of a multi effects unit with an amp modeler built in that also ran on battery power. I have not regularly used it for any model except the JC-120, however it doesn't do a half bad Plexi tone. Its ability to function on battery power is why I didn't go for a different unit I was inclined to choose instead, the Line 6 Firehawk.
ACS1 is a beast. I’ve played other modelers like the stomp but the ACS1 just does the clean tone best in my opinion. Big fan!
Agreed
As a plugin, I use pretty much whatever Archetype by Neural DSP I'm into at the time, right now it's the tone king. I also bought a Line 6 Catalyst recently and it's been okay. The gainier settings sound terrible because it sounds like di and then gain, rather than just a really gainy sound. But the cleaner tones up to like a nice crunch are great.
I ended up starting with just a CAB M+, but they’re all good: ACS, Iridium, all the UA pedals. They’re really quite amazing.
Gotta say I love the new video format. Keep them coming man, great stuff!
The HX Stomp is a must-try pedal! All of the effects offerings of a full helix in a pedalboard friendly size. Not only are the amps and cabs fantastic (especially after the most recent update), but it’s a total catch-all that will cover any sounds you need in a pinch
I use mine direct sometimes and into my tube amp sometimes. Pretty much stopped me from buying pedals.
@@eranmontiel how do the overdrives sound into a real amp?
@@jsook it depends on the drives and amp. Most are pretty good. Although my pedalboard is 2 dual switch overdrives, 2 fuzzes 2 delays and my stomp, sonfor drives and delays I usually use my pedals. Helps save on dsp for using insane reverbs and amp modeling if you need it
@@jsook oh il also like running it straight into the fx return of my tube amp and using the various pre amps in the stomp
I am going to have to pick up an HX Stomp this year, probably wont use it for its drives, I will probably add an amp sim later so I have more dedicated precessing power for effects on the stomp.
Those are cool units! Thanks for the vid 👍 I’ve got an HX Stomp but it’s got way too many settings I’ll never use or understand lol. I like the Walrus and Iridium from what I’ve seen. Solid demo!
Tone chasing is an expensive and fruitless endeavor.
Expensive, yes- but It’s not fruitless
I wouldn’t say fruitless, i now have a pile of pedals
Tonebridge is awesome. That plus a iPad, and a $50 interface has been a game changer for me. Can use your phone also.
Expensive yes, but I can’t say fruitless…
Idk man. On one hand i might agree being that back in the day you had people all using mostly the same stuff with pretty limited controls and getting different tones and it's hard to argue with anyone saying you'd be better off spending your time obsessing over technique. But damned if I haven't written whole songs around the sound or feel of a specific amp or effect.
I rock Guitar Rig 5 at home, plug my guitar into my DI and go. No amps, no pedals. Everything is controlled by the computer, and I just listen thru my studio monitors. Great practice setup, and even for high gain stuff it sounds really good, plus you can use third party IRs.
I still own a half stack just because nothing will replace that live tbh.
My story is similar to yours with that lack of love for the cab sims & modelers & all of that world. I’m using a Quilter Superblock UK amp with a Moore Radar as my IR loader to get my many different amp cabs. My amp itself has three voices I can use but I gravitate to the JMP voice. I use this setup with a simple & small pedal board. The whole rig takes like 5 minutes to set up & I get a lot of crazy awesome tones. The amp is one channel so I get my clean sound from dialing back my guitar volume & my cleans are gorgeous! Seriously close to a Bassman type of sound. I don’t care too much about reverb. I like a more dry sound for myself because I want to hear the guitar & those notes ring out.
That’s it in a nutshell.
I just got a Dream65 and I have to say that the tones are really good. I can dial in a great tone on the Dream and run it through my Fender Rumble 500 bass amp for home practice. Since the band I play in go direct anyway I really don’t need to keep my Marshall DSL40 around anymore. The bass amp is much lighter and more durable. The Marshall is heavy and never gets to be cranked anyway.
I was on a bill recently with a musician who used a UA Dream 65 and it sounded amazing. He had a board of really nice pedals going into it and his tones were beautiful. I was really impressed by it.
Fractals are the best. Choose any that fits your needs. I've recently bought an FM3 and it's the best gear purchase ever. It inspires me to practice more and more and more. The only downside is that it is so hard to turn it off to get some sleep.
Mike, I had a Line6 HD500 floor unit for a while, then moved to the HD500Pro rack unit and gigged extensively with it for some 3 years. It’s a great piece of kit for sure, but DOES require a huge learning curve to get the best out of it. There are plenty of tips and tricks out there to help out. Once you have it dialled in, it’s as good as the Helix imho. Certainly for live in any case, where 90% of the audience don’t care about tone, only the mix and whether they can hear you or not
Disclaimer: I should also point out that for my latest gig, a corporate show in front of 1k staff where I played lead on the Back To The Future Soundtrack with some Busted thrown in for good measure, I used a Boss BD2W into a Fender ProJunior mic’d up. I haven’t used my Line6 rig since 2019. Go figure 🤷🏻♂️
So if you're not interested in effects, try out the mooer preamp live. That thing hits way above its price point. If you're interested in effects and keeping things small and lightweight, the ling 6 hx effects is a beast. With it you can put your ac pedal in the effects loop and then wire them up for midi messages. Now you have a full featured pedalboard with every effect that is in the full size Helix. If you do this with the mooer preamp live and the line 6 hx effects, you will now have even more amp and cab features. As well as the desktop software that comes with both of these pedals that multiply the functionality. Its literally just 2 pedals that can do the job of any collection of pedals on the market. If you're set on your tone though and have no need for higher gain structures, just stick with the ac you got. Oh and the mooer has a very solid capture feature.
I just tried a Boss IR-200. I played it through a roland keyboard amp with a 12" woofer. I personally thinks it sounds fantastic. I owned several tube amps in the past and I don't miss them.
Just bought a UA Dream. Game changer for practicing and recording.
I LOVE my Helix. I learned so much with it about amps and what I liked... without having to spend thousands and thousands .
I started w/just a guitar and SS amp and eventually for a Boss ME-25 multi fx. It worked pretty well but, then one day the amp blew. I borrowed some stuff until I could afford an amp and was able to get a Carvin Legacy 100w half stack so I ditched all my pedals to go back to a guitar direct into an amp. I learned and progressed a lot more musically (and much more mature sounds). Eventually though I still needed something else and once the HX stomp was announced I got one within a month. Such a great pedal and I now use that for the majority of my stuff. Not to mention I don’t want to lug around 75lbs or more of gear, my back (and future self) thanks me for it 😂
Fwiw, I use a Two Notes Le clean for my preamp and a Two Notes Cab M for my amp sim. Its honestly really great to be able to choose the different power amp emulations as well as create a virtual miced up amp, or load your own IRs. I get some incredibly great tones out of it. The only downside is that the Cab M doesnt output in stereo.
Just got an ACS1 and I absolutely love it
Sir there are 6 cabs. You have to the on bottom until strat blinking and then flip the switch for the orders cabs ( in the back)
Great sounds and playing man you changed my mind on it.
Helix w/ 3.5 update has been a HUGE jump. Lots of free presets out there. The helix was a way for me to experience a ton of amps without ever buying them. Be careful though, lots of people have sold off entire amp & pedal collections after trying one. I personally use mine with a powercab and get a very good ‘amp in the room’ feel.
I did that (sold my pedals and amps) and now I regret it. While the Line 6 stuff works very well, I found myself missing my real amps and pedals in the live setting and at home. Tons of amp and speaker options, but I always ended up gravitating towards the same Marshall/V30 stuff that I used before I had it. I ended up selling my Powercab to get another Marshall head/cab and am in the process of building my pedal setup again. I'll probably pick up the HX stomp though to put on my board for some of the effects.
@@mrbungledisco that sucks. I got rid of that stuff and never missed it. Recently bought a tube amp wondering if there was really something special I was missing ... nope.
@kilrahi8696 that's awesome, I'm glad it worked out for you. I picked up a POD Go that I will probably keep for some solo gigs, but for most stuff I am switching back to my Marshall/2x12 cab and regular pedal setup
@@mrbungledisco hey, the important point is we have stuff we like, right? Rock on ... 🤘
@@kilrahi8696 Absolutely! Take care 🤘
I was surprised the Dartford (Vox) was your favourite. Not because it sounded bad, but because to me you play and talk about Fender amps mostly. The Dartford was my favourite here as well.
I have an HX Stomp and used it primarily in the same manner - near the end of my pedalboard as my stereo amp and cab simulator. I still have it, but these days I have been using the UA Ruby and it has been some of the best (and easiest) stereo tones I’ve ever had. Still, sometimes it is fun to get the tubes glowing and crank it up.
Just got a Ruby a couple weeks ago. It's the best thing I've bought in a long loooong time
I've been a sound engineer as long as I've been playing guitar. I fell into the trap of hating all digital stuff after getting my own tube amp, but in the blink of an eye, modelers became so much better. Now it seems most guitarist have a fundamental understanding of shaping their tone and its easier to record guitarists who use amp modelers than actual amps. Still wouldn't use one personally, but they've definitely become the new standard
I like digital pedals that have analog fry-through, like the TonePrint pedals from TC. They are digital effects but still allow your analog signal to pass through unaffected.
i've been a sound engineer long before playing at all, got an OR15, and preferred my solid state crush 35RT to it, sold it, and got a super crush 100 solid state amp instead. Nothing about tubes is attractive to me. It's literally all in everybodies head. Listen to some kings X dogman riffs, one of the best guitar tones there is, and it's all solid state. If it sounds good it's good.
I've been a Line6 POD3 Pro (rack model) fan for over a decade and now own the Helix LT (pedal board) and it's actually amazing. You _have_ to dial in your own sound though, because the stock presets are kinda meh. Usually because the effects are waaaaay overdone or the amp lacks punch without some additional reverb, echo, equaliser or compressor tricks added in the chain too. The Helix is actually extremely powerful. Probably the best out there really, unless you really only ever play 1 type of sound and know which high end amp you want to buy. If you own a lot of separate pedals already, a 'regular' amp might make more sense. But if you don't really have any, the Helix is insane. And yes, you can combine with analogue pedals too of course. The Helix will also give you pretty much an unlimited amount of possibilities for like around a grand. It's pretty much impossible to beat at that price, compared to most tube amps out there. I know there are some other modelling floorboards that are on par or perhaps slightly better depending on who you ask, but the Helix LT is also easy to use and you can download other people their tone preset settings pretty much everywhere (and often, but not always for free). Not to mention hundreds of TH-cam videos that provide examples of dialling in a great tone.
I bought Boss GT100 and even though I love real amps, and I had Laney Ironheart for few years, I sold it because I live in Europe and we tend to travel across countries and I am a beginner/music fan with money to spend on gear I do not actually need. So there's that GT100 offers way more than Laney Ironheart with a bunch of pedals for half the price (amp + pedals + patch cables + power supply easily over 1k eur ), just around 500 eur or something. My bedroom, my fiancee and my neighbors actually appreciate my choice.
What about the FM3 fractal? I just borrowed one and it's pretty good. I still like the simplicity of an amp but yeah these new pedals are doing a pretty darn good job of sounding like an amp.
Started with the Iridium, switch to the ACS-1…. Ended up now with the UA Ruby 😅 I sware it got better every time. Take that for it’s worth.
Only downside is the Ruby or any of their modelers have headphone outs
I love your fingers only technique and tone.
At 7:45, the clean boost is essential. It may just get your signal past the sound man!
Got a UA ruby and Dream 65 and I have to say it was good till I got the walrus audio canvas where I run xlr out in stereo to either my interface or front of house. Now it’s much better with the line isolation . Less clipping and artifacting. Great tool for quick recording and it doesn’t quite match my amp setup in room but it’s dam close and no microphones to set up on amps. Workflow for quick recording is great actually. And minimal settings means I’m not diving into menus all day and I achieve a slightly better tone faster if that makes sense. I have line 6 stuff also and it’s great also but the menus can be a hindrance if you want to just get an idea down quick. Also can use pedals I already own. Either set it to last pedal in chain or before reverb and after delay and modulation pedals.
I am on tube amp (Mesa Mkv 25) and pedals. I am going to get an HX stomp, not really for models, but for the effects, to fill in gaps in my pedals.. Then I will most likely get an Iridium or one of the Walrus pedals or one of the UA pedals.
You actually have SIX cabs in your ACS-1 homeboy.
All you do is hold down the LEFT foot switch button until its blinking; and then, while continuing to hold it down, you can switch between thee other cabs with the regular old cab switch on the left side. Once you’ve found the cab you want, release the depressed foot switch and you’re good to go!
The three alternate cabs are much better than the normal ones too, imho. It’s baffling that they had theses ones set as the secondary “hidden” ones…
Anyway, I hope that this helps you out with ur toanz.. !
7:16 that signature lick once again
The UA dream sounds pretty dang close to my Delux Reverb thru an OX. The truth about any tone is the ability to hear and adapt it to sound the best possible. Aka if you can't hear no amount of gear will help.
I have an Avid 11 too and bought it after Sam came and spoke in that class too hahaha 🤣 What a legend!!!
Personally, I'm using Archetype: Cory Wong for home practice and recording, and using a Line 6 Pod Go live. I love the tones you're getting with the ACS1! It's hard to argue with any of the options now - it's almost more about workflow than tone.
I discovered archetype this fall, the best thing. it's so good. I got the tone king effect cuz I want that rock and also some clean jazzy tones.
Have you tried Helix Native? It has the same sounds as Helix but since its a plugin it basically has unlimited dsp. The only difference would be the preamps you use(Helix's ones vs the one in ur audio interface)
@@stride.10 I haven't. If I buy a Helix, I may go that route - but right now I'm happy and can't justify the price tag
I'm a Fractal guy and wouldn't trade my FM9 for any other modeler. Or most amps either.
The ACS-1 does sound pretty good from what I can tell though.
Another vote for the Dream ‘65. Came to it from a Headrush MX5. Still dig the MX5, but the Dream is exactly what I’m looking for.
Steven Slate TH-U, best one I’ve found however you need a pro tools set up. Also, if you can find a tube compressor pedal….get one of those. Especially on strats they sound great.
Finally someone with an ACS1 I love!!!
Kemper gang! Has a Quad Cortex for a hot minute, but the Kemper was so much easier to get solid tones out of
Have a fantastic New Year Mike !! :)
This video was so informative to me because I'm a bit of an old head and needed to see how these modelers work. I have a universal audio interface that has some amazing analog plug-ins that sound great, so much so that I sold the loud (for home) Princeton tube amp I had because I never played it anymore. Recently I bought a simple Fender Rumble 25 bass amp, as I saw a guitar player on TH-cam saying how great it is as compared to the similarly priced Fender Champion (which has some modeling) but sounds like a toy. The Rumble (for the price) has blown me away. Very rich sound and still plenty of trebles. I would love to hear your take on it, Mike, if you ever have the inclination to try a cheap solid state amp alternative. My Strat sounds great through it for a home practice amp that you don't have to play so loud and also has a headphone jack.
If you liked the eleven rack, Headrush uses their technology. The Headrush pedal board even has the Eleven logo on it
Modelers nail the tones of a tube amp, don’t quite nail the tube behavior in terms of sag and character at high volumes, but I’ve not found that to be something the keeps me from wanting to play with my HX Stomp. My ‘68 Deluxe Reverb sounds better, but the Helix still sounds very good, it doesn’t require me to shake the house to get good tones out of it. The effects built in are wonderful, the interface works well, the routing options are killer. I love my tube amp AND my modeler.
Kemper Stage. Most convenient tool I’ve ever had for recording and live gigs.
I’ve been using an axe fm9 for the last 2 weeks or so and honestly I can’t see myself going back to using amps in a live context anytime soon
I got the acs1 over the iridium because it has a higher headroom. Apparently the iridium breaks up pretty quickly. i dont remember if you said it in the video but there's a secret second bank of cabs, and if you hook it up to your computer you can add your own Impulse Responses. the IR world is a whole other rabbit hole though. lol. What comes with the pedal are pretty great though so i just leave them in there.
Get the quad cortex I promise you won't regret it. All the captures are free from the cortex cloud and they are identical to the real amps and pedals even pre amps. You can use dumbles and klons and download them over the wifi that's on board. People have some amazing captures on there really unique one of a kind amps and pedals.
Ok question for y'all. Is it just me or is that sparkle from certain amps just a lower background type fizz, much like the mt2? Granted, that sparkle doesn't translate hardly at all when recorded, if it does, it is eqd out. In the room? That shit is magical.
try out a helix! they recently did an update where you can tweak the cabs with mic placements and stuff like that and the tones are great
Weird timing. I've been looking more into modelers too. I play and record mainly at home, so something that's space efficient and that doesn't need to be cranked to sound good has become appealing. Nice review of the Walrus ACS1. Keep it up!
DLX SIMPLIFIER
Two cheap Joyo's an American Sound and a British running in Stereo.
Into a RE201 and out into out into an ehx oceans 12 into my daw...pnned American on Left British on Right.
Check out the Humboldt DSM Simpler, analog modeling of the three more popular amps. It uses analog components not algorithms
Pod Go Wireless is small, light, super convenient and does everything you're going to do. I've enjoyed it more than my Quad Cortex. 🤷🏻♂️
where's the pedal in the thumbnail?
still digging the iridium over here
you are humbler than i. when i first encountered these (look up digitech from the early 90's), when there was no internet like it is today, and it sounded like absolute shite. those days were different. you either bought crappy beginner guitar center used car dealer radio ad items or your parents took out an equity loan on the home to buy a marshall and a gibson. now the science is so good with modellers and IRs... its about the cabs if you have the luxury if you want to change tones.
now have you heard of the amp modelers by universal audio? i personally think that are a huge step above the ACS1.
Can’t beat the Universal Ruby. Incredible.
Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby!
Hi Mike, I'm quite a bit older and have a few bucks. I have a Helix, HX Stomp, and an Iridium. Typically I use the HX Stomp 99% of the time. They all sound great but performance/size the HX Stomp wins. Lots of effects onboard and they sound good. It's a mini pedalboard in a box. John Cordy has tons of presets via his channel or Patreon. Also, as you play, often you pause a bit to let the music/thought sit. Your videos should do the same. You chop them as though you are not breathing and it's very unnatural. Check out "Five Watt World" for great presentation ideas.
It's a journey. The explosion of the sheer number of IRs can be overwhelming, but the good news IMO is that the current generation of digital modelers all sound great; it comes down to workflow and how deep into tweaking you want to go.
I've been using modelers for many years, my first was the Vox ToneLab tabletop; Line 6, Fractal, Boss, etc.
I prefer to use my tube amps; my current direct modeler is a Boss SY-1000, and selling my GT-1000.
For a versatile solution, I use a Line 6 HX Effects + Catalyst 100 in 4CM with MIDI to switch amp channels and the amp boost on/off. The HX Effects sounds good into the front or effects loop of my tube amps too.
Cheers!
I get option paralysis with those multi effects units so I have to stay away from them. They also always seem to break or have issues for me anyway.
Could you do a video on how to set this up?
I'm going to go with the Valeton GP 200
Gotta get a strat fasho
Why the ACS1 over the iridium
I would fight for a fm-9 if you are ready to go with a helix. I have an Iridium, am I 100% happy with the tone, no. I'm also not unhappy enough to be shopping for another one. IRs are terrible too many options I hope the IR game takes some leaps this coming year.
Seriously try a sansamp or behringer clo e, the gdi21 or tube amp modeler pedal . Not saying theyre the best but the bang for your buck is amazing. Run either straight into the effects return of your amp. Shortcut to very usable tones and save tons of money by making sure it sounds better than that before you buy something else.
Do something more affordable like a Valeton or Mooer modeler
As long as you can load in your own impulse responses it doesn't make a differrance which one you get (Budget aside)? Not asking for a friend
That’s the truth!
I think that one of the BIGGEST things to get maybe even BEFORE a modeler is a set of Studio Cups, not monitors or anything that does the room, and dial in your optimum tone. I have second-hand Sennheiser HD 558. They are DEFINITELY best Frequency Response in the room.
**Whoops** I Just A/B'd it, and because im using my pd go as a direct in box - my line levels with the app/cab/eq off are literally what you would hear going from pedals direct to tape.
My direct signal has more natural gain and dynamics than it does with the amp
You should try the ZAMPTONE Impulse Responses!
have you heard about the simplifier deluxe? it is an amazing option too.
Got the dream 65 it’s a gem
Helix HX Stomp is the same amp tones as the big guy at a fraction of the cost. Only real modelers are Fractals. Get am FM3.
How did u exactly record with this pedal? I’m thinking about buying an amp pedal, specifically the amped 1 from black star, and the thing I’m most interested for is how to record with this.
Man alive, I love your videos. One thing though... the sheer number of edits in your videos are practically epilepsy inducing. Often I find the image almost stroking. Love your content though.
What amp would you prefer to take if you were playing a small club gig?
The only thing with this pedal is that you can’t go stereo to the PA. You would have to buy 2 of these pedals to go fully stereo. I would suggest you look into the DSM Simplifier. It’s a power amp that you can go out stereo left and right. Plus choice of 3 amps, choice of tubes and they sound legit, mic placement, and choice of cabs for left and right. It’s a great DI pedal. Look into it. It’s way better than this pedal.
Thanks for the video! I'm starting my research on the amp modeling subject, and this was very helpful. What do you use at home for speaker? Do you connect the cs1 to a normal guitar amp, or do you only use your computer monitors? What is making my head hurt a little is the actual sound producing object to use with a modeler. Some people say to get a frfr speaker, others to get a "pedal platform" clean sounding amp. What do you use and what do you suggest?
More pedals review please
Holy crap. You can really play. Sub'd!
Ever listen to Buckethead? If not, you have no idea what you're missing.