AIAB pedals with MIDI?

[Shredder777]

The Poly Effects Ample is worth a look.
Its controls are kind of scary at first use but once you understand it it’s like ‘Oh…OK, I get it!’
And since you want midi to call up the presets the weird controls thing becomes a non issue. Do the weird slider leds to create the amp ‘model’ then save it and just call the program change to access it.

I’m using the Fractal VP4 with it and just ordered a IR -X and am going to try and incorporate it into the flow.

Why did you pick the Poly Ample over the ToneX? They are about the same price.

BTW, the bottom end tightness and percussiveness of the IR-X I haven't experienced in a direct solution before, even with IRs. I expect you will enjoy it, but I don't know if it will outperform profiles.

 

[Shredder777]

I always love the idea of an AIAB and building an awesome pedalboard. The I plug into an all in one digital device and it just doesn't make sense at times. Not that guitar playing/music needs to make sense! I still fully believe a pedalboard is more inspiring and "fun".

Not to sound like a fractal fanboi but outside of specific tube amps or very unique effects, the axe fx has rendered excess gear as well....excess

It's not going to stop me from buying things though

I have considered Fractal FM3 for my board, but I never do because I know the boondoggle that MFX programming can be.

Also, this is the same reason I haven't purchased a ToneX, because I know that searching for perfect profiles will be a never ending process. I bought the ToneX software because I had some MF credit, but I haven't even installed it!

I know my tendency to go down rabbit holes, and have the wisdom to "just say no". (This is after years of not having that wisdom.) I plugged the Friedman in and it sounded 100% real and dead simple. Now I'm looking for a high gain version of that format, but with another gain stage. Could be a 5150 or an Uber or a Powerball or a Savage.

Please Synergy group, make some more of these preamps!

 

[Mongillo19]

Please Synergy group, make some more of these preamps

Could you just bring something like the SYN1 with you and run a board into it?

 

[Shredder777]

Could you just bring something like the SYN1 with you and run a board into it?

I've been listening to the synergy direct demos of the Powerball and Savage, and they are missing something. Synergy Powerball, directly into an IR sounds "direct" not like a miced tube amp.

The simulated power section is needed to get a credible direct sound. There may be other ways to do that in software, but the IR-* pedals already have that built into the pedals. I don't think the synergy system was designed to be an all-in-one direct solution, but to be played into a tube amp.

If they made a Savage or Powerball in a pedal, with power amp sim tuned for that style, I would instantly add it to my board. I know those things can be done in software, or running it through a real tube amp, but having it all together in a box is priceless.

They are competing against profilers now that capture all the details, so just a rack of half sized preamps isn't enough any more.

 

[Enchilada Jones]

Why did you pick the Poly Ample over the ToneX? They are about the same price.

I had ToneX big pedal when it first shipped, then got fed up with the software, sold it and bought the little pedal because the sounds from ToneX are really great. But gave up on that when I got the Kemper Player. The Player is the best small all in one for me. Laptop, headphones, guitar, Player and a cable and I’m covered for practicing, creating, etc. anywhere I go.

Poly Ample because I hoped it would be ToneX quality sounds with no software to deal with…and no rabbit holes to get lost in as I always feel compelled to explore every possibility.
It was not only that but the selection of amps and sound quality is even better than I hoped. As a standalone It has a nice reverb so it can be something you use with headphones a cable and a guitar and not need anything else. Add a multi effect or a couple pedals pre and post and it is a great rig. It has a very versatile feature set and midi control of lots of it.

 

[Shredder777]

I had ToneX big pedal when it first shipped, then got fed up with the software, sold it and bought the little pedal because the sounds from ToneX are really great. But gave up on that when I got the Kemper Player. The Player is the best small all in one for me. Laptop, headphones, guitar, Player and a cable and I’m covered for practicing, creating, etc. anywhere I go.

Poly Ample because I hoped it would be ToneX quality sounds with no software to deal with…and no rabbit holes to get lost in as I always feel compelled to explore every possibility.
It was not only that but the selection of amps and sound quality is even better than I hoped. As a standalone It has a nice reverb so it can be something you use with headphones a cable and a guitar and not need anything else. Add a multi effect or a couple pedals pre and post and it is a great rig. It has a very versatile feature set and midi control of lots of it.

I could skip the ToneX pedal and just go with that. I'm trying to round out my new pedalboard setup, and that would do it.

The only problem with the Poly ample is that I want something that is both a preamp and a direct. With the IR-X I can route the send to my tube amp and get a real sound.

 

[Hapless]

I'm really enjoying the IR-X.

Your journey with this pedal rivals the epics of yore.

 

[Enchilada Jones]

I could skip the ToneX pedal and just go with that. I'm trying to round out my new pedalboard setup, and that would do it.

The only problem with the Poly ample is that I want something that is both a preamp and a direct. With the IR-X I can route the send to my tube amp and get a real sound.

Make sure the list of amps includes the primary sounds you are trying to add. There is currently no way to add different amps and I don’t think it was designed with that feature in mind. It may be just a firmware update away from having that capability but as it was introduced it was said it doesn’t and won’t.
I love most of them. I’ve never had so many distinct variations of clean and edge of distortion sounds that I want to use. I know that statement can’t be factual, I had an Axe Fx III twice! But my perception is I’ve never had so many that impressed me when I called one up.

There are some heavy amps in there, I love the 5150 for example and the Mesa MKIV but I think I’m not the one to say if the Engl Powerball or Fryette Pitbull, etc etc etc are ‘good’ because I don’t swim in those water enough. To me they are good but I’m not really a good reference for them.

 

[Shredder777]

Your journey with this pedal rivals the epics of yore.

When I first plugged it in, the instrument input was set to hi-Z input and it was filtering high end. And combined with the Friedman upper mid boost and top roll off, it sounded weird and wrong.

When I fixed that, it instantly sounded like a 100% real mod marshall, but still lacked top end I would want for soloing. It was a process of trying different boost settings, and when I put it in the loop of my MFX, I realized I have alot of tools to put that back in. It would be nice if it was closer to my ideal solo tone, but the rhythm, cleans, mid gain, response to volume, combined with the tube amp/ir sim, means it does everything else I need.