IK Multimedia TONEX

[Chocol8]

but for some jamming I may need 2-3 patches or so and be done.

That's exactly what I do. I have just two presets I use on the One, and maybe 4 on the Tonex Pedal even though there are about 40-50 I loaded on it. I just don't need that kind of variety, especially for practice and fun playing.

 

[Progressive_disclosure]

As someone who bought the ”standard” Tonex software on launch for quite a lot of cash, I’ve been continuously let down from my purchase. Especially by the subpar captures I paid extra for that was included. I later got an iRig HD2 that included Tonex SE, so I’ve since then felt like I wasted about 150 euros on Tonex standard captures that don’t work for me and a non-complete version of Amplitube 5 MAX that I don’t use either. I found some user captures that I used for a cover song I made and those are still some of the best guitar tones I’ve gotten, but the hassle of finding or buying user profiles also turned me off.

I would be interested in testing more metal-focused IK captures and doing a write up. Hell what I actually want is basically a Tonex One but my experience has been too soured to get one.

 

[IK Multimedia]

This is a little long, but in the interest of transparency I thought it was best to go into detail-

In absence of my review (and partially to hold me accountable to getting it done) I’m going to detail my interaction with @IK Multimedia as I feel Pete deserves some props that I shouldn’t have waited so long to get to.

I hadn’t paid attention to any updates ToneX had been getting since launch, so when Andy Wood went on his rant on his livestream, I assumed not much had changed. I posted it here while also posting in the livestream comments something along the lines of “If we had Spicy Andy at TheGearForum we could have ran IK off even faster”, referencing the launch of ToneX when Pete went into lurk mode due to some of the hostility here (and I’ve also been trying to get Andy here since we opened).
(Note- Andy’s issue was directly related to his particular setup and needing to utilize ToneX with OBS/loopback for live-streaming)

One of my goals for this forum is to keep an open dialogue with companies to better serve both us as players and the companies, as other forums will just delete/ban anything negative at times. That comment was speaking out of both sides of my mouth, because it essentially goes against my goal of an open dialogue/progress, while my intent behind it was more “Andy’s name carries some weight and may have lead to progress at a time we were going in the opposite direction”, my sarcasm doesn’t always land.

Pete and I began speaking via DM after that and with some clarification on my end, I believe he realized that I do actually want to see gear get better and not to serve as a punching bag (there’s another company for that ) I had mentioned that once I free up some funds I had every intention of getting Satch’s Amp Vault because I was dying to hear those Dragon captures. And this is where Pete put IK’s money where their mouth is and magnanimously sent me a code for the Satch Amp Vault, an indirect statement of “If you think our stuff sucks so much, here, try it for yourself”

As I loaded the software, I wrote a little timeline of everything I experienced that I’ll put in the review later, but the tl;dr is that while I had several issues, not a single one of them were the result of ToneX not functioning properly or needing anything ‘special’ to work. And then I had a fucking blast trying out those caps.

I want to make it very clear that at no point did Pete ask me for a review or even hint at me saying anything about the experience publicly. And more than that, he’d also like to extend the invitation to try out a capture pack for some of our members who may still have doubts about ToneX or the software. I didn’t want to make a contest or anything out of this, so I’m going to rely a bit on the honor system here in regard to getting these caps in member’s hands.

There’s 2 groups I want to see get these capture packs; those who are interested but are still in doubt and those who absolutely love it already and just want more caps. If you’re not going to use it or you actually don’t care about it but just want to say you tried it so you can dismiss it on a forum, I’d prefer not to get them in your hands so they can go to people with a legit interest/use.

I need @IK Multimedia to confirm, but I believe the Metal Gems pack is up for grabs first. The pack includes caps of a 5150, Uberschall, a Herbert and an SLO. Definitely in a tone territory where ToneX will be put to the test!

Skimming older pages in this thread to see some speculators, I’m curious if @laxu, @Sascha Franck, @Enchilada Jones and/or @norminal would be interested in giving them a spin? You need the software, but I believe CS is free now. I know Sascha isn’t a metal guy, so maybe you’d prefer to wait for something with less gain. With Laxu being the UI guy, I figured that’d be the deep end of the pool to see how the software swims currently.

Or, if I didn’t name you, you’re a metal guy and really love ToneX or you’re on the fence, let me know!

Thanks for the transparency, though I hope I wasn't aggressive or arrogant about it haha (just teasing, it just sounds a little bit like I expect you to like it no matter what but I really do understand it is all subjective of course). Oh, and CONFIRMED :)

I’m definitely going to snag at least one One, but probably two. One to keep down here for a backup ‘rig’ and one I can keep in New England for when I’m with my friends/fam on vacations. I’ve certainly spent more on dirt pedals that do one thing.

One one, but not two twos or did you meant eleventy-one tutus? I can't keep up. Though you probably could rock a tutu but that's on you, I support you either way.

I'll have to give it another go. I have been down on Tonex recently and getting into NAM. The main thing that bugs me about the One is that it overwrites the preset setting when you turn the knobs. Otherwise it is useable if you can deal with the wonky software thing.

I've bumped this again, I know I and others shot the idea to the devs before.

Please try the VIR cabs! Move the mics around, use the resonance slider. The VIR cabs are majorly overlooked!

I so wish IK would expand on them!

They are very cool, and I agree. I had just bumped this request too, recently.

As someone who bought the ”standard” Tonex software on launch for quite a lot of cash, I’ve been continuously let down from my purchase. Especially by the subpar captures I paid extra for that was included. I later got an iRig HD2 that included Tonex SE, so I’ve since then felt like I wasted about 150 euros on Tonex standard captures that don’t work for me and a non-complete version of Amplitube 5 MAX that I don’t use either. I found some user captures that I used for a cover song I made and those are still some of the best guitar tones I’ve gotten, but the hassle of finding or buying user profiles also turned me off.

I would be interested in testing more metal-focused IK captures and doing a write up. Hell what I actually want is basically a Tonex One but my experience has been too soured to get one.

What don't you have in AmpliTube 5 MAX v2? It should have all the AmpliTube 5 gear you need in that. Unless you mean the version of AmpliTube that comes with iRig HD 2, that would be the standard version, not MAX. How much was TONEX (standard) when you bought it? It should have been 149.99 on launch. I know that TONEX MAX is now on sale for 99.99 and we've updated some Tone Models in the software too (the Factory Content v2 was not just for the pedals) but if you want to reach out via PM I'm willing to work something out if you're interested.

----------
And generally, to all: Thanks for the open discussion. Yes, I can be salty or feel insulted personally sometimes but overall I know people are coming at me with issues about IK not about things I've done (mostly, I'm sure I've pissed off some folks as well and for that I apologize, forums can be a bit wild west and I get as caught up in it as anybody else might but no excuses, I sincerely apologize for any time I may have insulted someone or otherwise peeved someone off). I'm human, too, I'm a guitar player (among other things) with a recording and composition education and experience so I am 100% afflicted with much of the same gearlust, frustrations, passions, stubbornness, and such that many of us have. And frankly, I'm probably as insecure and frustrated with my own capabilities as any other musician/writer that you'll run into if you want some personal transparency so please at least take that into consideration. But mostly take into consideration that I do take suggestions, constructive criticisms, and similar to people at IK and hopefully the fact that I've been doing many things including "forum fun times" for IK for over 15 years, I do believe I have some capital to spend and some cachet/pedigree is attached to the things I'm bringing to that table.

I'm sure there are folks who see me as this when I make my approach about suggestions etc:

 

[DrewJD82]

Thanks for the transparency, though I hope I wasn't aggressive or arrogant about it haha (just teasing, it just sounds a little bit like I expect you to like it no matter what but I really do understand it is all subjective of course). Oh, and CONFIRMED :)

One one, but not two twos or did you meant eleventy-one tutus? I can't keep up. Though you probably could rock a tutu but that's on you, I support you either way.

I've bumped this again, I know I and others shot the idea to the devs before.

They are very cool, and I agree. I had just bumped this request too, recently.

What don't you have in AmpliTube 5 MAX v2? It should have all the AmpliTube 5 gear you need in that. Unless you mean the version of AmpliTube that comes with iRig HD 2, that would be the standard version, not MAX. How much was TONEX (standard) when you bought it? It should have been 149.99 on launch. I know that TONEX MAX is now on sale for 99.99 and we've updated some Tone Models in the software too (the Factory Content v2 was not just for the pedals) but if you want to reach out via PM I'm willing to work something out if you're interested.

----------
And generally, to all: Thanks for the open discussion. Yes, I can be salty or feel insulted personally sometimes but overall I know people are coming at me with issues about IK not about things I've done (mostly, I'm sure I've pissed off some folks as well and for that I apologize, forums can be a bit wild west and I get as caught up in it as anybody else might but no excuses, I sincerely apologize for any time I may have insulted someone or otherwise peeved someone off). I'm human, too, I'm a guitar player (among other things) with a recording and composition education and experience so I am 100% afflicted with much of the same gearlust, frustrations, passions, stubbornness, and such that many of us have. And frankly, I'm probably as insecure and frustrated with my own capabilities as any other musician/writer that you'll run into if you want some personal transparency so please at least take that into consideration. But mostly take into consideration that I do take suggestions, constructive criticisms, and similar to people at IK and hopefully the fact that I've been doing many things including "forum fun times" for IK for over 15 years, I do believe I have some capital to spend and some cachet/pedigree is attached to the things I'm bringing to that table.

I'm sure there are folks who see me as this when I make my approach about suggestions etc:
View attachment 46588

Damn, you and @Digital Igloo today completely displayed what I hoped to see here at TGF when we were brainstorming this place. Excellent post, Pete, thank you!

This is what I posted to Eric right before reading this and your post hits on this considerably-

That was the exact kind of insight I hoped to see on here; open communication between members and companies. You guys hear about our motivations nonstop of why we use the gear, often via complaint that some piece of gear is “entirely useless” because it can’t do one particular function or have some feature 1 out of every 10K guitarists will use, or the celebratory “I finally got what I’ve been searching for!” posts, but we rarely get to hear the motivations of how and why companies make the choices they do, or getting the non-technical insight behind the gear they make.

IE- less ‘company speak’ and more of the human element. Some of us know these aren’t just products being slapped together to make a company money and it’s easy to tell who truly cares about the customer’s desire to achieve their goals with the post-launch dedication to a unit.

You weren’t aggressive at all, good sir. Not in context of how I….I believe I referred to it as walking up behind you and flicked your ears with some of my comments, which I still think is apt.

There were some direct personal attacks thrown your way when this place opened. I chalk some of that up to some members testing the waters on a new forum where the discussion isn’t ‘controlled’ as much as it is at other forums. And as Eric flat-out stated, sometimes people are just dicks. It’s very challenging to navigate that at times and we’re still learning as we go. But as I stated back then, it’s shitting in one hand and wishing in the other to expect communication and fixes when you’re calling the conduit to those fixes a “cunt” or “incompetent” in the process.

And if ya ever make your way to IK’s office down the road from me, I’ll be showing up in a tutu when I pick ya up. Just gotta be careful as that office is literally in my South Florida OG stomping grounds where I learned how to party, so if I take a right turn and pull up to Quarterdeck, you’ll know you’re in for a night!

Appreciate the candor, Pete, truly.

 

[IK Multimedia]

Damn, you and @Digital Igloo today completely displayed what I hoped to see here at TGF when we were brainstorming this place. Excellent post, Pete, thank you!

This is what I posted to Eric right before reading this and your post hits on this considerably-



You weren’t aggressive at all, good sir. Not in context of how I….I believe I referred to it as walking up behind you and flicked your ears with some of my comments, which I still think is apt.

There were some direct personal attacks thrown your way when this place opened. I chalk some of that up to some members testing the waters on a new forum where the discussion isn’t ‘controlled’ as much as it is at other forums. And as Eric flat-out stated, sometimes people are just dicks. It’s very challenging to navigate that at times and we’re still learning as we go. But as I stated back then, it’s shitting in one hand and wishing in the other to expect communication and fixes when you’re calling the conduit to those fixes a “cunt” or “incompetent” in the process.

And if ya ever make your way to IK’s office down the road from me, I’ll be showing up in a tutu when I pick ya up. Just gotta be careful as that office is literally in my South Florida OG stomping grounds where I learned how to party, so if I take a right turn and pull up to Quarterdeck, you’ll know you’re in for a night!

Appreciate the candor, Pete, truly.

Ha, I'm supposed to be down there a lot more than I have been and I really have no excuse since I'm in Georgia and I am willing to drive there most visits. I think the most recent trip didn't come to fruition because they were trying to get some newer folks in from outside of the country and it got overcomplicated. But they like having me down there (I think, I hope, ah fuck it I don't really care - they deal with me and we have a good time haha) so I'm sure I'll be down soon. Let's hit Quarterdeck for sure! My favorite Quarterdeck is in Dania though, sometimes I stay down in/near Hollywood rather than Sunrise/Fort Lauderdale anyway and it isn't a long drive. Even though I'm not too far north of the US HQ, you can understand why most of the folks visiting try to avoid summertime visits. It's just more of the same for me, though, truly. But I'll definitely give you an office tour, the studio is really nice and there's a cool big "jam room" with a ton of vintage gear (lots of keyboards but also nice guitar gear too, including that special SLO-100 I mentioned earlier).

Well, that could have been a PM but hey - transparency and all. And if anybody is in the Savannah, GA area I'm open for the same kind of threats of fun too. If you are and you end up with a TONEX Collection from this whole setup we're doing, I might have to make it a condition - TONEX drinking games or something (or whatever floats your boat for sober folks, etc).

 

[IK Multimedia]

Ah and I meant to say I agree with the "sometimes people are just dicks" - myself included. Ask my wife.

 

[DrewJD82]

Ha, I'm supposed to be down there a lot more than I have been and I really have no excuse since I'm in Georgia and I am willing to drive there most visits. I think the most recent trip didn't come to fruition because they were trying to get some newer folks in from outside of the country and it got overcomplicated. But they like having me down there (I think, I hope, ah fuck it I don't really care - they deal with me and we have a good time haha) so I'm sure I'll be down soon. Let's hit Quarterdeck for sure! My favorite Quarterdeck is in Dania though, sometimes I stay down in/near Hollywood rather than Sunrise/Fort Lauderdale anyway and it isn't a long drive. Even though I'm not too far north of the US HQ, you can understand why most of the folks visiting try to avoid summertime visits. It's just more of the same for me, though, truly. But I'll definitely give you an office tour, the studio is really nice and there's a cool big "jam room" with a ton of vintage gear (lots of keyboards but also nice guitar gear too, including that special SLO-100 I mentioned earlier).

Well, that could have been a PM but hey - transparency and all. And if anybody is in the Savannah, GA area I'm open for the same kind of threats of fun too. If you are and you end up with a TONEX Collection from this whole setup we're doing, I might have to make it a condition - TONEX drinking games or something (or whatever floats your boat for sober folks, etc).

Man, I don’t even want to be here some days because the heat, I get it. We’ve been in that mode for over a month already.

The Dania Quarterdeck is definitely a step up from the one on Flamingo and I’m not even going to detail the stuff I used to get into at that place.

I’d shit a brick (possibly in the tutu) to tour that office!!!

Hahahah I’d also be down for some ToneX drinking games- guess the amp in the capture, get it right and everyone else drinks, get it wrong and do the shot yourself!