IK Multimedia TONEX

[Sascha Franck]

And you would think one of these companies making Tonex One controllers would make a version with two USB C ports since so many people run stereo Tonex One setups.

That'd be just perfect for my needs. Not even because of the stereo aspect, but simply because I could control two units from one controller (hardware or app based).

 

[synthpenguin]

The best part is the OG Tonex Pedal does have midi capabilities so leaving it off the One is extra annoying!

Yeah! I have been using the MIDI fairly extensively and it’s been the only thing that has stopped me from “downgrading” to a Tonex One. Though before I assumed it was at least available over USB lol.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Look at the software, it must have taken a lot of extra effort to make the UI that convoluted! I find it hard to believe they could have accidentally made it that bad!

I defenitely agree, but I gotta say that by now, I have a kinda workflow done allowing me to use things pretty flawlessly. There's some super annoying things, though. Right now it's really going on my tits that the plugin doesn't remember you were on ToneNET when you close and re-open it. Also seems to randomly resize itself under Logic. Etc. But still, I am by now quite fast navigating through things. And it's opening considerable faster than other plugins, too.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Yeah! I have been using the MIDI fairly extensively and it’s been the only thing that has stopped me from “downgrading” to a Tonex One. Though before I assumed it was at least available over USB lol.

Fwiw, I wouldn't even mind buying the full size version, but a) it's too big, b) it's got no autosave.

 

[Chocol8]

I defenitely agree, but I gotta say that by now, I have a kinda workflow done allowing me to use things pretty flawlessly. There's some super annoying things, though. Right now it's really going on my tits that the plugin doesn't remember you were on ToneNET when you close and re-open it. Also seems to randomly resize itself under Logic. Etc. But still, I am by now quite fast navigating through things. And it's opening considerable faster than other plugins, too.

Yeah, I figured out a good workflow once as well. Then I posted about how it was usable once you learn it, and shortly after they released a major update that moved crap all over the place where I couldn't find it again!

 

[synthpenguin]

That'd be just perfect for my needs. Not even because of the stereo aspect, but simply because I could control two units from one controller (hardware or app based).

Well, it at least looks like it might come some day: https://github.com/Builty/TonexOneController/discussions/78

In the meantime it would be interesting if there was a way to chain two together. e.g. stack a Polar Mini on a Polar Pico, with the Pico mirroring the Mini but each sending to its own Tonex One. I mean, there might be ways to work that out by involving another controller or something like one of those CME products, but then you’re really getting complex lol

 

[synthpenguin]

Fwiw, I wouldn't even mind buying the full size version, but a) it's too big, b) it's got no autosave.

The big Tonex really feels larger than it needs to be. It’s my main gripe with it. It’s fine if you’re only using one (not a stereo setup) or if you’re using it as your main thing, but I don’t like having large boards, so running it with my HX Stomp and other pedals just becomes an eyesore for me.

If I change how I approach the Tonex (right now I’m controlling it quite a bit via MIDI for boosts etc), I might go with a One instead for that reason, but we will see.

 

[Deadpan]

Tried that profile out last night and thought it was great! I'll use that somewhere in our band sets once I spend some more time with it to dial it in on my rig. This is a great alternative for high gain Dual Rec/Triple Rec song tones and I am already using one of your V2 Triple Rec profiles you updated a few weeks ago.

BTW, I'm on +2 for my input trim. I find that works best on both my LP's and my Tele, good middle ground. I'm also able to control the input of the guitar signal somewhat with the master volume knob on my Stomp XL and that seems to fine tune it depending on if I'm playing at home or at band practice setups.

Thanks again for the profile!

Very welcome. The amp is very modern sounding. It's like a refined, boosted Recto mixed with an Engl.

Finding the right input level for one's setup is important. Can make or break the Tonex experience.

 

[mbenigni]

Yeah! I have been using the MIDI fairly extensively and it’s been the only thing that has stopped me from “downgrading” to a Tonex One. Though before I assumed it was at least available over USB lol.

I assumed the ToneX One had MIDI over USB or 1/8" as well. I agree with Sascha that the full-sized ToneX is too big, and I'm not sure I'd get much use out of the One without MIDI.

 

[IK Multimedia]

Ugh IK support is failing me so hard right now. I can’t login to tonenet and every time I message them they must dump me into an automated queue that sends an automated email that resets the pw on my IK account - which still doesn’t work.

@IK Multimedia a little help. I don’t think a human is reading my support requests, they’ve got me in an infinite loop.


The preamp can switch between instrument and line level. I usually leave it at instrument level and just crank it up. Honestly can’t remember if I’ve tried it at line level to see what happens.

Sorry to hear about this, I'll need your ticket number so I can see what's up.

Fwiw, I wouldn't even mind buying the full size version, but a) it's too big, b) it's got no autosave.

I've asked for at least future consideration to an OPTIONAL autosave on all units.

For those talking about MIDI on TONEX ONE, we kept it to a very specific form factor and functionality to keep the very very low cost of the TONEX ONE units.

 

[Sascha Franck]

In the meantime it would be interesting if there was a way to chain two together. e.g. stack a Polar Mini on a Polar Pico, with the Pico mirroring the Mini but each sending to its own Tonex One. I mean, there might be ways to work that out by involving another controller or something like one of those CME products, but then you’re really getting complex lol

Doesn't look like. I just chatted with a guy on their website and (with possibly the same guy) on their FB group.
It *might* be possible to control two picos (or whatever) through one single app, using the device IPs to adress them separately, but he recommended asking the github guy - and it certainly seems like something not for the faint hearted. Not exactly what I want to deal with in a live playing context.

 

[Sascha Franck]

For those talking about MIDI on TONEX ONE, we kept it to a very specific form factor and functionality to keep the very very low cost of the TONEX ONE units.

Hm, ok - but it can actually do MIDI with just some simple translation help.

 

[Chocol8]

For those talking about MIDI on TONEX ONE, we kept it to a very specific form factor and functionality to keep the very very low cost of the TONEX ONE units.

You could go with the Kemper path and offer a "LVL II" upgrade for $129 that includes MIDI over USB capability.

Or maybe the Boss PX1 approach where you get a few teaser MIDI commands included for free and can then buy access to additional MIDI commands for $9.99 each.

Better yet, ignore me!

 

[synthpenguin]

I assumed the ToneX One had MIDI over USB or 1/8" as well. I agree with Sascha that the full-sized ToneX is too big, and I'm not sure I'd get much use out of the One without MIDI.

Yeah. I won’t get into my own back and forth with my setup, but this alone would realllly simplify things for me. I really just “need” MIDI for boosts because the front end of the Tonex is so sensitive. Though after recent experiments, I’ve been leaning into getting a tube pre to accept loud boosts anyway.

 

[Dimiguitar]

Btw it would be nice if IK multimedia fixed the tonex capture gain mismatches. This always happen and it's easy to test for. I find the Kemper to be more accurate for this, even though a gain compensated tonex (which you can do) is way ahead.

 

[synthpenguin]

I have a Tonex capture I’ve created of my Mesa Mark III simul class power amp that sounds great when I put my Mesa Studio Preamp through it:

Mesa Mark III Power Amp

Mesa Boogie Mark III Simul Class Power Amp

www.tone.net

I also have a capture of the Studio Preamp here:

Lead Drive

Lead Channel - Moderate Drive

www.tone.net

Here’s one with the Studio Preamp feeding the Mark III power amp:

Lead Tite HG Powered

Studio Preamp through Mesa Mark III Simul Class Power Amp

www.tone.net

Thanks again for these! I messed around with these a lot last night with interesting results.

I put the Tonex in the HX Stomp’s FX loop and setup four parallel presets on both units: 1 with the HX Stomp providing the preamp and the Tonex with your power amp capture,

1 with the HX Stomp providing the power amp and Tonex with your preamp capture,

1 with your preamp+power amp capture,

and 1 with the Cali IV Lead amp block in the Helix alone.

For the Helix preamp, I used the Cali IV Lead preamp block and got it sounding very close to your preamp capture (with no power amp sim or IR when comparing) and level matched them.

For the Helix “power amp”, I used the Archetype Clean amp block + an EQ block for a flat response, and took a little high end off and added a little crunch to match your power amp capture, and level matched that too.

All four presets had the same IR.

I got presets 1 and 2 sounding VERY close and feeling great. The biggest difference was that the Helix preamp always stayed brighter when pushed by a boost, whereas the Tonex preamp felt a bit more natural there.

Preset 3 had a different sound in general (iirc your listed EQ settings were different on this capture vs the preamp capture too). The most noticeable thing as far as good/bad was how pushing its gain was much more “full” sounding. I think this was just the nature of the power amp being pushed by the preamp irl, which is a bit hard to simulate with how I was running things in presets 1 and 2. I did some experiments with preset 1 (HX preamp and Tonex power amp) where I had a footswitch that both activated a boost before the preamp and upped the gain a little on the Tonex, and that got closer. I think I could get similar results with different gain staging and Tonex input trim settings too.

Preset 4 sounded the worst of the 4 and tbh I didn’t spend much time on this. I’m no Mesa expert though, so I probably could have done it better, but it wasn’t really the point of this exercise lol

Anyway, thanks once more for these captures. It was really cool to be able to get similar results with the first three approaches. Now I just need to get an actual tube preamp to try I don’t actually own a tube amp anymore currently lol

 

[IK Multimedia]

Hm, ok - but it can actually do MIDI with just some simple translation help.

It doesn't do MIDI. There's no MIDI on the unit.

 

[IK Multimedia]

You could go with the Kemper path and offer a "LVL II" upgrade for $129 that includes MIDI over USB capability.

Or maybe the Boss PX1 approach where you get a few teaser MIDI commands included for free and can then buy access to additional MIDI commands for $9.99 each.

Better yet, ignore me!

We could make a control unit to translate, but it seems there are options already out there that people are enjoying at this time and we'll consider any options if the market is right for those.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Btw it would be nice if IK multimedia fixed the tonex capture gain mismatches. This always happen and it's easy to test for. I find the Kemper to be more accurate for this, even though a gain compensated tonex (which you can do) is way ahead.

Anything gain seems to be pretty much over the place.
As said before, I followed the interface and software calibrating guidelines before I got my first Tonex pedal, and they seemed to work well. And when I loaded some of the patches I liked into the pedal, they sounded pretty much the same (given there's always some differences in converters, op amps and what not). Just that apparently some captures don't do too well with the +8.5dB input gain the pedal defaults to.

So, what should I do to achieve "gain parity" between hard- and software? Ignore the patches that don't sound well with the +8.5dB - even if they sound great when I dial it back? Or dial it back and re-adjust all other patches that would otherwise sound under-gained? And what about the plugin situation? Would I set its input as low as the hardware is set now (I went for 0dB as it's easy to remember...)? In fact, that's what I went for so far, and it seems to be the best compromise. Most patches still seem to work well that way.

Yet, all that goes to show how important proper input gain management is.

 

[Chocol8]

It doesn't do MIDI. There's no MIDI on the unit.

Theoretically MIDI over USB is just software so it COULD do it, but it would take processor cycles that might not be available.