Impulse Responses

[Orvillain]

The more I fiddle with IRs the more I hear that my favorite records are just an SM57 in front of the right speaker

Same. Most of the records I like are 57 or 421, V30 speakers, and fairly centralish mic positions.

 

[Metron]

I don't get it, yesterday I thought I found the perfect IR, but today it sounds like s**t.
Anyone?

Maybe I should burn-in this IR with some loud pink noise and 60Hz to smooth things out?

How are your ears? Any sinus issues or headaches? Exposed to lots of low background noise in between sessions?

Sounds kind of silly, but as someone whose had hellacious sinus issues my entire life, a change in the wind can literally affect my hearing due to my dumbass nose.

 

[James Freeman]

fairly centralish mic positions

I've always wondered if vendors offer a true dead-center position, it almost always doesn't sound good on Celestions.
Ownhammers "00" doesn't sound like dead-center to me, more like cap edge.

How are your ears?

I'm fine thanks, that was an exaggerated joke (I do that a lot), sorry to read about your nose.
I was implying that my choice of good sounding IRs is changing often, they all are very good, makes me want to blend my entire collection into one single master IR to rule them all so I know they are ALL in there.

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

The new Rock-Box libraries from OwnHammer have quickly become my favorite IRs. Simple to use, excellent tonal balance. Hoping for a G12H-75 Creamback…

 

[Frankencat]

I have a ton of them and I like the Ownhammer and York Audio IRs. I mostly use 4 or 5 of them based on Marshall cabs with greenbacks, Creambacks, or v30s. I have another set with Celestion Blues but i mostly use the Marshall ones. There is a new Ownhammer one based on the Celestion G12-65 that is pretty cool. I have the Ownhammer (r)Evolution and GNR bundles as well as most of the York stuff. I also have a few from Tone Junkie that are really good.

 

[Sascha Franck]

For whatever it might be worth, I assume most of you guys a) have access to a DAW and b) know how to mix (and possibly match) IRs, right?
Otherwise I could sort of quickly explain the process (I know there's some tools allowing you to directly export mixed IRs, but with those, your options often are limited).

 

[dean701]

OH m25 GNR covers most sounds for me. Sometimes York MRSH 412 m25 but I prefer bass that I can cut out if needed.
If I need something scoopy bright, York BGNR v30 mix 11.

For whatever it might be worth, I assume most of you guys a) have access to a DAW and b) know how to mix (and possibly match) IRs, right?
Otherwise I could sort of quickly explain the process (I know there's some tools allowing you to directly export mixed IRs, but with those, your options often are limited).

..and yes, aside from a few YT videos, I think people don't want to disclose the techniques in fear of copyright issues. I remember Mikko Logren posted a video of how to create tone match IRs in 2011 that he later yanked.

 

[ian_dissonance]

I like the York DV77 mixes, a few from Bogren for recording. Pretty much all of my current live tones are the Helix stock XXL V30 dual cabs with matched 57s and one off axis. It’s not as “rich” as some of the IRs, but it slays in a live mix and it just sounds/feels right playing loud with the bands.

 

[Sascha Franck]

..and yes, aside from a few YT videos, I think people don't want to disclose the techniques in fear of copyright issues.

Which techniques exactly? Why would there be copyright issues?

 

[CakeEater]

Does anyone else have an IR that they always use, even though it seems inappropriate in real life? I use Worship Tutorial's Oxford Bassman 212 IR (the Earthworks SR25 mic) for just about everything, including Plexis, Dual Rectifiers, as well as mid gain models like Matchless and Divided By 13 models. It's got a fat open mid-range with a very smooth top and generally sounds fuller than most 412 IRs.

I've often thought about getting the real cab and a power-amp, but I have no ideas if it will translate to real life.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Does anyone else have an IR that they always use, even though it seems inappropriate in real life?

Yeah. Well, at least I did, until last year.
It's something I created myself, took some IRs of my own cabs with a pretty inappropriate collection of equipment to do the job, wanted to take some pride in getting the most out of it, though, so I mangled and mixed like a madman and finally came up with 1-3 IRs (basically really just one with some slight variations) that I ended up using through my AMT Pangaea (/w various preamp kinda things), Amplifirebox and Helix Floor based rigs. That IR made it through hundreds of gigs in various rather different styles and pretty different environments.
It's only been last year that I changed this when I rebuilt my pedalboard and also kinda redefined the way the modelers on that board were supposed to work, but that old IR is still a main part of the IR blends I'm using now.
For unknown (well, tbh, not exactly unknown, but still kinda wicked...) reasons, it's also the loudest IR I ever came across (it's just normalized as any other IR).

Fwiw, here it is (2 versions, one slightly brighter):


Might sound lackluster at home levels and it's pretty mid-heavy. But that's exactly what made this a great live IR for me (kinda like Fletcher Munson partially defeated built in).

 

[CakeEater]

Yeah. Well, at least I did, until last year.
It's something I created myself, took some IRs of my own cabs with a pretty inappropriate collection of equipment to do the job, wanted to take some pride in getting the most out of it, though, so I mangled and mixed like a madman and finally came up with 1-3 IRs (basically really just one with some slight variations) that I ended up using through my AMT Pangaea (/w various preamp kinda things), Amplifirebox and Helix Floor based rigs. That IR made it through hundreds of gigs in various rather different styles and pretty different environments.
It's only been last year that I changed this when I rebuilt my pedalboard and also kinda redefined the way the modelers on that board were supposed to work, but that old IR is still a main part of the IR blends I'm using now.
For unknown (well, tbh, not exactly unknown, but still kinda wicked...) reasons, it's also the loudest IR I ever came across (it's just normalized as any other IR).

Fwiw, here it is (2 versions, one slightly brighter):


Might sound lackluster at home levels and it's pretty mid-heavy. But that's exactly what made this a great live IR for me (kinda like Fletcher Munson partially defeated built in).

That's fascinating! If you've done 100s of gigs with it then it sounds like it's the right one for you. Sometimes I think that I should be able to make typical options work fine for me e.g. a Plexi with a 412 of greenbacks, but then I watch rig-rundowns for The Edge and Biffy Clyro's Simon Neil and see that plenty of guitarists cobble together sounds from multiple sources and mixes.

My main patch now is a Plexi and Dual Rec in stereo, the Plexi is great for mids and detail, and the Dual Rec fills out the highs and lows a bit more, the Dual Rec is also softened up a bit by increasing the bias and sag. My delays and reverbs go in front because I prefer the big P&W / ambient soundscapes that gives, and then all that goes into into a Bassman 212 IR. For the record if I roll my guitar volume down to 4 or 5 I get some very nice clean sounds out of this.
Whatever works!

Thanks for the link! I''ll definitely try these out over the weekend!

 

[FuzzyAce]

Does anyone else have an IR that they always use, even though it seems inappropriate in real life? I use Worship Tutorial's Oxford Bassman 212 IR (the Earthworks SR25 mic) for just about everything, including Plexis, Dual Rectifiers, as well as mid gain models like Matchless and Divided By 13 models. It's got a fat open mid-range with a very smooth top and generally sounds fuller than most 412 IRs.

I've often thought about getting the real cab and a power-amp, but I have no ideas if it will translate to real life.

It's funny you mentioned that, I downloaded the free Worship Tutorial acoustic IR pack to try out and at some point I tried it in Helix Native with a distorted guitar track lol. Quite a few sounded like shite but there were a few (maybe the Taylor models?) that actually worked and gave an interesting sound that would fit well in a song track.

My current favorite cab IR is the WhoWatt in Helix. The stock one works great for me. I also reach for the 1960 more times than not.

 

[Sascha Franck]

That's fascinating! If you've done 100s of gigs with it then it sounds like it's the right one for you.

Well, it is. Or rather: was (see above). Still, I usually don't change IRs much, the two loaded in my pedalboard's modelers (an Amplifirebox and a NUX Amp Academy) are staying the same since over a year already.
For important recordings I sometimes use different stuff, but more often than not I end up using what I'm familiar with anyway, which would be my live board.

 

[dean701]

Which techniques exactly? Why would there be copyright issues?

copyright issues when you blatantly copy an IR under the EULA agreement and redistribute it.

 

[Sascha Franck]

copyright issues when you blatantly copy an IR under the EULA agreement and redistribute it.

Well, I never had that in mind when talking about IR modifications.

 

[mavrick102000]

York and Ownhammer for me, but mostly York. OH GNR Pack, and one of the newer Mesa 4x12 packs - I mostly use York these days though.

I generally prefer V30's, but after the Kerry Wright M25 Cab, that get's a lot of use. The KW and V30 Dual with BGNR are the most used.

I was going through some patches I made after Helix 3.5 and it's almost all V30 Cali or XXL for those patches. I have a Fav saved and just dump that in by default,

Surprise IR: One of Jay's FF Stereo IR's 1960 Cab M25's IIRC. The clarity is so oddly shocking at first, you need to allow your ears to adjust, but they just sit perfectly in most mixes, no boomy lows or harsh high end. They cut through in a pleasant way for lack of a better description.

4x12's
YA MRSH M25
YA MRSH V30 Dual - Mix 01 mostly, if I want more Mids Mix 11
YA KW 412 M25 - 57-1 Single Mic or Mix 06
FDMN 412 M25-V30 - Mix 09 Blend or Single V30 sometimes the FRED
BGNR V30's - Mix 05 or 06
5153 V20

2x12/2X10
MES 212 V30 - $1. Simple good pick.
212 M65 Cream - Mix 06
VLUX 210 P10R - Because Fender
VX30 212 Blue - I like these when playing around with Matchless Models.

 

[jay mitchell]

Surprise IR: One of Jay's FF Stereo IR's 1960 Cab M25's IIRC. The clarity is so oddly shocking at first, you need to allow your ears to adjust, but they just sit perfectly in most mixes, no boomy lows or harsh high end. They cut through in a pleasant way for lack of a better description.

I just saw this. Is your rig stereo?

 

[dean701]

York and Ownhammer for me, but mostly York. OH GNR Pack, and one of the newer Mesa 4x12 packs - I mostly use York these days though.

I generally prefer V30's, but after the Kerry Wright M25 Cab, that get's a lot of use. The KW and V30 Dual with BGNR are the most used.

I was going through some patches I made after Helix 3.5 and it's almost all V30 Cali or XXL for those patches. I have a Fav saved and just dump that in by default,

Surprise IR: One of Jay's FF Stereo IR's 1960 Cab M25's IIRC. The clarity is so oddly shocking at first, you need to allow your ears to adjust, but they just sit perfectly in most mixes, no boomy lows or harsh high end. They cut through in a pleasant way for lack of a better description.

4x12's
YA MRSH M25
YA MRSH V30 Dual - Mix 01 mostly, if I want more Mids Mix 11
YA KW 412 M25 - 57-1 Single Mic or Mix 06
FDMN 412 M25-V30 - Mix 09 Blend or Single V30 sometimes the FRED
BGNR V30's - Mix 05 or 06
5153 V20

2x12/2X10
MES 212 V30 - $1. Simple good pick.
212 M65 Cream - Mix 06
VLUX 210 P10R - Because Fender
VX30 212 Blue - I like these when playing around with Matchless Models.

i had to take a second look at this post because i agree with it so much, i thought i wrote it.
still doing the oh gnr thing with various mics as my main
top 3 york:
mrsh 412 m25
kw m25
bgnr 412 v30

 

[mavrick102000]

I just saw this. Is your rig stereo?

I use it with Helix Stereo Patches via headphones so yes. More specifically I use Native through Logic and Libra as the IR loader so the IR info doesn't get cut off.