In search for a windows standalone amp solution with user friendly UI and Clean and OD

[BahamaDada]

Good morning folks (or *specific daytime* wherever you live),

first of all: I suppose I know the market for this quite a bit, but I am just overwhelmed by all of the possibilites and need some opinions.

As my Helix is going to stay more in the rehearsal place I want something for guitar (and maybe bass - but that is tertiary) to fiddle at home with my EMG loaded guitars and my Scarlett 2i2 3rdGen. Headphones are DT770 320Ohm.

Now I know Neural has some pretty wild plug ins, ML Sound Lab I own some (Roots, ML800), too, and AmpKnob by Bogren is a cool simple solution, too.

QUick rundown what I am searching for:
- Possibility of standalone (.exe) on Windows 11 AND vst (2/3) plugin in Reaper (This is why Native falls flat. I don't want to fire up Reaper everytime I feel like fiddling). Priority A!
- Clean and OD. In terms: I need a "Metal" clean. JC like. Just whatever. Chorus to it. No Edge-Of-Fuckup or anything, I don't play a PRS 10Top. The OD should be more modern and handle a 7 string tuned to standard B or Drop A (at the most). 5153 is my favorite. Recto... not so much. British or American, though, I don't really care. I don't like the uber-scoop where I have to dial the mids back in afterwards to not sound like a wet fart.
- Some basic effects like Noise Gate, Tubescreamer (or smth like that), Chorus, Delay, (Room) Reverb. No specialities. Let the music speak for itself.
- Should just work well to play with a backing track on Youtube or from Hard Drive (I guess anything will be able to do that, eh?)
- Maybe possibility somewhere down the line to switch with MIDI? (only B priority)
and very very important to me: Just a nice and clean user UI. I don't need to fiddle with 10 EQs and 3 comps. I don't care if the IR bank fits 100 or 200 .wav files. I want it clean and tidy and easy to use.
AND MOST IMPORTANT: Knobs. You give me sliders, I will go bonkers.

Thanks in advance and have a nice day (night, whatever)

 

[Foxmeister]

This is why Native falls flat. I don't want to fire up Reaper everytime I feel like fiddling

You should try a VST host...

AND MOST IMPORTANT: Knobs. You give me sliders, I will go bonkers.

OK, perhaps not!

 

[BahamaDada]

You should try a VST host...

I use Cantabile for Helix Native at the moment. It's just not fun. Cantabile is objectively cool, but it's not intuitive to me.

 

[laxu]

I use Cantabile for Helix Native at the moment. It's just not fun. Cantabile is objectively cool, but it's not intuitive to me.

It's one of those "setup once" deals when you have the plugins you want to use. Then it's pretty much like opening any app.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Neural Gojira

or Metallurgy Thrash

 

[BahamaDada]

It's one of those "setup once" deals when you have the plugins you want to use. Then it's pretty much like opening any app.

I know. I have set it up. I use it right now at this very moment typing with one hand and the other holds my guitar. I just don't like it.

Besides that: Sliders.

@MirrorProfiles Good call. Has a JC, has the Placater I love in the Helix. Has FX I know from Helix. Haven't thought about that one tbh. I can't try it, as I had them at launch in my account and haven't found the time to try them in the trial-time bc of shit work. What about the Modern? I suppose the Modern has the Archtype Clean (which is just as good as a JC if you ask me)

 

[Foxmeister]

I can't try it, as I had them at launch in my account and haven't found the time to try them in the trial-time bc of s**t work.

Just register a new account with a different email address if you want to evaluate them now.

Alternatively, if you email Line 6, they may be able to remove your previous trial.

 

[BahamaDada]

Just register a new account with a different email address if you want to evaluate them now.

Alternatively, if you email Line 6, they may be able to remove your previous trial.

Good idea. Just did that. It's worth a shot.

IMO the price of 91€ (without tax) is quite steep. Although I guess Neural isn't cheaper either and if it is fun to play and use it is worth every Cent. The only cheaper options are ML Sound Lab - especially on sale.

 

[Foxmeister]

IMO the price of 91€ (without tax) is quite steep. Although I guess Neural isn't cheaper either and if it is fun to play and use it is worth every Cent. The only cheaper options are ML Sound Lab - especially on sale.

O/T, but this just goes to show what an amazing value proposition Helix Native is, especially if you got it discounted or free from buying HX hardware.

It also gets better and better, every year, for "free", unlike other plug-ins I could mention!

 

[MirrorProfiles]

@MirrorProfiles Good call. Has a JC, has the Placater I love in the Helix. Has FX I know from Helix. Haven't thought about that one tbh. I can't try it, as I had them at launch in my account and haven't found the time to try them in the trial-time bc of s**t work. What about the Modern? I suppose the Modern has the Archtype Clean (which is just as good as a JC if you ask me)

Modern is cool too, I just get irked that the Invective Crunch channel is broken.

IMO Gojira would offer something different to what you have with your Helix rig. You get the blue and red channels from an EVH 5153 and a Fender Twin, as well as some cool FX and IR's. Metallurgy was on sale not too long ago so not sure if there'll be another sale for a few months. Knobcloud.com is a good place to look for second hand plugin licences.

 

[laxu]

I know. I have set it up. I use it right now at this very moment typing with one hand and the other holds my guitar. I just don't like it.

What is it about it you don't like? The UI isn't the best thing out there but it generally works well enough with a small set of plugins and you end up working with the plugins themselves after the initial routing is done.

 

[BahamaDada]

O/T, but this just goes to show what an amazing value proposition Helix Native is, especially if you got it discounted or free from buying HX hardware.

It also gets better and better, every year, for "free", unlike other plug-ins I could mention!

I can 100% this comment. The updates are awesome. As many people I got Native for free with the Helix, so... yep, awesome. (I don't like working with Native, though)

Modern is cool too, I just get irked that the Invective Crunch channel is broken.

IMO Gojira would offer something different to what you have with your Helix rig. You get the blue and red channels from an EVH 5153 and a Fender Twin, as well as some cool FX and IR's. Metallurgy was on sale not too long ago so not sure if there'll be another sale for a few months. Knobcloud.com is a good place to look for second hand plugin licences.

I LOVE the crunch channel of the 5153. Even more than the 3rd channel. It was the best rock sound I had ever had back then when I owned a 5153 6L6. Another plus would be NDSP would be something different for once. I mean, QC and all aside, their plugins are mostly universally loved. Thx for Knobcloud. It even has a Gojira for 80$. You ever bought something at that site? Is it cool? Is it safe?

What is it about it you don't like? The UI isn't the best thing out there but it generally works well enough with a small set of plugins and you end up working with the plugins themselves after the initial routing is done.

I can't really say. You ever had that "Yeah, it works and I can make it work, but I just don't vibe with it"-feeling? This is it. I can cope with the Helix Edit UI, but as a Plugin it's just... I can't wrap my head completely around it like I can with the physical Helix at my feet. Also: Sliders

Edit: @Foxmeister Thx for the idea of emailing L6 regarding the Trial. They just reset my trial. Awesome.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

You ever bought something at that site? Is it cool? Is it safe?

Yeah, I've used it 5 or so times. Just make sure you use Paypal G&S and you're protected. KVR Marketplace is also good for used licences and very safe.

 

[laxu]

I can't really say. You ever had that "Yeah, it works and I can make it work, but I just don't vibe with it"-feeling? This is it. I can cope with the Helix Edit UI, but as a Plugin it's just... I can't wrap my head completely around it like I can with the physical Helix at my feet. Also: Sliders

Ah you were talking more about Helix Native rather than Cantabile.

Yeah I have several complaints about Helix Native like the way it doesn't scale properly for higher res screens and the way the scroll wheel still works. It's still the most full featured single guitar modeling plugin available.

 

[BahamaDada]

Ah you were talking more about Helix Native rather than Cantabile.

Yeah I have several complaints about Helix Native like the way it doesn't scale properly for higher res screens and the way the scroll wheel still works. It's still the most full featured single guitar modeling plugin available.

Yes, sorry if that was misleading. Cantabile Free I can't say anything bad about. It works. Featurewise Native is THE bang for the buck. But the UI just sucks for a VST. And it just has no standalone.

 

[laxu]

Yes, sorry if that was misleading. Cantabile Free I can't say anything bad about. It works. Featurewise Native is THE bang for the buck. But the UI just sucks for a VST. And it just has no standalone.

To me standalone apps are pretty pointless when something like Cantabile solves that problem well.

Or if you want you can download SAVIHost (Win only) and create your own standalone. Just put it into the VST plugin folder, rename the executable to the plugin file name and create a shortcut to the executable. IMO Cantabile is still a better option.

 

[BahamaDada]

To me standalone apps are pretty pointless when something like Cantabile solves that problem well.

I guess it depends on your use case. To me it's just comfy to load up my (Win 11) pc, click an icon and be greeted by a big, fat, scale-able amp UI. (As I have in my ML Sound Lab sims). No sliders, no blocks, no routing to be seen (Other than the initial "select input device").

 

[madmarcus1960]

Blue Cat Audio Patchwork is a fantastic VST3 and lower host. I use Tonex, Brainworx amps, SGEAR2, etc and use multiple FX suites to build my own rigs.

 

[Jarick]

NDSP Archetype Petrucci

 

[Bob Zaod]

A buddy of mine absolutely loves these and they are standalone and usable in a DAW. The recording he sent me sounded pretty damn good.