Over-engineering my silent practice rig: IR-J + VP4

[laxu]

The best answer is two rigs. I don't use my BluGuitar setup with headphones, mostly for the same reasons you mention.

Headphones need a whole different set of tools in the first place, namely good headphones and good room reverb.

 

[deepskyone]

Are you running the IR-J into the VP4? Then you're going to need something to drive the headphones.

If you're looking at the IR-J and the VP4 then you would be reliant on the headphone out of the IR -j as the VP4 doesn't have one unless you connect it to something else.

I have a small Yamaha mixer (AG06MKII) at the end of the chain which drives the headphones and is connected to an iPad for playing backing tracks.

 

[deepskyone]

IR-X (or J or D) in 4 cm (I have X and D soooo great)
VP-4 (I use UAFX DelVerb at the moment sounds great but VP-4 would be more flexible)
KMA Endgame (Stereo Room ambience, Stereo IRs with 500ms length, AI based doubletracker that sound great in headphones, 2x headphone out, BT connect to Smartphone /Tablet for Backing track or Aux in, Stereo XLR Out to FOH/Interface at mic or line level, optional PowerAmp Sim with EL34/6L6/KT88 but would be double here with IRX)
Ditto+ Looper until the VP-4 gets a looper. to practise to own loops.

just my 2 cents best hp practise I ever had

Edit: you can connect a nice powered speaker ( check for no or superlow latency). I use a minirig or 2x1029a genelecs

The Endgame looks awesome but it is another pricey piece of kit.

 

[OrganicZed]

That is not crazy. If you’re in a situation where a silent rig is the only way you can play most days then it makes sense to go all in on making it as tolerable as possible.

What headphones are you using? Having a great set can help.

I found that the most important thing was getting the reverb dialed in to just add a bit of space while not actually making the tone sound wet.

 

[deepskyone]

What headphones are you using? Having a great set can help.

I am using the Sennheiser HD 6XX at the moment but also want to try the 600. The 6XX sound a bit bassy to my ears but are definitely the best cans I’ve ever had.

 

[aivoryuk]

never heard of the KMA End Game - an alternative I guess would be the Boss-ir200

 

[OrganicZed]

I am using the Sennheiser HD 6XX at the moment but also want to try the 600. The 6XX sound a bit bassy to my ears but are definitely the best cans I’ve ever had.

Those are pretty good headphones. I have struggled with open back headphones. I love the more natural sound staging, but the string noise and the sound bleed has made them impractical for my particular situation. I have to turn up the volume to a point that I don't hear the string noise and then the sound bleed is so much that it bothers my wife.

My solution has been to use IEMs. The isolation is excellent, so string noise is not an issue any more. The sound stage is very small, but it translates to live application perfectly so it is a compromise that I am okay with.

 

[PorcinePicker]

Puzzled by all of this. I mean with an amp, yeah....but silent? Wouldn't an FM9 cover all those bases for about the same money and with way less hassle? (Okay, not the bluetooth thing, but still....)

 

[deepskyone]

Puzzled by all of this. I mean with an amp, yeah....but silent? Wouldn't an FM9 cover all those bases for about the same money and with way less hassle? (Okay, not the bluetooth thing, but still....)

Yes, absolutely. As would a full-size Helix or a Quad Cortex. The important bit (that probably got lost in my wall of text OP) is that I do not want to use any computer editors due to distractability and being forced to stare at a screen all day to make a living.

The Quad Cortex might actually work for me but I do not really want to give NeuralDSP any money. They seem to have enough of it already.

 

[deepskyone]

I have been putting the IR-J through its paces over the weekend and it's instant gratification. Put it in the loop of the HX Stomp, slam the front with an SD-1, and we are off to the races!

If I ignore the Fractal FOMO for a second, the HX Stomp + IR-J combination does everything I need (and a lot more). In fact, I feel the urge to dumb it down even further now:

 

[vino_buono]

I have been putting the IR-J through its paces over the weekend and it's instant gratification. Put it in the loop of the HX Stomp, slam the front with an SD-1, and we are off to the races!

If I ignore the Fractal FOMO for a second, the HX Stomp + IR-J combination does everything I need (and a lot more). In fact, I feel the urge to dumb it down even further now:

View attachment 31351

I am using a Kourbis Plexivibe (2-tubes plexi preamp) into the fx loop of the HX Stomp and that’s pretty much all I need for practice. Same concept as yours, with a more traditional plexi sound instead of Friedman’s version. It works great for gigs with just a couple of extras.

 

[madmarcus1960]

I own an Astro, killer lunchbox amp. Can definitely do the silent thing, like the REVVs or any comparable IR driven direct out LB amp.
Can be set up as a 4 channel amp using the OEM FS

 

[Desertdweller]

Things I have not tried:

• A tube amp:

My brother in christ, get a tube amp, a cheap Suhr Reactive Load box, and then use IRs in your PC.

Done. You will be happy.

 

[deepskyone]

My brother in christ, get a tube amp, a cheap Suhr Reactive Load box, and then use IRs in your PC.

Done. You will be happy.

I will scratch that particular itch one day but...

 

[Baba]

I have been putting the IR-J through its paces over the weekend and it's instant gratification. Put it in the loop of the HX Stomp, slam the front with an SD-1, and we are off to the races!

If I ignore the Fractal FOMO for a second, the HX Stomp + IR-J combination does everything I need (and a lot more). In fact, I feel the urge to dumb it down even further now:

I wasn't sure if you would listen to my suggestion, but the IRX in the loop of my HX Stomp XL (into a Fender FR-12 or wedges) has been my live rig for months now, and it is indeed, instant gratification.