"Slaving" A Real Tube Amp Into A VST/Plugin Amp (examples)

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

With this test you will hear not only the difference between "slaving" into another (software) amp, but also the difference between the THD Hotplate (resistive) and the Suhr RL (reactive) loads. Keep in mind this is using a real tube amp as your loaded down amp... into a software amp.

Gear:

Charvel So-Cal with old 80's JB(J)
|
'68 Marshall Plexi circuit (.68uf on V2, 50K mid pot) pretty much cranked except Bass off (P:10 B:0 M:10 T:10 V1:9 V2:9 not linked)
|
Reactive (Suhr RL) or Resistive (THD HotPlate) LOAD
|
Suhr ISO Line Out Box
|
Apollo x6

DAW:

UAD EP-34 (slight repeat)
|
brainworx Suhr SE-100 (poweramp only, Depth @ 2) (on or off)
|
MixIR2 with Greenback blend iR
|
UAD Pultec EQP-1 (B:3 A:3 CPS:60) light EQ just to give a little more beef

Reverb:

IK Multimedia Sunset Sound Studio 1 Chamber

Tape:

UAD Studer A800

Limiter:

brainworx Limiter True Peak


Tune is of course "Round And Round" by a certain band of rodents... double tracked.

4 clips:

2x THD Hotplate with Suhr SE-100 on or off
2x Suhr RL with Suhr SE-100 on or off

THD HotPlate - Suhr SE-100 off


THD HotPlate - Suhr SE-100 on


Suhr RL - Suhr SE-100 off


Suhr RL - Suhr SE-100 on


Take?

Doing this can definitely affect and improve your overall tone. Also can get a nice thump depending on the amp chosen (Suhr SE-100 has a "Depth" control).

There is no standard way of doing this (combing "this" particular amp with "that" particular amp), purely trial and error. Some combinations will just sound like shit no matter what you do... use your ears.

 

[Progressive_disclosure]

I hear a bit of a flavor difference but all tones sound passable to me. I fired up NAM XT and did the same kind of thing but with NAM captures. So one capture of an amp going into a capture of a power amp. Sounded HUGE with headphones, had to dial up the low cut a bit but loads of fun either way!

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

I used this trick in a similar way to spruce up an older test clip of mine and make it nice 'n' punchy.

Various Nuno Riffs:

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

Here's a nice fat juicy crunchy tone using a Friedman BEODD into my '66 Fender Deluxe... Suhr RL then CAB M (with Greenbacks).

Funny enough, I slapped the Suhr SE-100 VST (poweramp only) on after the above speaker iRs.

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

With this test you will hear not only the difference between "slaving" into another (software) amp, but also the difference between the THD Hotplate (resistive) and the Suhr RL (reactive) loads. Keep in mind this is using a real tube amp as your loaded down amp... into a software amp.

Gear:

Charvel So-Cal with old 80's JB(J)
|
'68 Marshall Plexi circuit (.68uf on V2, 50K mid pot) pretty much cranked except Bass off (P:10 B:0 M:10 T:10 V1:9 V2:9 not linked)
|
Reactive (Suhr RL) or Resistive (THD HotPlate) LOAD
|
Suhr ISO Line Out Box
|
Apollo x6

DAW:

UAD EP-34 (slight repeat)
|
brainworx Suhr SE-100 (poweramp only, Depth @ 2) (on or off)
|
MixIR2 with Greenback blend iR
|
UAD Pultec EQP-1 (B:3 A:3 CPS:60

Reverb:

IK Multimedia Sunset Sound Studio 1 Chamber

Tape:

UAD Studer A800

Limiter:

brainworx Limiter True Peak


Tune is of course "Round And Round" by a certain band of rodents... double tracked.

4 clips:

2x THD Hotplate with Suhr SE-100 on or off
2x Suhr RL with Suhr SE-100 on or off

THD HotPlate - Suhr SE-100 off


THD HotPlate - Suhr SE-100 on


Suhr RL - Suhr SE-100 off


Suhr RL - Suhr SE-100 on


Take?

Doing this can definitely affect and improve your overall tone. Also can get a nice thump depending on the amp chosen (Suhr SE-100 has a "Depth" control).

There is no standard way of doing this, purely trial and error. Some combinations will just sound like shit no matter what you do... use your ears.

Wow I so didn't expect my preferences being what they were before listening to those clips.

 

[Mikael Dez]

I always use my amp’s DI with an IR loader, whether it be my computer or my Quad Cortex. Great tones without having to crank up a cabinet.

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

I always use my amp’s DI with an IR loader, whether it be my computer or my Quad Cortex. Great tones without having to crank up a cabinet.

Yes, now try adding a 2nd VST/Plugin amp to the "mix" in the DAW.

 

[Mikael Dez]

Yes, now try adding a 2nd VST/Plugin amp to the "mix" in the DAW.

other than looking for coloring your tone, why would you slave your amp into a plugin (given that you had preamp and power amp in your DI)?

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

other than looking for coloring your tone, why would you slave your amp into a plugin (given that you had preamp and power amp in your DI)?

Well the coloring for one, but also to add girth - make those iRs sound like a real 4x12 cab with the thump. One problem I've always had with the whole "amp loaded down into speaker iRs" thing is the lack of low end. Granted, in a mix you're gonna high pass the guitars (amount depending on the style of music), but still... and yes you can add low end via EQ but...

I gotta say so far with my experiements that the Suhr SE-100 plugin by brainworx (UAD has one too that is Unison enabled, I have both) with it's "Depth" control is taking the cake so far with the type of stuff I'm playing.

The whole concept is slightly disturbing to my real-world brain in that it doesn't make sense gear-wise that it should work, but it definitely does so virtually; the ears tell me so.

BTW the Two Notes Torpedo CAB M also has a few controls along these lines (power amp sim as well) that have a similar effect.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I wish Suhr made an (at least) 50 watter with the RL baked in. Instead of that 15 watter (that's almost $3k or whatever). Oof.

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

I wish Suhr made an (at least) 50 watter with the RL baked in. Instead of that 15 watter (that's almost $3k or whatever). Oof.

$3K for a 15 watt amp?

Now that is a (crack) smokin' deal.