Why is that I don't like hi-gain/distortion presets from others?

[Piing]

I normally find presets from others too harsh on the highs. I am beginning to think that either many people have lost some hearing at the high frequencies, or I am over-sensitive to the high frequencies.

e.g.: listen to this intro


Now listen to this:


The first tone sounds pleasant to my ears, the second one too harsh and metallic. Honestly, I find it unbearable. However, it is considered a fantastic killer tone by many people. Some even consider it a match.

How do you perceive it? do you like the tone of that recording?

p.s: I have made that preset bearable to my ears by replacing the Dynamic mic with a condenser and moving its position to a sweet spot.

 

[Stone]

Well there are many factors as to why, namely the monitoring solution and room where that person is hearing and creating his tone, the the other factors like guitar type, pickups, strings, picks and of course the color of your cable :)
but thats something easily fixable in most case
for me its my ears, the looper and the isolated guitar track that i base if I'm satisfied wit da Toanz

 

[HomespunEffects]

Bro, the Internet have given voice to “experts” that have no idea what they’re doing. Most of them say that’s a good tone because someone else said it. They bandy about the same old tropes and perpetuate myths. Things like ceramic magnets are harsh or Marshall Origins sound like plexis or you can’t use a 500k potentiometer on a Strat with single coils or lowering a pickup makes it brighter.

Yeah, the second one sounds harsh and the gain is way too high. It’s not meaty like the original.

 

[the swede]

I was going to say: maybe that last one fits in a mix. But it’s still to brittle… a pronounced or pushed drum mix (if the drums is allowed to be in focus for once) will kill that guitar sound. But mehhh… it all depends on tastes and circumstances and all…

 

[Piing]

Well there are many factors as to why, namely the monitoring solution and room where that person is hearing and creating his tone, the the other factors like guitar type, pickups, strings, picks and of course the color of your cable :)
but thats something easily fixable in most case
for me its my ears, the looper and the isolated guitar track that i base if I'm satisfied wit da Toanz

Monitoring is crucial, indeed. Many speakers and headphones are made to sound "good" or pleasant, not to reveal the truth with accuracy.

 

[HomespunEffects]

Way too much gain isn’t a monitiorng issue but that high end fizz probably is.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I can't say I like VH tones but the 2nd one is definitely way too bright and fizzy. Who's claiming it sounds close?

Its likely the system they are listening on isn't very accurate and the characteristic that their ears are drawn to sounds similar.

Its a cliche but real thing people cling to with the sound is down to how well its played. Its why so many people chase the tone and so few can achieve it.

 

[DrewJD82]

I can rarely use a distorted preset dialed in by someone else, there's almost always wayyyyy too much gain on it.

 

[Blix]

Yeah I followed that thread, and it's waaaay to harsh and bright. I've downloaded his preset and changed to Super Lead instead of his 2203 and tweaked a bit to get it closer, but still not nailing it like he thinks he has..

 

[OrganicZed]

I know that I have some high end roll off built into my hearing. That seems like a good hypothesis.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I swapped the Marshall out for a 5150

 

[la szum]

I honestly don't like/use anyone else's presets. Period. Even the legend that is Leon Todd.

Trusting our ears is a lonely road.

 

[ericbr1]

I normally find presets from others too harsh on the highs. I am beginning to think that either many people have lost some hearing at the high frequencies, or I am over-sensitive to the high frequencies.

e.g.: listen to this intro


Now listen to this:


The first tone sounds pleasant to my ears, the second one too harsh and metallic. Honestly, I find it unbearable. However, it is considered a fantastic killer tone by many people. Some even consider it a match.

How do you perceive it? do you like the tone of that recording?

p.s: I have made that preset bearable to my ears by replacing the Dynamic mic with a condenser and moving its position to a sweet spot.

There's so many ways to alter or program any tone. With the one you posted, 1st thing I'd do is move the mic gradually away from the center of the dustcap to warm it up and de-fizz it. . 2nd thing would be lower the gain a bit. Those 2 VERY simple things might make the tone soooo much closer. I'm no expert in tone-matching and I don't even care about tone-matching but I've played in bands covering anyone possible or over 40 years and that's my say

EDIT: (just read you honed in on the mic/positioning- GREAT JOB!)

 

[KingsXJJ]

Sensitivity to certain frequencies.
Some folks claim that 65 watt Creambacks sound like a blanket over the cab. I disagree. I find it balanced and pleasant.

Some like V30’s or even G12T-75’s. I find them harsh and grating. But wanting to cut through “the mix” is important to some. I think tone is more important and the right mix is critical. Not to knock others… that’s just me.

 

[Elf]

… However, it is considered a fantastic killer tone by many people. Some even consider it a match.

This is someone trolling right? “It's been the most enigmatic tone I've ever heard…” And the responses \o/

 

[la szum]

This is someone trolling right? “It's been the most enigmatic tone I've ever heard…” And the responses \o/

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

I normally find presets from others too harsh on the highs. I am beginning to think that either many people have lost some hearing at the high frequencies, or I am over-sensitive to the high frequencies.

e.g.: listen to this intro


Now listen to this:


The first tone sounds pleasant to my ears, the second one too harsh and metallic. Honestly, I find it unbearable. However, it is considered a fantastic killer tone by many people. Some even consider it a match.

How do you perceive it? do you like the tone of that recording?

p.s: I have made that preset bearable to my ears by replacing the Dynamic mic with a condenser and moving its position to a sweet spot.

I believe the "Flumes" tone could get extremely close to Ed's real 5150 tune tone if they tamped down the high mids around 4-6K by maybe 3-6dBs. On the real Ed tone, the high mids only "poke out" just enough; on "Flumes" tone, the high mids are too much.

That's some great Ed rhythm playing on that track there BTW.

As to why, many people are tone-deaf when it comes to frequencies. It takes a good ear plus experience knowing what each frequency does to the tone of a given instrument. And remember, a lot of people think an amp recorded with their iphone tossed on the floor sounds great, too.

 

[Whizzinby]

I never got the fascination with trying cop anything more than the spirit of someone else’s tone. You’re not going to out Eddie, Eddie, so crank a plexi or 5150 and have fun.

Too much gain imo

 

[Piing]

I never got the fascination with trying cop anything more than the spirit of someone else’s tone. You’re not going to out Eddie, Eddie, so crank a plexi or 5150 and have fun.

Too much gain imo

There are several ways to crank a plexi and to position the microphones on the speakers. 90% of them sound like garbage.

 

[BenIfin]

I normally find presets from others too harsh on the highs. I am beginning to think that either many people have lost some hearing at the high frequencies, or I am over-sensitive to the high frequencies.

e.g.: listen to this intro


Now listen to this:


The first tone sounds pleasant to my ears, the second one too harsh and metallic. Honestly, I find it unbearable. However, it is considered a fantastic killer tone by many people. Some even consider it a match.

How do you perceive it? do you like the tone of that recording?

p.s: I have made that preset bearable to my ears by replacing the Dynamic mic with a condenser and moving its position to a sweet spot.

I'm probably alone on this (?) but I ditched using any overdrive / distortion pedals about 2 years ago ..... I pick my Amp of choice ...... dial it in as close as I can to what I want ... then ..... in the case of my FM3 .... I load a PEQ block in front of the Amp, jack the PEQ Output to where it drives that Amp front end to where I want it ..... and then use the PEQ EQ settings to dial out an excessive low / mid / high frequencies.

Best live-loud Amp tones I've ever had.

Just my 2c.

Ben