What are your favorite IRs?

[njglover]

And what amp are you using them with?

 

Like many of you, I found myself digging the Helix, but not feeling like I was 100% there until I started messing with IRs. However, As I've spent more time plugged in to an FRFR, I've found myself returning to the built in cabs for many of my sounds. I find them to be more clear, even if they are a little too bright when listening in headphones. I don't have a lot of experience with IRs beyond the Ownhammer ones I bought (that are largely collecting virtual dust), so I'm curious what cabs or IRs everyone else is digging. The specific one, if you please :)

[duncann]

Don't really have a favorite one. It depends on the tone I might be after and it's surrounding context, and how well an effect like a phaser, flanger, or something else might work any given cab. But I do like most of the 4x12s and in particular the XXL, Soldano, Uber T75, Blackback, or Greenback25.

 

I'll usually end up combining the built in cabs with a Rosen Digital Carvin Legacy for lead tones.

 

For cleaner tones I find myself using two 1960 T75s, sometimes combined with the Taylor 314ce Earthworks IR floating around the web.

[roscoe5]

Honestly, I am using these few v3 IR's of my Mesa Recto 2x12 V30 cab and various Mesa power amp sections (2:90, 20/20, Stiletto, Mark V, Recto) on all Helix amps now. Using them through headphones, M-Audio BX-8 monitors, JBL EON 515XT's, and effects return of my Mesa M9 2x12 bass combo and Mesa Walkabout Scout 1x12 rig.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lstuzn05tdpin9v/AAD2-zqkxPaEZcjtxKYGijLxa/v3?dl=0

[njglover]

Honestly, I am using these few v3 IR's of my Mesa Recto 2x12 V30 cab and various Mesa power amp sections (2:90, 20/20, Stiletto, Mark V, Recto) on all Helix amps now. Using them through headphones, M-Audio BX-8 monitors, JBL EON 515XT's, and effects return of my Mesa M9 2x12 bass combo and Mesa Walkabout Scout 1x12 rig.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lstuzn05tdpin9v/AAD2-zqkxPaEZcjtxKYGijLxa/v3?dl=0

 

One of these days I'm gonna have to figure out how to do real IRs. Really I just want one through the power amp of my Roadster into my Orange 2x12 miked with a 57 into my UA preamp. Then everything would sound just like I'm used to, theoretically. (I tried the IR you made of it but it was boxier than the real deal)

[roscoe5]

One of these days I'm gonna have to figure out how to do real IRs. Really I just want one through the power amp of my Roadster into my Orange 2x12 miked with a 57 into my UA preamp. Then everything would sound just like I'm used to, theoretically. (I tried the IR you made of it but it was boxier than the real deal)

 

Yeah, that IR was Amplitube 4 totally.  I didn't personally like those AT4 Orange IR's either but it was easy enough to do and worth a shot.

 

You are absolutely right about IR'ing your own rig.  The new v3 true physical IR's sound VERY close to my real rigs.

 

I basically pick a Helix amp, run it into one of my Mesa head effects returns or power amps into my 2x12, adjust everything to taste, then position the SM57 mic until the headphone and studio monitor sounds like the amp in room, then shoot an IR of it.  That IR with the Helix amp sounds almost exactly like amp in room and recorded real amp track.

 

I think this is what the folks at Fractal, BIAS, and Kemper are on to with Amp Match and Tone Match.  You basically set up the preset amp and cab models close to your sound, then it analyzes (probably eq match) your amp and cab while you play through it.  I'm guessing Line 6 likely follow judging from IdeaScale.

 

What I just got done doing for this week's th-IRs-ty Thursday IR posting was some tube power amp only IR's of my Mesa 290 to put between a Helix amp and Helix cab and mix to taste.  This is working out really well for me so far as I get all of the options and controls of Helix amps and Helix cabs with a little flavor of my own rig's power amp on it.  And I don't have to plow through hundreds or thousands of cab/mic IR's + impedance curves to craft my sound.  I do still prefer my full power amp and cab IR's though, but I think the power amp IR into a Helix cab is an improvement on the Helix cab alone.

 

http://line6.com/support/topic/20308-th-irs-ty-thursday-irs-mo-mesa-power-amps-added/

[njglover]

Studio One has an IR Maker, I might mess with that (though I'm not sure if my Surface Pro has enough power to crunch that). I honestly can't imagine Line 6 won't ever add a tone match thing. They have a mic input and they have IR capability, the only thing holding it back is software. Might as well add it eventually. That would definitely be the easiest thing to do.

[ur2funky]

I have some OwnHammer and the free set from Redwirez is very good, but my favorites I got from Roscoe5 on this forum.  I've been spending a few hours everyday crafting my patches to be stage-ready, and I they just seem to be the best.

[njglover]

Honestly, I am using these few v3 IR's of my Mesa Recto 2x12 V30 cab and various Mesa power amp sections (2:90, 20/20, Stiletto, Mark V, Recto) on all Helix amps now. Using them through headphones, M-Audio BX-8 monitors, JBL EON 515XT's, and effects return of my Mesa M9 2x12 bass combo and Mesa Walkabout Scout 1x12 rig.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lstuzn05tdpin9v/AAD2-zqkxPaEZcjtxKYGijLxa/v3?dl=0

 

Hey, that's a pretty good IR! I picked up the Mark V one, it's a little boomy on the bottom (which isn't totally unexpected) but otherwise pretty nice. Which got me back in to playing with IRs and now I think I like IRs better again... There's one OH IR in particular that, when I compare to my recorded tone from my band's album, is very nearly identical. And if I take that track out of the mix and play along, it sits in there super nicely. I wonder why it didn't sound as nice through the FRFR, I'm gonna have to mess around more...

[Dshow]

3 Sigma Audio, Rosen Digital, Ownhammer, Redwirez

[roscoe5]

Hey, that's a pretty good IR! I picked up the Mark V one, it's a little boomy on the bottom (which isn't totally unexpected) but otherwise pretty nice. Which got me back in to playing with IRs and now I think I like IRs better again... There's one OH IR in particular that, when I compare to my recorded tone from my band's album, is very nearly identical. And if I take that track out of the mix and play along, it sits in there super nicely. I wonder why it didn't sound as nice through the FRFR, I'm gonna have to mess around more...

 

Hey listening to the 3sigma IR's now and their Orange PCB 2x12 sounds good.  Only $7 too.  You might want to give them a shot.

 

http://www.3sigmaaudio.com/items/category/2x12/

[njglover]

Hey listening to the 3sigma IR's now and their Orange PCB 2x12 sounds good.  Only $7 too.  You might want to give them a shot.

 

http://www.3sigmaaudio.com/items/category/2x12/

 

Hmmmm, I assume that's probably the closed back 2x12, though. I don't think anyone has the open back 2x12 I want. Thanks for forwarding that, though. Good to look at other IR options.

[roscoe5]

Hmmmm, I assume that's probably the closed back 2x12, though. I don't think anyone has the open back 2x12 I want. Thanks for forwarding that, though. Good to look at other IR options.

I went ahead and grabbed 7 packs of the 3 sigma IR's of some Mesa, Orange, Bogner mix speaker, 65 Amps, and Fender Twin. They are pretty good. I like their approach of posting fewer, more useable IRs rather than hundreds.

 

There just seems to be something missing (amp/cab interaction?) between the Helix amp models and IRs. Especially on high gain amp models. You get it back a little with the Helix cabs, but mic positions are limited.

 

There really is nothing like setting up a Helix amp with a tube power amp and cab, adjusting all settings in the Helix amp, power amp presence and volume, and mic(s) positions to sound just the way you like, shooting IRs, then getting IRs back that sound exactly how you wanted.

 

I really, really hope Line 6 gives us all some easy to use tools for this. Tone match? Helix-optimized user friendly IR utility?

[roscoe5]

I saw the "Just Tried Redwirez - Helix Heaven" thread, but it seemed to be evolving into a favorite IR comparison thread, so I thought I would resurrect this one.

 

In my ongoing IR research, I came across the Fractal Impulse Response wiki, which is a great read right before bed ;)

 

http://wiki.fractalaudio.com/axefx2/index.php?title=Impulse_Responses_(IRs)

 

Lots of interesting information about impulse responses, methods (Mic only & DI + Mic), quality factors, IR lengths, Fractal's UltraRes cab modelling, etc.  I actually wasn't aware that Fractal Axe FX has a built in Impulse Response utility, as well as Cab Lab software based utility, in addition to Tone Matching.  Axe FX and Cab Lab seem to make proprietary Axe FX  format IR's though, not WAV files that can be used in other plug ins and Helix.  Cliff also goes on to say "the original Axe-Fx pioneered this technology".

 

It also seems Fractal and Ownhammer are very close, even to the point where apparently Ownhammer may be taking input from Fractal.

 

"As I stated before I believe the future is treating IRs as capturing the entire recording chain including mics, preamps, etc. and have pushing in that direction. We have already seen the fruits of this labor in the Producer Pack and OwnHammer V2 IRs."

 

"I'm a huge advocate of longer IRs. In fact I think I was the first to advocate it despite all the naysayers. I pushed OwnHammer (and others) to increase their IR lengths and they were the only ones who acted on that advice (so far, maybe the other guys will start to follow suit). Ultra-Res was born out of the desire for longer IRs."

 

I thought this quote from http://wiki.fractalaudio.com/axefx2/index.php?title=IR_Capture was interesting...

 

"The IR is vastly more important. Tone Matching is a nifty feature and certainly useful but you'll get far more satisfaction by concentrating on capturing good IRs."

 

This would apparently make a similar Helix IR capture utility seem more valuable than amp/tone matching for a future feature request I previously voted for on IdeaScale.  I just voted on this IR Capture utility request on IdeadScale http://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Capture-IR-Feature/740310-23508 as it seemed to have more votes than the one I posted http://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Line-6-Helix-IR-Utility/813669-23508.  Both are "In Review" though.

 

Making our own IR's of our own physical gear makes sense for many of us trying to use our traditional guitar (and bass) cabs and amps on stage and want to go direct to FOH with a similar sound.  This was one of my goals in attempting IR creation of my own gear, not to generate an expansive IR library for commercial use. A Helix IR utility would greatly simplify the process.  I would hope that such a utility would implement both Mic-only (response of amp, preamp, cab, & mic) and DI + Mic approaches (eliminates the amp/preamp effect on the IR and give a pure cab + mic IR) that Fractal deemed valuable.

 

Now I didn't go on a mission to validate any of these quotes or info, so take this post as you would take any web-based info.  But a lot of it does make sense to me, and Cliff/Fractal are experts in the field, as Line 6 is as well.

[DoeWoe]

What are some of the favorite 3 Sigma Audio IRs? I bought 6 and one Ownhammer and I was a bit overwhelmed by the choices on the Ownhammer...even using the quick folder. I may stick with 3 Sigma for awhile since they're easier for me to choose and I preferred the sound to the Ownhammer that I chose, which admittedly was only about 5% of the IRs available.

[roscoe5]

I bought 7 packs of the 3sigma IRs and went for some mixed speaker cabs to get some different options to try not to duplicate Helix cabs. My favorite of those were the Friedman 4x12 greenback/v30s and Mesa Roadking C90/v30. My other favorite for clean was the 65 Amps Blue.