Do you use amp sims when plugging into real amps?

[uddude]

Still new to Hx Stomp XL and trying to see if it can replace my big board for fly dates. 

 

Late at night ( low volume into my Princeton Reverb) I made some patches that sounded good. 

They had some amp sims in the middle of the chain and I turned up the gain for my dirty snap shot. 

 

Now at higher volume practice during the day these sound a bit shrill, and I am thinking that perhaps it might just be best practice to not put any amps in the chain for patches thaat I will be plugging into a real amp?

 

Is this what most people do, and then have a second version of that patch for amp-less gigs with an amp sim included. 

 

Curious....

[rd2rk]

On 3/26/2023 at 4:52 PM, uddude said:

Now at higher volume practice during the day these sound a bit shrill, and I am thinking that perhaps it might just be best practice to not put any amps in the chain for patches thaat I will be plugging into a real amp?

 

Is this what most people do, and then have a second version of that patch for amp-less gigs with an amp sim included. 

 

Yes.

An amp sim into a real amp or, worse yet, an amp+cab into a combo, is definitely not best practice.

Also not best practice is creating presets at low volume. Google "Fletcher-Munson".

[uddude]

yes thanks - makes sense.

 

So then for testing purposes I read that people level presets that are going ampless to about -12bd in a DAW - would it be the same if going into a guitar amp or a different value to aim for. 

 

[rd2rk]

On 3/26/2023 at 6:41 PM, uddude said:

yes thanks - makes sense.

 

So then for testing purposes I read that people level presets that are going ampless to about -12bd in a DAW - would it be the same if going into a guitar amp or a different value to aim for. 

 

 

-12db is a good recording level. Trying for that is a good goal for live presets, keeping in mind that your final Output level will be set at the Poweramp/Speaker, not saved with the preset. Configuring the SOUND of the preset (your TONE) should be done at 85-95db (again, Fletcher-Munson) in a room that approximates where you'll be playing or at least tested in the context of the entire band. You'll always have to tweak at the venue, that's inevitable, but that'll get you in the ballpark.

[uddude]

Right play loud to get the sound in the room at 85-95 db, but it terms of a double check ( beyond just using ears) if the hx is outputting a measurable -12db into a DAW 

AND it sounds good into a guitar amp then is it safe to assume it will be good at the gig with a couple of small sound check tweaks.? 

 

[theElevators]

I use a power camp -- Mooer Baby Bomb.  I connect it to a single 12" speaker (either a standalone, or from Fender Deluxe amp).  It just works and sounds the way I want it to sound.  I sometimes tweak global EQ to get rid of certain honkiness.  I checked the impedance values of various speakers from various amps, so for example a Fender Twin will not work reliably with the power amp. 

 

If there's no single 12" speaker available, then I just plug into whatever there is around, the cleaner the better.  So a Twin Reverb will be my choice for an amp if I cannot use my trusty power amp. 

 

I never disable the amp simulator for my personal monitor mix... If I did then all the reverbs/delays would sound completely different, because I place delays after the amp in my chain..

[rd2rk]

That -12db is ONLY a levelling tool.

85-95db allows your ears to hear all frequencies <> evenly (I hope you googled Fletcher-Munson).

Next step is rehearsal to see how your presets fit in the context of the whole band.

THEN comes the gig...