Line 6 or Amplitube?

[spikemullings]

Just musing here.
Having bought myself a new strat and also having wanted some good bass amp sim options for a while now, I was on the edge of going with one or t'other of the Line 6 recording interface options with Pod Farm, mainly because of the ToneDirect very low latency feature.
However, being a bass player, the amplitube power group buy thing at the moment has got my head turned towards potentially 4 Amplitube products including e.g. SVX for the price of 1.
Anyone else got any views one way or the other? (no bun fights please ;-) )

[bullshark]

Did you actually try SVX? Back when it was out, was a lote of rave about it, so I tried it; I couldn't get anything but mud out of that thing. Get much better, clearer sounding but smooth, sound with Boogex and impulses. YMMV and all that... but do try it with rested ears, and in context if at all possible.

Amplitube 2 is way cool thought. You can get just as good with free stuff, but it's a LOT more legwork.

[spikemullings]

I have SVX uno which is of course a very cut down version. You have reminded me that I should d/l the SVX demo to make sure what I think of it because UNO is far too limited to give any reasonable kind of idea.

[emanresuym]

I have both PodFarm w/ all model packs & all the IK guitar amps (& SVX pretty soon).IMO,Line 6 = quantity,Amplitube = quality.YMMV though so check out the demos if you can.The PodFarm plugin (w/out the extra model packs) was available free not too long ago but I don't know if they even have a demo.

[spikemullings]

Originally Posted by emanresuym

I have both PodFarm w/ all model packs & all the IK guitar amps (& SVX pretty soon).IMO,Line 6 = quantity,Amplitube = quality.YMMV though so check out the demos if you can.The PodFarm plugin (w/out the extra model packs) was available free not too long ago but I don't know if they even have a demo.

So do you find yourself tracking with Line 6 (for the low latency) and mixing with amplitube?

[jinko17]

Originally Posted by spikemullings

So do you find yourself tracking with Line 6 (for the low latency) and mixing with amplitube?

tone-direct monitoring is a nice gimmick, but it's really not that impressive. I don't notice any difference in latency at all. I'll say POD Farm has some very decent bass amp sims but Amplitube sounds like more thought was put in. its all in preference but I don't think you'd be disappoint either of them

[emanresuym]

Originally Posted by spikemullings

So do you find yourself tracking with Line 6 (for the low latency) and mixing with amplitube?

No,I do use ASIO4All though instead of the Line 6 ASIO for lower latency.With ASIO4All I can get around 5.0/5.0 ms which is fine for me.The only time I ever use tone direct is if a vocalist wants to hear their voice processed while tracking.I'd rather track guitars with 10 ms latency and amps that feel a little more realistic than use PodFarm JUST for direct monitoring & whatever latency it is.I still use PodFarm though sometimes,but the direct monitoring isn't a factor in why.

[stratman]

I can't compare Line 6 with Amplitude, but here are a few things about Line 6 devices and why I like them.

I did some measurements a while back (see link below).
http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.p...hlight=latency

If my measurements are correct, with my system, Tonedirect monitoring with a UX1 Toneport gives about 11ms latency. There’s also a post on the thread that suggests that Line 6 say it’s 10ms, give or take a ms. I suppose a Pod Studio will be similar.

With my Podxt it was 3ms monitoring through the device (i.e. not through the DAW/computer). I did the same measurement on my X3 and that gives about 2ms.

The thing is, monitoring through the Line 6 devices (instead of the computer), allows low latencies to be achieved with a high buffer size setting. So there’s very low demand on the computer. While I’m recording, I can surf the internet, run loads of other applications (I’m easily distracted ) and I don’t get any pops or clicks.

Everything I’ve ever recorded using Reaper was originally tracked using a Line 6 device for monitoring. I record dry and re-amp with a VST later. Even through I’ve got Revalver MKIII (which can sound better in isolation), I often end up sticking with a Line 6 VST because it works in the track. I think all of the lead sounds on complete tunes I’ve posted have used the Line 6 SLO-100.

Pete

[pattonfreak1]

Chris, Scott and myself all swear by Line 6.

[drillbit]

Amplitube is far superior I think.

Interesting to note that Line6 has not updated their algorithms for 3 years or more. It's pretty lo-tech stuff. Sure they updated their graphical user interface to make it all OsX like, but the sound is the same. Not saying you can't get a decent sound out of them but other companies are working a lot harder on their sounds (Revalver, Amplibue, Softube...)

[BoxOfSnoo]

I like my line6 stuff. It's good at a lot of different things... I'm sure some of the others can win in a careful listening test, but in a mix I suspect all of the subtleties go away. I really like the POD bass sims; loads of choice in both amps and cabs and the effects crossover is nice too.

The ToneDirect is all about reported latency times... I think as stratman said, you actually crank UP your buffer size - so you will get high *reported* latency, but your TonePort's outputs skip the whole ASIO layer altogether. You should monitor through the device, not the DAW.

Of course that doesn't work with the plugin, just the standalone software.

[EvilDragon]

Revalver kicks Line6 butt anytime.

Acmebargig too

[Petersko]

Whether a Line 6 product is better than the SVX offering is definitely debatable. I prefer SVX, personally.

What cannot be debated is that with the 4-1 offering, the dollar-to-quality ratio is HEAVILY skewed towards IK Multimedia. It's a fantastic deal.

[spikemullings]

Great responses people. Very interesting.

Can I make up my mind?

No:

So thanks for nothing



Joke

Seriously though keep it coming. The tone-direct thing is still calling to me . . .

[DerMetzgermeister]

Oh, Lord.. not another "modeler x is way better than modeler y" thread.

It all comes down to preference, just like real amps. FWIW I think that every modeler out in the market is perfectly capable of producing mix-worthy sounds.
I prefer Line 6 myself. Yes, the technology is old but works for me. I still can't find a sim that fits me better than the Diamondplate model.
Again, that's just me. I'm not saying that it is better (or worse) than the competition.

[Chris_P_Critter]

Spike - If I am not mistaken, the iLok version of Podfarm is still free. Meaning, if you havea n iLok, you can get the app for no additional cost.

Might make it easier on your wallet, which means you could potentially get BOTH.

I cna't check the L6 site from work though to see if it's still free.

If I had to choose between the two, it would be Podfarm hands down. I think it's more versatile than all of the other sims with the exception of Revalver, but the procetag is pretty steep on that one!

[shemp]

Originally Posted by DerMetzgermeister

I still can't find a sim that fits me better than the Diamondplate model. Again, that's just me. I'm not saying that it is better (or worse) than the competition.

Same here. I use the hell out of the Diamondplate, Treadplate and Spinal puppet. Just works for ME, MY ears using MY guitars. I've played around with the P-Ball and the 5150 but it just doesn't seem to work for me but I've heard some others (pattonfreak) get insanely good tones from those amps. It's an odd phenomenon.

You are right though. It just comes down to personal style, preference, etc. But it's good to get opinions on a forum though. I read every one of these threads

[EvilDragon]

5150 is THE metal amp. Period.

[DerMetzgermeister]

Originally Posted by shemp

You are right though. It just comes down to personal style, preference, etc. But it's good to get opinions on a forum though. I read every one of these threads

Yeah, you're right. Maybe I'm just fed up with the Line 6 threads about how modeler x is the best thing since the invention of sex and how most degenerate into flame wars.

Just to add to the discussion, I have tried the TH1 Overloud and it's great. The speaker simulation is not like any other. (free positioning of the microphone)

[spikemullings]

Originally Posted by DerMetzgermeister

Oh, Lord.. not another "modeler x is way better than modeler y" thread.

It all comes down to preference, just like real amps. FWIW I think that every modeler out in the market is perfectly capable of producing mix-worthy sounds.
I prefer Line 6 myself. Yes, the technology is old but works for me. I still can't find a sim that fits me better than the Diamondplate model.
Again, that's just me. I'm not saying that it is better (or worse) than the competition.

You are timely, correct and wise with this post of course metz, just that the Line 6 tonedirect thing is a USP that makes me wonder why other amp sims sell at all.
I've played bass for 25 years but only ever owned one amp (a Trace Elliot - it went off on tour with a friend 15 years ago and I never saw it again). I never owned an electric six string guitar until a month ago. Amp-sim land is like a massive sweet shop to me and it is difficult for me at this stage to know what I want without my teeth falling out (over-extended metaphor alert).
I have recorded two albums in a pro/commercial studio and on both occassions none of the gear used was what we thought we were going to use.
For the guitars in particular we had all sorts of pre-conceptions about what guitar, amp and settings we were going to use for each part of each song. In the end we used almost exclusively a lying-around-the-studio Gibson SG through a lying-around-the-studio Vox AC30 with everything turned up full.
All that is to say that while I am quite happy to acknowledge that there will be an important and distinct diference between a Fender Bassman and a Fender Twin, the subtleties are as yet a mystery to me.
I hope to learn though!
So it's helpful for me at this juncture, maybe others, to hear what people like about their shit and how they use it.
F'rinstance although I will not be trying to wrangle FTA type tones in my pre-middle-aged-cloth-eared tune mangling, it's of interest to me that the boys get very convincing stuff out of Line 6.
I was thinking that Line 6 would just be a sleep-walk decision but then I had to clock that frigging group buy thing and now my ulcer is playing up

[kelldammit]

i do have the line6 freebie, trash and amplitube2...can't vouch for any of ik's other sims, but for the most part, i find amplitube just works better for me.

if you can still get the free line 6 plug, i'd say do that, and buy the amplitube stuff (that's onehelluva deal...the fender job looks niiice!). the upgrade for the free amp farm isn't all that steep, and if you don't like the ik stuff, i'm pretty sure you can xfer licenses for the ones you don't like...then you have the best of all possible worlds (after you download some freebies, too!).

kell

[Chris_P_Critter]

Originally Posted by spikemullings

F'rinstance although I will not be trying to wrangle FTA type tones in my pre-middle-aged-cloth-eared tune mangling, it's of interest to me that the boys get very convincing stuff out of Line 6.

Well thank you Spike, my friend! It is good for "the 'ardness". There are a ton of amp options though with the L6. But, I think my best adive is, grab as many demos as you can cram onto your hard drive, and test them all!

[BoxOfSnoo]

If you search around, and find Line6's "GearBox Silver" retail package, grab it. I've seen it for $89, and it may be cheaper. When you get it, go online and register it and it will unlock it as "GearBox Gold" (i.e. all amps/pedals/cabs available). Then download POD Farm for it and tie it to that box you will have the equivalent of POD Farm Platinum! Plus a nice USB interface.

Here's one place, just found with a simple Google: http://www.audiomidi.com/Gearbox---S...aspx?CPID=2472

If you get it cheap enough, then you can turn around and get the IK stuff with whatever cash you have left and tell US which one is better