High-End Tube Amps: Microphones vs. Impulses

[lolzgreg]

Here is a shootout I've done to compare my three favorite tube amps by using a microphone vs. using an impulse response through a cab simulator. This is a LONG clip with a riff from a song I wrote repeating approximately every minute and four seconds. Each time the riff repeats, the amp changes. This is going to be a guessing game at first to see if you can tell which amp is which. As soon as 50 posts are reached, I will reveal the responses.

Note: I did not keep settings the same for the amp and impulse version of that amp. I simply tried to get the two as close as possible.

Amps:
Mercury Magnetics Modified Peavey 5150II
Mercury Magnetics Modified Peavey Windsor
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Rack

Guitar:
Dean Vendetta 3 equipped with Seymour Duncan Dave Mustaine Livewires

All of these clips were re-amped (had the DI of the guitar sent out of the recording interface into the amp)

Chain for Amplified/Mic'd Clips:
RME Fireface 800->John Cuniberti ReAmp v2->Maxon OD-820 Pro (used as a boost)-> Respective Amplifier->Mesa 4x12 Standard Straight Cab->Audix i5->RME Fireface 800

Chain for Impulse Clips:
RME Fireface 800->John Cuniberti ReAmp v2->Maxon OD-820 Pro (used as a boost)-> Respective Amplifier->Weber MASS 150 Attenuator Line Out->RME Fireface 800->Peavey Revalver MK III speaker convolution loaded with CatharsisStudio's s-preshigh impulse.

No post processing aside from a high-pass @ 80hz and a low pass @13khz was used on the guitars.

The backing tracks remain EXACTLY the same throughout.

You have to choose from 6 clips:
A, B, C, D, E & F (all in the same mp3).

Your possible options:
-Dual Rectifier Mic'd
-Dual Rectifier Impulse
-5150II Mic'd
-5150II Impulse
-Windsor Mic'd
-Windsor Impulse

As mentioned before, at approximately 1:04 seconds, the riff repeats and it becomes "clip B."


Good luck!

[paul999]

Wow thanks for posting this. I'll be takin' this test when I am in front of some speakers.

[lolzgreg]

Originally Posted by paul999

Wow thanks for posting this. I'll be takin' this test when I am in front of some speakers.

No problem, give it a shot!

[paul999]

I guess I will go first on this one. I can't tell you which amp or amp sim is which brand. I have a single rectifier but don't know where I have heard the other 2.

This is what I hear.

A. sim
B. mic
C. Mic
D. Sim
E. Mic
F. sim.

B,C and E seem to have more in common and A,D and F have more in common then other pairs.

No pair jumped out at me as being matched

A and F sound the closest match to each other to me but since I think they are both sim's I can't choose them as being a pair
B and E sound next closest match again same problem I think they are both mic's
I couldn't pick anything to match with C least of all D.
Hmmm Unless I am totally off I would say that the sim's are sounding nothing like a mic'd amp and vice versa.

Also I prefer the sim tones to the amp tones in this experiment for this mix(assuming I am right). I am not acquainted with the i5 in a session. All of the tones are quite useable for this mix.

Thanks for putting this together lolgreg.

[brandondrury]

I don't play the amp vs simulator game because that's not consistent with my view of the craft and I'm not in the mood for jeopardy or doing pushups.

1) Sounds badass.
2) not bad, but not NEARLY good as 001
3) I don't like it.
4) It's okay.
5) It's okay.
6) I like it, but not as much as 001

Brandon

[magno]

My choices from favorite to least, and a guess at which is which.
A=Windsor mic'd
F=5150 II mic'd
B=Dual Rec. mic'd
D=Windsor impulse
E=5151 II impulse
C=Dual Rec. impulse

[lolzgreg]

Originally Posted by paul999

I guess I will go first on this one. I can't tell you which amp or amp sim is which brand. I have a single rectifier but don't know where I have heard the other 2.

This is what I hear.

A. sim
B. mic
C. Mic
D. Sim
E. Mic
F. sim.

You actually have zero correct overall. Take another listen, I posted this on another forum as well and most people guessed right away.

[mindundermatter]

1. Real
2. Sim
3. Sim
4. Real
5. Sim
6. Real

Those are my guesses. As to which is which, I have no idea. Honestly, I kind of agree with Brandon. If it sounds good, what difference does it make if it's a real amp or a real sim?

[magno]

Originally Posted by mindundermatter

If it sounds good, what difference does it make if it's a real amp or a real sim?

It really doesn't matter at all, especially to the end user(the person who hopefully buys the music).
But which one did you like?

[mindundermatter]

But which one did you like?

Okay, here we go again, in different terminology.

1. Really, really liked.
2. Indifferent; didn't really move me.
3. Even worse than #2.
4. Pretty damn good.
5. Not bad, I guess.
6. Somewhat awesome.

So, I'd say #1 was my favorite, followed by #4, then #6. Then there's a severe falloff to #5, #2, and #3 in that order.

Edit: For this test, I listened again without looking at my previous answers and came up with the same thing. Good for me!