Let's Say You Have The Perfect Amp

[LSchefman]

Hi Les,

Here's a (very sloppy) comparison of the HX/DA and MDT set very clean. Master dimed, volume around 10 o'clock, which is actually quite loud. The MDT had the "bright" switch set to normal (otherwise it breaks up at a lower volume...) and the HX/DA was set with two out of three on the D/A mode (forget which was which) with the lead channel around 10 o'clock and just a shosh of bass volume. EQ's set so that they had a pretty similar clean tone. For my tastes, clean or dirty, neither really has a clear advantage. The HX/DA gives you more alternatives though, so that in and of itself is an advantage I guess. If you're gigging the amp (and from what I've read of you posts, you're mainly recording with these, so maybe doesn't apply to you...) and you set the amp relatively clean, I think that the MDT takes pedals better (again for my tastes at least...)

Anyway, in the clip, the first section has a couple of riffs with pedals switched out (one on the bridge pickup and one on the neck). The next is with a Wampler Pinnacle set for (to me) a modern gain tone that's a bit scooped, and the third is with a Fulltone OCD set with a bit of crunch. Bottom line for me is that there isn't a clear winner, without pedals, the HX/DA has more options, and with pedals, the MDT has more options. Both are fantastic in my opinion. Used an R5 (hotmod with wraptail and burstbuckers...) for this one. SC58 is also very tastey through these as well...

Both heads were switched through a Radial Headbone into the PRS 2x12 with V30s. You can hear the clicking when I switch between heads because I used two mics to record this. The first was at the cab, and the second was around 20' away. Unfortunately I placed the mic on a small stand on the floor right next to the remote control footswitch for the headbone, hence the clicks. It makes it obvious at least when I'm switching heads I guess...

Thanks for this, Aristotle! Super-nice demo!

You made it easy to hear the differences between the two models, and I truly appreciate it!

Could you replace the amp with income from 2 projects? Do you do more than 5 projects a year? Would you lose the opportunity for a call-back if your amp failed?

If you answered yes to these, buy a duplicate and rest easier at night. Your concern is valid, IMO

Good advice!

If an amp went down I wouldn't lose an opportunity, since the work I do doesn't involve auditioning. But I would certainly feel less comfortable. Even when I have a been given a decent deadline, clients often will want the project completed early. It just happened last week!

A TV ad project came in on Tuesday at 6 PM, and the original deadline was Monday, end of day. One thirty second and one fifteen second version. Six days is a luxurious amount of time in the ad world.

Well, that soon changed from 6 days to a day and a half for the whole ball of wax. Scoring to picture, arranging the two versions, recording, mixing, mastering.

By 9 AM Thursday I got a client email asking for finished tracks by noon same day.

Fortunately, I'd gotten a head start! By Thursday morning, all that was left was a couple of guitar overdubs, mixing, mastering and uploading the audio files to the client.

This is where not having to mess around getting a guitar tone is a big deal!

Given this three hour deadline, having the rig miked up properly and ready to go before I got started was an absolute necessity, not a luxury. Because I not only had to track, I had to mix, master and upload audio files to the client in the three hour period. It can take as much time to mix a 30 second track as it does a 3 minute song.

People often ask me, "Don't you audition guitars, amps, mics to figure out the best one for a project?" Well, that'd be great, but who the heck has the time? That's why I only have a couple of guitars and a single amp. It's a big reason I like PRS guitars, they're versatile. I gotta simply strap a guitar on, and get going. I maybe have time to move the mic to capture a particular thing. That's about it.

On a project like this, even using a modeler would have slowed me down. I hate playing through modelers, I like the vibe of the amp in the room. Modelers force me to do more takes. Too frustrating under a deadline. And in truth, just going through models, and picking mic/cab impulse responses, and all, kills the creative vibe and takes additional time. Faster, and sounds better to just walk into the room and move the freakin' mic a couple of inches!

So...yeah. I can justify a backup amp.

[sergiodeblanc]

good thing about it was by having them it assured that I never needed to use them.

Buy that sucker Les! just keep it in the wrapping and then you could sell it to a "collector" down the road.

[Boogie]

Buy that sucker Les! just keep it in the wrapping and then you could sell it to a "collector" down the road.

That would be great, but it's not a true backup if it hasn't been tested, burned-in and dialed-in. But since they don't leave the house/studio, wear-n-tear should be zero. I'd certainly buy THAT!

[captdg]

While reading pro gear, saw an ad for a box that would save the "exact sound" of ANY guitar and amp combo and then you could duplicate it. I know this isnt for the purist but would it get one out of a tight spot? or is this just sales talk? I guess I meant Modeler. I am new and just learning.

[LSchefman]

While reading pro gear, saw an ad for a box that would save the "exact sound" of ANY guitar and amp combo and then you could duplicate it. I know this isnt for the purist but would it get one out of a tight spot? or is this just sales talk? I guess I meant Modeler. I am new and just learning.

This would be the Kemper profiling amp. I believe that the modeling technique is largely impulse response derived. The Axe-FX Bennett refers to uses another modeling technique, and it's algorithm based with the additional ability to use cabinet impulse responses.

It sounds pretty darn amazing for what it is.