IK MULTIMEDIA AMPLITUBE 2
Jul 1, 2006 12:00 PM, BY JASON SCOTT ALEXANDER
With a complete redesign, AmpliTube 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to the 2002 plug-in that got the ball rolling for guitar-tone emulation and effects. Aside from a fresh look and more cool features than you can shake a Stratocaster at, AmpliTube 2 features the ultra-accurate analog modeling technology Dynamic-Saturation Modeling (DSM). By emulating components' circuit boards, this affords an unprecedented level of amp-tone authenticity.
INTERFACE STUDY
AmpliTube 2's completely redesigned interface has looks to kill and a much more natural feel than before, neatly laid out like a guitar rig. Whereas the original AmpliTube had three main sections — Stomp, Amp and Rack — AmpliTube 2 expands to five, including a Tuner and the newly separated Cabinet module, which features enhanced microphone modeling with on/off-axis, near/far and ambience controls for achieving different timbral responses.
The rig includes 14 preamps with matching EQ models, seven power-amp and 16 speaker cabinet models with an additional choice of six microphones and 21 stomp and 11 rack effects. Additionally, AmpliTube 2 can run two independent guitar rigs with myriad routing possibilities for monstrous custom-sound setups. All gear replicas are represented through gorgeous, photorealistic interfaces with no parameter more than a click or two away. The input gain and level meter, noise gate, output-level meter and master gain sit across the bottom.
AmpliTube 2's true power lies in amplifier circuitry modeling, which allows you to mix and match preamp, EQ and power-amp sections to build custom amp designs. Taking into account the vast new cabinet and microphone selection, there are more than 20,000 possible combinations, including many not typically possible in the real world — great potential for modern/vintage-hybrid creations. It's easy to lose yourself for hours of fun in this area alone.
PEDAL POWER
A colorful new pedal board contains all five classic AmpliTube stomp effects and powerful new emulations based on some extremely rare and vintage models, categorized as modulation, delay, filter, pitch, distortion, dynamics, EQ and other. Tributes include the Arbiter FuzzFace, Ibanez Tube Screamer, Boss Octaver, Fender Opto-Tremolo, Electro-Harmonix Memory Man and more.
The models sound damn accurate to my ears, even displaying key minute abnormalities in dynamics and saturation, such as the warm build-up you get with classic analog echo/delay, complete with variances during modulation. The envelope, LFO and wah filters sound authentically “stompy” (often those emulations are too pretty), just like the top players used in the '60s and '70s. The wah finally features an auto function.
Rack effects are placed at the end of the signal chain, and as many as four units can be inserted per guitar rig for eight total simultaneous DSPs across the plug-in's final output. Those include: choruses, flanger, rotary speaker, delay, reverb, harmonizer, pitch shifter, parametric EQ, tube compressor and stereo enhancer.
The all-important tube compressor is very smooth, lively and capable of adding great color at any setting. The modulation effects really impressed me in the sense that they're not your typical generic-sounding processors often bundled with guitar amp plug-ins. The digital chorus is beautiful and clear, with a slight metallic overtone to it. The reverb and delay units, though simple, share a sound quality you'd expect from stand-alone plug-ins; five delay modes are available and can sync to the host's tempo. Perhaps the most impressive module is the Harmonator, an advanced harmonizing effect featuring three voices, each with independent harmony, level and pan. By entering the instrument's key and scale, the Harmonator analyzes the input signal and tracks the voices accordingly.
RIG ROUTING
A routing display offers superflexible connections between all the modules of the dual-guitar rigs in series or parallel. The rigs can be played independently, simultaneously or routed to effectively double the available stomps, amps, cabinets and racks effects into a single wall of sound. You can use as many as 12 stompboxes and eight DSP racks at any time.
AmpliTube 2 shows off that flexibility with a fantastic selection of more than 400 presets divvied up into folders, including Complete Rigs — Clean, Crunch, Lead-Hi Gain and Bass; Pure Amps — amps sans effects; Signature — easily identifiable sounds from classic records; Styles; and VIP guitarist presets. The VIP folder contains exciting, inspiring sounds from the guitarists of the Black Eyed Peas, Destiny's Child, Bonnie Raitt and others.
DIM THE HOUSE LIGHTS
Although a cinch to master, you're always discovering cool new settings and amp and effects combinations. No matter your style, experience or amp-rig snobbishness, the sound of AmpliTube 2 will make you smile. Run keyboards, vocals and drum sounds through the amps, too. The fuzz that it will lay on a kick or snare can be just what's required to seat them comfortably in the vintage past — especially with the mic modeling.
The DSM technology gives AmpliTube 2 an incredibly natural sound that I've yet to hear from any other modeler and is far improved over the original. Tube dynamics are musical with saturation levels that gradually ooze their way out the louder the guitar is played. For guitar, AmpliTube 2 can deliver incredibly high gain, dramatically expansive headroom and a ballsy response. Like any good valve amp, lows are full of energy and punch. You can hear all the subtle and colorful interplay that occurs between hardware amp components as they undergo their own discrete processes. The transistor-based models sound superb and offer very low distortion up to the point of clipping, after which distortion rises rapidly and delivers that characteristic jump when triggered by the odd hot note.
The double-rig setup opens many doors. You can formulate massive “studio setups” in a single plug-in with one chain having a British Tube Lead 1 amp, for example, and the other chain using a THD BiValve amp for the ultimate chunky hard-rock tone. For a modern punk sound, try throwing a phaser stomp on one channel and running two different amps in parallel through panned vintage and modern cabinets with condenser and dynamic mics, respectively.
Performance was flawless and generally light on the CPU with most presets taking a 10- to 15-percent hit on my 3.2GHz Pentium 4, leaving plenty of room for other mixing tasks. A maxed-out dual rig with all stomp and DSP units running required a 70-percent load. I mostly used AmpliTube 2 to postprocess dry guitar tracks from disk, but latency is so low that I could audition tweaks with no audible delay — even with substantial setups. I do wish you could load third-party plugs into AmpliTube 2's effects chain for even greater flexibility, but on a speedy laptop with a low-latency audio interface, AmpliTube 2 is all you'll need for a gig.
IK MULTIMEDIA
AMPLITUBE 2 > $399
Pros: Sounds incredible. Modeling now takes place at the electronic-component level for more authentic sound. Simultaneous guitar rigs. More than 80 painstaking gear emulations. Can build an amp by mixing and matching pres, EQs and power-amps. Support for forthcoming StompIO attractive for live performers. Low-to-moderate CPU consumption.
Cons: Can't load third-party plugs into its effects chain. No stand-alone operation.
Contact: www.ikmultimedia.com
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Mac: G4/866 MHz; 512 MB RAM; OS X 10.3 or later; Core Audio — compatible hardware; RTAS, VST or Audio Units host software
PC: Pentium III/1 GHz; 256 MB RAM; Windows XP; ASIO/Direct Sound/MME — compatible hardware; RTAS or VST host software
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