Román Vega

Introduction
With titles under its belt such as SampleTank, Philharmonik Miroslav, Sonic Reality Refills, etc., IK Multimedia launches version 2 of AmpliTube, software designed to deliver virtual solutions for guitarists: amp and cabinet modeling, signature simulations of legendary tones, stompbox and rack effects, tuner, noise gate, etc.

Virtual processing
It is clear that computer-based technologies are rising like wildfire. Probably one of the main reasons behind this is achieving good results at prices infinitely lower than what the "real-world" products would cost us. In this case, for example, we get plenty of pedals, racks, several amps, several cabinets, a tuner, etc. What would all that cost us in actual hardware?

Some software developments are better than others, depending on which areas they cover. In this respect, it seems we guitarists have drawn the short straw, since this is the field where simulations and the like have been slowest to deliver. Percussion, drums, keyboards and even vocals have had more brilliant runs in terms of how quickly software solutions arrived and, most importantly, the quality and realism of the results.

Many people develop their love of music glued to a computer. The fact that certain software lets you keep expanding the resources of a "home studio" makes this type of tool highly sought after.

Guitar modeling software
Before analyzing AmpliTube 2 in depth on the test bench, let me share my general impression of the guitar modeling software I have tested to date (various brands and companies). I think one of the most important attractions of this kind of software is versatility. Above and beyond quality, we find an impressive range of possibilities and, most strikingly, at affordable prices.

I honestly believe that a demanding guitarist used to working with tube amps, legendary pedals and top-shelf cabinets will be unable to adapt to the type of sound this kind of virtual modeling provides. However, for those who still don't know which kinds of sounds suit them best, who want to learn and discover how a guitar's sound changes depending on the effects and amps we use, etc., or for those looking for lots of sounds to open up their demos and explore possibilities, I find this kind of guitar software interesting.

Tested: AMPLITUBE 2

Installation
You can install this big guy in Pro Tools, Cubase SX, Logic, Digital Performer, Sonar, Live, etc.

Installation is simple, the usual for any plug-in. It is semi-automatic and works the first time. The software comes with the famous little USB key. I understand the manufacturer's need to ensure anti-piracy measures, although I find these keys quite inconvenient. Even though all you need to do is plug it into a USB port, when you have lots of plug-ins or programs, your computer ends up riddled with USB keys, and sometimes conflicts can arise between one key (license) and another.

In this case, with the famous key joining so many others, it only meant a small registration delay, etc., without causing any problems or headaches.

At the top right, the program offers a "skeleton" branching into the different modules. Our guitar's sound will pass through all of them. It is as simple as clicking each section with the mouse to adjust each block to our liking:
DUAL MODE:
STOMP A - AMP A - CABINET A - RACK A
STOMP B - AMP - B - CABINET B - RACK B

Design
I find it curious that they have avoided using "commercial" names or brands for the products being simulated. The look (for example of the amps, cabinets or mics) resembles the "original" models they supposedly imitate virtually, but no well-known brands are used, nor similar-sounding ones, as other programs do with names like Mattshall 60" Tube. In any case, at the end of the test you can see all the options for each block, along with what each one simulates, even though the software does not use the different companies' trade names.

To sum up the program's design, I tip my hat to the design team. It has an attractive "vintage/virtual" look that gives us the feeling of working with "classic gear." All the sections and areas are truly intuitive, easy to use and well organized.

Tuner
Among computer-based tuners, I confess this is one of the fastest and most accurate. What's more, given the way it graphically displays the pitch of each string, we can also use it to check the tuning stability of each string on different guitars. We will see that some strings stay practically in place (once tuned) while others drift depending on the wave they produce. For example, the pitch dropping as the note decays, or the case of "crazy" strings that never hold a steady pitch.

Amplification section
The truth is that the range of options is very tempting at first glance. We start with an amp with a classic-style "VU meter," gain, bass, mid, treble, presence, spring reverb and volume controls, plus slots for assigning the amp, preamp and EQ modeling. We can browse amps such as:
American Tube Clean 1
American Tube Clean 2
Modern Tube Lead
American Tube Vintage
Tube Vintage Combo
British Tube 30TB
British Tube Lead 1 and 2
Solid State Clean
Modern Hi Gain
Solid State Fuzz
Solid State Lead
THD BiValve
Bass amplification, etc.

You can visit the manufacturer's website to learn about all the simulation types and their options in detail.

Cabinet section
In this section we control the type of speaker cabinet that our preamp and amp signal will supposedly pass through. I liked the design, very visual and intuitive. You can choose from different types of simulated speakers/cabinets, for example: combos with one 6-inch speaker, combos with one 8-inch speaker, 12-inch, two twelve-inch speakers... 4x10, 4x12, etc. Obviously the sound changes depending on the cabinet you choose.

In this section we also control the (virtual) mic position and distance, as well as the microphone itself. You can choose harder-sounding or more sensitive mics, dynamics, condensers, all of them in different styles. Depending on the mic you select, where you place it and at what distance, you will again run through a wide assortment of sounds.

Some mic options:
Dynamic 57
Dynamic 421
Dynamic 441
Condenser 87
Condenser 84
Condenser 414

The design is fun and fluid. You can even see the mic move away from the speakers as you change the distance.

RACK sections
You get two independent module racks, each able to hold 4 stereo rack units. In this block you can include effects such as:
- Digital flanger
- Analog chorus
- Digital chorus
- Rotary Speaker
- Digital delay
- Digital reverb
- Pitch effects: Harmonator, Pitch Shifter...
- Equalizers
- Tube Compressor
- Stereo Enhancer
- Etc.

PEDALS section
What would a hard-hitting virtual simulator be without pedals? Well, here they are. With a thoroughly classic and legendary look, AmpliTube 2 offers a series of pedals to help us shape our sound once the other parameters (amps, cabinets, mics, etc.) have been selected.

I found it amusing that the "pedals" window initially shows a sort of empty floor (parquet or wood decking). As you select pedals, they appear on that "floor."

Within the range of pedals you'll find things like chorus, phaser, flanger, tremolo, delays, LFO filter, wah, octavers, Harmonator, distortions: Fuzz Age, Overscream, Overdrive, Crusher, etc., compressors, volume pedals, EQ, etc.

As I said at the beginning of the article, you have practically everything. To own this arsenal of physical pedals, we would have to spend a small fortune. Even buying the cheapest, crummiest ones, we wouldn't save as much. As for the sound...

The sound
Well, here is a choice you have to make:

What do you prefer: an awesome, over-the-top distortion pedal, or a little box that gives you every effect you can imagine?
In the first case, for a similar price, you would go for a distortion pedal that sounds really good (even a pedal offering different types of distortion, all of them very well executed). In the second case you would get a wide range of tools (practically all of them) with inferior sonic results.
I think the modulation effects and EQ processing are very usable. That is, they work quite well. As for reverb and delays, they are acceptable at an amateur level, and you can experiment with them and get lots of alternatives. The distortion side... honestly, it's incredible that you can achieve these things through a computer. For those of you in the bad habit of plugging your guitar (through a distortion box) "straight" into the computer, AmpliTube 2 will be an excellent option, because you will greatly (and I mean greatly) improve the quality of the sound you get.

You can hear how each parameter we tweak affects the sound, and as an experiment it is truly educational. By working hard on the choice of elements we select, combined with its (effective, by the way) noise gate and so on, we can get results that are fairly convincing, and on a stray track here and there (among several high-quality ones) the fact that we are using a virtual simulator might go completely unnoticed.

Conclusions
In short, I would say it is a nice tool for those taking their first steps, who want to experiment, learn and add color to the guitars on their demos and who (of course) have a computer at hand. Personally, I prefer conventional gear, although I admit that for getting familiar with all kinds of sounds and getting hundreds of possibilities for your guitar, it's not bad at all.

If you are a fairly experienced "tube" guitarist, this will fall short for you (in my opinion). If you are a curious guitarist, eager to learn, explore and get 100% out of your computer, this program will be a joy.

The software also includes, by the way, a selection of interesting presets. Both amp preconfigurations (so you don't have to go crazy with parameters) and "signature" presets that recreate the sounds of legendary guitarists or songs.

Cheap (compared to physical gear) and easy to use, for average final quality.

To see the spec sheet and rating table, download the magazine in PDF