ACS1 vs Simplifier MkII vs Iridium: Edit for quick comparisons

[@jeremiahbayani184]

I'm thinking about getting the Boss IR-2...never thought I'd be on the market for amp sim pedals yet here I am

[@just.because.why.not.]

I'm thinking about the Strymon, I have a Vox AC15C1 and even though it's pretty light when it comes to tube amps it's still a pain to haul around. If you have a Big Sky, check out the cab filter, it's pretty good.

[@THINJIMI]

Iridium, and Two Notes Opus are the best…Simplifier coming today! Asci only does clean tones…and the Boss you are getting I i didn’t care for, and was not as good as the ones I mention at all.

[@JeanThomasdeVoghel]

Great comparisons. It would also be interesting to use all 3 as a clean pedal platform and then add an overdrive, distortion and fuzz to see which one works best

[@DickieDemos]

Yes, good point. I know the ACS1 is a good pedal platform as I've used it for quite a few other demos.

[@johncfoster7949]

Yes, because modelers do cleans fine but the distortions are spiky and weird.

[@SergeiVlassov]

I wonder why you cut trebles and presence on a clean tones on simplifier only? As a result it sounded less open and less bright. I suppose you can tweak them to more similar tones.

[@DickieDemos]

I was finding the DSM's top end a little harsh with the Telecaster - really I had to turn the treble and presence down to get it sounding nice. Seems like a reasonable match with the ACS1 to me, but I agree it is less 'open'.

[@SergeiVlassov]

@@DickieDemos ok, that makes sense. Interesting - if I read forums and reviews everywhere, people are super excited about Simplifier, telling how amp-like it sounds, how it is better that all the digital stuff including the most expensive one. But when I listen to demos I don't hear that. Here in your comparison I would choose Strymon and Warlus probably in all cases that you showed.

[@DickieDemos]

​@@SergeiVlassov well, it definitely has a more rounded low end. But there may also be some confirmation bias because it's analogue.

[@jeffbucklew926]

Iridium sounded nearly the same on every setting, and sounded very harsh/DI. Apparently that's due to stock IRs, though, and replacing those is common.

[@DickieDemos]

I quite like the Vox tones in the Iridium, but don't think I'd ever use any of the others as they are.

[@Cimmerian101-JH]

Thought I was going to come away from this loving the Simplifier but it just sounded so thin compared with the other two. The ACS is the overall winner for me (although not in every situation).

[@DickieDemos]

I think that's broadly my conclusion too.

[@tonugamu]

hey i was feeling this too

[@argentoenny]

Same here !!!!!💪🏻

[@markh.6606]

I'm thinking it is probably capable of a much thicker sound depending on how it's set, he never changed the settings...

[@The_fuzz_buzz]

Is this on the new firmware and IR’s for the ACS1?

[@AlexGroen]

Curious as well

[@DickieDemos]

Yes, the 2023 update.

[@AlexGroen]

Nice, thanks! ​@@DickieDemos

[@JudgeFredd]

The simplifier sounds really muddy to me

[@DickieDemos]

Interesting! I set the treble and presence fairly low on the Simplifier because it was more zingy than the other two.

[@Greg-r6t]

What about tech 21 sans amp character plus? Is it better than theses 3 models?

[@DickieDemos]

I haven't tried the Plus models, but I used to have a few of the Character pedals and they were good but I think all of these are better.

[@waltuhhimself]

ACS1 and iridium is pretty much on par except for the terrible iridium plexi (pretty sure it's the IR) The simplifier is slightly worse in all mode.

[@johncfoster7949]

Fast distorted single note passages please

[@DickieDemos]

😬

[@josearjona3728]

In all demos Simplifier seems ok until the gain comes to play. Great cleans but horrible gain IMO

[@DickieDemos]

It's definitely more comfortable with the clean stuff. Mind, you could say that about all three of them - overdrive pedals ftw!

[@ThePolarBeer]

Walrus wins with Fender tones for me.

[@DickieDemos]

@@ThePolarBeer me too!

[@Vikkk1978]

Clean tones - the ACS1 definitely won. The Marshall tones are equally bad for everyone, Simplifire slightly better than the rest. The Voxy sound is also bad for everyone. Maybe at Iridium he is the little nicer than a little more pleasant. It would be interesting to listen to a similar comparison in the mix

[@DickieDemos]

@@Vikkk1978 I think I broadly agree with all of that, although I do like the Vox tones of the Walrus and Strymon in some ways.

[@nobrakes3765]

Pretty much all of these pale compared to a real amp.

[@DickieDemos]

I think the ACS1 in particular is great for some things... but I also have a collection of real amps and it's not getting any smaller.