Are Tube Amps Fighting a Losing Battle?

#guitar #music #guitarist #shorts
yessir. the ultimate battle of good and evil. computer versus analog. looking forward to reading the comments on this one. dig it.
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[@joebluhm]

The amp warmth is undeniable.

[@JJ-xt2dq]

This was just a bad comparison

[@brotherjongrey9375]

​@@JJ-xt2dq somebody needs a better tube amp

[@piotrekuygiutf4946]

For me it's just muddy

[@dingalarm]

Seriously, what is "warmth" ?

[@themaczter9024]

@@dingalarm the wave of sound produced by the tube amp

[@gioelemargherito]

i have to say that both sounds great, but the response under the fingers that gives you a tube amp is on another level

[@Tripsody]

Didn’t know there was such a big difference between the two. But I think it’s all about the type of sound you’re looking to create for a particular effect. Not one size fits all

[@MattsGuitar]

Wear headphones

[@EdwardVanHalen_16]

@@MattsGuitar I think he means he didn’t know that there was that big of a difference before he watched the video

[@kondopop4251]

I agree with you man. I personally prefer the tube amp but the option is great for wanting a specific sound🤘

[@notkwcly1368]

To be fair he's comparing a $1,600 amp to a $260 amp modeler. I'd recommend watching Andertons Music Co's videos on the Quad Cortex. The difference is almost non existent

[@chrisorrell3066]

I’ve never played a modelling amp or irs kinda thing so I can’t really comment on them. But with tube amps there is not only the tone or sound or whatever you want to call it but there is also a feel to them that really only the player can feel. I’m not sure if the other can replicate that?

[@therussianguitarist8448]

I loved when he said “it’s guitaring time” and started playing the guitar

[@MarkToast99]

Dude really guitared all over the place

[@aztecwhistle9122]

He's too big to respond to you

[@noahholland914]

The good thing about sims are that you can get virtually any tone you want pretty easily. I still think I prefer a real amp there’s just something that’s more present with them. I’m actually about to start recording some songs and still deciding which one to use

[@aidancarlisle6237]

use your amp its so much easier to mix sims have where more fizzy highs and booming lows that just get in the way

[@noahholland914]

@@aidancarlisle6237 ok awesome thanks!

[@Watermelon_Man]

@@aidancarlisle6237 Anyone who knows what they’re doing shouldn’t have an issue mixing either one. You’re going to need to do some subtractive EQ on the traditional as well.

[@kimseniorb]

@@Watermelon_Man tube amps are much easier to mix, they just sound solid and right from the get go. the sims have trouble with dynamics, they compress/sag in a non pleasant way, the high frequencies are shrill and it feels like the sound is not in phase with itself, it blooms and decays in a weird way. just get a real amp and a loadbox and I guarantee it will satisfy. I’ve been the ampsim rabbithole for years but never truly satisfied and the moment I recorded some the real amps again it was just perfect. Don’t waste your time with sims if you have that dissatisfaction recording sims

[@dakotaperry6476]

@@kimseniorb I can’t talk on mixing real amps as I’ve never done it but I’ve been very satisfied with sims thus far. Cheap, consistent, quiet and super flexible. For someone like most of us who just want to make music as a hobby, sims are perfect. And if you want to take it as a serious career choice, sims can still get the job done, Polyhpia, Plini, Periphery, Tesseract, Vai and tons of other bands use sims/digital amps and still have phenomenal tones. Whatever gets you more excited and inspired is what you should go with, both have excellent options and with today’s technology both will do just fine.

[@Whatthewhatat]

There’s a brightness with Fender tube amps that simulators will never be able to replicate perfectly imo.

[@ether2006]

imo as long as you get the music you want out of it, it’s perfect

[@lordlemmun5216]

Either one is useful and a playing musician should have both. Whatever gets you to the sound you want is the right option.

[@razzmatazzduck]

It's amazing how you fit what other KZbinrs would put into a 20 minutes video, in just a single short. Thanks for making these videos so simple and to the point!

[@EbonyPope]

Not being long-winded is good but shorts are just feeding into the growing trend of short attention span workout and depth. It's the TikTokification of KZbin and I hate it. You can't convey certain things with these hectical formats that are easily forgotten a few minutes later. Which is a shame. It's like to hear the guy play more and go into more detail.

[@davidburke2132]

I’m a tube amp fan and even I know that with enough effort you could definitely get the modeller to sound much more like the actual tube amp than is being showcased here. Seems to me like the amount of effort that has gone into the video is commensurate with the length of it 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@lifeezane3526]

He doesn’t fit anything in that short, amp sims and tube amps are indistinguishable in a full mix, he could have swapped the etiquette « amp sim » and « tube amp » and the same exact commenters would say that the tube amp sound better, stop hearing with your eyes, the two sound vastly different and if someone told you its just two different amps you would have believed it.

[@davidburke2132]

@@lifeezane3526 the point is that it is two different amps here, because he’s clearly made virtually no effort to set them up to sound the same. In that light I can happily say the tube amp sounds better, but that’s not necessarily because it IS better, it’s because he’s not taken the time to get the tone of the amp sim sounding as good as it can.

[@Billiamwoods]

​@@lifeezane3526Yeah, I assume most people watching this aren't huge guitar nerds, but it's kind of crazy how people are just eating this up without any questions. I don't think he mentions at any point how the guitar was recorded and played back, the volume is clearly different in several clips, and he basically just plays into what's already the common opinion.

[@Insignia27]

Something about the sim just feels thin and artifiical, while the amp feels full, warm, and raw, which i love.

[@ychnaval8510]

Tube Amps Here 👇

[@pabloperez4063]

Always

[@cresty1236]

it sounds so much better

[@lowercase3635]

Availability and affordability! Amp sim all day!

[@xavierthebaker]

Yeah

[@jacksonharvey6342]

It clearly sounds better

[@peterplummer6100]

Beautiful playing

[@rylanurquhart9009]

Very good comparison, personally I don't think you can beat the sound of the tube amp but for the slight difference that there is amp modellers can definitely be worth it for a lot of people due to the practicality. Would be interesting to see a similar comparison between a tube amplifier, an amp modeller and a solid state amp also. Great video!

[@less2worryabout]

And modelers are solid state Ryan.

[@rylanurquhart9009]

@@less2worryabout Yes they are, sorry I should have clarified further. What I meant was that he could do a comparison between a solid state amp and an amp modeller, to see what was better value for money, and which is a better purchase overall etc but thank you for pointing that out!

[@less2worryabout]

@@rylanurquhart9009 hey man no problem. I have 2 tube amps ii run together but have had a solid state ss 150 ampeg that I loved also

[@rylanurquhart9009]

@@less2worryabout Nice that's so awesome! I only have a very cheap solid state amp right now but I intend on purchasing a good tube amp at some point in the near future for gigging.

[@less2worryabout]

@@rylanurquhart9009 zzounds or sweetwater will let you do monthly payments no interest and just a small amount down and send you the equipment right away i could hardly believe it. I got myself an ac30ch ch for custom head. 1000 bucks but I could have gotten the hardwired with 2 speakers for another 100 some odd dollars. I really do not regret it at all. Just pointing that out.

[@jasonschweitzer4783]

Tube amps have so much warmth,love the sound

[@dingalarm]

What is "warmth" anyway (is it the heat from the tubes)?

[@jasonschweitzer4783]

It's the warm sound,not the heat,it's a fuller sound,better than solid state

[@dingalarm]

@@jasonschweitzer4783 OK, thanks! So by "fuller", I assume that you mean a "mellow" sound, which isn't excessively trebly (bright)?

[@jasonschweitzer4783]

@@dingalarm yes sir

[@jasonschweitzer4783]

@@dingalarm let them warm up first by letting it sit on standby for a few minutes,and you'll hear the difference..

[@troldmagnus2]

This really deserves more love, man, keep it up!

[@christianhetzel7956]

I just love plugging into my nice tweed tube amp watching em glow up and then listening to the nice warm sound it’s so relaxing and nothing beats it

[@rafaelzengo5534]

I guess with an amp, tube or not, it really comes down to how you mic/record it as well as everything in the chain; amp sims give more of an instant, ready to go sound that’s pretty good. In some cases better than micing an amp if you don’t have a professional studio at home.

[@Ber3ft]

I like the warmth and fullness of the tube amp it has the nice rich lows but to each their own and sometimes the versatility of a sim makes up for it not being real

[@thecatmatt]

My top amp modeller… …a donner 😅

[@coryfraser7554]

My thoughts exactly lololol

[@JohnWiku]

Paid advert 🤣🤣 anyway, still sounds good for what it is

[@mvvnlit3983]

Literally what I was gonna say. That thing sounds okay but a Helix would have gotten pretty damn close

[@reaperxax]

@@mvvnlit3983 and a kemper or an ax fx would have blown an amp out the water not even mentioning literally stock plugins from neural dsp I also think the warmth they’re hearing is mainly just cab resonance which you can duplicate so yeah

[@JanilGarciaJr]

And it already sounds good AF. Imagine a better modeller.

[@tom_4615]

I feel like that simulated tone is gonna sit waay better in a mix

[@michalkysel4351]

Yes, because not contain as lot of low end - which is also filtered by sound guy, when you playing real amp on the stage. That´s a difference - amp sims produces "complete tone" of whole tone chain (box, mic, room, final EQ), which audience hear from the PA. For sound technicians is it pretty easy job - just plug the cables, with flat PA desk EQ, and your guitar sound for the audience is done.

[@Ninjametal]

I think either would need some EQ boost/cut for a mix. I've never had a guitar track sit perfect or balance without some EQ refinement. It doesn't matter (to me, at least) if one or the other is a few db's less movement.

[@skylar5257]

Nothing beats the Tube amps, but it does have a pretty good tone.

[@johnmoser1162]

More crap ... if you would understand how a tube amp works, then you understand how stupid this comment is.

[@josephfigueroa3527]

Speakers make all the difference, as well as the mix. You can make them both sound identical or totally different with editing the EQ. Tube amps are antique.

[@odishudson4739]

You mean unique. Evidently you just can't afford one . 'cause there is a big difference.

[@Mukna132]

​@@odishudson4739as someone who has owned multiple tube amps and have borrowed amp modellers, there is nothing unique about a tube amp once it has been recorded. 'In the room' sure there is a difference, but ultimately all that matters is how it sounds coming out of the PA or speakers as that's what listeners hear. And in that regard, you can absolutely make a modeller sound EXACTLY like its tube counterpart.

[@josephfigueroa3527]

​@odishudson4739 I've had JCM800s, Rev F Dual Rectifiers, SLO100s, Krankenstein 2s, etc. Obviously, not all one but a few at a time through trades and sales. I absolutely love tube amps, mostly for the look and the fact that I can maintain them, but there's no getting around the fact that at the end of the day, I can and have gotten the same tone I get from my time amp and 4x12 with Mojotone Greyhounds with my preferred mic placement from amp sims. Tube amp tech has been antique for decades, the only reason solid state didn't completely take over earlier is because guitar players are superstitious and big brands take full advantage of that. Not to mention all the big names that he paid to endorse tube amps, though that's gonna change soon as we move to the digital age. It's also way easier and cheaper to gig with a sim rig, you really just need the 1 rack for the whole band at this point. That rack can hold 3 amp sims, all the wireless, all the monitor systems, power supplies, etc.

[@masonhoward7826]

Omg what a good laugh bro. Thank you.

[@baabdesigns9179]

i really like the warmth of the tubes,

[@chekfv]

Tube Amp just sounds so smooth and iconic

[@ahmeteren4016]

İts not smooth its funky

[@matthewhale9831]

Honestly i feel like the amp sim has a bit cleaner and brighter of a sound definitely much better for a recording type of setting

[@fabianmartinez4514]

It’s all about preference the tube amp has a warmer sound to me, you’re going for crisp, I’m going for muddy. This debate will never end because we all want something different

[@matthewhale9831]

@@fabianmartinez4514 ik im just saying the amp modeler definitely cuts through a mix better

[@goner.9989]

Option 3: solid state

[@didamnesia3575]

Yeah, that's what an amp modeler is, a solid state amps with modelers. Jfc. How long have you played guitar/bass? 😂😂😂

[@DreamHachi]

I love the way tubes sound. I have a 72 American made strat and tubes are perfect for that guitar

[@ollierips]

They both have their purpose and tradeoffs. With sims you get relatively close to certain amps that cost thousands, but you also get a teeny bit of latency, which I 100% notice in comparison to my vibro champ. Micing tube amps is fun. I only use sims when I need to practice/record at night

[@omgvague]

Tubes feel like the guitar is talking. Everything else feels like the guitar is being translated.

[@theenp3889]

Underrated comment

[@LivingInNorthGA]

Exactly. Great way to put it.

[@IdolMako]

even though i despise how you play, this is real talent

[@jewelcheese]

Aight, I’m gonna need to know what that riff is from, holy that’s nice

[@mapetlarr6952]

Same

[@dontworryitsjustvitinho]

Same here

[@lemomar]

Any news?

[@fixpedalboards1969]

I have all the best of both (I’m 53 so just like the internet I’ve lived big portions of my life before and after) sure there’s no substitute for the things a tube amp can do just like there’s no substitute for the things sims can do. If you ever had to schlep a half stack up two flights of stairs to play in front of the bartender and 2 or 3 girlfriends…again…knows just how beautiful that quad cortex is. As someone who has played a thousand shows, everywhere from the VFW in Bozeman to Slim’s (SF) I promise 99% of the “lord golden ears” that claim they can hear a difference when the band is in kick ass mode is probably still holding on to their FTT too

[@incianarchy1177]

Never ever will the sound of a tube amp be replaced by something programmend... an amp is like a living organism... and thats what makes it unique... like a human able to express feeling..

[@johnmoser1162]

Crap ...

[@arandomsupra]

​@@johnmoser1162 What

[@incianarchy1177]

@@johnmoser1162 Take it easy Bro:) Thats just my maybe a little idealistic Point of view😊 have a good one🍀

[@johnmoser1162]

@@arandomsupra Only folks who can't play guitar need "magic" ... Hendrix would sound great also with a cheapo class A transistor amp.

[@arandomsupra]

@@johnmoser1162 No terrible-sounding guitar player is actually buying 1000s of dollars of gear to sound better, that juat doesnt happen. Yes, a great guitar player is probably still gonna sound good on cheap equipment, but... not really. A bad amp or guitar is still gonna sound bad even when its played good, and a general audience isnt going to like terrible-sounding music (some do, but only a smaller group of people). The point of tone is to make the music more pleasing to the ear, and more enjoyable to people.

[@ricekrispietreats8973]

Sims have an amazing clean sound that can't be beat, but tube amps have the crunch that is sometimes needed. Basically they're both great and are both tools for different jobs

[@timgosney9949]

In my experience IR is great for bedrooms and recording, but as soon as you get on stage and start pushing 100db they thin out. Nothing feels better than a valve amp moving air behind you.

[@HelloThere51423]

Both are great and it’s really the guitarist that is the deciding factor of what sounds better

[@ColinK-o9x]

What chords were in the second phrase?

[@Broski566]

I need that song 😢

[@drakewalkermusic]

Recording preference - digital Live preference - tube Boom this is settled.

[@johnlabu9827]

Sometimes we doing micing through tube to get the sound bigger

[@emefcue]

Both have thier place. Great video

[@tybrustornt]

No, the real argument is under $500 vs. $2500 to produce a near identical sound?

[@rctony710]

Sell yourself if you have to it's worth it. Do whatever it takes for the tone!

[@w5527]

That tube amp was just BEAUTIFUL The drummer for the band I used to be in has a tube amp than that thing is the size of a dresser, all tall and wide. It’s super cool and sounded great

[@pattocetamol]

They both sound good. The amp sim seems to be more focused with a bit more high end. The tube amp sounds more rounded and fluffy. It all depends on the sound you want more than one being better than the other, plus most mortals can't really tell the difference now with how good amp sims and plugins have come on.

[@Noided88815]

When it comes to your style specifically, tube amps sound leagues better. But for someone like Tim or pretty much anyone in that genre, amp Sims are a lot more practical since they can be molded to do virtually anything, even some stuff regular amps cant.

[@joeperrymk]

In my opinion they both sound amazing and can be so useful for so many different applications. I’m so grateful that I have an amazing Amp Sim in my Boss IR-200 because I live in an apartment building and can’t turn amps on at all! So if I wanna do some home recording, I can get crystal clean amp sounds from that so easily!! But definitely there is some sort of “mojo” from standing in front of a Marshall 4x12 with a plexi head dimed on top! 🤘🏾

[@theelectricbass3281]

Both are good for different purposes. I use a combination of both for studio projects and always make sure to take a DI (pre-fx) when recording out of an amp.

[@terrybowen9810]

Recently started using Sims for the experience. I can see why people are getting into modeling they came a long way if compared to my ears. The tube still sounds and feels better. Though I like the versatility right under my fingers modeling with options, it just isn't quite like the raw sound. I actually like playing both. The versatility of Sim allows me to compare different equipment with others. At least the tone is good enough to see what works, but you can go into a rabbit hole with all the choices for your tone when you can be playing. I utilize the sim if there is something I can't quite capture with my tube amp. So, having both is a plus, but it seems you still need the paid Sim for all those various effects to have the options other than the basics you would originally be able to cover anyway with a basic pedal arsenal

[@cman0262]

I honestly belive a more important question is how will your tone sit in a mix. Will it sound good when it's mixed in with the rest of the instruments. And you can get good tones with both if you know what you are doing. Also in live situations as long as your tone is not abrasive most people are not going to care that you are playing through a modeler or a tube amp.

[@alexanderhanksx]

It's more about the way it feels. I loved my solid-state amps before I bought a tube amp... Now it's really hard to go back. Especially now that I have my Mesa Boogie 😬

[@JamesContos85]

Tube amps and (high quality) amp sims seem to be indistinguishable in a mix. But while playing I have noticed that amp sims don't always respond to dynamics as well. For example: using a distorted tone and rolling back the volume a bit to clean up the tone doesn't usually respond on the digital media as well as in a tube amp. And I think it has to do with how the signal hits the front of the amp.

[@jaycole4691]

I could feel the solid state coming through the screen

[@correh_hoggs]

the tube amp sounds more natural and raw the amp sim sounds good but it just sounds like ur going through a solid state amp with a pedal sim that makes the solid state sound like a tube

[@JustinBA007]

In my opinion, the main thing you lose with amp sims is the randomness that can come from micing a speaker. Moving your mic millimeters will change the sound. Changing to a different microphone or speaker (even of the same model and brand) will change the sound. There's so much that can change, so no matter what you do, you can be sure your tone will be at least a tiny bit unique. With amp sims, if you download the same amp sims and cabinet impulses as someone else, you will sound the same as them. There is obviously plenty of experimentation from combining different sims and changing settings, but most people will just choose a few that sound good and go with it. It's also just a lot more intuitive and fun to experiment with real stuff. So in my opinion, when practicing or playing live, there's really no need for real amps. You're probably playing bars with shitty sound systems anyway, so just go with whatever is most convenient and leave the 4x12s at home. But for tracking an album, that's when you bring out the real gear and experiment.

[@ArtyShat]

for recording, in the mix, in 2023 it doesn't really matter, but the feel and warmth of the tube amp close to you while playing is just unbeatable

[@aao1240]

Love that tube Amp warmth

[@velunara]

I think that, the better the raw recording, the better the sound (usually). That being said, amp sims are so versatile and so so applicable in mixing today.

[@speelbergoMF]

I was JUST asking myself if I should have gone with a positive grid instead of my blues junior. You made me glad I went with an all tube amp

[@iHateRats-mt3sj]

I feel like this is entirely about preference and application but tube amps do have a distinct warm and beautiful sound

[@pedrog7663]

Thank you for settling this debate once and for all lol

[@lordapophis93]

Think there is a place for everything! It all comes down to how you use it and how your engineers handle the mix /master

[@rextrowbridge8386]

I play my amp sim through the iPad input jack on a Marshall code25, which bypasses all the effects and makes it essentially just a powered speaker, but it’s an actual guitar amp speaker your hearing the tone through. It sounds pretty fantastic tbh. It’s far better, and much closer sounding to a tube amp than direct in to the pc, or through computer speakers.

[@godonammdo]

i think it all depends on what you’re trying to play more so. like for the sound of classic rock riffs like your doing, i think i prefer the thump of a tube amp. but for more processed sounds i prefer amp sims because you get a fuller range of sound from each string. rather than whatever bounce you get from your amp’s settings. good tones all around tho.

[@johncabbage6080]

IMO they sounded pretty much the only difference in my ear was that the Tube Amp had a bit more warmth and room which, depending on your settings is easy to adjust for.

[@meljohnson5579]

Young man you have some of the best rhythm I have ever seen. I have been playing guitar for 58 years. Keep Rockin!

[@shionyr]

To be honest, I would probably have had difficulty telling this was a sim on a blind listening test. So it's definitely a solid choice. I do like how the tube amp seems to have more dynamics in terms of breaking up, versus the more predictable and flat output of the simulator (which can be preferable sometimes)

[@elliot1405]

The amp sim sounds much more compressed. There is no substitute for a good tube amp. There just isn’t. There never will be. That being said, they are a pain in the ass to lug around and they break easily (glass parts will do that). They both have their uses IMO

[@calebmarshall9010]

I was team tube amp all the way until I got a Kemper, and that thing is INSANE. It even nails the feedback that you’d get from standing in front of an amp. I have used it in addition to an analog setup in a few recordings, and I have yet to have anybody be able to tell which guitar track is the Kemper when listening to them.

[@matttactics8275]

I went from using a headrush mx5 to a boss me90. Now I use a Marshall DSL 20 with the boss me90 as my pedalboard. I had nice IRs I paid for. I believe you can get just about any tone from the amp sims, but you miss out on the reactiveness of the tubes.

[@triumphantsam]

Played silverface Princeton reverbs for jamming/studio work and a 64 Super Reverb for gigs for most of musical career. Bought a Quilter Aviator Cub this year and it’s the tone I’ve been looking for all my life. No reason to go back to high dollar, high maintenance, and heavy amps again.

[@killer43ful]

Yea I'm definitely going either or. Both work fine and it genuinely does come down to personal taste.

[@krams.animation]

both are great imo, if you prefer a brighter tone i'd say go for the amp sim, if you prefer a slightly darker tone go for the Tube Amps

[@conordyer2307]

He used a condenser mic that is naturally warmer compared to a sm57, as the amp simulation using an sm57 simulation hence the bass frequencies being less present.

[@guelintonquiu6933]

Daaamn that fender sounds hella good

[@AwkwardHypernerd413]

All up to personal preference. It all depends on how long tube amps will be economically viable

[@MILKK999]

If you want a more rusty kinda tone then go for the tube amp but if you want a more clean modern tone go for the sim

[@mattzocrazy123]

I feel like it all really just depends on what you're making, like if you're playing modern tech-death a clean and direct distortion sound is gonna be the way to go, if you're playing grunge or stoner doom, a big fat fuzzy laney or orange head is gonna outclass amp sim any day sound wise

[@MarkToast99]

I’ll never say one is better than the other. They serve mostly the same purpose, with some notable differences. Tube amps are random and chaotic. If you run the exact same signal through a tube amp twice, it’ll react slightly differently each time even thought it’s the same signal. I really think this is something you can feel if you’ve been playing guitar long enough. You notice the tiny little bits and pieces of variety in the feeling of playing a tube amp. It’s what makes tube amps feel exciting and powerful. You don’t have total control. While you play the amp, it also plays you to some extent. There’s no perfect consistency. Amp sims are the other side of things. They are controlled and precise. They’re basically using a snapshot of what an amp sounded like at a single instance in time and duplicating that single instance infinitely. For people who love the chaotic nature of tube amps, this can make amp sims feel flat and dull. But I personally love it. You get exactly the sound you dial in every single time, and that makes it an extremely effective tool. We’re at a point where one doesn’t sound better than the other in terms of sound quality. Both things will produce the same basic effect. It just comes down to whether you like the chaos that you can’t completely control or whether you like being able to control your sound with great precision. I think both are really cool, but amp sims win for me because I can always rely on them doing exactly what I expect them to do. With that being said, there’s something so powerful about plugging into a tube amp and getting that feeling of the amp somehow creating more out of your sound than you even intended to put into it. It’s like it has a mind of its own in a way

[@octaviodominguez7772]

amp simulators will eventually sound as good if not better than tube amps but for now the much richer tone comes from the tube amp

[@mew5178]

I can’t decide they both sound amazing

[@theultraplant]

Amp sims are getting better. However there are just dynamics that change objective things like note contrast and clarity that are better on a real amp. Amp sims also often lack a lot of mid, opting for crispy high ends and thick lows. Thats very not ideal for a mix, you want some of those mids screaming through to make sure your guitar is popping in the mix. The hardest thing that a lot of players do not understand about guitar is that your amazing crystal tone is probably absolutely useless in a mix and will be very hard to discern from other instruments the more you have going on. When you double track those crispy high ends and throw it over drums and a vocal track you immediately lose any real amount of clarity you had because there's usually a lack of mids to make the guitar pop out. Each instrument needs to sort of sit in its own frequency range and when you start venturing to other ranges you get clashing frequencies and noise. As much as I love modern metal bands, when all the instruments are going you cant hear anything and it just turns in to noise because most of them use amp sims lacking mids. Gone are the guitars when the snares and cymbals come cracking in. Compared to someone like slayer going ham with senseless solos and you can still hear and pick everything apart. Amp sims have become the ultimate practice amp however.

[@morgan_holmstrom]

I’m my opinion the tube amps tone is slightly warmer which I really enjoy. Amp sims are amazing too though, at this point it’s preference bc the technology is good enough

[@keyboard4143]

I like the mutedness and expressiveness of tube sound. Solid state amplifier sounds more precise and strict Both are good in their own way

[@AaronNGBnTech]

I love both of them

[@clgmafnas]

Time and a place for everything. Use both 🤘🏼

[@CamCo55]

The Sim sounds cleaner than the tubes, but the tubes give it a certain twang and flavour that can't be beat... Both sound great

[@DylanMizeOfficial]

This is a dumb debate. The real question is what you’re trying to play.

[@didamnesia3575]

Tubes react to voltage in a non linear curve giving you more expressions for details

[@yoeyyoey8937]

Tube amp is warmer and more open sound, but maybe with the right eq or pre amp you can make the sims sound closer to that

[@tntisbased]

They both sound good in different ways

[@i_am_a_music_maker5212]

I personally like the warm sound of the tube amp but all these sounds have uses and applications

[@julianprzybysawski8543]

I feel like the difference could definitely be made a lot smaller by making some slight adjustments to the amp sim.

[@overthemountain16]

Satchel from steel panther just uses a processor to the house pa system. We can argue all we want but they are the future and in an age of increasing cost of fuel and travel. Traveling light is gonna be a huge money saver for touring bands.

[@3anime668]

I’d like to see what speakers were being used, and then do a blind test so it’s truly a unbiased test.

[@jxscene760]

As an owner of both tube amp and modelers I have to say I go with modelers everytime now I’ve come more accustomed to the sound and can tell very little difference and the opportunities are endless with modelers now

[@dopeybrew7006]

Tube amps forever! I play bass and use a 2002 SVT CL through a 6x10 and an ABY box into a 71 V4 modded to a master volume through a 4x10. I’ll carry these amps as long as I’m physically able to because the tone is worth it

[@HebdebaV]

I've never heard a Solid State amp that sounded like a tube amp, at least in person. I wish I could find one because tubes are almightily expensive

[@dee5298]

Have you looked into building one? I am in the process of turning an early 60s amp from a massive zenith record player into a guitar amp. Rebuilding the amp from scratch shouldn't be more than $100. My mods are also basically scavenged parts.

[@samuelgonzalez1392]

The thing about Sims vs Analog is that it's not just about tone. It's about portability, price, customization, variety of tones, maintenance required, durability. All these things are factors. If he would have added a little low end to the eq of the Sim they would have sounded the same. Easy fix. I still prefer an Amp and pedals, but I can't deny that technology has made so that you can't tell the difference in a blind test.

[@Exho._.mp3]

the tube amp just has this much fuller and deep tone

[@RhythmGuitarMan]

Also nothing like the feeling of a very loud tube amp waiting.. with an occasional crackle..daring you to strike a chord that will all but blow the windows out..😎

[@bentrod3405]

The tube just sounds warmer and more full in a way. Also tubes and overdrive are made for each other.