Behringer XR18 & X32 Built In FX Guitar Amp Simulator-Guide, Demo & Tutorial - Midas M32 & MR18 too!

[@kidsaloneband]

This amp sim works FANTASTIC for bass. Totally transforms a straight direct sound into something easily shapeable. As for guitar... for a 3rd guitar that always uses the same sort of rhythm crunch sound, sure, why not?!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Definitely! Thanks for commenting! :)

[@pauljosse]

Hey you guys are those guys

[@gobrad]

Hi Allen, i have to come d you on your channel… You explain things in a very easy step by step…. Ya know i’ve been listening to tutorials on how to route music from laptop through USB and only got it through listening here! thank you!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thanks! Glad it helped!

[@buddyalbert5808]

I had a gig last week and left my line 6 helix at home! I inserted the guitar amp on the x32 rack and got through the show. It left ALOT to be desired in the way of sound, but it worked in an emergency. After that show I spent $21 at Sweetwater and bought a Behringer TM300 pedal for emergency back up. It doesn’t sound great but it’s better than the amp in the x32. Also easier to set up fast in a pinch. I’ll keep it in the case with the Mixer.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Have you tried the Joyo pedals? I bought the Joyo "British" pedal. In my case it was more for recording purposes for a quick and dirty way to record guitar into the XR18 for scratch tracks. I reviewed the pedal itself: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGO5pKKJbs6KrLM ...But I never did circle back and review it with the IR pedal connected and a Donner reverb. I put it all on a small pedalboard (just not sure how many of my viewers care about guitar topics like that): kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4HYl5ibbLZmq8U I haven't tried the Behringer pedal, but I liked the Joyo "British" pedal... and I like it even more with the verb and IR pedal on the pedalboard. Of course, there's reverb in the XR18 so having that on the pedalboard wasn't all that important, but did allow me to have settings I like ready on the fly. Having some kind of pedal able to go direct into the console is always a good backup plan. The built in guitar amp is what it is... But I definitely think the Joyo "British" is way better sounding and versatile than the built in amp sim. But... any port in a storm... and the built in guitar sim can do the job. But, (and this is why I did the video), I don't think it's as user friendly or labeled to really understand what the controls do if you find yourself on it in combat conditions... trying to dial a sound in before the next song after the amp just let the smoke out! ;)

[@buddyalbert5808]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio I haven’t checked out the Joyo pedal. I’ll watch your video. I had about 30 minutes to do full band sound check (running from stage) and figure out how to inset the amp on the X32 and dial in a sound. I actually like problem solving in a crunch. 😁 I think I may set up a dedicated channel for the internal amp to have ready to go in another pinch.

[@sonidojamon]

Placing a comp/limiter before the amp sim to increase input gain without clipping pre-input would brig even better results. Best drive of this amp sim comes from the preamp section. Push it!!

[@patthesoundguy]

I love using the amp sim for a virtual bass rig on DI bass. Its so handy.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Cool!

[@patthesoundguy]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio another cool trick is to drop the amp sim on a buss as a subgroup and then insert a a plugin comp like the leisure comp LA2A on the input channel. Or insert the tube pre.

[@kidsaloneband]

It's ideal use is indeed for bass in my opinion!

[@naijahzproductions1116]

Hey Alan…Hope all is well Could you do a video on kick and bass side chaining on xr18 …been trying to figure out how to do it correctly…would love your advice or tips thank you 👋

[@realSeanMcMahon]

Did you ever figure this out?

[@onefatstratcat]

If I need to bring a small PA for a jam I use this sim for my guitar with a transparent overdrive, TS808 hump drive to push it with a compressor and wah in front and a chorus to the rear of the chain. Also I just use the same verb and delay that we have on the vocals to save time. Is it like an amp.. hell no.. but it saves me from having to haul in more weight just for a jam. You just need to watch the highs because of the horns in the PA speakers.. if you don't heads will start exploding. Always use the cabinet sim.. it tames the high edge quite a bit. There's my two cents.. you may keep the change :)

[@minhuang8848]

yeah lmao, people pretend like their shoddy little venues aren't going to destroy their primo guitar tones anyway. This is the correct take: if you dial it in, it sounds just fine and will probably get you through a pinch in 99 % of all situations. Could it be way more perfect? Sure, but you're not recording a studio album with this to begin with. Toan elitism strikes again.

[@jamestsquid]

Great video! Thanks!! and yes @8:26 Floyd the Barber!! :)

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thanks for watching!

[@Danny_Zak]

Fantastic stuff!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thanks!

[@leocruz5663]

Excelentes tutoriales ... muchas gracias ... saludos desde Perú.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

🙂 Thanks!

[@AcidCharlie89]

Thanks Alan. New subscriber here in KZbin and in your Patreon. Really appreciate your tips.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thanks Carlos!

[@CwbyRob]

Nice video Alan🎉

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thanks!

[@kaptainkrude950]

Thanks for a good demo! That's surprisingly good. Never thought of using our XR18 like this. I wonder how well it takes pedals (e.g. fuzz > boost/OD > mod, etc > delay > XR18) in front of it. Would be awesome if you could demo that! (I don't have ready access to ours right now).

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I have a Joyo British pedal, an IR pedal, and a verb pedal. It would be interesting comparing those pedals into the Amp Sim, as well as comparing those pedals on their own vs the amp sim itself. Hearing a Fuzz into the sim would be especially interesting. Heh, maybe some pedal manufacturer will send me one to demo and put thru its paces! 😉 Thanks for the suggestion!

[@jonathanarleys]

So, I need to "insert" my Guitar/Bass Channel to This Effects? So the routing will gonna before my EQ sections? Damn, I was wrong all this time, I put this effects after Fader... Thanks man, you save my day...

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Glad it helped you sort it out! Thanks!

[@julesbaby47]

Very helpful

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Thanks!🙂

[@aaronnanatweneboah785]

HI ALLAN, THIS IS A GOOD VIDEO. DOES IT MEAN I DONT NEED A COMBO FOR THE BASS/GUITAR? AND THE BEHRINGER CAN SOLVE MY PROBLEM OF GETTING A COMBO?

[@ogundeleobasanjo2362]

Nice video boss, Pls this is to also remind you for the video requested on how to record from one of the six outputs on Xr18 and also the perfect plugins to attached to it to make the recording sound smoothly and nice thanks.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I have the idea written down to not forget it. :)

[@TimmyP1955]

Very usable, though I'd knock of some of the highs. Thanks.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I was a little surprised how easily it came to life with some adjustments. I left the channel strip EQ alone, but someone could really do some tone-shaping if they wanted, outside of the sim itself. And I just added a little reverb from within the XR18, but I think a delay and/or reverb pedal would be a nice addition for any guitar player relying on the sim for their sound. As long as they don't overdo it. But that would be true with an actual amp too. A chorus pedal could be a nice addition too. I'm sure it would work well with pedals like that. I need to try it with a boost or overdrive pedal and see how it reacts with those.

[@BjorgenEatinger]

On the M32, I have found that there is no way to insert into a channel on the first four effects slots. I would like to use this effect for bass, which is coming into a channel.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

There is a way.... I'm not in front of the console and I don't remember the method off the top of my head. It's one of those things that is not obvious, until you do it... and then you wonder how you missed it.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Ok... I can tell you how to do it on X-Edit/M-Edit, since that is on the computer here... In the FX Rack, there is a dropdown and INSERT is an option. So, choose the amp sim first, then go to the drop down and choose INSERT. Now go to the CHANNEL. Tab over to CONFIG In that window on the right side there is a grayed out FX button and a drop down. In the drop down you can choose an FX Slot. Choose the one that has your amp sim in it. Click the grayed out FX button to enable it. You also have a choice of where it's inserted (Pre) or (Post). There is a graphic with an arrow showing pre or post 'what'. I'm sure doing it on the console is similar... But without it in front of me I can't walk you thru it. But maybe print out the above if you don't have the software and your show saved to do it offline... and just try and follow the basics of the steps and freelance where necessary once you know what you're looking for. ;)

[@vangkakvey3856]

thanks 😊

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

You're welcome!

[@sergioleonardo8837]

Hello, I don't know much about this console or live sound settings, I never really got into it a lot, but my band uses this mixer for FOH and IEM and to me the bass always sounds overly bright and crisp coming from the DI preamp pedal. Would using this amp sim effect affect both outputs (foh & iem)? I was hoping it could sound more rounded and warm...

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Very possible it could help warm it up. There's also a tube FX in the options you could try instead.

[@ivanlu8418]

do you happen to know how to activate the headphones when connected via usb/ethernet? I.e. I connected the cord to the midi in input of the mixing console via the midi out output of the digital piano. Then I connected the remote control to the computer via usb and Ethernet. The midi signal is coming, but there is no sound in the headphones connected to the remote control. Apparently, somewhere you need to turn them on in the settings or send a midi signal to some bus. But I can't understand it. Or, at least, in general, how to output any music from a computer to headphones connected to the remote control?

[@CHARMONIUMGUITARS]

Thanks for the info. It would have been so much better if you had started with the routing. Now I am scratching my head, wondering where is the sound 😅

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Ha! I didn't have this video in the library when I did the gtr sim video, but it's a good one to link to since it talks about the routing of the FX rack in depth. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioeYdJ9-lLKKqLc

[@CHARMONIUMGUITARS]

Thanks :)

[@matthiasdoffek3282]

Where ist the Hi Z Button in the App? Or does it run automatically?

[@neilkendall5499]

Does it have built in bass amp models?

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

The settings will encompass bass guitar if you need it to, but it's not specifically modelling any particular amp (guitar or bass). It's simply recreating amplifier characteristics overall. There's also a Tube preamp plugin in the rack that will also work as a guitar or bass amp thru the XR18. But no other guitar/bass "leave your amp at home" plugins per se'.

[@sonofaguppy6708]

Would you know of a reason to ever need to perform a factory reset on the XR18? I’ve found that some of my effects stopped working on my vocals and I’ve spent weeks trying to figure out why. Seems like it would be easier to start over.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Well, that would (should) fix it, but there's probably some routing/config error that's been made that is the root of the problem. So, finding that would probably help you avoid it in the future. Did you see this video? It might help to sort out what is going wrong: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnS3lJWMYsSWmbM

Bom dia Alan, tudo bem? Seguinte, na minha igreja temos uma Midas M32. Gostaria de saber se tem simulador de amplificadores de guitarra, baixo, teclado,... Nativos nela ou que tenha plug-in para baixar e inserir nela? Quero levar essa proposta para meu técnico de som. Eu fui numa igreja sábado que eles utilizam uma Wing e nela tem um monte de simulação: Marshall, Mesa Boogie, Fender,.... Mas não sei se na Midas tem.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Infelizmente, o Midas M32 não possui simulações de amplificador de guitarra como no Wing.

[@bjarkenielsen8515]

Dear Alan Is there a Way to switch between these guitar amp settings without using the mouse/hands,- for instance via a midi controller foot switch? Maybe even use two foot switches, in order to control a rhythm guitar on channel 1 and a lead guitar on channel 2? While at it,- do you know how to setup a midi controlller to toggle on/off mics in the main mix? I would like to do this, sp that team members can speak to each other via their mics/IEMs in-between songs without the audience hearing it.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I would think you could use a MIDI footswitch or button of some type to automate switching between two snippets. So you could save your two guitar sim settings in a couple of snippets and then switch between them as needed with a MIDI footswitch. I haven't experimented at all with MIDI on the Behringer mixers, so I don't have anything I know to recommend, but I did a quick Google search and found this info. Hopefully, it can point you in the right direction: behringer.world/viewtopic.php?t=101

[@keithconville5460]

Can either of these be used just for a cab sim without coloring the input signal? Or, are there cab sims separate from these in the X32?

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I'm not sure I follow your question. How do you mean?

[@keithconville5460]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio these are amp sims built into the X32, correct? If I already have an amp sim, but need a cab sim only, are there any cab sims in the X32? I guess another question would be how much do these amp sims color your direct input tone? If they don't color it any, or I could find a fairly transparent one, I could use the cab sim with it.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

@Keith Conville Aha! I follow you now. Technically, the answer is no. There's no standalone cab sim. BUT... the one thing I didn't test was if the Guitar Amp Sim at al ll 5's... or all zeroes, except for the volume, is 100% 'neutral'. The default setting is all 5's, but those markings don't really tell us anything. I do demo it at all 5's (the default). I suspect that it might be able to set the settings at a position where the input and output are the same, and then you could engage the cab simulator by itself. That would then, in effect, be using the cab simulator only. But there are all kinds of wildcards like how the Amp Sim is made to react to the guitar signal as it emulates an amp. Maybe there never is really a 'neutral' setting because of that...? None of the literature answers that question. So, we're back to the technical answer of "no"... no cab sims alone in the X32/X-Air mixers. But there is a chance, that the settings could be set to a neutral point on the Guitar amp sim, and then use an outboard amp sim, and engage the cab sim portion of the X32/XR18 Amp sim. I suppose, whether it's 100% neutral or not, it might be close enough and/or worthwhile to just see what it sounds like with the built in Amp Sim at all 5's, the Cab sim setting "ON", and use an external amp sim for the main tone.

[@Bettys_Eldest]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio Am I right in thinkinh that a cabinet simulator is just an EQ. Assuming that @Keith Conville is using a guitar pre-amp before the XR18, in which case he may not need any EQ at the desk on the channel, could a suitable EQ be applied to the channel to mimic a cab sim? Or is there an EQ available in FX which could be modified to use as an insert to give a cab sim on the guitar channel, that way the engineer could still use the channel strip EQ if he needed to modify the guitar in FOH? Failing that just spenf £30 and buy a Joyo American Sound or AC Tone, have a great pre-amp with built in cab sim.

[@jonnyedvardsson9608]

8.30 YYZ ?

[@DrnkTheWildAir]

Hi Al…🙋🏻‍♀️

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Hello Cindy! 🙂

[@lookmanostrings]

This sounds terrible, but I feel good about having an emergency measure in case my amp dies at a show. Thanks Alan!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I'm sure it could be improved if someone really spent some time with it. The controls aren't very self-explanatory so that's what I really wanted to show so anyone trying to deal with it for an emergency backup could have a better baseline on what does what in the control section. And for someone that has the XR18 and time, they could play with it at home or during an afternoon setup at a gig and save some backup setting or settings. And it might work well for some things, like a DI'ed bass, just to put a little grit on the bass. A place where clean sounds pretty good in the first place, but a little bite might sound better for certain material. But, overall, it could be better... I doubt many people could get it to a point they love it. More utilitarian than a desired sound for most people. Better than nothing, and definitely functional for certain settings is how I would describe it. Emergency backup, or direct connect scratch guitar track amp for recording is how I think of it as most useful.

[@lookmanostrings]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio that's exactly my thought, it gets you through a show in a crunch. I've had a stage person hand me a 220 line at an outdoor event and popped my amp breaker. I always think about that and not having to scramble and find an electronics store half hour before down beat! It's not fun lol. While I have you, thank you for all your xr18 videos and knowledge, I have learned so much from you. We run the same mixer and we wouldn't run it as well without your videos! 🤘

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

@@lookmanostrings Thanks!! I'm glad the videos are helpful!

[@oprymusicstore4851]

I should add I dont like the effects on my QSC touch mix 30 any better. Dont mind me I'm just old. Lol.

[@vadimkorob2689]

But hold on… it’s another attempt to imitate something branded (in this case SansAmp PSA) but Behringer always be behringer (damn ear in triangle)

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I think, but haven't confirmed, behringer owns sansamp now.

[@nikolaradakovic5432]

Behringer it is not about performance...always its about realabyliti

[@janstankiewicz5145]

Poproszę w języku polskim ! 🇵🇱.!!!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

Myślę, że zrobiłem to dobrze i dodałem polskie napisy

[@ruby2thursday]

pretty good mixer, ok preamps (nothing special), terrible effects shown here...particularly the overdrive. might as well just have Behringer partner with Positive Grid and get an LE version package with the s/w.

[@pauljosse]

It ain't no helix

[@astika81]

I mean the helix is more than the price of an X32 and its sole purpose is Amp Mod and Effects. Not really a fair comparison.

[@oprymusicstore4851]

I'm sorry but it sounds like a 10 dollar practice amp to me. Just my opinion. I'm sure it's a great mixer otherwise tho.

[@tronlady1]

Bloody tone purists 🙄 when it’s in a mix with other instruments nobody else but you can tell the difference 🥰

[@tronlady1]

If you forgot your amp bet you’d be bloody glad of it!!!

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

I think one of the things about it is to show it exists, what the controls do (which aren't as intuitively labeled as they could be), and to maybe even have a few setups in it saved for recall... for at least 2 main reasons: #1 In case a gig amp goes down mid-gig, or isn't in the trailer, and no time for a replacement. #2 Studio tracking. Even if you're going to re-amp it later, or re-record and/or add guitar parts later, the built in guitar amp sim gives you a quick, low latency 'plug and play' guitar 'amp' for your live band, rhythm section guitar scratch track. And, of course, if someone spent more time with it, utilizing the controls as they are explained, maybe add a pedal or too... they might create better or more personalized sounds anyway.

[@Bettys_Eldest]

@@AlanHamiltonAudio This is interesting, but I would still choose the joyo American Sound pedal which I carry with me should I have to go direct, or in the case of an amp failure. I'll try out this and the other amp sims in my XR18 to see how they sound, but I'm not impressed at the moment.

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

​@@Bettys_Eldest I don't think there's any doubt the Joyo pedal would be better. I own a Joyo British pedal. The Joyo pedal with an IR pedal is next level, and adding reverb (whether in the XR18 or with another pedal) is very cool. And with a reverb pedal you have your 'sound' on a pedalboard. Of course, just the Joyo pedal alone, you can stick it in the guitar case or gig bag and be prepared for an amp malfunction. I just wanted people to be aware of the amp sim in the XR18/MR18/X32/M32 and show what the controls do. They aren't the most intuitively named controls and to have to set one up on the fly would probably be a bit of a learning curve. And for a guitarist that has access to one, just go ahead some night at home and set up a couple of emergency settings and save them. That way, if the day ever arrives that your amp is stolen, or goes up in smoke, you have an option to limp thru the gig on, and one that you can quickly use. Plus, no extra money needed to make it happen. But yeah, if you have one, or want to spend the money, those Joyo pedals are a bargain. And the control names make much more sense too. Very quick to set up. Besides all of that, the amp sim is fine for a guitar scratch track when recording with a band and "traveling light", or for a practice rig. Plus, you could probably fine tune the sound a little better, in conjunction with a band, or just spending more time on it. I think some people missed the point and thought I was trying to set up the ultimate guitar sound with it... and that wasn't the point. I didn't spend that much time with it, or work in context of a full mix with it. It was just to show how to use it and give some guidance on what those controls do and how they work together as I put together a few useable settings to start out with. A couple of baseline settings. Let alone, just make people aware of its existence in the rack.

[@steverolfeca]

Short version: you can run two copies simultaneously. The amp sim sounds nasty, reverb is ineffective.

[@funkystudiocat]

Sorry, but that sound is not a very usable tone. Peace

[@AlanHamiltonAudio]

No problem. I don't think I did a very good job at explaining the point of the video. It wasn't to create the best tone I possibly could, or several tones for several genres... It was to point out the existence of this plugin to Behringer/Midas users and to explain what the various knobs actually do (since their names are not always self-explanatory). And then from there, to give a guitarist or bassist (or a sound person looking at a band whose amp just let the smoke out) a port in a storm to finish a gig when an amp goes down (or didn't get packed for a gig). So then they could either work on something to fit their style on their free time and save it for that future need, or at least have something to refer to on the fly at the gig. I didn't even really mess with channel strip EQ or much beyond some basic reverb since that stuff would both be player preference AND depend on the sound system speakers too. Secondary to that was mentioning the option of having it for a rhythm or bass scratch track if using the X-Air for portable recording applications... like taking it to the drummer's house to mainly grab the drum tracks and not wanting to add live amps to things at that point, and not wanting the latency issues and routing a virtual amp from a DAW. Then bringing the tracks home to the "bedroom studio" and using the DAW amp plugins (or real amps) and really dialing things in from there in more solitude and less pressure. Ultimately, something as simple as one of the Joyo British or American pedals probably does a better job as an amp replacement live and on the fly. But if you don't have that and the only option is going direct into the soundboard, then that's when you need to know the plugin exists, and what the knobs do. And in a hurry too.

[@bortchy]

Why not i show it to people who is fan 100 kg few cub m and i say it is old fender has belive.So… ..

[@sbrave]

They basically copied the sansamp plug-in from ProTools. Exact same controls, same order

[@RollingMusic247]

Which is modeled after the SansAmp PSA

[@madrockxvx]

Pro Tools and this both copied the real SansAmp 😂

[@sbrave]

Truth@@madrockxvx