I'm new to IRs, please help.

[ibanezman93]

I'm running a MacBook Pro with ProTools LE 8 and a Digidesign 003. I've downloaded the demo version of Mellowmuse's IR1A convolution reverb plugin so that I could load the GuitarHacks impulses I found on this message board. I'm running a line out of the effects send from a solid state Ampeg VH140C with all knobs about noon into the DI port.

I've gone through the IRs I downloading and none of them seem to sound right. The tone I'm getting is incredibly harsh, fizzy, and has too much gain. I've tried adjusting the gain and EQ on the amplifier, but it doesn't help. I thought perhaps it was the headphones I'm using, but I get the same problem with two other pairs of headphones.

I must be doing something wrong. I'm opening IR1A, clicking "load" and selecting the IR in the browser. It definitely changes the sound so there is something being done, but why is everything still so fizzy?

The guitar, amplifier, and hardware are in great condition and I use them everyday, so the problem is somewhere in my recording software. I've also experimenting using Amplitude 3 with a stock setting, and simply turning the amp model off, so that the VH140C preamp comes through the cabinet/mic simulations, which sounds really good, not harsh at all like the IRs.

 

[TRUIE]

Hi,
Be sure to set the plugin 100% Wet (Dry knob at -inf and Wet knob at 0).
I'm pretty sure the issue comes from this, you hear a blend of the dry and wet signals.

 

[ibanezman93]

Hi,
Be sure to set the plugin 100% Wet (Dry knob at -inf and Wet knob at 0).
I'm pretty sure the issue comes from this, you hear a blend of the dry and wet signals.

Thanks, this was definitely part of the problem. I knew there would be something simple that I overlooked. However, there still seems to be too much gain. I'm keeping the gain on the amplifier at 3/10, although when running through a cabinet I typically keep it at around 7/10. I'm not sure if this is normal, or if there are other settings I need to change. Although, headphones typically add some distortion, but I have some 5" monitors coming later this week that should make things sound much better.

 

[TRUIE]

Check also if you're not clipping the input of your soundcard, and plug the FX send of your head in a line input instead of a Hi-Z (instrument) input.

 

[ibanezman93]

There's nothing clipping, and I've been plugging through the DI port on the 003 interface. I'm not sure where this extra distortion is coming from. There's more of it with IRs than in Amplitude, but it's still more gain than I need.

 

[TRUIE]

I don't know the 003, but you should plug into a line input instead of the DI one.

What is your input peak level in the 003 ?
And what's the level on the output of the plugin ?
Do you have the same problem with other IR's ?

Your distortion issue is strange because an IR don't really add explicit distortion, it emulate a poweramp + cab + mic chain.

 

[ibanezman93]

I was running through the DI ports, which are ran through the mic preamps and probably the cause for more sizzle than I needed. I'm going through the line-in inputs now and it sounds much better, but there still seems to be more distortion than what I have dialed on the amplifier, however that could be the nature of the poweramp, cabinet, and mic simulations since even recording through a real cabinet adds some distortion. However, now it doesn't look like I'm able to get very loud through the line-in. I've maxed out the level on the amplifier's preamp and it's right at usable volume, however that doesn't give me much control.

I have been using the following plugins for IRs:

Reverberator
Mellowmuse IR1A
Amplitube 3 (comes with adjustable IRs, but can't load others)
Recabinet (comes with adjustable IRs, but can't load others)

I'm either using the stock IRs in Recabinet and Amplitube, or trying various GuitarHacks IRs with the others.