Impulses vs actual recording

[John_C]

Just wanted to sample opinions about these two. I'm interested in trying out using cab impulses, but i know i wont get good results first time so i wondered if people who've done a lot of both could advise me on its advantages/disadvantages. It sounds a bit like a free lunch to me at the moment.

 

[tobin1]

Just understand that you're not going to get an EXACT cab sound from an impulse, but you can get some damn decent tones with it, and if ur using any kind of pod amp sim or line out of your head, impulses are just fine.

Try them out so you can see for yourself

 

[Joematthews]

Once you learn to mic a cab very well, a real cab will sound better than impulses.

However, for a lot of people impulses will be much easier than a cab, and much quieter

Joe

 

[Torniojaws]

And much faster, no need to bum the mics around all day Not to mention you cannot accidentally push the mic stand around nulling all your hard work. In home studios mostly.

 

[Joematthews]

Not to mention you cannot accidentally push the mic stand around nulling all your hard work.

Oh man, the amount of times I've facepalmed after doing this...

Joe

 

[006]

I'm a member of the impulse cult, hoping it gets to the point where it's not up for argument anymore...a long way off I know...but I'll never deny that a mic'ed cab is the way to go if possible. That said, I'll use impulses as much as possible, especially if I don't like the band and want to hurry up and get them out of my hair haha.

~006

 

[Let it burn...]

it's the closest you can get to a real cab sound on a computer

 

[John_C]

I'm thinking i may go for it, seeing as i only have a ashdown fallen angel 4x12 which isn't amazing (although it could be a lot worse). Is there any free/trial software any of you would recommend for using impulses, so i can get an idea of what i can achieve with it?

 

[spioraid]

Impulses are easier, quicker and a crapload more cost efficient. Having said that, a pro using impulses vs a pro using a miced cab, the miced cab will normally sound just a bit sweeter. But that's using sound engineer nazi-esque standards. Your average music listener won't find a difference.

Unfortunately though, impulses are a different monster that miced cab techniques. It's a whole new set of issues and problems to get over. Having said that, the concepts behind the problems are easier to grasp and usually cheaper to get around.

 

[abyssofdreams]

can't read the OP, must use some special font or something...

 

[John_C]

that better?

 

[Let it burn...]

can't read the OP, must use some special font or something...

it was comic sans.


the horror, the horror!!!

 

[ParsonsMatt]

For me? I'm going to mic up probably and spend my sweet time getting the best tone ever.

For friends that I record? I'll tell them I'm micing and impulse it

 

[exoslime]

there are many great impulses out there, but often they change the sound so drastically that i´m quite lost with them.

my workflow is like this:
i choose the guitar i think that will sound best with the piece/track i want to record, i setup the amp to sound as good as possible, and then i try to capture that exactly sound with the microphone,
but when i tried to use an impulse on the same, all set amp, that never worked, because the sound is changed to much and the essence of the tone i wanted to record is gone. and it never sounded like the real cab in the room.

So i guess, i have to choose an impulse first, and then setup the amp accordingly and then record.
BUT, which impulses out of the hundreds are the best one?
i´m mean, it would be the same question if i would have hundreds of different cabs with different speakers and different mics to choose, i would be lost too.

so i´m very much interested how do you work with impulses, and which ones are the fav. that you use?

thanks
exoslime

 

[006]

You just have to try them until you find one you like is all. Most everyone will agree that there are wayyyy too many impulses out there that aren't worth a shit, and only a few that are worth using. GuitarHack, ReCabinet as well as a few others floating around here from users as well as some from someone nicknamed "Brohymm" from another forum have all made some pretty decent impulses and IMO are what I guess you would call the best ones out there.

~006

 

[Temps]

steps to getting a good impulse sound
1) get Voxengo Boogex (free)
2) pay $40 to buy Recabinet and download it
3) record using 100% wet (parallel) or series FX loop send
4) EQ like you would with any guitar sound

I'm still waiting for the Recabinet Orange 4x12 impulses... I have a bunch of other impulses but the only ones I use are the Recabi ones. It is wicked having so many selections with different cabs, mics, and positions. The results I've been getting from Recabinet are so good and most importantly, so incredibly convenient, I haven't messed around with really seriously using my SM57 in some time now.

 

[Ermz]

The impulses aren't all the way there yet. They're so close that it hurts, but nobody seems to be willing to expand on the technology at this point. I've given up trying to get people on the Nebula bandwagon.

After a few weeks of experimenting with reamping using impulses, I think that they're something that you might be able to get away with for demo/EP level releases, but definitely bring out the real cabs for serious recording. Real cabs have a sort of air and dynamic nature to them that the impulses don't model. The best way to describe the difference is by thinking of impulses of being a static snapshot, whereas cabs are a moving picture. The cabs always sound sweeter and seem to respond to the playing more fluidly, whereas the impulses don't tend to change depending on what's being fed into them.

My best results have come from:

poidaobi's higher presence impulse & metaltastic's impulse pack

I've had some moderate success with the Sperimental pack and GHs impulses. No success with Recabinet yet, despite multiple attempts.

 

[Josh Burgess]

The impulses aren't all the way there yet. They're so close that it hurts, but nobody seems to be willing to expand on the technology at this point. I've given up trying to get people on the Nebula bandwagon.

After a few weeks of experimenting with reamping using impulses, I think that they're something that you might be able to get away with for demo/EP level releases, but definitely bring out the real cabs for serious recording. Real cabs have a sort of air and dynamic nature to them that the impulses don't model. The best way to describe the difference is by thinking of impulses of being a static snapshot, whereas cabs are a moving picture. The cabs always sound sweeter and seem to respond to the playing more fluidly, whereas the impulses don't tend to change depending on what's being fed into them.

My best results have come from:

poidaobi's higher presence impulse & metaltastic's impulse pack

I've had some moderate success with the Sperimental pack and GHs impulses. No success with Recabinet yet, despite multiple attempts.

I've heard plenty of great, album ready guitar tones come from IR cabs.

 

[Temps]

I've heard plenty of great, album ready guitar tones come from IR cabs.

It's a matter of taste, bud

 

[TheDude]

The impulses aren't all the way there yet. They're so close that it hurts, but nobody seems to be willing to expand on the technology at this point. I've given up trying to get people on the Nebula bandwagon.

Moonlapse talking about Nebula? Is it possible?

Do this and do this NOW:
1. Buy Nebula yourself with their sampling program.
2. Borrow a garage or a room.
3. Rig an amp+cab+mic.
4. "Nebulize" it and see if it works.

If you want something bad enough, do it yourself.