IRs and Nebula programs of guitar cabs - Kalthallen Cabs released

[drew_drummer]

It even does that in splitted frequencies. That means if a palm mute has more bass, the bass has a bigger amplitude and reaches a higher step that gets played back.
The problem was to achive that this works correct. I used a trick to find out the dynamic range. There's a calibration program in the Nebula pack that can be used to experience this yourself.
The first tries I had have been only hanging on one dynamic step, so they were like a static IR on the lowest cab volume I captured. But the ones in my library all work like they should.

I'm gonna check out your Nebula stuff in a minute, because I am very interested.

Could you make a short explanation about how Nebula works, and how many impulse snapshots it uses per-program? I'd be interested to know whether it interpolates between the impulses, or whether it simply 'cuts' between each snapshot.

Or are you saying it uses multiple snapshots at once???

 

[Ermz]

It interpolates, and switches between snapshots on a frequency by frequency basis, drew.

So for instance, if you were to have 3 states captured. Quiet - Med - Loud, and your high frequencies were low, but your bass frequencies were loud, its conceivable that the high frequencies would have the 'quiet' snapshot applied, and the lows would have the 'med' or 'loud' snapshots applied, at the same time.

I don't know what resolution Markus used in the end, but we experimented with many different levels, to find the right balance between filesize and audible benefit per-program. It could be done in 1dB steppings, 2dB steppings, or even as fine as 0.25dB steppings, or less!

 

[FIXXXER]

Somebody could just convert the 96 kHz ones to 48 kHz and shorten them on 1024 or 2048 samples.
I could do that myself, but somebody would need to let this run through a certain program as I heard? Any experiences there?

should be possible with voxengo r8brain!
AXE-FX standard and ultra need 1024, axe II 2048 samples IIRC.

stoked to try these in my axe, need to get that stupid axe editor working


chers
S.

 

[drew_drummer]

Hmmmmm. Right. I always thought that it worked slightly differently. Thanks for the clarification Ermz.

 

[Skaldir]

should be possible with voxengo r8brain!
AXE-FX standard and ultra need 1024, axe II 2048 samples IIRC.

stoked to try these in my axe, need to get that stupid axe editor working


chers
S.

Ok, I do the sample rate conversion and you do the axe editor thing

 

[Plankis]

For Axe-fx standard/ultra you need the impulses in .syx format a nice "48khz .wav to .syx"-program is this one: http://guitarlogic.org/index.php?topic=6630.0
It doesn't support 2048 though.

I'd suggest posting this in the fractal audio forums as well. They'll like it for sure.

I haven't tried this yet but I will try it for sure. What brand is the cab?

 

[Uros]

So let me see if I get this correctly - the IR pack is a pack of good ol' impulses? They have no advantage over other impulses out there, so one would only benefit from using your Nebula programs?

 

[Taurean]

I'm gonna check out your Nebula stuff in a minute, because I am very interested.

Could you make a short explanation about how Nebula works, and how many impulse snapshots it uses per-program? I'd be interested to know whether it interpolates between the impulses, or whether it simply 'cuts' between each snapshot.

Or are you saying it uses multiple snapshots at once???

It utilizes multiple live streaming kernels (Volterra Kernels) of detailed recorded data from hardware including dynamic changes, harmonic distortion, frequency, etc.
A sophisticated audio engine that allows for real sampling of hardware matched with operations to handle changes by the engine. This applies the group of kernels to a group of samples, not merely "a snapshot" morphing them in real-time.

The interpolation is contingent on how gear is sampled. Basically the more time put in, the more samples captured, the better it is. And of course, tweaking, combinations and customizations by the given developer can take the libraries to new levels. Nebula is not just a step up from regular convolution, it's a step towards representation. It's not even accurate to call it an emulation, it's more of a harnessing.

Here's an analogy I've used before: Let's suppose we have a photo of something, the photo featuring distortion for any given input level. So for example if audio is -35dB you apply a photo/snapshot/set of samples, if audio is -34dB you apply a different set of samples. The beauty of nebula is this: since it's applied to a group of samples and it's applied to blocks, it's contingent on the delimiters of the blocks, so the switching point in nebula can't be forecasted, especially loading latest versions in a common daw.

 

[TRUIE]

Holy shit !
Regarding the huge efforts you've put into that, I never thought you will give it for free
That's amazing Skaldir !
I'll definitely give some cash if I get some use of your library.

I recorded a quick test, with Nick Crow 8505 + your IR version for live monitoring and it already sounded awesome !
Then I messed around with the Nebula versions, tried different combinations (great to have some GT75's !) and it sounds very promising.

I'll try some reamps with my Marshall JMP-1.
I still have to mix that thing a bit, hopefully on monday, and I'll post this here.
Thanks a lot Skaldir for your hard work and generosity

 

[Skaldir]

For Axe-fx standard/ultra you need the impulses in .syx format a nice "48khz .wav to .syx"-program is this one: http://guitarlogic.org/index.php?topic=6630.0
It doesn't support 2048 though.

I'd suggest posting this in the fractal audio forums as well. They'll like it for sure.

I haven't tried this yet but I will try it for sure. What brand is the cab?

Marshall
Hm, I downloaded that program and you can select between Axe and Axe II for making sys files.
Maybe it has been updated?
I did a batch process and got sys files for all the wav's. Is it normal that Axe sys files are always 8,01 kb big?
And Axe II always 10,6 kb?

So let me see if I get this correctly - the IR pack is a pack of good ol' impulses? They have no advantage over other impulses out there, so one would only benefit from using your Nebula programs?

Hm, I don't really know what to answer
Personally I have the feeling not all IRs around have been deconvolved correctly. But I'm sure the ones from guitarhack, that I always liked, have been made right.
Its more about if you like their sound. But with all the shootouts I did you can atleast be sure my IRs and Nebula programs are as close to the mic'ed cab as possible. If you like the mic positions I choose is another thing.

Holy shit !
Regarding the huge efforts you've put into that, I never thought you will give it for free
That's amazing Skaldir !
I'll definitely give some cash if I get some use of your library.

I recorded a quick test, with Nick Crow 8505 + your IR version for live monitoring and it already sounded awesome !
Then I messed around with the Nebula versions, tried different combinations (great to have some GT75's !) and it sounds very promising.

I'll try some reamps with my Marshall JMP-1.
I still have to mix that thing a bit, hopefully on monday, and I'll post this here.
Thanks a lot Skaldir for your hard work and generosity

I would be glad to hear some samples!
Great you like them. Personally I think its easier to get a desired sound with v30's. But I think the gt75's also have their right to live in some kinds of music.

One question to you. Was it easy to understand the Nebula readme file with the incoming signal level?

 

[TRUIE]

Yeah, the readme was pretty clear.
I setted the output of the ampsim at -18 dB FS, and I'll do the same when reamping (I always record around this level anyway).
There's nothing more to care about ?

The only thing I would add / change is some kind of folder organisation.
I mean, I think you don't need to have the 44,1 and 96 Khz into the same folder, same goes for Tube / Solidstate PA.

Maybe something like this would be easier to use :

44,1 Khz > Tube PA >
_______ > Solidstate PA >

96 Khz > Tube PA >
_______ > Solidstate PA >

I don't think I can do this myself for Nebula, as programs / vectors files are all into the same folder.
It's something you set when creating the programs, right ?

Oh, and GT75's are great for some oldschool death metal vibe

 

[Skaldir]

Yeah, the readme was pretty clear.
I setted the output of the ampsim at -18 dB FS, and I'll do the same when reamping (I always record around this level anyway).
There's nothing more to care about ?

The only thing I would add / change is some kind of folder organisation.
I mean, I think you don't need to have the 44,1 and 96 Khz into the same folder, same goes for Tube / Solidstate PA.

Maybe something like this would be easier to use :

44,1 Khz > Tube PA >
_______ > Solidstate PA >

96 Khz > Tube PA >
_______ > Solidstate PA >

I don't think I can do this myself for Nebula, as programs / vectors files are all into the same folder.
It's something you set when creating the programs, right ?

Oh, and GT75's are great for some oldschool death metal vibe

Thats true! I made two programs especially suited for an HM-2. I think it was 011 and another one from the 421.
You are probably right about the folder organization, but I have no clue how to change it atm.

 

[TRUIE]

Don't worry that much about that, I think I'll get quickly used to this organisation and it's not that disturbing anyway.

Amazing, I'll try these HM-2 suited programs !!!
I'll do a special grind sludge test clip especially for it

 

[drew_drummer]

It utilizes multiple live streaming kernels (Volterra Kernels) of detailed recorded data from hardware including dynamic changes, harmonic distortion, frequency, etc.
A sophisticated audio engine that allows for real sampling of hardware matched with operations to handle changes by the engine. This applies the group of kernels to a group of samples, not merely "a snapshot" morphing them in real-time.

The interpolation is contingent on how gear is sampled. Basically the more time put in, the more samples captured, the better it is. And of course, tweaking, combinations and customizations by the given developer can take the libraries to new levels. Nebula is not just a step up from regular convolution, it's a step towards representation. It's not even accurate to call it an emulation, it's more of a harnessing.

Here's an analogy I've used before: Let's suppose we have a photo of something, the photo featuring distortion for any given input level. So for example if audio is -35dB you apply a photo/snapshot/set of samples, if audio is -34dB you apply a different set of samples. The beauty of nebula is this: since it's applied to a group of samples and it's applied to blocks, it's contingent on the delimiters of the blocks, so the switching point in nebula can't be forecasted, especially loading latest versions in a common daw.

Thanks for the detailed response. Your photo analogy then... would it be more like having a collection of photos, and different parts of the photo are used depending on the frequencies coming into Nebula, right??

Could you use Nebula to capture the preamp of a guitar amp by using the guitar amps effects loop?

 

[~BURNY~]

The programs don't show up in my nebula 3. I have an old version tho (1.3.251).

I have 4 mesa programs. I think they're old ones from you. They're called Marc_mesa something.

I can't even check if there's an update for nebula since I lost my password and their password retrieval system doesn't work... I'm screwed.

 

[Plankis]

Marshall
Hm, I downloaded that program and you can select between Axe and Axe II for making sys files.
Maybe it has been updated?
I did a batch process and got sys files for all the wav's. Is it normal that Axe sys files are always 8,01 kb big?
And Axe II always 10,6 kb?

Yeah it's updated. I had the 1.2-version, the version history hasn't been updated on the download page. My files are 8.01 kb so it works correct.

 

[Taurean]

Thanks for the detailed response. Your photo analogy then... would it be more like having a collection of photos, and different parts of the photo are used depending on the frequencies coming into Nebula, right??

Could you use Nebula to capture the preamp of a guitar amp by using the guitar amps effects loop?

Yes and not even parts of one photo but multiple photos of let's say different positions of that "reality" so to speak. Depending on the level information coming in and its associated frequency/phase/distortion characteristics, that determines what's used. So it's a symbiotic relationship between character of what you're dealing with, Kernels involved, and amount of sampling.

The guitar preamp/distortion thing is something that is getting better and better in Nebula world - and being worked on. Let's say as a booster guitar preamp type of thing, you can get cool results. I want to reference my free preset TopDog, try it out before a guitar amp VST, it's really nice. But as full fledged distortion goes, that's being worked on. The issue here is the exorbitant amount of kernels to represent such overt distortion levels.

@BURNY
Definitely update your Nebula dll. Especially for any recently created presets or libraries, the latest release ensure that things work and work properly. There's always slight enhancements as well.

 

[Scottxx]

The IRs sound really great !! I couldn't try the Nebula programs because I don't own it.

 

[TDL]

This is absolutely great! Thanks, Skaldir!

The download size is huge, though... And seeing the OwnHammer libraries have ben shrinked from 300MB to a mere 80MB file it kind of puzzles me. I'll try them and compare them to the OwnHammer MESA V32 library.

Btw, for further reference, there is another tool for WAV/SYX conversion for Axe-FX owners: http://www.ownhammer.com/axe-o-matic/

Regards!

EDIT: I found the post where OwnHammer creator speaks about the shrinking of his libraries: http://www.ownhammer.com/forum/thread-31.html

 

[Skaldir]

Great that a lot of you are liking it so far.
The Axe files are coming tomorrow.

There's one thing I wanted to add. If you can't or don't want to donate maybe you can use this link to give me some extra space on minus.com
http://min.us/rnqcmRk
I'm happy about every donation though, cause it was really so much time and I really need new power tubes now after hundreds of sine sweeps going through them