I cannot afford an AXE FX so if I wanted to plug my laptop into a power amp and play vst's through my cabinet what type of converter would I need? Also what other issues do you think I would have?
Live rig using VST's?
- Thread starter BL1NDSIDE-J
- Start date
RedDog
Humanoid typhoon
So, I take it you've got DI's, and are attempting using impulses through just the cab. Sort of like using your laptop as an amp head?
Yep, I was thinking it could be pretty cool I've heard of other people doing it but they didn't say what they where using. You can use a DI? I was thinking you would have to have some type of digital to analog converter to send to the power amp. Like
Laptop -> converter -> power amp -> cabinet
if it would work well you pretty much have an AXE FX?
Laptop -> converter -> power amp -> cabinet
if it would work well you pretty much have an AXE FX?
Clockwork
Bass playing guy.
I don't really see how vsts and a power amp equals an Axe FX, seems like it would be better just to get a cheaper multi effects processer.
RedDog
Humanoid typhoon
What you're thinking of is Reamping. Taking a DI signal, running it through a Tubescreamer, and into the amp.
Playing an amp modeled vst signal through your cabinet will not yield the same results as reamping.
EDIT: but what you could do is crank your monitors and mic the monitor. You get actual speaker movement that way.
I believe Matt Parsons from Alas, Tyranny has done this before. I know he used 8505 as the amp sim but I don't remember whether he did everything entirely on his laptop and went direct to the PA, or if he used the sim and then a poweramp and a cab.
StefTD
Member
I used my laptop a few times, I used this setup:
Guitar--interface--tube screamer plugin--tseX30--that signal went to two tracks--one with impulses loaded in lecab
--one without impulses
the signal with the impulses went from output one of the interface to the mixer, the signal from track 2 without impulses
went into the fx return of the head that was standing there, so I was just using the power section of the amp into the
cab, worked out pretty well and was easy to setup.
Guitar--interface--tube screamer plugin--tseX30--that signal went to two tracks--one with impulses loaded in lecab
--one without impulses
the signal with the impulses went from output one of the interface to the mixer, the signal from track 2 without impulses
went into the fx return of the head that was standing there, so I was just using the power section of the amp into the
cab, worked out pretty well and was easy to setup.
Hmm I don't have a P.A. but would definatey be an option when a P.A. was available if you where playing a gig in a venue or something.
StefTD
Member
I don't own a PA, too 
Like I said, the signal without impulses just went into a normal guitar head, into the fx return because
you don't want to run your signal through the preamp, too, and than into a normal guitar cabinet.
I just used the other output with impulses for the pa because it was pretty easy and it was a small stage
so it could happen that somebody just walks into the mic stand and the tone changes, didn't want that
to happen so I used impulses through the pa and the guitar cabinet just for monitoring on stage.
Like I said, the signal without impulses just went into a normal guitar head, into the fx return because
you don't want to run your signal through the preamp, too, and than into a normal guitar cabinet.
I just used the other output with impulses for the pa because it was pretty easy and it was a small stage
so it could happen that somebody just walks into the mic stand and the tone changes, didn't want that
to happen so I used impulses through the pa and the guitar cabinet just for monitoring on stage.
