Reamping through just the power section

[thedonutman]

Has anybody ever tried recording directly from a preamp (or just an ampsim) and then running the line level signal back into the power section of an amp? Does it work any better than just using impulses? Also, I imagine you may any impedence issues since poweramps take a line level input.

Anybody have any experiences with this?

 

[mick thompson]

as in take a cable from the preamp output into your daw? i do this all the time when recording with my peavey head - it just gives me more flexibility on what cab and power section i want to use as well as my actual recorded cab sound

i dont understand why would you run the signal back in? because when i plug in a cable into my preamp out i still get an output through my power-amp (the very same signal) it just splits it for me. and if i were to send it back in (as in through the fx return) with an impulse loaded im boing to get a very boomy over eq'd sound if i impulse it prior to the fx return

 

[lolzgreg]

I believe hes asking if people here have sent VST guitar PREAMPS out of their computers into the power amp section of a real amplifier and then recorded that. The answer is yes, and it should work great as long as there are no ground loops!

I may make an example of this in the near future.

 

[slashvanyoung]

So you want to capture the preamp signal (via fx-send, preamp-out, line out etc.) and then run it back through the fx-return or a dedicated poweramp, to mic up a cab then?

That would function properly but would make absolutely no sense... But sending an ampsim through a poweramp and then micing a cab might get you better results than impulses if you have a good cab, a good mic and know how to place it.

 

[thedonutman]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm referring to both VSTs and preamp tracks. I'm thinking of recording some preamp tracks at home, where I have pretty bad acoustics, and then reamping at the studio where I can also mess with speaker options. It also means if I'm not happy with my original mic placement I can change it, right?

 

[beyond dead]

but i dont know why you wouldnt just track a di signal, and re amp it normally. Do you only have a power amp/cab? or are you considering using an amp sim rather than your amps preamp? It would be cool if you could tweak the amp sim while it was being reamped through the power section. if it was a previously recorded preamp signal it may be better to have just captured a di, because it would be difficult to properly set the settings on the pre without hearing what It would sound like going through the power amp/speaker

 

[::XeS::]

It makes sense....if you have a preamp out tracks or some amp simulator you can send them into a poweramp and mics them instead of using impulses.
But if I have a poweramp and a cab, definitely I have also an amp so I can't see the benefits

 

[Force666]

Well one benefit would be you can do it without a reamp box.

 

[Trevoire520]

I reckon that using an ampsim as your preamp and going through a valve poweramp and cab mic'd up would be a great way to expand the variety of tones you could get.

Well one benefit would be you can do it without a reamp box.

This is a very good point.

 

[ScootBaloo]

Hi,

I do this all the time. The results are excellent if you use the right amp sim.

This is how I do it :

1. Loop a section of DI and send that DI thru an amp sim but of course
there must be no cab sim present.
2. Connect you reamp box to a clean line driver/booster ( I use a MXR but there are plenty of brands ).
3. Connect the clean booster to the "Power Amp Input" on your amp.
4. Tweak you amp sim to get the tone you want.

This technique works really well for some amp sims but not for others.

So far I can reccomend :

- Revalver 6505.
- Revalver Triple XXX.
- Amplitube clean amps.
- Several of the LePou asmp sims.
- Havent tried Onqel's amp sim yet but I best that one will work really well.

The resulting sound is as good as using an impulse in my opinion
but the result varies a lot depending on the amp sim.

 

[if6was9]

I used to do this a good bit before I got my Re-amp box. works a treat for playing around with mic placement when you're playing and recording.

It's also how I ran my guitar live- ran an amp sim, then line out into a poweramp and cab.

 

[if6was9]

Hi,

I do this all the time. The results are excellent if you use the right amp sim.

This is how I do it :

1. Loop a section of DI and send that DI thru an amp sim but of course
there must be no cab sim present.
2. Connect you reamp box to a clean line driver/booster ( I use a MXR but there are plenty of brands ).
3. Connect the clean booster to the "Power Amp Input" on your amp.
4. Tweak you amp sim to get the tone you want.

This technique works really well for some amp sims but not for others.

So far I can reccomend :

- Revalver 6505.
- Revalver Triple XXX.
- Amplitube clean amps.
- Several of the LePou asmp sims.
- Havent tried Onqel's amp sim yet but I best that one will work really well.

The resulting sound is as good as using an impulse in my opinion
but the result varies a lot depending on the amp sim.

dude step 2 is completely unneccesary- you're at line level so no need for a re amp box and line booster

 

[ScootBaloo]

Hi if6was9,

I found that you cant drive the power amp into the saturation zone
with just a line out level, you need the booster.

 

[ForefrontStudio]

never thought of this before. this way you could make "hybrid amps". ie, 5150 preamp run through a rectifier power section into whatever cab you please. I would imagine you could come up with some unique tones..... interesting

 

[mick thompson]

well di just seems way easier and you can change settings accordingly if you find there is too much gain or treble in the mix etc, by taking the preamp output into your daw your loosing the flexibility of your pre's gain and eq AND chances are if your in a crappy location impulses are going to sound 10 times better then you mic'ing up a cab (no offense to you and your techniques - i meant that in general)

 

[beyond dead]

I agree mick! I would much rather use an analog preamp, rather than a amp sim plugin. And I know from experience that the amount of gain/bass/ presence that is dialed on the amp depends on how hard the power section is pushed/speaker excursion. I would NEVER commit to a preamp setting without hearing how the power section/cab is coloring the sound.

But I can see the benefits for those who dont have a large selection of amps to choose from, and dont like the sterile sound impulses give you.

There is just too much trial and error involved for me (finding the right balance between pre and power section settings) It seems like I would spend too much time trying to de emphasize the improper pre settings (too much bass/ gain) by changing mic position/ loudness of power section when I shouldnt have to make compromises to the optimum settings of each element in the chain because of an error with the original signal..

I would have to go back, rerecord the part with a different pre setting, or tweak a plugin to have less gain/bass/presence/ whatever.

so to me this seems like a lot of work for a guitar track that you could argue is no better than just using impulses.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

All the solos in the first 3 Scar Symmetry albums were recorded this way.

 

[ForefrontStudio]

what about guitar > di > if > if out > reamp box > 5150 > preamp out (or fx send) > fx return on other head (like a recto or something) > cab > mic

so essentially, you'd be recording dry, then reamping through the preamp section of one amp, and the poweramp section of another then into a cab. you could make all sorts of hybrid amps (so to say). like an el34 powered 5150 or something. I know the relationship between the preamp and power amp on a recto is crucial to the sound of a recto, but I wonder how the preamp of a 5150 would sound like through the power section on a recto....? or am I stupid for even wondering this? haha