If I use an amp with no cab....

M

mikeyg

Experienced
What exactly.am I hearing? Is it the equivalent of going 'straight to the desk'? I heard the Beatles Revolution is just that.

I tried that last night, and i know people will say it sounds like crap, but i love it! Its raw, visceral. When you add the IR back in the signal chain, it neuters the raw tone.

I'm getting a tone very similar to Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue with the Brit Pre.

I know everyone will say, if it works for you, do it. Just curious what I am hearing, is it like a tone stack bypass?
 
If we're using a real world example, turning the Cab Block off is the equivalent of taking an amp head, connecting the Speaker Out jack into a loadbox/power attenuator, and connecting the out of the loadbox into the desk.
 
Generally speaking, it isn’t possible to plug an amp “straight into a mixer.” The load box/attenuator is a device that can allow that these days. But for the most part, an amp must be plugged into a speaker first.
 
Yes, you are probably confusing pedals or an instrument preamp straight to the desk with an amp.
 
Maybe yeah, but in the virtual world the signal from the Axe amp and a pedal that simulate that amp, like a Marshall in a Box pedal, would be about the same
 
So if you do the same with a Plexi model, you get the raspiness of old ZZ Top, like Tush or I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
 
how loud are you playing? this generally does not sound good at gig volume or in a mix.
 
It might sound good at low volumes late at night or if your ears are shot from years of playing too loud or your monitors have lost all their high end from years of abuse but, no, it doesn't sound good.
 
If you notice the tones I'm referencing they're pretty raw raunchy tones, which some may not like (I dont particularly like NIN, but their tones fit their music)

Ive listened to many isolated tracks from songs I love that sound pretty bad on their own but sound great in the context of a song.
 
chris said:
This is more like comparing ice cream with and without sugar and milk.

Consider our objective advice: amps are not intended to be used without a cab.
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No I get it. It works for me it doesn't for you

Based on the other posters reference to 9" nails started investigating what they do to get their guitar tone and it's completely non traditional but it works for them
 
I've done this to cop a few 'Fuzz pedal direct to the console' type of tones. You will need some post 'Dirt' EQ to shape the tone and control the excessive high-end, just like in the analog world.
 
Moke yeah it’s bright and crunchy.

I think I just need to find some IRs that are closer to my preferences...
 
Here is an example... The Solo scene (#4) uses no Cab block and adds a Graphic EQ block. You can see which blocks are being used in each scene.
 
mikeyg said:
What exactly.am I hearing? Is it the equivalent of going 'straight to the desk'? I heard the Beatles Revolution is just that.
Click to expand...

Revolution was the guitar plugged straight into the desk. And they stacked mic preamps to overdrive them. Personally, I’ve always disliked that song because of the guitar sound.

Having said that, there are some fantastic guitar tones that were recorded straight to the desk. Gilmore did the solo to Another Brick in the Wall that way (they did also blend in a real amp as well). Lots of clean guitar tracks over the years have been recorded that way. Nile Rodgers did some epic stuff direct to the desk.
 
Moke said:
Here is an example... The Solo scene (#4) uses no Cab block and adds a Graphic EQ block. You can see which blocks are being used in each scene.
Click to expand...


Sounds cool, Moke. Totally appropriate for that Black Keys sound. What are you using for that slight high harmonic note? Pitch block? That was nice and perfectly mixed in

So I messed around with doing a GEQ block, added some bass and cut the highs, and got very close to what I wanted. I couldn't get exactly what I wanted with the IRs I have so I would've had to resort to an EQ anyway.
 
a guitar straight to the mixer is not the same as an amp output direct to the mixer (somehow). just trying to clarify the different things being discussed here.
 
chris said:
a guitar straight to the mixer is not the same as an amp output direct to the mixer (somehow). just trying to clarify the different things being discussed here.
Click to expand...

Yeah didn’t Robbie Blunt run his guitar straight to the mixer for those 80s clean tones with Robert Plant?
 
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