Who else never really uses the drive block(s)?

I do but not for the distortion aspect, just the tone (tone knob + level) shaping part AKA (low/hi pass and mid boost) which could also easily be done with a PEQ block I know
 
I use the TS808 Mod on almost all of my patches. Easier to tighten up my high gain amps with the drive rather than messing with a bunch of other parameters.
 
I don't really use the Drive Block with the amp models because the models give you so much control over the input stage with all kinds of filtering and leveling options that drive pedals aren't really needed, but I use the Drive Block a lot when I put real amps into reactive loads through the Axe 3's loops. The SD-1 and RATs are particularly great.

Here's two clips, one with and one without Fractal's RAT pedal running into a Bogner Helios 100. I really dig the sound and feel of the pedal and what it does for pretty much any high gain amp I put it through.

Bogner Helios 100 -> Suhr RL (no boost):


FAS RAT + real Bogner Helios 100 -> Suhr RL:
 
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I actually do use the drive block all the time. Partially based on old habits (I had an analog man modded maxon od9 and it always went in front of all my tube amps) and partially because what I’m hearing always sounds better to me when I click on that drive (typically set for a clean-ish boost).
 
I use them on every sound.

I don’t like switching amps because the EQ profile changes and I find that jarring. So I mostly stick with the amazing Revv orange and use channels on a drive pedal to change it up. Klon on all the time, and switch to something more aggressive when needed.
 
strabes said:
The first few years after switching to modeling I thought the same thing. Why use drives when I have access to all these amps? And to an extent I still agree for any higher gain amps, aside from the typical fuzz up front, or 808 to clean up the low end for example.

However, not all amps sound great cranked up (i.e. using a control switch on the drive parameter), the low end can tend to fall apart on some amps, I generally don't like dramatic changes between my cleans and drive tones (i.e. using channels for 2 different amps), and most importantly there is a type of sound that is created when running drives and wet effects into the front of an edge of breakup amp that is difficult to describe but is obviously missing when compared to wet effects run after the amp/cab.

Here's an example with a ton of wet effects just to make the difference obvious. First half has the wet fx hitting the amp, second half has the wet fx after the amp+cab. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/sgz0...-amp.m4a?rlkey=9t7ji1ubheql0nyzk9yve7dw8&dl=0

The first one is a single cohesive sound, sounds exactly like what I used to do with real edge of breakup amps. The second sounds way more clinical, the dry and wet are very clearly separate like it was tracked dry and the wet fx were added later. Fractal is the only platform I've found that really nails the former, other modelers' amps don't take wet fx into the front accurately so I always just ran them after.
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Definitely hear a difference, although in the first part the fx seem louder.
So is amp and cab the last thing in your chain for that?
 
RLD said:
Definitely hear a difference, although in the first part the fx seem louder.
So is amp and cab the last thing in your chain for that?
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The wet fx all had exactly the same settings in both, but the way the amps respond to the wet fx changes how they sound which is one of the ways this setup helps to "glue" the whole sound together. Another way is how the amps compress a bit when hit with so much wet/dry, like putting a compressor after the mic pre in the studio.

And yes the amps/cab are last in the chain besides the enhancer block which I use for stereo width. When recording I bypass the enhancer block and just double track. And obviously I do some EQ/saturation/compression in post as necessary if I'm producing but since that stuff is so situational I'd rather keep it out of the preset and do it in post, besides a mild low cut on the cab block which just helps clean up my IEMs a bit when playing live.
 
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strabes said:
The first few years after switching to modeling I thought the same thing. Why use drives when I have access to all these amps? And to an extent I still agree for any higher gain amps, aside from the typical fuzz up front, or 808 to clean up the low end for example.

However, not all amps sound great cranked up (i.e. using a control switch on the drive parameter), the low end can tend to fall apart on some amps, I generally don't like dramatic changes between my cleans and drive tones (i.e. using channels for 2 different amps), and most importantly there is a type of sound that is created when running drives and wet effects into the front of an edge of breakup amp that is difficult to describe but is obviously missing when compared to wet effects run after the amp/cab.

Here's an example with a ton of wet effects just to make the difference obvious. First half has the wet fx hitting the amp, second half has the wet fx after the amp+cab. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/sgz0...-amp.m4a?rlkey=9t7ji1ubheql0nyzk9yve7dw8&dl=0

The first one is a single cohesive sound, sounds exactly like what I used to do with real edge of breakup amps. The second sounds way more clinical, the dry and wet are very clearly separate like it was tracked dry and the wet fx were added later. Fractal is the only platform I've found that really nails the former, other modelers' amps don't take wet fx into the front accurately so I always just ran them after.
Click to expand...
I really love that first example, thanks for sharing. I have always put wet after the amp, I'm gonna try it this way!
 
tysonlt said:
I really love that first example, thanks for sharing. I have always put wet after the amp, I'm gonna try it this way!
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Thanks! Remember you need 2 amps/cabs hard panned to preserve the stereo image for this! And things get crazy if the amp is breaking up too much, really can't go much past edge of breakup on the amp for this type of setup.
 
FractalAudio said:
Raises hand. Never used them when I used real amps either.
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Same here. I would always just set my ADA MP-1 with various levels of gain, and also ride the volume on the guitar. Bought a Boss distortion pedal once just for an impromptu party gig where I wouldn't have my own rig, and it's still brand new in the box.

And with the amps in the Axe, and the Majesty, it's either the boost in the amp block, or kick on the boost on the guitar.
 
strabes said:
Thanks! Remember you need 2 amps/cabs hard panned to preserve the stereo image for this! And things get crazy if the amp is breaking up too much, really can't go much past edge of breakup on the amp for this type of setup.
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Care to share a preset? 😀
 
I could get by without them, but I use 2. I still mostly use the amp turned up and the volume controls on the guitar. But, I still like a TS with the gain down as an "over the top" boost (same footswich also turns up a dB or two after the amp), and I have a switch that turns on a low octave thing (POG-ish) with a Fuzz for a really over-the-top, massive sound that I think is kinda cool.

Realistically, the POG-y one and the clean post-amp boost are more important to me. I could quite the drive blocks whenever.
 
I have never used them either. I have owned some over the years, but always preferred straight up amp gain. However, I do use a Princeton Rev patch with a Tone of Kings to gain stage and give the amp a little more attack.
 
GreatGreen said:
I don't really use the Drive Block with the amp models because the models give you so much control over the input stage with all kinds of filtering and leveling options that drive pedals aren't really needed, but I use the Drive Block a lot when I put real amps into reactive loads through the Axe 3's loops. The SD-1 and RATs are particularly great.

Here's a clip of Fractal's RAT pedal running into a couple of real amps. I really dig the sound and feel of the pedal and what it does for pretty much any high gain amp I put it through.

Bogner Helios 100 -> Suhr RL (no boost):


FAS RAT + real Bogner Helios 100 -> Suhr RL:
Click to expand...

That's good, it sounds like a blanket's been lifted off the amp.

Sometimes I use drives, sometimes not.
I have a liking for a FET Boost in front of a clean amp to make it more spiky.
Treble Boost sorts out flubadub, especially in a Bassman.
And I prefer the ACB as my favourite in front of a distorted amp. [Instead of a TS, even though the ACB is probably maybe based on a TS?].
Using Fuzzes occasionally can be amusing.
 
It wasn't until very recently that I started to not use them. My mentality was understandably pedal board focused. My biggest problem with my pedal board was level issues between drives and that carried over to the Axe. It took me a good year before I appreciated the flexibility I had with just the amp block. More crunch - turn on Ideal Saturation, lead boost - neutral amp boost, with more control over the level. It's all there. Being able to practice with the amp cooking and not disturbing the peace made me realize the volume knob on the guitar is there for a reason.

With this realization, I quit chasing the vintage amp sound and switched to the FAS Class A and couldn't be happier. ;)
 
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Dino334 said:
I use the TS808 Mod on almost all of my patches. Easier to tighten up my high gain amps with the drive rather than messing with a bunch of other parameters.
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You could also use the TS808 Mod mode of the input boost, though with the pedal you can adjust the tone knob more, or add some drive too if needed.

Frodebro said:
Or just the input EQ in the cab block…
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In the Amp* block?
 
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