Why do downloaded user presets sound different on my set-up?

Assuming the only difference in gear between you and the person who made the preset is your guitar, then undoubtedly your guitar and pickups can be a major factor. That aside, even using the exact same gear, discrepancies in playing can be a huge denominating factor.
 
Thanks for your answers !!! I really appreciate your help !!!

I won't give up :) !!!

Maybe it is better to create own presets or use other user presets as templates !!!

Anyway...just recorded a simple riff and kept my preset very easy...I only modified the knobs I would find on a real amp.
The Cab I used was factory cab no. 61, I only applied a low and high cut in that cab. I am playing a Suhr Modern with Suhr PUs. Recorded via USB, Logic set at 48.1kHz.



The sound seems like being under a blanket, far away from cutting through and compared to similar simple presets from other users.
What am I doing wrong? Have attached the preset for your reference as well.
 

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  • Test1.syx
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Thanks for your answers !!! I really appreciate your help !!!

I won't give up :) !!!

Maybe it is better to create own presets or use other user presets as templates !!!

Anyway...just recorded a simple riff and kept my preset very easy...I only modified the knobs I would find on a real amp.
The Cab I used was factory cab no. 61, I only applied a low and high cut in that cab. I am playing a Suhr Modern with Suhr PUs. Recorded via USB, Logic set at 48.1kHz.



The sound seems like being under a blanket, far away from cutting through and compared to similar simple presets from other users.
What am I doing wrong? Have attached the preset for your reference as well.


Just checked out your preset. What I found as the biggest culprit to that muffled sound were the changes you made in the cab block for low and high cut. I know that gets recommended all of the time on here, but I really dislike doing that. I'd rather do that post Axe-Fx, or on a need to have basis so it can be tailored, not baked in from the start, and clearly having an unwanted effect as shown here. After that, I simply turned down the bass and boosted mid/treb/presence, and then knocked the gain down just a tad (was a little high causing extra mud for a rhythm sound, but that's just my personal taste). Try the attached out. I made it on an XL+, so use Frac-Tool if you have something different.
 

Attachments

  • Test1New.syx
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Just checked out your preset. What I found as the biggest culprit to that muffled sound were the changes you made in the cab block for low and high cut. I know that gets recommended all of the time on here, but I really dislike doing that. I'd rather do that post Axe-Fx, or on a need to have basis so it can be tailored, not baked in from the start, and clearly having an unwanted effect as shown here. After that, I simply turned down the bass and boosted mid/treb/presence, and then knocked the gain down just a tad (was a little high causing extra mud for a rhythm sound, but that's just my personal taste). Try the attached out. I made it on an XL+, so use Frac-Tool if you have something different.

Thanks, very kind !!! Just did a reamp of it with the updated preset...indeed...sounds brighter now, but still far away from my target sound.
 
The sound seems like being under a blanket, far away from cutting through and compared to similar simple presets from other users.

What am I doing wrong? Have attached the preset for your reference as well.

In the amp block, go to the GEQ section and boost 4K by approx. 5dB and 8K by approx. 3dB, or adjust them to taste. Incidentally, this is a rather dark amp model as noted in Yek's write-up.
 
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Thanks, very kind !!! Just did a reamp of it with the updated preset...indeed...sounds brighter now, but still far away from my target sound.


Excellent! Definitely keep tweaking. If you're set on the Friedman, I'd recommend trying a few different cab types to see if you get closer. For that kind of Marshall-mod type sound I like the cabs a few blocks up from this one, Tv Mix C1 and C4. It can be hard changing cabs, because it takes a little while for your ears to adjust to the differences. What may sound harsh relative to the cab you were just on, might be what you were really looking for when you give your ears time to get over the "hangover" from the last cab. If the Friedman isn't happening, try out one of the JCM 800s or the AFS100 models, those have a really good snarl that is great for these kinds of riffs!
 
My friend played Petrucci's actual rig moments after John played it at sound check. Absolutely exact same gear: he did not sound like John Petrucci, tone-wise. Hard to believe, but it's true.

Same thing happens with my rig and almost any one else when someone sits in. Exact same everything, just the person is different, and it does not sound the same.
 
Not to mention the old saying "90% of the tone is in the fingers." or whatever percentage you want to use. I remember a story by a songwriter who was watching a Tina turner song being recorded. Eric Clapton was playing a guitar part. This guy was a huge EC fan. Eric finished and walked out of the studio so this guy had the chance to pick up Eric's guitar exactly as it was set up with the amp settings the same and he couldn't get it to sound anything like Eric Clapton. Same guitar, same amp, same settings.
I am sure Eric changed his settings when he left the studio ;-)
 
My friend played Petrucci's actual rig moments after John played it at sound check. Absolutely exact same gear: he did not sound like John Petrucci, tone-wise. Hard to believe, but it's true.

Same thing happens with my rig and almost any one else when someone sits in. Exact same everything, just the person is different, and it does not sound the same.

You're right, though I have to say after trying his preset, it does sound quite muffled to my ears. The simple GEQ changes I suggested lifted the blanket.
 
Capacitance and the pickup's impedance will move the "bump begie the shelf" lower. So yes cables add eq as well.

To the OP... It models part of the chain. An amp has no sound without guitar, or player.
I mosdef would not want a piece of gear that made me sound like some one else. I want it to bring out what I hear in my head.

Presets..others... No use for them.

Equator D5s? I spent a over a year trying to get used to D8s, only thing worse that their bottom exaggeration are M Audio BX8.
Ed...so don't you recommend the D5's ? Do you suggest replacing them?
 
Ed...so don't you recommend the D5's ? Do you suggest replacing them?
If you like them then absolutely keep them.
As I said I hated the D8, but I don't think that the monitoring is what stands in the way of a player and tone.
Let's put it like this, if you listening to reference stuff on them and can relate to it no problem.
But as I said the D8 were even with bass cut on like a set of Beats headphones.
 
I tried OP's preset it's all about darkness:

- BE V1 was a dark model
- bright switch is off
- dark IR
- IR has high-cut

try V2
turn bright switch on
change your IR
don't add high cut


Tadaaa!
 
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