Real Vacuum Tube Saturation In Amp Modeler/Multi-Effects

[JeffBlue]

I had not too long ago made a trade deal with a gentleman on Strat-Talk for an Eleven Rack unit. Great amp models and effects. It lacks real tube tones, so I acquired a VHT Fryette Valvulator (I already own one mounted in the rear of a Line 6 Spyder 3 2X12 amp)

I connected the Valvulator into the input of the Eleven Rack and it was a huge improvement. There is a second output on the Valvulator and I had a thought, "what if I connected the output 2 into the return of the effects loop as well as the input still connected?"

It sounds amazing and the vacuum tube saturation is huge. Great sounding rig. I'm using a Vox MV50 Clean for the output amp which uses a Korg Nutube and is a great effects/pedal platform.

 

[Offshore Angler]

So Jeff, Don't get hung up on the sound of tubes. What you can miss in a modeler can be the sag of the power supply and the sound of the output transformer and the speaker breakup. This can be modeled, but it takes some time learning the tweaks required. The actual clipping of the tubes is the easy part to model - or emulate using germanium transistors.

I think this is also why YouTube seems to be awash in "tone" people who are running heavy overdrive with lots and lots of delay.

 

[JeffBlue]

So Jeff, Don't get hung up on the sound of tubes. What you can miss in a modeler can be the sag of the power supply and the sound of the output transformer and the speaker breakup. This can be modeled, but it takes some time learning the tweaks required. The actual clipping of the tubes is the easy part to model - or emulate using germanium transistors.

I think this is also why YouTube seems to be awash in "tone" people who are running heavy overdrive with lots and lots of delay.

Yes sir, I get it. I also own a Line 6 HX Stomp, a couple of Art SGX-2000s, Fender Mustang Micro and a Sonicake Pocketmaster. They ALL sound great. There is a marked improvement with the Valvulator.