Microphone Emulators

[thepresident777]

Is it possible to turn off the microphone emulators for recording on a PC?

[nst7]

No, it is not possible. You can turn off the cabinet, which turns off both the cabinet and mic.

I'm curious, why would you want to do that?

[thepresident777]

Originally Posted by nst7

No, it is not possible. You can turn off the cabinet, which turns off both the cabinet and mic.

I'm curious, why would you want to do that?

The entire chain in between the instrument and speakers is virtual, so why would I want a mic?

[TieDyedDevil]

Originally Posted by thepresident777

The entire chain in between the instrument and speakers is virtual, so why would I want a mic?

Heh. Good question.

I'd guess that the answer is somewhere along the lines of the difficulty of measuring the response of a microphone without a speaker and vice versa.

But that's just a guess...

[nst7]

The reason you want a mic is because that's how it would be in real life. How do you know how the cabinet speakers sound if you don't have a mic to record it?

If you stood in a room 20 feet away from the cabinet, and liked the sound, you would have to put up some kind of mic at that position to capture it. If you put your ear 2 inches from the cabinet, it would sound completely different, and again, you would need a mic at that position to capture that as well.

That's the entire purpose of amp sims, is to emulate amps in real life. Same thing applies to live use. A mic is put up to the cabinet, then amplified in the PA system.

[TieDyedDevil]

Originally Posted by nst7

Same thing applies to live use. A mic is put up to the cabinet, then amplified in the PA system.

I think the OP's underlying point is: "What if don't want the mic'd amp sound."

Some players like the sound of their guitar amps "in the room". The question them becomes: "Why can't I have a modeler behave exactly like a guitar amp, rather than a mic'd amp?"

[thepresident777]

Originally Posted by TieDyedDevil

I think the OP's underlying point is: "What if don't want the mic'd amp sound."

Some players like the sound of their guitar amps "in the room". The question them becomes: "Why can't I have a modeler behave exactly like a guitar amp, rather than a mic'd amp?"

THIS!

It really limits the usefulness of the equipment when you have to follow someone else's arbitrary preferences.

When I go amp shopping, I don't plug a mic into my ears.

[nst7]

I see. But amp sims are designed for recording and live use, not auditioning amps. And 99% of the time the configuration used is a mic a couple of inches off the speaker.

If you wanted to simulate an amp in a room, you could experiment with reverb and the wet/dry mix, simulating being farther away.

Also, some amp sims have a simulation of moving the mic away from the cab further in the room, such as Amplitube and Guitar Rig.

And, if you choose the Ribbon 121, it gives a sense of that as well, even though it's close up to the speaker. This is part of the reason they are popular to use on cabs, in combination with other mics.

[christophersad]

Originally Posted by thepresident777

THIS!

It really limits the usefulness of the equipment when you have to follow someone else's arbitrary preferences.

When I go amp shopping, I don't plug a mic into my ears.

well,an amp sim doesnt go to the shop to audition an amp,cause he actually doesnt have ears,he in fact uses a mic for earing

[AvidEditor]

Originally Posted by TieDyedDevil

I think the OP's underlying point is: "What if don't want the mic'd amp sound."

Some players like the sound of their guitar amps "in the room". The question them becomes: "Why can't I have a modeler behave exactly like a guitar amp, rather than a mic'd amp?"

And this bolded section for me is the most important question of all. I've never personally heard a modeler through flat reference speakers sound like a tube amp in the room, but I'd love to! There's at least one well known speaker designer that claims it's possible.

I've run my 11R through the power stage of my Fender Supersonic and guess what, it sounds like a tube amp in the room! Because it is.

Giving up the sound of a tube amp in the room would be impossible for me - which is why when I someday buy a Kemper I will monitor live with a guitar cab while running that beautiful kemper signal to the PA or Pro Tools.