Direct recording tips

[Zozobra]

I'm having a go at direct recording with the aim of building a few dedicated preamps but I'm not having much success. Thus far everything sounds like fizzy, flubby and thin crap which is an impressive combination I'm sure we'll all agree. Preamp wise I'm using my Randall RG13 preamp and FX send of my TE SpeedTwin (which is more or less a SLO but with a post EQ SS loop) which I'm sending into my Saffire pro40. I'm then using reaper with TwoNotes WOS3 for the rest. I have the stock cabs and one of the engl and orange V30 cabs as well as the ownhammer free V30 impulses and for the life of me I can't see how to get any of it to sound good. I know a lot of guys have success with this approach but not me. I'm either doing something really stupid or there is something not right with my set up.

I'm using mic input 1, which has a instrument switch to set the input impedance to 1M so that it is suitable for instrument signals. I'm also applying a pad so tame the input. I have tried the combinations of these things but no joy.

So could someone who has some experience at getting results please be so kind as to talk me through it and offer up some tips? I could upload a short loop of a few riffs to see if you could work some magic to make sure it's not just that my source is bad is anyone is willing perhaps?

[VTM]

I've had similar results with my Rockmaster preamp direct to interface, then a power amp sim in WOS or the Ignite power amp sim plus IRs. For some reason my AMT preamp pedals record much better than the Rockmaster pre.

I've never been a huge fan of the WOS cab sims. In the right hands they can sound good (NFA gets great results with them) but I've always got the best results with the Ownhammer IRs. The old, free Ownhammer stuff is good but the newer stuff (Heavy Hitters Collection, for example) is on another level IMO.

In summary, I know where you coming from but only have some partial solutions, at best.

[BroSlinger]

I will expand later, but I had good results with a mild fuzz into an AMT cab chameleon.

Still had to eq the shit out of everything though.

[ajaxlepinski]

I had the same issue trying: Guitar > various foot pedals > A/D Converter > DAW
I have a AMT P2 preamp pedal that is supposed to be able to connect directly to my converter but, no... same crappy, fizzy sound.

I have no idea what the cause is but, according to AMT's advertising, I should be able to do it.
Like Broslinger, I tried the AMT Chameleon Cab, and put mine between the P2 and the converter... it was a bit better but, not good enough to use in a recording.
It sounded nothing like the AMT demo video.
(on a side note, the Magnet dial on my Chameleon Cab has very, very little effect)

The only success I've had with direct recording an amp is: Guitar > foot pedals > Amp > Speaker Out > Rockcrusher > A/D Converter > DAW,
This works fine especially, when I use speaker sim IRs.

I have no issues with: Guitar > A/D Converter > DAW > Guitar Sims/IRs

It's just using pedal outputs into the converter that never sounds good.... in theory, it should work fine but, I've never been able to do it.

[Zozobra]

That is basically my issue. I think the best I've managed so for was with a metal zone straight in and I kind of hoped that a tube pre that is 90% SLO and my RG13 would sound better than that. I can only think that it's some kind impedance issue that is fucking it up

[BroSlinger]

Okay, so here is the only thing I've done direct with my current DAW/Setup.

https://soundcloud.com/gene-donnelly-iii/silence-is-silver

Maple Warmoth, Wilde Alnico Micro Coils,
Bogner Harlow
MSLP Lunar Module Clone
EQD Monarch
Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe
AMT Cab Chameleon
Warm Audio WA-12.

Tips:
1. keep tweaking until it sounds good in the monitors before you record anything.
2. Don't be afraid to stack overdrives after fuzzes to round everything out. You want to use something that will limit the bandwidth of the guitar signal. bassy and/or bright is going to get magnified when going direct.
3. Use a nice preamp before the A/D convertor/interface. A razor flat, linear preamp on your interface is going to magnify nastiness. Use something with "vintage" flavor.
4. EQ the shit out of everything when it's done. Use some kind of spectral analyzer plug in to see where the peaks are. There will be some awful peaks no matter what.

Good luck!

[Devin]

Post up some of these sounds you're getting, zozo

[VTM]

That is basically my issue. I think the best I've managed so for was with a metal zone straight in and I kind of hoped that a tube pre that is 90% SLO and my RG13 would sound better than that. I can only think that it's some kind impedance issue that is fucking it up

I liked your metal zone clips!

One thing I need to try is my Rockmaster preamp > Lee Jackson power amp > to Suhr reactive load > IRs. I'm curious to hear how that compares to the preamp with a power amp sim and IRs

[guidedbyechoes]

Is it possible some of the direct signal is coming through? My buddy had an issue not getting very good tone using cab sims turned out the direct signal was being sent in as well.

[Zozobra]

I'll fire up a few clips with and without impulses. Heh, I liked the metal zone clip too, unfortunately it's the best sounding one so far

And yes, I'll make sure no direct signal is coming through. I'm pretty certain it's all going through the impulse loader...

[Zozobra]

Okay I did a very quick clip, both with and without WOS3 and a bit of post EQ.

Signal chain: Ibanez DTT700 > TE SpeedTwin > loop out > Saffire pro40 (inst and pad on) > Reaper > WOS3

WOS3: https://app.box.com/s/vlwa3facur4uszvi9twzvu0mtv5dtkca

RAW: https://app.box.com/s/uf98buvsg91trbn580fq956wmo1xwml5

[VTM]

The raw tracks sounds about as I would expect a preamp would without any power amp simulation or IRs.

Instead of recording from the effects loop, have you tried recording with the preamp out?

[Zozobra]

I only have the loop to play with on my speedtwin unfortunately. I've not had great results using the unbalanced output from my RG13 either. I may try cobbling together a simple resistive dummy load with a line out to see how that sounds.

[Devin]

Okay I did a very quick clip, both with and without WOS3 and a bit of post EQ.

Signal chain: Ibanez DTT700 > TE SpeedTwin > loop out > Saffire pro40 (inst and pad on) > Reaper > WOS3

WOS3: https://app.box.com/s/vlwa3facur4uszvi9twzvu0mtv5dtkca

This one sounds like there might be potential there....it's not a tone I'd normally go for myself, but I'd be curious to hear it in a mix with bass and drums. That's where the tone really matters IMO

[Zozobra]

In a somewhat ironic sense it is closer to my usual go to fuzzy tone but that's not what i'm trying to achieve here. The RG13 sounds similar for whatever reason and I just can't seem to dial in a modern metal tone

[Devin]

Maybe try using an OD pedal set for boost in front of the RG13/Speedtwin? I can never get a recorded modern metal tone that I'm happy with without using a boost pedal.