Ethos as your "amp"?

[thelionsden]

I just got my new Ethos Classic /TLE yesterday and took it to a rehearsal to save carrying my amp/cab. I have had one before and they really do sound great direct. It worked very well.

I was wondering if anyone has been using the Ethos as their virtual amp and running their pedalboard with it and what kind of results have been gotten with various types of pedals into it. I would think putting the delays/modulation after it would be the way to go.

Thanks

Dennis

 

[Guinness Lad]

I used mine live into the PA and was stunned, it made seriously consider why I even have any amps. I would do it w/o hesitation again if carrying an amp was a hassle.

 

[DAB]

Haven't done it but I am planning to as soon as I get another Ethos TLE. When I had one before I was struck by how good and natural it sounded direct.

A great lead channel and a great clean channel is all anyone can ask of an amp and you get that from the Ethos. With a pedal board in front and a FRFR you are set to go IMHO.

$400 for an Ethos, $1,400 for an Axe-FX standard.....hmmmmm....I already have all the effects I need.......think I will save the $1K and do the Ethos thing.

YMMV.....

 

[thelionsden]

Yea, I was playing at church a while back and had a cab under the stage mic'd and when I went out to check out the sound there was a rumble entering the mic from under the stage. I went through all kinds of things to isolate the cab better, hi end mic pre / eq, high end mic all kinds of gymnastics to try to get it to sound good under there. I had my wireless on so I could stand at the FOH and tweak... got it as good as I could then plugged in the ethos direct to try it and it just sounded better than the elaborate rig I had put together. I tried it once and it was pretty cool but I went back to using an amp because I like the rhythm crunch tone of a marshall a little better but after last nite at rehearsal, those lead tones out of that thing were really responsive and good. I was thinking maybe I could use some other pedal into the front of it to cop the more marshally crunch chord sound. I will have to hook my pedalboard into it and see what I can get out of it with what I currently have.

 

[RGB]

Just got one also and looking for suggestions on ways to use it direct with my pedalboard, so here's a bump!

 

[thelionsden]

Just got one also and looking for suggestions on ways to use it direct with my pedalboard, so here's a bump!

what version did you get?

 

[78deluxe]

Yea, I was playing at church a while back and had a cab under the stage mic'd and when I went out to check out the sound there was a rumble entering the mic from under the stage. I went through all kinds of things to isolate the cab better, hi end mic pre / eq, high end mic all kinds of gymnastics to try to get it to sound good under there. I had my wireless on so I could stand at the FOH and tweak... got it as good as I could then plugged in the ethos direct to try it and it just sounded better than the elaborate rig I had put together. I tried it once and it was pretty cool but I went back to using an amp because I like the rhythm crunch tone of a marshall a little better but after last nite at rehearsal, those lead tones out of that thing were really responsive and good. I was thinking maybe I could use some other pedal into the front of it to cop the more marshally crunch chord sound. I will have to hook my pedalboard into it and see what I can get out of it with what I currently have.

Please keep us updated on your results. It sounds like you are going after the same idea I'd like to try. (I don't have an Ethos, though I've been pondering it)...and putting a Box of Rock, KOT, etc. in front of it....then a delay after it > DI Box > PA (or recording console).

 

[RGB]

I have the TLE. Haven't had much time to play with it, so some good suggestions on placement and settings could speed things up for me a bit!

 

[thelionsden]

I have the TLE. Haven't had much time to play with it, so some good suggestions on placement and settings could speed things up for me a bit!

Well I want to use it as a virtual amp, so as to placement, I am thinking of running everything into the front of the Ethos just like I would an amp except my time based effects after it then direct. I havent done it this go round but I did not have as good results using the Ethos in front of an amp. It sounds so good direct that it seems to actually take something away from it to use an amp. But I have to try it again. Just got it yesterday.

To run direct you use the cab simulated out and it really sounds great. Turn off the GAC switch on the right side when going direct. One of the keys is the high cut control on the right. Dialing that just right really makes this thing sound very amp like.

i like to turn the clean channel gain pretty high to get just a touch of hair on the clean tone. Then you have to turn the volume of the gain channel almost all the way up to get a good level on the gain channel and the boost just takes it up a notch for a really fat lead tone.

Pedal cleans up nice with guitar volume too, gets all kinds of shade of OD like this. Get really good Stevie ray like strat tones with the guitar rolled down a touch.

This really is a fantastic piece of equipment. Robbie really know his stuff.

 

[Last Nerve]

Can you run this into a speaker cab as well as running it into a PA?

 

[62Tele]

I'm doing something very similar with Tech 21 pedals. The Tech 21's take whatever pedals I throw at them nicely and I've run them either before or after modulation - doesn't seem to make a huge difference, but before delay may be slightly better. I set them just like I would an amp - pretty much clean or slightly clipped, and let the pedals do the rest.

I do find that a good DI helps a lot - more so than where the pedals sit in the chain. I use either a Radial JDI or a Carl Martin parametric EQ.

I still own and love tube amps, but the practicality of this kind of setup makes me wonder why I haul around an amp at all.

 

[Lance]

Can you run this into a speaker cab as well as running it into a PA?

As long as it's powered with something. Just plugging it into the back of a cab will not work. I have been using mine direct for just a week or so now. I'll try to post a clip or two tomorrow. It sounds killer, I think! I've been having a blast with it. I'm running my AM TS9/808 silver into the green channel, and it is smooooooth, baby! I plugged my Tonebone Hot British pedal into it, and it sounded as Marshall-y as it should. Oh, and the Ethos does have a preamp/buffer, so it is pretty much designed to have time based processing after it. I run mine into an old Rockman Stereo Echo, and then into an old mod'ed Lexicon LXP-5, for delay, and reverb. Then into a little Yamaha mixer, and run in stereo. Could not be happier with it!

 

[danel59]

I have been using my TLE almost exclusively direct now (as opposed to into an amp or power amp) and like most of you really do like the results. I am currently running an RC booster and a Plush Extreme Cream into the Ethos and then running the speaker compensated out to a Boss DD20 and a Tech21 RVBoost and then DI to the board. The only thing that could make me happier would be an AxeFx but this has made me really rethink that purchase.
I have also experimented with the Carl Martin Rock Bug as the DI and then using the regular out of the Ethos into the verb and delay but the jury's still out on that one as I haven't had a lot of time with that.
The reason I thought of the Rockbug mainly was as a backup in case (heaven forbid) the Ethos went down I could still use my RC and Extreme Cream and still have speaker compensation to the board to get me through a gig.

The clean channel of the Ethos takes most drive pedals that I have used very well. I had at one point a BB Preamp and AC Preamp and a Carl Martin Plexidrive which all worked and sounded good. The only one I have issue with is my KarKrash but it seems to like a real slightly overdriven tube amp to get the most out of it. While I can come close that is the only one that I can't get to bond completely

Dan

 

[danel59]

One other thing that may be interesting is to know what guitars everyone is using with their Ethos especially those going direct. I can start

MIM Strat with Suhr FL neck and middle and SSV bridge
PRS SE Semihollow w/Wolfetone Marshalheads with Alnico 2's
MusicMan Axis SuperSport Rosewood - stock humbuckers
MusicMan Steve Morse - Stock Humbuckers and Single Coils

The Strat, PRS and Axis are the ones I use the most with the Strat probably getting the most use right now, the Suhr pickups brought that guitar to life but I guess that should be for a different post!

Dan

 

[thelionsden]

I used a PRS Cu22 last night and it sounded fat. I like strat with it too. Neck p/u sounds great

 

[danel59]

I used a PRS Cu22 last night and it sounded fat. I like strat with it too. Neck p/u sounds great

What setting did you or do you use the most, especially direct to PA the Classic or TLE?

 

[thelionsden]

What setting did you or do you use the most, especially direct to PA the Classic or TLE?

Well I only just got it again but I selected back and forth a few times and I do like the TLE better so far, but I read the Faq on his website after and it describes the Classic as being a little loose in the low end which is obvious, but this supposedly translates to fatter higher notes. I didn't really try to examine that phenomenon yet. I used the classic to record back when I had the first one and it was great direct as well especially with a strat and rolling the volume back a bit.

Dennis

 

[ruach1]

I run the Ethos TLE direct all the time. I put my dirt pedals in front of it, then after it, a volume pedal, then whatever swirly & delay pedals I have going. If you have good monitors or in-ears, it is a great way to go. It takes pedals beautifully - in fact, it sounds better with pedals in front, as it likes to be hit with a hot signal.

 

[aaron1433]

reviving this thread. Just curious as to who else may be going "ampless" with the help of an ethos.

 

[metz420]

When running it direct, do you set the direct channel's EQ flat and control everything through the Ethos to dial in your tone?