Pedal to add tube warmth to a modeled signal live?

[rockguitar2000]

Can anyone suggest what small pedal I could add to my signal chain to add some true tube warmth to my modeled signal? Not really a booster but just a pass through to warm it up.

 

[Pietro]

I used to use a tube DI (forget what it was, not very expensive), but when I did an A/B comparison, in the mix and with the band, there was no real difference.

 

[LqdSndDist]

Doesn't exist. THere simply is not magic little $99 box that gives "warmth"

EQ out a little high frequency with an EQ block and it will be what most people equate with "warmth"

The whole thing of "analog" warmth is kind of silly really, because you can have "warm" sounding digital recordings, and there are plenty of software tools that simulate vintage tones and warmth.

Waves Eddie Kramer mastering plugin for example. Somehow all those 1's and 0's can be "warmed up" without a tube in sight

 

[Steve Dallas]

I use a little tube pedal I made for that purpose. (I do not make them anymore or sell them.)

Warmth is really a perceived sound made up of very slight overdrive and/or rolled off highs. You can simulate it with a TS808 or 9 if you set the controls correctly.

 

[pepi]

I use a little tube pedal I made for that purpose. (I do not make them anymore or sell them.)

Warmth is really a perceived sound made up of very slight overdrive and/or rolled off highs. You can simulate it with a TS808 or 9 if you set the controls correctly.

(I do not make them anymore or sell them.)


But I bet you still have a schematic

 

[Steve Dallas]

(I do not make them anymore or sell them.)


But I bet you still have a schematic

OK. You talked me into it. This is the schematic for the 1st version. I later changed it by adding a voltage divider at the output to attenuate the level and set a fixed output impedance. I don't remember what I used there (I don't seem to have drawn it), but I did set the output impedance to be the same as a TS9, whatever that is. That is one resistor if you want to look it up. I think I selected the other one to cut the output by 33%, because the signal is pretty hot as drawn.

There is another Hammond transformer (546-186B12) that can be used to increase the B+ from 120VDC to 230VDC if you want to go higher voltage. If you do, you may need to adjust the RC networks to make it sound its best. But, I like the browner sound and lower output of the 120VDC B+.

 

[Pietro]

I can tell you what adds warmth... using analog pedals in addition to your digital modeler.

I recently took my HD 500 off my board because I wanted to maybe think about "downsizing" for certain things. So I set up some new patches with the HD 500 by itself without the xotic SP, EP and SL (which I use very seldom actually), and it sounded just fine... but...

...the analog pedals add some warmth and mojo that makes it worth hauling around the huge board...

 

[Dale]

Duncan Twin Tube can help.

 

[grorig]

Can anyone suggest what small pedal I could add to my signal chain to add some true tube warmth to my modeled signal? Not really a booster but just a pass through to warm it up.

You can try this one:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acce...ator-i-v1-line-driver-buffer-and-power-supply

I use them a long time in front of pedals and modellers to warm up the sound,and IMO, does a good job.

 

[awdwon]

I used to use a Groove Tubes Brick when I was going in to my computer's sound card and using S Gear. The results were very very impressive, added some warmth and made for a nice hot signal going in to my sound card. Not a pedal as such but same idea.

 

[buddaman71]

I used to use a tube DI (forget what it was, not very expensive), but when I did an A/B comparison, in the mix and with the band, there was no real difference.

Ditto

 

[aleclee]

yeah, that's just not the way it works.

+1 If you're distorting the signal after the "magic box", you're not going to see much effect on the output waveform from the modeler.

About the only real impact I could imagine is having a more amp-like input impedance loading the pickups.

 

[Baminated]

Not tube but the EP Pre by clinch fx (not the cheaper knockoff) adds a lot of flavor to my dig /ss rigs

 

[gulliver]

Doesn't exist. THere simply is not magic little $99 box that gives "warmth"

EQ out a little high frequency with an EQ block and it will be what most people equate with "warmth"

The whole thing of "analog" warmth is kind of silly really, because you can have "warm" sounding digital recordings, and there are plenty of software tools that simulate vintage tones and warmth.

Waves Eddie Kramer mastering plugin for example. Somehow all those 1's and 0's can be "warmed up" without a tube in sight

True, but the meaning of warmth in the tube world really means the opposite of harsh ... not necessarily rolled off highs (which would be the opposite of bright).

Cheaper modelers can simulate warm tube preamps, but fall short at simulating the power tube section of a real tube amp. So, plugging into a tube power amp will be the answer. Here, the dynamics clear up the tone and make it pop. Harshness comes when the tone is congested. You really need to compare the two side by side to understand.

 

[Black Squirrel]

If you feel you need that you need a better modeler.