Guitar modeling software comparison

Even if you have both of those things, what if the guitarist has an amp that sounds awful? This is when guitar amp modeling comes into play, and can help you get a good sound. Simply put, guitar amp modeling is a using a virtual amp instead of an amplifier.

Amp modeling software is a plugin that you can purchase for your DAW and runs out of of the recording program. You do this by plugging your guitar into a DI box , then to your audio interface. Once you record your track clean, you can add the plugin insert, and begin creating the tone you want to have.

Both of these two programs have tones of add-on effects that you can get for them. I have both of these programs and have used them both on multiple occasions. Both have their pros and cons, which I will cover in this article. The following products contain affiliate links.

This means at no additional cost to you, I get paid if you click through and make a purchase. Bias FX is my personal favorite and runs best on my computer. Some of Bias FX's features are:. On the other hand, if money is limited, there are more affordable options to check out in our best amp modeler guide too.

It includes the same dual-DSP architecture, capacitive footswitches and presets. The Helix LT is the floorboard-only little brother of the full-fat Helix. It has the same dual-DSP architecture of the larger unit, but removes the scribble strips and slims down the input and output options, resulting in a leaner beast.

Luckily, these changes are unlikely to affect most players, and if you don't want a rack version or extensive MIDI and CV control, then we'd probably say this is not only the better choice for your needs, but also for your wallet. Finally, for an extra hundred bucks, you can get the Helix Native plugin, which allows you to use Helix models directly in your DAW.

If you can afford it, the Axe-Fx is one of the best amp modelers you can buy. Not only does it have the best tones in the business, but it's got hundreds of them. Periphery, Coheed and Cambria and Devin Townsend you say? The Axe-Fx III has an overhauled user interface that, unlike previous versions, can finally go toe-to-toe with the intuitive Line 6 Helix.

Although we're only concerned with amp emulation here, the Axe-Fx has hundreds of brilliant effects as well as powerful, studio-grade EQ and gating options, so that's certainly worth considering, especially for recording. As Omar from the cult television series The Wire had it, "if you come at the King, you'd best not miss. In terms of sound, like the Axe-FX, it's impossible to tell it apart from a real amp.

Where it has the edge is form factor, portability and the ergonomics of its touch screen. It's not the first modeller to sport a touch screen, but it is the first one to offer an experience comparable to other high-end consumer devices. Another killer feature on paper is the ability to capture amps and pedals that you own. Again, like other products such as the BIAS amp suite, it's uncannily on the money.

This feature does, however, require you to own or have access to the amp or pedal in the first place. This neatly sets up the only drawback of the Cortex - that, however good they are, it ships with a fraction of the amp models of its main competitors. For extra expansion in the future, it does have Cortex Cloud, where you can download and share presets, but that's hardly a unique feature.

If you liked the idea of being able to run amp models and IRs but have a traditional pedalboard, then the Line 6 HX Stomp could be for you. It takes a scaled-down version of the Helix floorboard, and gives you a subset of its amps and effects, with the same intuitive controls. As you'd expect, it doesn't have the processing power of the larger unit. This means you can't run patches of the same complexity. However, it's incredibly useful for adding additional, infrequently-used effects to your chain.

This could really come into its own in a covers band, for example. Meanwhile, the amp and cab models are the same excellent pedigree as the flagship models. This means that it's a great grab-and-go amp solution for smaller gigs, as well as a useful audio interface to use in a home studio setting.

Read the full Line 6 HX Stomp review. With a more amp-like front panel than many of its competitors, the Kemper is the best amp modeler for players who want to be eased into the simulation experience, hiding a huge amount of depth behind its simple user interface. There's a rack version for those that want to use it in a studio or ship it in a rack, or a head version that comes with a power amp, so that a speaker cab can be attached.

For both, there's the option of a floorboard. They're a core part of the live rig of bands like Biffy Clyro, and Tesseract switched from Axe-FX to Kemper for their most recent album Sonder, using a patch based on a custom-captured Diezel head.

Read the full Kemper Profiler review. With a quad-core DSP and luxurious 7-inch touchscreen, the HeadRush certainly goes all-out on hardware. In terms of the fidelity and feel of the amps, it's more 'open' and 'full' than most of the Helix models, and the way models respond to playing dynamics seems more subtle and more rich than other top-flight units.

So what's the catch? Well, on paper the 7-inch touchscreen should be a great user experience, but in practice, it's often harder to use than a joystick or arrow buttons, resulting in a great-sounding, but often frustrating floorboard. Given that it is capable of profiling an innumerable amount of vintage amplifiers and making them digitally available, and it costs less than buying a Profiler Head and Remote, the Kemper Profiler Stage could be marketed as the best value amp on the market.

There is tons of tube and solid-state guitar amp modelling hardware on the market today, but if your budget doesn't stretch to buying a brand new amp, then there are plenty of software options available. Whether you're looking to find licensed, or even un-licensed emulations of well-known branded products, there are plenty of plugins to choose from. Some include full effects chains, cab sims, IR loading capabilities and you'll even find fair few bass emulations too.

Most of the products in this list will work on all platforms, while some are only available in certain formats such as Universal Audio's UAD platform. Here we have, in no particular order, the 12 best guitar amp and cab sim plugins in the world today.

Studio Devil website. One of the most established packages available, with a vast array of endorsed amps, pedals and cabs complementing home-grown modules. Flexible routing, twin rigs and speaker cone selection give it plenty of sonic flexibility. Bias Pedal, meanwhile, lets you model pedal effects processors at the component level. This bundle comprises several individual plugins — Amps, Stomps and a Tuner — and GTR Tool-Rack, a host for combining up to six pedals, two amps and the tuner.

Overall, there are 30 amps, 25 stomps and 30 cabs, all based on classic units.