Sonic differences between different Amp emulation pedals

[Vivek]

Here's a shootout of many AMT amp emulation pedals. Same riff.

What do you feel are the differences ?

[Steben]

How many more times...

... will people compare overdrive with metal riffs... its useless. It's ITALIAN ROAST.

[ElectricDruid]

If I bought two of those, I'd have to put them next to each other so it read "R2D2"...

[POTL]

When AMT released the first generation of these pedals, they had one board for all pedals, even though the designs of many amplifiers were very different from each other. This speaks of not the most accurate imitation. On this forum there were second generation circuits, I could not understand the simulation logic, most likely all circuits are unified. This is similar to Catalinbread's approach, convenient for production, but a compromise, not in favor of sound and musicians. In Russia, many novice guitarists have pedals of this company, but they are almost not quoted by experienced musicians.

[teemuk]

... will people compare overdrive with metal riffs... its useless.

Well, they emulate amps associated with modern high gain tones (Bogner, Cornford, Diezel, ENGL, etc.) and not suprisingly those amps are often demonstrated with similar material. 

BTW, it would be interesting to see/hear similar demo of real amps in order to listen to their differences. Chance is that they're nearly as subtle.

[Rob Strand]

f I bought two of those, I'd have to put them next to each other so it read "R2D2"...

Do they make little pip sounds when you do that?

[FiveseveN]

similar demo of real amps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-GXht7qfhg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSXGPUqZWFI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ur4iEIcQPo

its useless.

OK boomer.

[Vivek]

Thanks FiveseveN.

At 04:15, https://youtu.be/c-GXht7qfhg?t=255, Ola says

"
So what do you think ? Did they sound the same ?

According to me, Yes !

The one that stood out would be the Blade distortion pedal

but other than that, I didn't think the differences are that noticeable.

They do sound very much alike, as it is

When played together with drums and bass, it is very hard to guess which Amp is which

The cabinet and microphone is the most important part of guitar tone

"

Is that my confirmation bias acting up ?

[Steben]

its useless.

OK boomer.

According to K Richards it is all about lack of syncopation. Lol. Clearly I mean lack of dynamics. If there are no dynamics only some deeply change in eq makes difference.

Reverse thinking leads to the conclusion that if the public does not want dynamics making different circuits is just as useless. Hence the 101 boss circuits with two clipping diodes.

[teemuk]

They do sound very similar, and that's what we've been telling you in several threads:

Details of how the amplifier or effect actually (clipping) distorts has very little effect on tone overall, and at best the effect is subtle. You principally just hear an x amount of distortion.

You can introduce more audible effects by pre and post distortion EQ'ing, which is the difference most prominently perceived in the demo as well. However, most high gain amps and effects follow certain pre-established voicing methods with just tiny variations to overall concept so....

What goes in to the "signal processor", namely playing technique,  has utmost importance. Amp can contribute certain elements to tone, like EQing and harmonic distortion, but principally "tone" comes from the musician himself. The technique ultimately defines how something will sound like.

[Steben]

They do sound very similar, and that's what we've been telling you in several threads:

Details of how the amplifier or effect actually (clipping) distorts has very little effect on tone overall, and at best the effect is subtle. You principally just hear an x amount of distortion.

You can introduce more audible effects by pre and post distortion EQ'ing, which is the difference most prominently perceived in the demo as well. However, most high gain amps and effects follow certain pre-established voicing methods with just tiny variations to overall concept so....

What goes in to the "signal processor", namely playing technique,  has utmost importance. Amp can contribute certain elements to tone, like EQing and harmonic distortion, but principally "tone" comes from the musician himself. The technique ultimately defines how something will sound like.

Yes, and here power chords and palm muting defines similarity. It might be boomer but if its true its true.

[Vivek]

It would be rather instructive to find videos comparing low and medium gain amps playing jazz, country, pop etc

[Steben]

It would be rather instructive to find videos comparing low and medium gain amps playing jazz, country, pop etc

Of course.... boomer