Ten of the Best Guitar Amp Sim Plug-ins in 2023
by The Press Desk
Blue Cat Audio Blue Cat's Axiom
Blue Cat’s Axiom is an amp sim capable of a plethora of tones, with built-in effects, many options for cabinets and it also emulates some of the most sought-after guitar amps and pedals. However, what makes this plug-in stand out is the possibility to design your own tones from scratch: we can shape the frequency response, waveform, phase shift and other aspects that makes a great amp sound. Not fond of deep-tweaks and want a more straightforward process? Axiom offers a "Tone Maps" tool that morphs between presets so we can quickly achieve that desired sound without any hassle.
Bogren Digital Ampknob BDH Bundle
Would you like to get that high-gain metal sound without having to turn more than a single knob? That’s exactly what the AmpKnob series is about: ease of use and getting a great sound as fast as possible! The BDH Bundle is based on the highly praised Peavey 5150 series of amplifiers that are widely used for metal and helped to define the sound of the genre. This collection includes three variants of this legendary amp, along with a cabinet picked by none other than producer-extraordinaire Jens Bogren, so this is coming from someone who knows metal inside-out!
IK Multimedia TONEX MAX
There’s no doubt that Amplitube is a staple when it comes to amp simulations and TONEX came to expand its legacy by entering the amp modeling realm. Featuring IK’s proprietary AI Machine Modeling technology, TONEX can model the sound of any amp, cabinet or pedal - and most importantly, it can recreate entires rigs with everything that goes on the signal chain! TONEX offers an ever-growing library of amps, pedals and full rigs, which are constantly expanded not only by IK but also by users, who can easily create and share their tones on the cloud.
ML Sound Lab Amped Flagship 2.0
Carefully modeled by the up-and-coming software developer ML Sound Labs, the Amped Flagship plug-in brings a collection of virtual amps based on the coveted Friedman tube amplifiers. It features a 3D cabinet simulator allowing you to mix different cabinets and microphones. Users are also able to load their own IRs and make use of a virtual pedalboard with studio-quality noise gate, tube screamer-style drive, compression, chorus, delay and reverb. It also features MIDI capabilities for remote control, a tuner and a standalone app for DAW-less jamming.
Neural DSP Archetype: Tom Morello
Neural DSP certainly knows a thing or two about amp and effects modeling! The company built a solid reputation with its excellent plug-ins and hardware, with their Quad Cortex modeler quickly gathering a strong following. Archetype: Tom Morello is one of their highlights, featuring everything needed to reproduce the power and creativity of his unique set up. It features glider, whammy and wah pedals, along with a delay, graphic equalizer and phaser. The plug-in also features Tom's exclusive 2-channel amp model, a cab simulator/IR Loader and also handy tools for transposing and doubling.
Overloud TH-U v2
Equipped with an engine capable of running both modeling and capturing technologies, TH-U includes 89 guitar amps, 4 bass amps, 50 guitar cabs, 2 bass cabs, 83 effects and 18 microphone models, with up to four mics per cab. The software also features an "‘Amp Tweak" function that enables users to change the pre and power tubes models, a built-in IR loader and over 28000 captured rigs, so there's enough content to tackle any possible situation, from mellow clean to scorching overdrives and everything in between.
Positive Grid BIAS FX 2
Positive Grid quickly made a name for itself inside the amp sim community with its BIAS series of plug-ins. Praised for the comprehensive feature set, stunning visuals and great sounding engine, Bias FX arrives on its second iteration boasting over 50000 presets to cover all sorts of electric or acoustic guitars and bass as well. Positive Grid Bias FX 2 offers three different license models: Elite with 210 presets, 100 amps and 122 effects; Pro with 130 presets, 60 amps and 115 effects and Standard with 70 presets, 30 amps and 43 effects.
Scuffham Amps S-Gear
S-Gear has been around for quite some time now, and it certainly became a go-to for many when it comes to clean, low and mid-gain tones. Developed by former Marshall Amps designer Mike Scuffham, S-Gear features six different amps, a cab loader with IRs from Redwirez, effects and a handy booster pedal for when dialing-up the gain is needed. Known for its authentic and convincing sound, it doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon as Scuffham keeps adding new features to a platform that was already great to begin with.
Softube Amp Room Marshall Suite
Softube’s accurate modeling is certainly among the most prestigious, so it comes as no surprise that their amp sims are also great! The Marshall Suite includes five iconic officially licensed models, featuring timeless classics such as the Bluesbreaker, Plexi Super Lead, Silver Jubilee and JCM800. This package also comes with five vintage Marshall cabinets and ten pedals, including the famous Guv’nor overdrive. The suite also offers a Studio Mode, with expanded tone-shaping and mixing capabilities.
Universal Audio Fender ’55 Tweed Deluxe
The Fender ‘55 Tweed Deluxe is arguably the most popular guitar plugin on the UAD platform, and that's for good reason! All the original unit’s tone complexity is brought to the digital realm from pristine clean tones to subtle tube saturation as you increase its gain. The plug-in also includes famous speaker mods enabling users to switch between the stock 1955 Jensen P12R, the 25-watt Celestion and the JBL-D120F speakers, while changing a dual mic setup composed of a M160, a vintage MD-421, a R-121 and a U-67 - all with the option for on/off axis placement.
For more on guitars, virtual and real amps, visit: https://www.gearspace.com/board/so-m...o-little-time/
