IK Multimedia Amplitube 2 - Review

In recent years the increase in the processing power of computers has seen an increase in the number of software plugins offering guitar amp/cab/FX emulation. Amplitube was one of the first big hitters in this field, but has started to show its age in the last 12 months or so.

Enter Amplitube 2 - not as much of an update to Amplitube as a complete rewrite. The feature list is impressive: 14 Preamp models, 7 Amp models, 14 EQ Models, 16 Cabinet models, 6 Mic models, 21 Stomp effects, 11 Rack effects, an accurate tuner and a choice of routing that offers literally thousands of permutations. On top of this the GUI has been overhauled from the previous version and the new interface is very pleasing on the eye, intuitive and manages to avoid 'clutter'.

The minimum requirements are quite modest, a 1.33GHz PIII/Athlon XP and 256MB of RAM are stated on the box. I would however suggest that to run Amplitube 2 in a project with other plug-ins/software instruments would require a more powerful PC, certainly in terms of raw processor speed. Of course some hosts offer 'freezing' of plug-ins/instruments so this can be overcome in many cases.

The installation of Amplitube 2 is reasonably simple, although as it uses a Syncrosoft dongle you will need an internet connection either on the computer it is being installed on or you will need to use another computer to activate the software by copying down a couple of strings of numbers. This can be a minor annoyance if you do not have an internet connection on your PC but the procedure shouldn't take more than a few minutes in either case.

Now, usually I'm a stickler for reading manuals before I use things, but on opening up Amplitube 2 in Cubase I was tempted to eschew my usual reticence and dive straight in. The GUI is laid out in a very sensible way, especially if you are accustomed to the traditional guitar signal path.

First impressions sound wise were good - the amp models reacted well to dynamics of my playing which is especially important when emulating tube models. A flick through the 'Signature' presets presented some very familiar tones to my ears. I'm not a Queen fan but the 'Bryan 1Vision' preset had me rocking away for several minutes to a drum loop. Equally the 'Clean RHCP' patch sounded uncannily like Frusciantes tone on 'Under the Bridge', in fact it sounded almost exactly like it when playing a Strat. A switch to the 'Early Zepp' preset and we're in 'Good Times Bad Times' territory - again the tone was very similar.

Although you could spend hours playing with the presets, the real strength of Amplitube 2 is when you are creating your own custom sounds. I won't pretend to have owned or played through every amp, cab and stomp box that Amplitube 2 models so I can not give an opinion on whether the Overscream stomp box running into the Modern Tube Lead amp feeding a 4x12 Closed Vintage2 using a Condenser84 mic really sounds like an Ibanez Tube Screamer into a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier into Marshall 4x12 Greenbacks mic-ed with a Neumann KM-84. However, this is missing the point somewhat - the sheer number of tones that can be created defies belief and the responsiveness to the players nuances is second to none. This is due to the implementation of a new technology that IK Multimedia have named DSM™ (Dynamic Saturation Modeling) which emulates in real time the non-linear behavior of analogue circuitry - on the basis of what I experienced in my time with Amplitube 2 they have done a very good job.

From a engineer/producers point of view Amplitube 2 is also a very useful tool. The amps and cabs used cab be changed and tweaked throughout the mixing process which is an obvious benefit over the traditional method of recording guitar. In a studio environment it may also be desirable to use the pre/amp emulation in Amplitube 2 but feed the signal into a real guitar cab and mic it up with the engineers preferred microphone(s). Some engineers may also like to experiment with using Amplitube 2 for other sound sources other than guitar - drums and vocals are obvious choices for mangling, especially with heavier and more industrial styles of music.

Compared to its main rival, Native Instruments Guitar Rig 2, Amplitube 2 has many pros and only a few cons. As well as being cheaper than Guitar Rig, Amplitube 2 feels a little more 'serious' for want of a better word. It may lack some of the more esoteric features of Guitar Rig, but it is arguably superior in the 'bread and butter' area of creating classic guitar tones. A guitarist/producer colleague of mine tried out my copy of Amplitube 2 and said that it felt less like a 'toy' than some of the other amp modellers on the market, and I think that is as good way as any of putting it.

The StompIO ™ USB foot controller (http://www.amplitube.com/Main.html?prod_AT.php) , which will be shortly available, will make Amplitube 2 more appealing to the live musician as well as offering a hardware front end for guitarists who may not have sound cards with low latency values. StompIO also includes a standalone version of Amplitube 2 which will suit the musician who wishes to use this software in a live scenario - when coupled with the StompIO, Amplitube 2 will be a very tempting package for any guitarist with a computer.

Amplitube 2 has certainly been worth the wait, and the stakes have been raised in the digital modelling amp game.