Hey everyone! Loving this thread and I’m new to the digital amp modeler world but this info is super helpful.
The first amp I tried capturing was my 68 Fender SFDR. I used an old silver M160 and a Unidyne SM56 through API preamps mixed together. Beautiful chain but I found it to have a gain structure that was not in the original sound.
I guess I’m also trying to pursue the sound that is closest to the original. So it seems like the Amp DI + IR is the way to go. With that said, are y’all referring to the internal Neural DSP IRs or are you referring to IRs you have made yourself?
Would love if I don’t have to make them of my own cabs but I will go the distance if that is what brings the best result.
Ben
Hey @benjamintheller Welcome!
I have used the stock cabs(Its) , 3rd party IRs, as well as my own IRs of my cabs here in my studio with great success.
The best to my ears, because I’m trying to recreate when I hear in my studio, usually ends up being my own IRs because I’m hearing my signal chain and my mic placement and what not.
They are not hard to make especially once you’ve got your rig all set up anyway. I’m happy to help if you need it.
Im not sure I’d have the gear to make captures of the speakers happen. I’m guessing I need a really clean power amp yeah?
I really want to go the distance though because I own the coveted rare mics (Silver M160, U67, AKG B-ULS, Unidyne SM56, etc) and my recording chain doesn’t suck either.
Assuming my assumption about needing a neutral/clean power amp is correct, is there one you would recommend?
I.m.o the only way to capture a cab ir accurate is with a solid state amp, a tube power amp will color the ir too much, don’t know how you made the cab ir, i have not yet been able to check out the ir but generally speaking i prefer the whole rig miked as some amps don’t really yield an accurate capter di’d.
@benjamintheller
You are correct. I use a Seymour Duncan POWERSTAGE 170. I set the EQ flat, and then I use pro tools to play the sound file and record the IR.
Where are you located? I’m in Nashville. If you’re close by you’re welcome to come by my studio and I can help you. Or send me a message and maybe we can chat.
You’re not wrong - but just wanted to say that coloration isn’t inherently bad. In the end, the idea that one way is more “correct” than another doesn’t actually really matter, since the only thing we actually care about is how it sounds. Some people do use tube amps intentionally to create IRs, or warming tube preamps as well on the input side. Since IR’s only capture EQ, any effects added by the tube amp are also easily negated by a standard EQ block, which many of us use already. There really isn’t any information loss or obfuscation of tone associated with using a tube amp instead, it just may have different sound.
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Love these thoughts and thanks for sharing. I would agree with you as well but I’m going for something very specific (my amps with my mics kind of sound) so I’m trying to nail down something I know really well and then diverge from there. Basically my use currently for the QC is 1. replacing my amps because of a back injury and 2. having something that reacts to my pedalboard / guitar the same way as my amps for fly dates.
I honestly can’t wait to get beyond the utility phase of this thing so I can have some fun with the QC being its own thing but sadly, the utility phase has to come first at this time. 
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Roger that, the end result is what counts, I did pre amps, power amps di and cab captures separate, I noticed some amps don’t capture well di’d I prefer mikes.