# Horrible sounding tones **URL:** \ **Category:** Plugins\ **Created:** [January 15, 2023, 7:30pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433 "2023-01-15T19:30:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nwcoleman04](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de053/32.png) [@nwcoleman04](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/nwcoleman04)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 7:30pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/1 "2023-01-15T19:30:44Z")
So I recently bought the Petrucci plug in and I can’t get a good sounding tone to save my life. I have played around with the rhythm and tone amp and I can’t get a good tone out of it anywhere\> my line 6 spider v amp sounds better than anything out of this thing. my signal chain is MacBook m1 air----Focusrite Scarlett 2i2—and into my ltd te-1000 with EMG pickups. I have already messed with the buffer size and everything like that in the audio settings and still getting the crappiest tones possible, even the presets sound bad. Even tried the Gojira and got a semi decent tone out of that one but still sounds like muddy crap. Please Help! ---
**Author:** ![DiffractionCircuit](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/unity.neuraldsp.com/diffractioncircuit/32/3793_2.png) [@DiffractionCircuit](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/DiffractionCircuit)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 8:22pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/2 "2023-01-15T20:22:55Z")
Whoa, coming in with guns hot. What is it that sounds so bad to you? What are you trying to get out of it tone-wise? ---
**Author:** ![nwcoleman04](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de053/32.png) [@nwcoleman04](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/nwcoleman04)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 9:32pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/3 "2023-01-15T21:32:27Z")
Just all the tones sound so muffled and not getting any of that “chunk” when I’m palm muting. I can’t get a sound anywhere close to the YouTube videos I have seen. I’m also just trying to get a nice chunky rhythm tone to play along to songs with ---
**Author:** ![nwcoleman04](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de053/32.png) [@nwcoleman04](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/nwcoleman04)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 10:26pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/4 "2023-01-15T22:26:08Z")
Also could it be my studio headphones? I tried it in a set of studio monitors And it sounded even worst ---
**Author:** ![illuminati1911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@illuminati1911](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/illuminati1911)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 7:38am UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/5 "2023-01-16T07:38:31Z")
Is this your first experience with guitar plugins? What I mean is are you comparing neural plugin sounds to YouTube videos or other plugins? The guitar sounds you hear in the YouTube videos are often heavily EQ’d so they fit nicely into the mix. Other things you could check: input gain (on the interface and in the DAW), EMG batteries… Maybe make a small recording and share it with us? ---
**Author:** ![nwcoleman04](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de053/32.png) [@nwcoleman04](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/nwcoleman04)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 12:54pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/6 "2023-01-16T12:54:54Z")
Yes this is my first time doing plug ins. And yeah I understand the videos on YouTube are mixed good but I just can’t get nowhere close. And I have lowered the gain all the way on my interface because I’m running standalone version of the plug-in. But that being said I will check the EMG batteries as well ---
**Author:** ![frankvhalen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/unity.neuraldsp.com/frankvhalen/32/3275_2.png) [@frankvhalen](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/frankvhalen)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 9:17pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/7 "2023-01-16T21:17:33Z")
Checking your battery is a good start but also you’ll have to check your gain staging. If your guitar signal isn’t coming in hot enough, or if it’s TOO hot, it will greatly affect your sound. You mentioned “turning the gain all the way down on my interface because I’m running the standalone version of the plugin” - this doesn’t seem right to me. You’ll want a healthy input level on the interface and you can check the input meter in the plugin as well. ---
**Author:** ![DiffractionCircuit](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/unity.neuraldsp.com/diffractioncircuit/32/3793_2.png) [@DiffractionCircuit](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/DiffractionCircuit)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 9:43pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/8 "2023-01-16T21:43:39Z")
You can go into the plug-in settings and turn off any inputs to your audio interface you’re not using (i.e. that your guitar is not plugged into). It can help cut down on extra noise. ---
**Author:** ![nwcoleman04](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de053/32.png) [@nwcoleman04](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/nwcoleman04)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 10:29pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/9 "2023-01-16T22:29:59Z")
Did some research today and found that it may be because my active pickups being high gain because they’re active could may be causing all the horrible noise and tones. So I upgraded to the Scarlett 4i4 which features a “PAD” feature (the 2i2 doesn’t feature one) and gonna go with that. I’ll edit as I get some results. Thank you all! ---
**Author:** ![nwcoleman04](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de053/32.png) [@nwcoleman04](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/nwcoleman04)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 10:32pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/10 "2023-01-16T22:32:07Z")
How do you check the input level on the plug in? ---
**Author:** ![nwcoleman04](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de053/32.png) [@nwcoleman04](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/nwcoleman04)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 11:28pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/11 "2023-01-16T23:28:41Z")
Also I may add the clean tones from the amp sound great. It’s just the volume is really quiet off the back and I don’t know how to increase the volume. ---
**Author:** ![frankvhalen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/unity.neuraldsp.com/frankvhalen/32/3275_2.png) [@frankvhalen](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/frankvhalen)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 2:39pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/12 "2023-01-18T14:39:31Z")
The first meter on the left next to the input knob shows you your input level coming in to the plugin ---
**Author:** ![nwcoleman04](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de053/32.png) [@nwcoleman04](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/nwcoleman04)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2023, 12:27am UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/13 "2023-01-19T00:27:10Z")
so after retrying everything I’m still getting static and unwanted noise. maybe I need to change the batteries in the pickups? ---
**Author:** ![frankvhalen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/unity.neuraldsp.com/frankvhalen/32/3275_2.png) [@frankvhalen](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/frankvhalen)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2023, 2:50pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/14 "2023-01-19T14:50:32Z")
Possible - it could also be your cable, monitors, or something in your interface? ---
**Author:** ![AbrahamHdz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9d8465/32.png) [@AbrahamHdz](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/AbrahamHdz)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 6:56pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/15 "2023-01-30T18:56:48Z")
I had similar issues in the past and here the solution for me: Neural DSP amps are very sensitive so you should provide to them a very weak input signal. Keep check of the input level of your DI’s loudest played signal. (ideally, your loudest signal should read somewhere between _ **-14 dB to -12 dB** _). You can find this in the meter of your Interface’s software, or even in your DAW before you load up any plugins on your guitar track. **- PLEASE NOTE: TOO strong is NOT good** If the DI is coming in too hot, it will not give the desired results working with any sort of amp sim, and in fact will have a much higher noise floor, will sound mushy and soaked in undesired digital artefacts. While making sure that your loudest playing is _ **well under the GREEN range** _. and then you can always dial it down or up using the global input knob on the suites themselves. _These values below are not set in stone,_ but are a good range of where you want your signal to be peaking at: _+ Regular (dynamic) playing: -14 to -12dB_ _+ Most aggressively possible (within the bounds of reason): -8dB_ ---
**Author:** ![LithGH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9dc877/32.png) [@LithGH](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/LithGH)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2023, 7:34pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/16 "2023-07-01T19:34:21Z")
Thanks Abraham! I was also struggling with a horrible, muddy, muffled tone. Was about to use my guitar for firewood since these Neurals sounded NOTHING like the promos… so I turned down the input as you suggested and MUCH better! Thanks!! ---
**Author:** ![JFD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JFD](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/JFD)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2023, 1:19am UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/17 "2023-08-16T01:19:47Z")
I have various guitars and NDSP plugins. Some NDSP plugins sound better with some guitars and it’s normal because they were made for a genre of music. Wong wasn’t designed for EMGs 81/85. That’s also the reason you have trials. I never really change my interface input from JB’s (Alnico5), DActivator’s (ceramics), PAFs Alnico2, EMG’s actives. I do can change the plugin input to get a cleaner sound or my guitar volume (especially on the LesPaul). ---
**Author:** ![kimdriggs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@kimdriggs](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/kimdriggs)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 4:10am UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/18 "2024-04-09T04:10:42Z")
I keep hearing people saying “DI” , should I be using a DI box in addition to my Audient Sono interface? Or is the interface what people are referring to when they say DI? ---
**Author:** ![AbrahamHdz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9d8465/32.png) [@AbrahamHdz](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/AbrahamHdz)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2024, 6:00am UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/19 "2024-04-09T06:00:26Z")
your audio interface is already having DI ‘built in’ input (guitar icon is there) Just turn volume to ‘0’ in your audio interface when using Neural DSP plugins ---
**Author:** ![Outis.ca](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/unity.neuraldsp.com/outis.ca/32/6253_2.png) [@Outis.ca](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/u/Outis.ca)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2024, 6:54pm UTC](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433/20 "2024-04-28T18:54:20Z")
Did you resolve this issue? I recently got into Neural DSP and currently have 2 plugins. I had an american telly to begin with and it sounded horrible, so bad that you can’t play, especially with Gojira plugin. Then I got myself another guitar with active pickups. I use an apollo twin x, my equipment is above average I believe, yet I cannot get a decent sound from none of these plugins. They don’t sound anything like the videos on youtube or their site. Can someone explain what might be the issue? My cables are fine, they’re new; guitar pickups and batteries are fine; I got a mac pro 14 and use apollo twin x as interface. I try with Mesa Boogie and Gojira and they both sound like terrible chinese made orange amps. I tried to look for a solution with my limited knowledge and failed miserably. [Next page](https://unity.neuraldsp.com/t/horrible-sounding-tones/9433.md?page=2)