Hi
Newbie question here. Do you have any idea why there are so few digital models/captures of small 5w combos like Fender Champ or old Supros (or even boutique alternatives like Benson Vinny/Nathan Jr)?
Is it because these amps are cheaper and quieter than their big brothers? (I.e. easier to get the real thing running at home volume making them less desirables in a modeler)
I love the dynamic and raspy sound of « overdriven » 6 or 8 inches speakers but there are almost no corresponding Impulse Responses on the market. I even enjoy the boxiness. So is it a character that is inherently difficult to capture?
Are there other explanations I’m missing?
1 Like
Searched Cortex Cloud and came across a few Champ captures, and fewer low watt Supros. I own a Champ and when I plug in, I run straight in with the volume pegged. Feels really good, single coil or humbucker. I think it will be difficult to build that rig with a digital capture. Where the low watt capture might be useful is in a multi-amp preset (stereo or mono) to grab a certain tone.
I won’t be trading off my Champ any time soon.
2 Likes
Yeah thanks for your reply. I’ve tried all the Champ captures I could find on the public Cortex Cloud prior to posting and was left unimpressed by them unfortunately. Both sound and dynamic wise. Since there are so few I’ve still hope new ones will be better
This might be a good project for me to learn the ropes on making a combo capture. I have just scratched the surface with the capture feature on the QC, made some DI amp head and preamp captures, have not mic’d anything yet. Have the QC, have numerous dynamic mics, no ribbons, but might find something that works with what I have here. Have a Custom '57 Champ 8" and I have a handwired 18 watt Pro Junior 10" that might be interesting. The challenge, as I see it, would be capturing the dynamics. When I play through these amps the volume is always pegged on the amp and the drive and breakup is totally controlled by the volume and tone controls on the guitar. That will be the kicker, getting that in the capture.
Have not listened to what is available on the Cortex Cloud, will try and do that and compare with what I have.
1 Like
Did an a/b on four different combo captures of the Champ, a '53, a '56, and two of a Custom '57 (same as mine) with different volume settings. I made a preset running mono, input 1 straight through with all four amps inline to output 1, since these are combo captures we get the 8" speaker in the capture, but just to be sure I loaded two of the closest cabs I could find both 1x10s, 110 US PRN C10 R and 110 US PRN Brown FatJ 10s. In my setup I found It was closer sounding to my physical amp without the cab blocks.
I am using an frfr cab, Raezer’s Edge - Audio Flux 200. 212 Eminence speakers, a far cry from the 8" Jensen in the Champ. I think to get the true Champ sound an 8" box would tidy that up, but working with what I have I ran out of output 1 on the QC to input 1 on the frfr, set to stereo so that I would run into a single speaker. On the amp blocks, since the Champ has no tone stack, I opened up all of the tone settings. Plugged in the Tele and started to run through all of the captures. Must say the captures of the '57 come pretty close to my Champ in the room, I am sure that if I had a 1x8 cab it would be even closer. The control over dynamics is there but not as good as the analog. Personally I like the tones from the '53 and '56 better, creamier tone less speaker breakup, a real nice clean tone.
I believe these are workable captures if tweaked.
1 Like
Thanks for your detailed feedback. I’ll then give a second chance to the available Custom 57 captures.