IK ToneX-One Pedal & Amp Modeler

[DrB]

Hi all,

I just got this pedal. I think it is not bad, but I am not that impressed.

It is small, and that's good for carrying it around. It sounds good with a real pedal (Boss BD-2) in front of it. Its basic controls are good, yet basically, I am using only two amp models. A Fender Blackface Deluxe with a little grit and a Marshall Plexi kinda model (Friedman something...). The program (ToneX) is a bit weird...

It sucks that the free version of that program does not have a satisfactory line of Marshall Super Leads and Super Bass and all... I am not into high-gain territory that much.

Here are some jams of ours on this forum (in the Twangers' Central) that I have used this pedal. It is a playlist, so I hope it would be of help to somebody sometime... I am listing the details of the equipment in the YouTube video details.



Best,

B

 

[lefty73]

Not a ToneX hardware owner though I have tinkered with the software.

There's a huge depot of user-created profiles/captures available for free on ToneNET. Have you checked that out?

TONEX in ToneNET

IK’s online tone-sharing and social platform ToneNET now has a dedicated TONEX section for browsing, downloading and sharing TONEX Tone Models and presets.

www.ikmultimedia.com

 

[DrB]

Not a ToneX hardware owner though I have tinkered with the software.

There's a huge depot of user-created profiles/captures available for free on ToneNET. Have you checked that out?

TONEX in ToneNET

IK’s online tone-sharing and social platform ToneNET now has a dedicated TONEX section for browsing, downloading and sharing TONEX Tone Models and presets.

www.ikmultimedia.com

Hi,

I've checked some of the Marshall plexi type of captures people have done. I sorted the list and went for the ones that had high ratings. But, to be honest, I could not find one as good as Friedman Pink Taco, which is a stock sim on the ToneX software. Maybe I should dig in deeper...

I am having some problems with the software when I use this pedal as the sound interface. There is some minor (yet noticeable) latency. But the more important problem is that the sounds I hear with the software and pedal working as the sound interface are completely different than what I am getting by connecting this pedal analog via direct monitor into my Tascam US1x2.

That said, the pedal is good. I just need two or three good amp sims anyways. Either a clean Blackface or Vox kinda sim, and a good Marshall plexi kinda sim. I like that this pedal takes real pedals (boost pedals) quite well and behaves as if the amp that it simulates is boosted. Is it worth the price? I dunno!

I will take it to our rehearsal on Sunday... so we'll see.

B

 

[DannyBigShots]

Mine didn't last long before it went back. I have a specific use case for gear like this: a dedicated headphone amp for practice and no matter which one I've tried; I have always been disappointed. Maybe it's just the sound through headphones that is generally underwhelming compared to the real thing for me. At this point I've given up and just practice unplugged if I need to be quiet.

Sorry, that went in a totally different direction than you likely intended for this thread. It sounds great in this video and makes me wonder even more if my problem is one of the user variety!

 

[DrB]

That's all cool... We aren't endorsers. So some love it, some don't.

Frankly speaking, I wouldn't keep it just to record at home. I think Two Notes Genome is better and cheaper. I wouldn't keep it to completely depend on it for gigs and all. UAFX Lion is way better (BTW you may wanna try it if you like Marshalls). It sure has less variety compared with ToneX One, but it does what it does very well.

So, why did I get it (ToneX One)? I think the reason was my curiosity...

It is tiny. And I think a Boss BD-2 and this pedal could cope with some rehearsals. My UFAX Lion is on a board with phasers, delays, etc. Carrying it around is slightly easier than taking my good old Blues Jr. to gigs.

But maybe I'll let it (ToneX One) go, I haven't decided yet.

B

 

[lefty73]

What's putting me off the ToneX platform is the hit-or-miss nature of the captures, especially the ones submitted by users. Plus, the last thing I want to do is buy a $170 pedal and then realize to get the most out of it I have to spend at least that if not more to get "pro" captures/profiles that cover all my bases, and then at that point I'd probably realize I was better off with my HX Stomp.

 

[D_Malone]

I have the full-sized ToneX pedal and I’ve struggled with all of the aforementioned issues.

I’m willing to admit some user error, but I’m pretty comfortable with digital gear, and I’ve put a lot of time into this thing with mostly disappointing results.

It’s now collecting dust, and I don’t see myself ever using it again, honestly. On top of the horrible software and latency issues, I just don’t care for the sound/feel. It sounds like a recording of an amp, rather than an amp in the room, if that makes sense. I’m getting much better sounds from my pedals through a Two Notes CAB M+. Great sounds, actually.

I know I’m not contributing much to the conversation, sorry. Just wanted to express my disappointment and possibly warn others before they buy into the hype.

 

[DrB]

I was tempted to get rid of mine. But during the last week, I learned more about the details.

The ToneX program works fine once I use the pedal (ToneX-One) as the audio interface unit. The headphones go into the out jack of the pedal. No latency issues at all. It turns out that they were due to using ToneX-One as a pedal, getting its output into Tascam US1x2, and trying to access the ToneX program simultaneously. Now that I am doing all only with ToneX-One (the pedal used also as an interface) the program works fine.

I ended up learning the ToneX website and program a bit more and was able to download some useful amp sims offered for free by some vendors. Many of the amp sims on the "tone.net" are not that good. But some of the free amp sims done by those vendors were great. Indeed, there is a very cool Gibson GA-6 amp sim, which I used today for a jam we do over in the Twangers' Central:



I am gonna keep mine.

I have to confess that learning has not been easy, and it took time.

B

Edit: I placed mine on a small board to carry around in a small Decathlon bag. I was content with the results in our last rehearsal. The PA system is kinda important for sure, yet the result I've got was not bad at all.

 

[DrB]

... It sounds like a recording of an amp, rather than an amp in the room, if that makes sense.

...

I know I’m not contributing much to the conversation, sorry. Just wanted to express my disappointment and possibly warn others before they buy into the hype.

I know exactly what you mean. UAFX Dream that I have does not have that feeling even though it is also digital and all. It simply blends into the backing track (Dire Straits albums in my case ) incredibly well.

It's all cool. I learn more from posts that contain honest accounts of problems about the gear in question (when compared with most of the YouTube videos, for example). Thus, by all means, I think this is definitely a contribution to the conversation!

B

 

[codamedia]

It sounds like a recording of an amp, rather than an amp in the room, if that makes sense.

I'm not disagreeing with you... just pointing out the irony.

The modeling forum is full of people searching for the "amp in the room" yet the amp forum is full of people searching for the "sound from an album".

The only "amp in the room" sounds we hear are our own, and our friends/colleagues. When it comes to the players that have inspired us (aside from our local favs)... well, we have only heard their recorded or "mic'd" sound!

 

[DrB]

Hi all,

I took this pedal to our rehearsal. The first one was not in a rehearsal studio with a good PA system. It sounded a bit thin and trebly. The second studio that we went to has a better PA system. There, I got to use it as a live amp modeler. In both places, the eq. was completely flat. In the first studio, the PA system did not have enough thumb.

I like it. Of course, it is not as good as my good old blues jr. Feels a bit different. But it does the job, and if the place in which we are going to play has a good PA system, I would prefer to take this setup, especially when I do not want to carry my amp and all.

Here is a sound clip from that rehearsal... I am using a JTM50 model freely distributed by Amalgam Audio on Tone.net. For the solo, I am using my good old Boss BD-2. The guitar is a PRS McCarty, the one in my avatar.



Here is my verdict concerning this pedal:

1. Learning the details has not been easy. So, one gotta spend some time learning how to use the pedal, as well as how to connect it to the computer, how to use the ToneX program, and how to fish for good amp models (tone.net has a section in which some vendors offer models... and many of them offer some free ones, and those are good...).

2. I am going to keep it and use it. It sure will be sorta my backup. I used to carry a H&K Red Box for "just in case" scenarios... Now, I think I am gonna replace it with this pedal. If the amp (valves, etc.) does not work, I'll switch to ToneX-One immediately. It takes pedals well.

3. It is a great travel rig. Just the guitar, an instrument cable, and a USB-C cable do the job. It is quite a good audio interface (I keep running it at 128 samples @ 44100Hz).

4. If you want to use it live, note that you will have to depend on the PA of the place you will play in. If that particular PA system is not good, then the results won't be satisfactory. It'll be much better to carry the amp.

Hope these help those who are looking into this pedal.

Best,

B

 

[D_Malone]

I'm not disagreeing with you... just pointing out the irony.

The modeling forum is full of people searching for the "amp in the room" yet the amp forum is full of people searching for the "sound from an album".

The only "amp in the room" sounds we hear are our own, and our friends/colleagues. When it comes to the players that have inspired us (aside from our local favs)... well, we have only heard their recorded or "mic'd" sound!

I suppose it might be on me for not understanding the design intent. But, to be fair, it is supposed to be an amp profiler.

I can see how the recording of an amp sound could be useful in the studio, and perhaps more pleasing when playing alone at home.

I play in a band and I want the amp in a room sound/feel. ToneX doesn’t do that very well, in my experience.

 

[Blrfl]

I suppose it might be on me for not understanding the design intent. But, to be fair, it is supposed to be an amp profiler.

Yep, and that's exactly what it does. It listens to an amp through a microphone and develops a profile of what it hears, including whatever room sound leaks into the mic and whatever damage the mic itself does to the signal. In the case of one very-popular mic, that damage is nontrivial:

There's no magic involved; if the captured audio doesn't accurately reflect reality, the profile won't, either.

It irks me to no end that IRs aren't collected in anechoic chambers using measurement (flat-response) microphones; amp profiles should be collected the same way. If I want my patch to sound like it's being recorded through a SM57, I'll put an IR of a SM57 after the cabinet IR.

 

[D_Malone]

Yep, and that's exactly what it does. It listens to an amp through a microphone and develops a profile of what it hears, including whatever room sound leaks into the mic and whatever damage the mic itself does to the signal. In the case of one very-popular mic, that damage is nontrivial:

View attachment 1262904

There's no magic involved; if the captured audio doesn't accurately reflect reality, the profile won't, either.

It irks me to no end that IRs aren't collected in anechoic chambers using measurement (flat-response) microphones; amp profiles should be collected the same way. If I want my patch to sound like it's being recorded through a SM57, I'll put an IR of a SM57 after the cabinet IR.

So, in your opinion, through a good FRFR, is the ToneX capable of reproducing a convincing “amp in the room” sound/feel, rather than a recording of an amp sound?

I would love to make this thing work for me, I just can’t seem to get there. I’ve even downloaded 3rd party captures that are supposed to be great, with varying levels of disappointment. It shouldn’t be difficult, wouldn’t you agree?

 

[Blrfl]

So, in your opinion, through a good FRFR, is the ToneX capable of reproducing a convincing “amp in the room” sound/feel, rather than a recording of an amp sound?

Not likely. The only thing that's going to produce a convincing sound of an amp in a room is an amp in a room. If a ToneX profile was captured with a microphone that colors the sound, it's going to be colored. If the cabinet IR was captured the same way, the same applies. A FRFR speaker won't help that.

The companies doing profiling are doing some neat things that, as you point out, are probably just fine in a recording setting. I'm a bigger fan of component modeling for a bunch of reasons, one of which is that you can break the model off at the speaker terminals, send it to a flat power amp and then on to whatever cabinet you want. It won't be absolutely perfect, but a 2x12 loaded with Blue Bells in an actual room is going to get a lot closer to the mythical amp-in-a-room sound than an IR that's been microphoned.

I would love to make this thing work for me, I just can’t seem to get there.

Ask your doctor if ToneX is right for you.

 

[D_Malone]

The only thing that's going to produce a convincing sound of an amp in a room is an amp in a room.

I think you’re right about that, at least when it comes to the ToneX, as it’s the only profiler I’ve owned.

I still don’t understand why I’m able to dial in much more convincing “amp in the room” sounds with my pedals and the Two Notes CAB M+. I mean, it’s not even close. Absolutely blows the ToneX out of the water. I suppose there are probably too many variables to say exactly why that is.

Anyhow, thanks for sharing your insights.

 

[codamedia]

I still don’t understand why I’m able to dial in much more convincing “amp in the room” sounds with my pedals and the Two Notes CAB M+. I mean, it’s not even close. Absolutely blows the ToneX out of the water.

You simply prefer the sound of the cab/mic IR's that are loaded in the CAB M+ vs the one that are baked into the profiles you tried in the ToneX. Long story short, you haven't found a profile for the ToneX that you enjoy.

Most people ask "what amp was profiled"... but "what speaker", "what cabinet", and "what mic(s)" in "what position" is equally as important. Two Notes makes great cab sims/ir's... I don't doubt it sounds great out of the box.

 

[ChrisDowning]

So, in your opinion, through a good FRFR, is the ToneX capable of reproducing a convincing “amp in the room” sound/feel, rather than a recording of an amp sound?

I would love to make this thing work for me, I just can’t seem to get there. I’ve even downloaded 3rd party captures that are supposed to be great, with varying levels of disappointment. It shouldn’t be difficult, wouldn’t you agree?

I think we all forget what gets us into all the modelling stuff. We want good tone without having to buy/lug a heavy tube amp to gigs/studios. There's two parts to this from the last 50 years. 1. the amps 2. the effects that make the amp sound flat out. 3. the spacey sounds from the studio (film track stuff).

Tonex aims priciply at recording amps then implementing those sounds in the box (but can do some effects also). Helix - on a different technology model amps, spacey, and overdrives, and mix them together - they don't record real hardware. And thirdly a whole tranche of manufacturers who do spacey effects and 'ordinary' effects in a multi unit - but no amps.

I want to have good sounding amp sound with effects and overdrives layered on - a digital version of what I'd do 1980-2010. So I'm on Helix. I have a friend who wanted to keep the pedals and get a range of spectacular amps - he bought Tonex and uses it with pedals. A Fender friend can do amazing Fender sounds and just uses pedals but can't sound like those covers where he needs a Marshall like mids sound.

My point being - you need to work out where you are and where you want to get to. Each product is aimed at different requirements - I just wish the marketeers would make it clear what these technologies will and won't do - it's bloody frustrating to work out which is best when everyone claims they all do the same ...... EVERYTHING!!

So you can do two top rate amps with a Tonex One.
Over 100 effects with a Helix HX One
The Stomp has 70 amps and 100 effects and other stuff - (does everything)
The big Tonex has 100 amps and 50 pedals but you want a few at a time
Now this list goes on and on and I've been doing some work on this over the last year - I don't know how on earth the influencers get to grips with 10+ of these technologies. My recommendation - start as simple as you can get i.e a Tonex One for 20 amps and a HX One for 100 effects and build from there. Too late for me - I bought a Helix XL last year and I have to play out that hand. Starting again - see previous sentance.....HX One and a Tonex One.

 

[Feebleknievel]

I tried one and returned it. I’d hoped that I could run it through the loop of my Blackstar amped 1 and have access to to lots of different “amps” but I didn’t find it to be that great. It didnt sound significantly better than my friedman be od or my Wampler plexi drive, Marshall tone being my favourite. It sounded ok with higher gain amps but it wasn’t worth the cost to me. I didn’t mess around that much with the pedal captures which may have made me keep it but I only ever use a handful of overdrives and boosts.
After I returned it I found a second have Victory kraken v4 preamp pedal on eBay and it has blown away everything I’ve ever played through before.

Basically I think if your gigging and you want something really light it’s great. All you need is a power amp and your done

 

[ChrisDowning]

[SIZE=3]Feebleknievel[/SIZE].....​

I tried one and returned it. I’d hoped that I could run it through the loop of my Blackstar amped 1 and have access to to lots of different “amps” but I didn’t find it to be that great. It didnt sound significantly better than my friedman be od or my Wampler plexi drive, Marshall tone being my favourite. It sounded ok with higher gain amps but it wasn’t worth the cost to me. I didn’t mess around that much with the pedal captures which may have made me keep it but I only ever use a handful of overdrives and boosts.
After I returned it I found a second have Victory kraken v4 preamp pedal on eBay and it has blown away everything I’ve ever played through before.

Basically I think if your gigging and you want something really light it’s great. All you need is a power amp and your done

Yes I think if you wanted to get the sounds of expensive valve amps then the Tonex will do it for less £ than the Helix - but I think you'd need the bigger one than the Tonex One if you're gigging.