“IF YOU’RE THE KIND OF GUITARIST THAT TENDS
TO RECORD DIRECT TO THE COMPUTER...IT CAN BE
MUCH EASIER TO DIAL UP A ROCKIN’ GUITAR TONE
BY PREFACING THE DIGITAL CONVERTERS AND
SOFTWARE PLUGINS WITH A NICE ANALOG PREAMP
THAT HAS BEEN PURPOSE-BUILT FOR GUITAR.”
hits the A/D converters. Additionally,
tweaking EQ, gain, and levels in the
analog realm is usually much quicker
than making similar adjustments in the
computer, streamlining the process of
getting tones, and saving everyone
involved from a potentially major source
of frustration and wasted time. Many
analog preamps even have amp and
cabinet simulation built in, making
digital amp sims unnecessary, saving
both time and CPU resources.
In this era of digital dominance, the
need for an analog, guitar-specific
front end is greater than ever, and the
industry has responded to this need
with a number of products designed
to warm up your digital recording
experience. Here are a few of our
favorites:
TECH 21 SANSAMP
The SansAmp line of preamps and DI
boxes from New York’s Tech 21 are
familiar to most guitarists and bassists
who have done any recording in the past
25 years or so. Designed by Andrew
Barta and unveiled in 1989, the original
SansAmp was the first analog amp
modeler, convincingly simulating classic
British and American tube amp tones in
a compact, stompbox-sized enclosure.
In addition to the amp sounds, SansAmp
boxes also feature fairly extensive EQ,
drive, and output controls, excellent
guitar speaker emulation, and even
mic placement simulation. This might
seem to be regular stuff by modern
standards, but remember, the SansAmp
is 100 percent analog, and when it
was first introduced it was positively
groundbreaking, becoming an invaluable
and ubiquitous studio tool nearly
overnight. It was designed to replicate
the circuit of a tube amp using FETs,
a concept which is still in use today
in every amp-in-a-box pedal on the
market.
JHS COLOUR BOX
The Colour Box is an unconventional
guitar preamp, as its design is based
on a solid-state Neve 1073 console
preamp, rather than a guitar amp.
This seems unusual, but only if you
are unfamiliar with the tonal legacy
and robust, distinctive sound of an
overdriven Neve recording console.
Guitarists from Jimmy Page, to Tom
ToneReport.com
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