SoftAmp GT – Virtual Guitar Amplifier Simulator by AXP
Meet SoftAmp GT by AXP – a powerful virtual guitar amplifier simulator, designed in the format of a classic effects pedal. This plugin is a precise software emulation of the famous analog stomp-box pedal, using a reliable transistor circuit with operational amplifiers for signal saturation and moderate filtering to shape a unique tone throughout the signal path.
Cabinet simulation is achieved through a cool low-frequency filter, as well as manipulations of the mid-frequencies that emulate various microphone positions near the speaker. All the controls of the original device are carefully reproduced in this plugin, complemented by several unique features, which will be discussed further.
Flexible Sound Shaping: AMP, MOD, MIC, and CLIP Settings
SoftAmp GT gives you complete control over the character of your guitar tone using intuitive knobs and switches, corresponding to the controls of the original pedal. Explore the diversity of sounds:
Amplifier Family Selection (AMP):
- Tweed: Classic American amplifiers with a clean, chimey sound. Ideal for funk, blues, or clean jazz.
- British: Provides crunch and moderate gain, characteristic of the legendary British stacks. A great choice for rock and hard rock.
- California: A modern high-gain amplifier with deep low frequencies, designed for heavy music and aggressive riffs.
Gain Structure (MOD):
- Clean: Minimum gain, preserves the instrument’s clarity.
- Hi-gain: High gain for saturated overdrive and distortion.
- Hot wired: Similar to Hi-gain, but with additional high-frequency boosting for brightness and cutting through the mix.
Virtual Microphone Position (MIC):
- Classic: Simulates placing the microphone further from the speaker, giving a balanced tone.
- Center: The brightest setting, simulating the microphone directly in the center of the speaker.
- Off-axis: The microphone is slightly off-center, providing a smoother high-frequency response.
Clipping Mode (CLIP):
The original pedal had symmetrical hard clipping, which caused some criticism. SoftAmp GT goes further, offering advanced clipping modes, including the unique:
- Normal: Standard hard clipping, modeled on the original TLC2262 op-amp.
- Soft: Abstract symmetrical soft-clipping stage.
- Triode: Virtual 12AU7 triode stage. This mode replaces each op-amp in the circuit with a triode stage, accurately modeled. It implements asymmetric soft clipping with dynamic behavior that depends on the level of tube overload, producing a moderate amount of even-order harmonics. The difference may be subtle, but it is, especially noticeable when processing a sine wave.
Additional Features of SoftAmp GT
In addition to precise emulation and advanced clipping modes, SoftAmp GT offers a number of features that enhance its versatility and performance:
Oversampling (16x):
High-performance 16x oversampling helps get rid of aliasing caused by highly nonlinear distortions. In addition, it improves the performance of filters, which can behave less accurately at frequencies close to the Nyquist frequency, especially at low sampling rates (up to 48 kHz). Oversampling effectively shifts this problematic area beyond the audio range.
Disabling Cabinet Simulation:
SoftAmp GT allows you to disable the built-in speaker simulation. This gives you the freedom to use your favorite third-party cabinet simulators or impulse responses to achieve the perfect tone.
Mono/Stereo Switch:
This feature allows you to halve the CPU load when you don’t need to process both channels, which is especially useful in large projects.
Visual Control and Presets
The SoftAmp GT graphical interface includes oscillograms for the three main clipping stages, as well as a Bode plot (amplitude-frequency response) for pre- and post-processing filters, including the speaker simulation frequency response. This gives a clear visual representation of how the plugin shapes your sound.
The plugin also comes with a set of presets that serve as an excellent starting point for experimentation and quick searching for the desired sound. Whether you’re looking for a clean vintage tone, aggressive high-gain, or something unique, SoftAmp GT offers the flexibility and quality to bring your musical ideas to life.
