🎸 Gear Rant with BadBrad - Episode 6: The Fatal Flaw of IK Multimedia's ToneX Pedals 🎸
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- čas přidán 21. 05. 2024
- Welcome back to Gear Rant with BadBrad! In Episode 6, we’re diving into a hot topic: IK Multimedia’s ToneX pedals, with a special focus on the ToneX One. 🎶
We kick things off with an electrifying tone sample of the ToneX One, delivering a killer Marshall Plexi-style guitar amp sound that’s sure to blow you away. But as amazing as this pedal sounds, there's one fatal flaw that we need to talk about.
In this video, you will:
Hear the ToneX One in Action: Enjoy a stunning tone sample that showcases the Marshall Plexi-style amp tones.
Understand the Key Features: Get an overview of what makes the ToneX series stand out in the world of guitar pedals.
Discover the Fatal Flaw: Join me as I dive into a critical discussion about the one major drawback that could be a deal-breaker for many guitarists.
📺 Key Topics Covered:
ToneX One tone sample
Overview of IK Multimedia ToneX pedals
Detailed discussion on the fatal flaw of the ToneX platform
My unfiltered opinions and insights
🔔 Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more gear talk, rants, and music insights! Your engagement helps us bring more content to the community.
🌟 Join the Conversation:
Comment below: Share your thoughts on the ToneX One and let me know if you agree with my take on its flaw. - Hudba
That’s some awesome guitar playing! Was thinking about trying the Tonex for bass for smaller fly board.
Go for it!
I can see why IK made this small unit the way it is. first, they don’t want to cannibalize their own product (big box). second, there really only so much buttons to use in such a small package.
They need to fix their software to allow realtime adjustments and an IOS/Android version of it as well.
Yeah to me it's the same issue with the Big ToneX you can't adjust the parameters on the Computer and that for me is a huge p.i.a..
For me it’s a $200 perfect Marshall. I plugged in and it sounded great. Yeah, the gate sucks but it’s a $200 (perfect capture of your favorite) amp in a mini peal that fits in my pocket.
The reason I bought it was to set it and forget it. The software is what it is. I don’t use it.
@@mattfleming2287 Your right it is very cool for the dough!
That's why everyone comes back to tube amps in the end 😊 I went through the modelers and Kemper and it just took me out of the music immersion. I could deal with the complexity if the tone was there...hx stomp/helixbeing the best UI out of the bunch. But in the end, for me, the tone isn't there. Modelers do great with high gain or 4 hole Marshall on 8 tones..but I've yet to hear one that replicates the natural decay of edge of breakup tones or the tone you get from dialing back the guitar volume on a good tube amp. Let's hear a modeler do a Matchless C30... Yes, tube amps are heavy, yes they're expensive, yes they can be maintenance nightmares 😂😂 worth it!
I hear you brother!
You should keep it dude hahaha, once you’ll sell it they will update it 😂
Your probably right! 😂
Loved the intro. I think IK Media looks at ToneX One as a peripheral device and their main ToneX platform is either their plugin or the big pedal. It is understandable really at the price point, but I understand your frustration. I get around this by tweaking my tones first on the ToneX plugin in my DAW (which I can run to the same monitors). By the way, it is way easier there because you don't have to fiddle with a bunch of ALT modes. I then use the ToneX One pedal only as a convenient way to package up my result. But you're right it would be amazing to get the full tweak ability in a sub-$200 pedal.
Man thanks so much! Let’s hope IK makes the pedals tweakable it just would make thing so much easier.
I agree that the 'editing' software is just plain awful.
The TX1 is my first foray into the IK Multimedia universe.
I've been using Fractal Audio products continuously since 2007 so I understand digital editing via a computer. I also use Line 6 HX StompXL and their GUI is good too.
I don't expect to be able to edit all the parameters from the pedal itself - it only has four dials and two buttons. I don't know how they could possibly implement that on a unit this small.
That's the trade-off.
I do however expect to be able to deep dive via the GUI on an editor and that's where this unit fails for me.
Hopefully they can address this before I sell the unit out of frustration.
Yes being able to deep dive UI would make a world of difference surely the company must know by now?
Killer playing and rant! I agree. Tonex sounds great but the editor sucks. ✌️
Thank you! I’m glad you verified this for me. Was afraid it was just me.
You're totally right, it's the worst thing about Tonex by far. I have the large pedal and I was instantly put off by the fact that you can't actually edit anything on the pedal through the software. The other annoying thing is that if you use it as an interface, it just uses the software on your computer anyway and doesn't play directly through the pedal. So there's a major disconnect between the hardware and the software where the only thing you can do between them is store profiles on the pedal and that's it. All in all I still love it and think it sounds great, though.
Yes indeed. I hope IK watches this video and fixes this. The pedal would be so great if they did.
Awesome demo of Tonex tones! Your experiencing something I was skeptical of with the Tonex One, that's it's heavily dependent on Amplitube to develop the tones. That's good if you're already tied to that ecosystem. If not it seems like more effort to get started from scratch that other options. Personally I though Bias had better tones so I bought that, although I skipped the whole Spark thing.
You're absolutely right Jimmy, I love it but hate the difficulty in just doing a few tweaks on the settings.
Fatal flaw: the software. Mystery solved.
You're correct.....it is awful.
100% agree. Totally makes it unusable and I wind up back to an NDSP plugin or Kemper. Great playing man! Love your vids.
I’m holding out and hoping they fix this. Love the tones hate the UI! Thanks so much I appreciate it!
I am with you,to me most of this stuff is overkill,it takes too much time to really get it,I would rather have a good amp and a few good pedals.
Now you’re talking!
I was considering getting the Uafx lion, but after checking out Tonex One demos, I'm thinking I might go that route at more than half the cost, and with more versatility. I haven't personally played either of them.
Would you say tonex one (with the right capture pack) will have comparable realism to the Lion?
I think so yeah....this video gets into my dislikes of the pedal...so bear that in mind.
@@badbrad Understood. I think I'll download the plugin and audition the free stuff.
@@TheOfficialManuelBurnett that's a good plan!
While points are valid, the reality is it’s not cheap to do all the things required to deliver a good UI. I’m also guessing from the feedback that they KNOW everyone wants a real time computer editing function, but as it hasn’t yet been delivered there’s probably some technical reasons/decisions that have been taken to hit a price point.
These things will come over time, as time and funding (through further purchases) allows.
I certainly hope so.
I just got a tonex one and like you have been enjoying the tones. That said, coming from a HX Stomp, I fully expected to be able to plug the pedal in and adjust parameters like I do on the Stomp. I so expected that functionality I thought for the longest time I must be doing something wrong. I've since resigned myself to creating tones through my interface and the app, and then just dumping them on the pedal. But I agree, it's a very non optimal approach.
Thanks for that input. I appreciate it,
I got the Tone X one...... It is still sitting in the box. It was cheap. Loaded the software and haven't even tried it. You are 100% right. They are making these software apps too far from plug and play, twist the knob and go for it. I did get one called Simplifier X from D & M Humbolt that is 100% analog to get the tube sound and response feel applied to the Vox AC30, the Fender Twin and a Marshall in single, combo and stack speaker configurations. Lots of combinations to try, can use pedals as well, stereo, bla bla bla. It comes with two amplifier options in tandem or separate. My sound came to life in a very nice way. I use tube and digital amps in my studio and I am in heaven. These software developers are missing the boat. I want to tell the software via voice that I want to sound like this or that and should have a preset triggered by my voice, and then allow me to configure that choice further to adjust to my amplifier topology. Thank you for your videos. They are very informative and I totally understand your feelings and opinions. I have two beefs with the music industry. One is alcohol as an essential and unsolicited part of the music culture and the other is playing other people's songs to make drunks happy because they know the songs and expect magnificent musicians become glorified juke boxes leaving originality and creativity out of the paying gig unless they are super stars.
That simplifier looks real cool....I need to try one.
@@badbrad It does. Look at the demos the owner of that company does, or Anderton's. Love your videos. Great insight. Keep on keeping on man. Your experience in the music business is very valuable.
🙏
You see, I like the TONEX and not having all the effects in one. I like being able to have just the amps and build my pedal platform in front and behind running into the return of my effects loop of a real amp. The only problem I have is the latency of switching between two channels on the pedal like a real amp with a foot switch. I have to time going between a clean to distortion by 1 second. Play a song like Alone Again by Dokken and you will find out quickly how much it sucks to have to time those switches. So for now, its a home only save my tubes in my bigger amps and recording pedal.
yeah that sounds like a problem.
I just think of the tonex pedals as the 'amp' profiled at one state. The worst UI is the universal audio tablet app for the uafx pedals (except ox stomp that allows you to know more than just which speaker or other switch option I have a control set to. I resorted to writing the settings down on paper like a real amp. Incredible sounds out of those things but like why can't I see what my knobs were turned to? I know they saved them, and the unit is responding to these changes. Why can't I know what they are?
That’s a very valid point. I dug the tones but for me yeah I didn’t know how it was getting those sounds…
@@badbrad I can understand them not showing some that others have created.. But we can't even see our own settings. SMH on that one.. Such incredible sounds but complete disaster in the UI.
I totally agree with you. Some of the sounds are great, but the software sucks big time.
Let's hope they remedy this!!
Dying laughing Brad. Great playing man. I would say turn off the gate and get a real gate pedal and run in front or behind it. 😂.
Just kidding. 😂
Man, you had a Fractel? I would give my left testicle for an FM9, but can't justify the cost for what I do. 😂.
Hope you're well man. 🤘🔥🤘
Thanks bro! I had the Ax8. It was really cool but too much for me.
@@badbrad I have thought about buying one of the axe8's used because it has the effects and such that I like. I also really like Boss stuff. I'm just not sure when to jump in .
That gate on that would be a pain in the ass. .
Dig that Suhr guitar brother. Love that color..
Do you like the big pedal better? The ToneX pedal I mean? Is it easier to adjust without the app? I just want something that sounds and feels real and gives me a good Plexi tone and has an effects loop hopefully and a headphone out or two outputs so one can be used for silent practice maybe. I'm wanting to build a silent stage pedal board because any place I would play out in the public locally requires either totally silent or very very very low volume.
Great video sir. Really like your videos brother. Thanks for the value you bring to us guitarists man!
Come on man, say what you think 😂
😂
I don’t think you’re an idiot, but really?? It’s SUB $200, dude!! If you want more, stick with the full-size TONEX!! If they added all the stuff you wanted, you’d have a full-sized Tonex… with a full-sized price!!! It’s like saying “Dammit Chevy… why can’t you update my Malibu so it performs like my Corvette!!” 🙄
I have the full size ToneX and I still can’t edit the patches I have in the unit with the UI.
Agreed. The user interface is a hot mess...
yes indeed!
The UI definitely sucks; it’s not particularly intuitive and I work in tech. Hopefully they’ll improve it shortly.
I’m glad someone who knows could verify this so I don’t feel like it’s just me.
Get a gate pedal. :D
It has a gate.
I have the big tonex and never could get the gate to work right. I run thru a tc sentry and it works great. I have the tonex running thru a boss es5 and switches with no latency.
You’re such a great player dude.
Thanks bro!
Noise gate is terrible, also the software, registrations, updates, all that shit. I'm waiting for Line 6 using AI modelled amps in their units. It will be something.
I’m thinking Line 6 is due for a new helix?