Product Reviews

Multimedia software

AmpliTube Live [MacUser]
COMPANY: ik Multimedia	PRICE: Ł67 (Ł79 inc. VAT)
RATING:	ISSUE: 19 18 DATE: Sep 03

Verdict: AmpliTube Live is a very easy application to get to grips with, and some of its settings produce excellent results

Using the Mac as a virtual recording studio is a commonplace activity, but how about simply turning it into a classic guitar amp? IK Multimedia's AmpliTube Live for Mac OS X is intended for live playing only with an electric guitar. You'll need suitable adaptor cables and either a mixer or a DI (Direct Injection) box to get a decent level to feed the Mac's audio input. The installation procedure involves a challenge-response code process and registering on-line. The personal registration area allows instant requests of up to three authorisation codes, effectively enabling installation on three separate Macs.

AirPort guitar

The application is easy to use and is packed with 32 instant-gratification presets, plus the same again but set for use with an external power amp and speaker cabinet. A further 64 locations are available to save user-customised presets. There is a huge huge choice of presets already available on the AmpliTube Web site. The interface features an array of knobs, for adjusting typical guitar amp functions. Also featured are eight different skins, ranging from leatherette, wood and dalmatian to a slightly more 'out there' hairy pink option.

Three LEDs indicate the input level with a Gate function below. Turn this knob clockwise and it raises the threshold so that noisy guitars can be muted when they're not being played. This is invaluable when heavily distorted presets are used that blast out the slightest string squeak. The Tuner section has an On, Off and Mute switch, the latter allowing you to tune without an audible output. The tuner's response is toe-curlingly irritating. A good input signal helps, but it's still extremely jittery.

AmpliTube Live features four on-board effects. The Wah section has Auto, Manual and Off settings. The Auto setting responds well, producing a nice envelope with a healthy input signal. With Manual, the Wah knob determines the filtering. Alas, it can't be set to respond to an external MIDI controller. Below is the Reverb level. This is based around an emulation of a spring reverb effect popular on many old combo amps. The Delay section is basic, with Delay (time) Feedback and Level controls only. There's no modulation function, which is a real shame because AmpliTube



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Live has no Chorus effect - an omission that's completely baffling. The OverDrive effect has Level, Distortion and Tone controls, which, combined, can really crispen or warm up a sound, depending on these interdependent settings. With three amp and cabinet emulations, the OverDrive function can easily saturate the Crunch and Lead amp models, but with the Clean setting, in particular, it does allow more subtle colouring of the sound with distortion. The Cabinet models are Open Back 1 x 12 (speaker quantity x cone size in inches), British 2 x 12 and Modern Closed 4 x 10. These speaker emulations can be switched off for use with an external speaker cabinet. The Gain knob pumps up the volume, driving this final section, which comprises Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence and Master Volume controls.

All these features combined make for a very impressive range of attainable sounds. Lead guitarists will be in heaven with presets such as PW Lead, with rhythm rockers finding solace in The 800 (Marshall stack emulation). The auto Wah effects can even sound close to Peter Frampton's 'talkbox'. Obviously, the sound depends on the quality of the guitar being used. As guitarists know all too well, garbage in means garbage out.

Down the tubes

AmpliTube Live works so well because Mac OS X has such low latency (delay) in its signal processing that it can be used as a performance effect. However, to match the capabilities of your Mac, its delay buffer settings can be changed. It's also possible to feed two separate guitars into it using both sides of the Mac's stereo input. Although AmpliTube Live has no means to record its output within the Mac, a utility called Audio Hijack can do this, and it even allows you to play along with sequencer or iTunes tracks while playing back both at the same time. In use, only the sound of AmpliTube Live is captured, and it can be imported into a sequencer later. This is a much cheaper alternative to the AmpliTube plug-in, which is over Ł230.

AmpliTube Live performed splendidly on a 17in PowerBook, but not with a Power Mac G4 450MHz , as the Gate function failed to operate. Also, the application wouldn't load, and had to be reinstalled after attempts to use an Emagic EMI2|6 USB audio interface failed. IK Multimedia admitted that AmpliTube Live has problems with USB audio interfaces, which are currently being dealt with - bad news for those with Macs that have no audio input.

In use, changing presets with the arrow up/down keys would have been a nice touch, along with user customisable key commands. Unfortunately, changing presets on the screen or via MIDI is all that's available. AmpliTube Live is a very easy application to get to grips with, and some of its settings produce excellent results. But it would sound even better if some modulation effects had been included.

By Bob Dormon