Plugin Alliance/Brainworx Ampeg SVT VR-Classic model for free with discount code!

EmaTheMirror

EmaTheMirror

Oct 9, 2009
539
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5,061
Genoa, IT - London, UK
www.emancarbone.com
#1
Another useful ad coming my way this morning, of all questionable stuff we are constantly being bombarded with:

The stripped down version of the SVT VR model by Plugin Alliance/Brainworx is [insert currency] 0.00 until 19 Feb using the discount code:

AMPEG-FOR-FREE

at checkout from the product page:

Ampeg SVT-VR Classic

It's officially on sale for $50, but the discount code effectively makes it free. It works and doesn't asks for card/payment details. You do have to create an account though for product authorisation, but that goes for any purchase of their stuff nevertheless.

Once exclusive to Universal Audio's system (IIRC), they are now available in all plugin formats (VST, AAX...) and many regard them as the most accurate digital Ampeg models. Their stuff is usually quite pricey too.

Few knobs, very stripped down, but good stuff at the source.
I briefly tried it and do think it has fairly good depth, tone presence and brake up qualities. I also have Amplitube SVX (very complete, but sometimes needs some work to get tone presence from their cab and mic sims: tons of options, but can be a double-edged sword), JST RexBrown (good UI concept, easy to use and achieve present tones, IR loader as a bonus, best for compressed tones IMHO) and an analogue, "real" Tech21 VT Bass (which is still to me the champ for depth and dynamic response when breaking up) as reference - unfortunately no real vintage SVT VR and fridge.
 
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#3
DirtDog said:
Is the ($, £, €) 0.00 for the 14-day trial they mention on that page or is the "free" version perpetual?
Click to expand...

Free registration, so the second you said

From their software manager you can install whatever product you want, but when you fire it up the first time in your DAW, it will ask to activate it with a login. If that product is associated to your account it's unlocked, otherwise it asks you if you want to start a 2-week trial

TL;DR: it's not a trial, it saves the purchase

I agree that the website's layout is not the clearest and the trial button can be misleading. You have to add it to your cart as if you were to pay $50, then at checkout you type in the code AMPEG-FOR-FREE
-> $0 and no payment details asked

Activation-wise, it works a bit like IK's auth. manager
 
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#6
DirtDog said:
Cool, I've downloaded and installed it. Haven't had the chance to test it out. I have an SCR-DI to compare against.
Click to expand...

Been playing with this for the last few days on a couple of different tracks. It’s a killer little plug-in and super easy to dial in great tones.

I hate to say it, but it sounds WAY better than the SCR-DI unit I bought a couple of months ago.
 
#7
DirtDog said:
I hate to say it, but it sounds WAY better than the SCR-DI unit I bought a couple of months ago.
Click to expand...

I have no direct experience with Ampeg's branded* DI but i personally have and use a VT BASS Deluxe by Tech 21.

The thing is that plugins do sound great in the box and in studio environment to get in a recorded mix, and that Plugin Alliance is excellent, but in live and loud settings the hardware DI boxes usually have a punch and liveliness in the tone that works.
Well, the VT BASS works brilliantly as D.I. for tracking too, and in fact I think it's still the best for dynamic "non-linear" (or should I say not sounding like an artifact) saturation, but I might need to tweak it differently than when playing loud.
I did an A/B test shortly after getting this plugin with a direct comparison against the VT BASS in the Effects section of the forum:

Plugin Alliance AMPEG SVT VR-cl model vs. VT BASS [BLIND TEST]

*Again, I have no direct experience with the Ampeg product, and I sometimes read that Tech21 sounds more alike to an actual SVT being pushed than it. Can't confirm that either, but the VT BASS's way to break up the signal does in fact work more like the SVT via the Gain/Drive control, unlike the Scrambler.
 
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#8
EmaTheMirror said:
I have no direct experience with Ampeg's branded* DI but i personally have and use a VT BASS Deluxe by Tech 21.

The thing is that plugins do sound great in the box and in studio environment to get in a recorded mix, and that Plugin Alliance is excellent, but in live and loud settings the hardware DI boxes usually have a punch and liveliness in the tone that works.
Well, the VT BASS works brilliantly as D.I. for tracking too, and in fact I think it's still the best for dynamic "non-linear" (or should I say not sounding like an artifact) saturation, but I might need to tweak it differently than when playing loud.
I did an A/B test shortly after getting this plugin with a direct comparison against the VT BASS in the Effects section of the forum:

Plugin Alliance AMPEG SVT VR-cl model vs. VT BASS [BLIND TEST]

*Again, I have no direct experience with the Ampeg product, and I sometimes read that Tech21 sounds more alike to an actual SVT being pushed than it. Can't confirm that either, but the VT BASS's way to break up the signal does in fact work more like the SVT via the Gain/Drive control, unlike the Scrambler.
Click to expand...

All good points. When I was gigging, the last couple of years I was ampless and using an RBI. Sold that gear off when I retired from gigging. Should have held onto the RBI in retrospect. I am not 100% pleased with the SCR-DI.

My use case is home recording and “play along” for practice; and my preferred form factor is stompbox and desktop friendly. I was getting tired of needing to fire up a plug-in/software for non-recording use.

SCR-DI meets those basic requirements but sounds,just, meh. The Scrambler circuit I don’t like at all.
 
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#9
DirtDog said:
I was getting tired of needing to fire up a plug-in/software for non-recording use.
Click to expand...

If you're tired of firing up your DAW for live monitoring to host your favourite plugins that don't have a stand-alone app, this is IMO great:

niallmoody.com - Pedalboard2

Does the job, and quickly. Don't expect any further updates and I'm not sure if it also hosts VST3, go with a VST2 install as well in case. I don't know about AU quirks for compatibility, but it hosts AU too.

Just for reference (and pseudo-rant): the stand alone Amplitube5 app is now probably heavier (and takes way longer to load) than my DAW as blank or simple project. In fact, AT5 standalone is a DAW itself, for better or worse.
 
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#10
EmaTheMirror said:
If you're tired of firing up your DAW for live monitoring to host your favourite plugins that don't have a stand-alone app, this is IMO great:

niallmoody.com - Pedalboard2

Does the job, and quickly. Don't expect any further updates and I'm not sure if it also hosts VST3, go with a VST2 install as well in case. I don't know about AU quirks for compatibility, but it hosts AU too.

Just for reference (and pseudo-rant): the stand alone Amplitube5 app is now probably heavier (and takes way longer to load) than my DAW as blank or simple project. In fact, AT5 standalone is a DAW itself, for better or worse.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll check that solution out....
 
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