Maybe I don't need an amp anymore with Neural DSP Plini X—An answer for those who play guitar in DTM
When you play guitar, you think about this at some point.
Is an amp even necessary?
I've felt that way for a long time too.
I love tube amps, and since I just bought one,
I'm currently experiencing firsthand how good it feels when the sound comes out.
But on the other hand,
I can't play it at a decent volume at home
recording is a hassle
dialing in the tone is difficult
Because of these realities, I find it tough to use them as-is for DTM purposes.
In that context, what I was told about before is
Neural DSP's Plini X.
■ This isn't just any amp simulator
At first, honestly,
👉 "Another amp sim?"
was about all I thought.
But when I tried using it, my impression changed a bit.
The sound is natural
The response is proper
It doesn't sound weirdly digital
👉 It actually feels like I'm playing
■ A world where pros use it normally
I think this is the biggest point, but
👉 It's a tool that even professional musicians use regularly
In the world of DTM,
recording an amp with a mic
what to do about the cabinet
what to do about room acoustics
and similar topics come up, but
👉 you can skip all of that
And the quality is genuinely high.
■ The fact that it runs standalone is subtly powerful
This is actually quite important.
👉 You can use it without launching a DAW
In other words,
boot up PC
launch Plini X
start playing immediately
👉 It feels almost like a real amp
For me, this is the biggest thing, and
👉 It has become possible to just say "I'll play for a bit"
■ Sound design is simple
Amp sims are
Things like IR
Things like EQ
Things like routing
Once you start, there's no end to it, but
Plini X
👉 the sound is ready from the start
so
👉 you don't get lost unnecessarily
■ Honestly
To be honest here,
👉 it is not a complete replacement for a real amp
After all,
air vibration
sound pressure
that feeling
are different things.
But
👉 for DTM purposes, this is more than enough
■ So, the question of whether you need an amp
I think this depends on the person.
But at the very least
👉 if you're just "making music in DTM," you don't need one
In fact
the sound is stable
recording is easy
it's reproducible
👉 this is more rational
■ In conclusion
In the past
👉 "It's all about playing through an amp"
was a common sentiment.
I still love that, too.
But now
👉 "getting a proper sound and recording it immediately"
is also a very significant value.
Plini X strikes a great balance, and
👉 I think it's a tool that can be one answer
for those who play guitar in DTM.