The tube amp versus amp modeler debate is a particularly hot topic of conversation right now, and while the general trend seems to suggest a large portion of players are moving to the digital ranks – IK Multimedia's game-changing TONEX ONE was 2024’s biggest-selling pedal, according to Reverb – there are still those who may be skeptical of the field.
Such skepticism usually centres around one simple fact: playing through a modeler simply feels different to playing through an amp, and while tones of modelers (the TONEX ONE especially) are never in doubt, the phenomenon of ditching a combo that ‘pushes air’ for something that only goes through front-of-house or studio monitor speakers can be too much to entertain for some.
