Meet TONEX Plug - The Ultimate Guitar Headphone Amp

[fjz]

Didn't see THIS one coming.

https://www.ikmultimedia.com/news/?id=IKReleasesTONEXPlug

 

 

[Brian Walton]

I think an inexpensive battery bank designed to clip onto the front of the ToneX One via the USB-C slot would have been a good idea.  

This certainly has a place and value for some, but for me, the ToneX One already has a lot of the functionality I'd personally get from this is a form I can use for a whole lot more, the fact it can be powered by the USB-C port is honestly an amazing feature that doesn't get the attention it deserves.

 

Honestly what I'm hoping from IKM next is a cheap competitor to Audio Sprockets ToneDexter II using machine learning / capture such as they have done with Tonex.  Honestly if they could just incorporate that kind of capture process into the existing TONEX hardware that would be a game changer.

Edited Thursday at 09:06 PM by Brian Walton

[Craig Fowler]

29 minutes ago, Brian Walton said:

I think an inexpensive battery bank designed to clip onto the front of the ToneX One via the USB-C slot would have been a good idea.  

This certainly has a place and value for some, but for me, the ToneX One already has a lot of the functionality I'd personally get from this is a form I can use for a whole lot more, the fact it can be powered by the USB-C port is honestly an amazing feature that doesn't get the attention it deserves.

Seriously, this!

IK seem determined to hide their light under a bushel, so to speak. Being able to run the Tonex One from a cellphone power pack should be one of the things they stress in their marketing materials!

[Brian Walton]

1 hour ago, Craig Fowler said:

Seriously, this!

IK seem determined to hide their light under a bushel, so to speak. Being able to run the Tonex One from a cellphone power pack should be one of the things they stress in their marketing materials!

My favorite application of this is going to a guitar store to try out a guitar or gear.  I've got a case that holds a power bank, tonex one, cable, turbo tuner which is good enough to check intonation, and closed back studio headphones. 

Don't have to listen to others attempting to play around me, and they don't have to hear me playing through some amp on .5

Also use it when the power goes out, want to plug and play in a different room in the house, small gigs straight into the PA, etc

[kitekrazy]

I like it but I hate headphones

[ALC]

2 hours ago, Brian Walton said:

Honestly what I'm hoping from IKM next is a cheap competitor to Audio Sprockets ToneDexter II using machine learning / capture such as they have done with Tonex.  Honestly if they could just incorporate that kind of capture process into the existing TONEX hardware that would be a game changer.

Great idea!  They already have all the hardware needed.  Just need to implement ML to generate the IR.

[bluzdog]

3 hours ago, Brian Walton said:

Honestly what I'm hoping from IKM next is a cheap competitor to Audio Sprockets ToneDexter II using machine learning / capture such as they have done with Tonex.

I haven't seen any acoustic guitar solutions from them. I have an original Tone Dexter and it's fantastic with my Martin D35.

[Luc]

2 hours ago, Brian Walton said:

they don't have to hear me playing through some amp on .5

Admit it, you want to play the "forbidden riff" without getting kicked out. 🤣

[Brian Walton]

12 hours ago, Luc said:

Admit it, you want to play the "forbidden riff" without getting kicked out. 🤣

When you have been playing for 30+ years and only know 2 or 3 riffs, my options are limited.

13 hours ago, ALC said:

Great idea!  They already have all the hardware needed.  Just need to implement ML to generate the IR.

I'm wondering if they can do better than a single IR generation as that seems a little limiting with acoustics from my experience.

If it is as simple as creating the IR then even a desktop app would be enough as we could load the IR in Tonex already.

14 hours ago, kitekrazy1 said:

I like it but I hate headphones

I find my enjoyment of headphones highly dependent on the particular pair.  I'm a fan of Sennheiser 59x open back cans.  Have multiple pairs 595, 598, 599, etc.  comfortable, open and natural sounding.  The 600 series sound good but different signature.  

[kitekrazy]

1 hour ago, Brian Walton said:

When you have been playing for 30+ years and only know 2 or 3 riffs, my options are limited.

I'm wondering if they can do better than a single IR generation as that seems a little limiting with acoustics from my experience.

If it is as simple as creating the IR then even a desktop app would be enough as we could load the IR in Tonex already.

I find my enjoyment of headphones highly dependent on the particular pair.  I'm a fan of Sennheiser 59x open back cans.  Have multiple pairs 595, 598, 599, etc.  comfortable, open and natural sounding.  The 600 series sound good but different signature.  

That's not why I hate them.  They are a delicate piece of hardware that has that foam that wears out and use has nothing to do with it.  Sure you can do so it yourself repair but even that is a hassle.  

 I do have a Tonex One.  

I also have an AXE I/O on my main system and I don't think I've plugged a guitar in it yet.

People like to bash IK but a lot of their hardware is great.  It's made me a fanboy.  

[Brian Walton]

10 hours ago, kitekrazy1 said:

That's not why I hate them.  They are a delicate piece of hardware that has that foam that wears out and use has nothing to do with it.  Sure you can do so it yourself repair but even that is a hassle.  

 I do have a Tonex One.  

I also have an AXE I/O on my main system and I don't think I've plugged a guitar in it yet.

People like to bash IK but a lot of their hardware is great.  It's made me a fanboy.  

The foam wearing out also depends on the model.   Sure they all wear out eventually, but my 595s are now 20 years old and holding up great on the original pads.  

The 598 and 599 seems like they are made out of the same basic stuff.

And while replacing pads on some models is a pain, most Senns of any decent tier has the full replacement pad that sort of snaps on and off.  

Edited 18 hours ago by Brian Walton

[ALC]

19 hours ago, Brian Walton said:

I'm wondering if they can do better than a single IR generation as that seems a little limiting with acoustics from my experience.

If it is as simple as creating the IR then even a desktop app would be enough as we could load the IR in Tonex already.

Here's a current product they have (so they do have experience with acoustic guitars): https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigacousticstage/ ... I don't have any experience with it, though it seems to be just mixing in the MEMS mic with the piezo input.

Here's a site with info on generating your own IR: https://www.acousticir.ovh/rubrique21.html ... though you can just find other IRs in the database that may work well enough.

Edited 10 hours ago by ALC

[Brian Walton]

4 hours ago, ALC said:

Here's a current product they have (so they do have experience with acoustic guitars): https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigacousticstage/ ... I don't have any experience with it, though it seems to be just mixing in the MEMS mic with the piezo input.

Here's a site with info on generating your own IR: https://www.acousticir.ovh/rubrique21.html ... though you can just find other IRs in the database that may work well enough.

I remember that fairly short lived product, but never tried it.  

I need to go back and try again but I did make some of my own IRs years ago with the free tool.  Results were not at the level I hoped for.

I also have some purchased packs, some free ones l, etc.  my best results are mixing some IRs and then exporting that single IR to use 

I think ML has to give us a better way than just a static IR though.  Using an IR never seems to match the actual recording.

That said, I'm a big fan as IRs can sound better than some of the best options on the market that try to tweak a piezo source.  Dramatic improvement, but I want next level.  If it can be done with better IR than what I love gotten that would be wonderful since I already have multiple pieces of hardware to use them.