4.4 / 5     (25 votes)
Win32 Win64 OSX
   
VST AU
Ace is a faithful digital emulation of a legendary 1950s, American, all tube, tweed, 5W amp.

We have added to the model two of the most common amplifier mods: adjustment of the amount of feedback and addition of grid stopper resistors, both of which can be turned off for the original amp sound.

Simple controls and a conservative CPU usage make ACE easy to use in live settings as well as for re-amping.
  • Accurate modeling of the whole circuit to capture dynamic interactions between amp stages.
  • Authentic 12AX7 and 6V6GT vacuum tube models.
  • Models of the two most common amp mods.
  • Adjustable strength of the input signal with up to 12 dB boost.
  • Cabinet simulation that can be switched on or off.
  • Selectable 2x, 4x, or 8x oversampling.
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Downloads
Faydit Jan 13 2022
(5 / 5)
Jan 13 2022
Meanwhile pretty old, but still my favorite Tweed Champ (and more) simulation. This was my very first amp simulation years ago and I still use it almost every day, not only for playing but also as "the" reference plugin for testing new gear, like guitars, effects plugins (like eg. tape echoes, spring reverbs, overdrives,...) and - most of all - for testing every new cabinet/speaker IR. If they work and sound good in this combination, they also will work for me with every other amp simulation. Mostly I use the plugin in B mode, with PAF's, input slightly increased, volume between 7 and 9, feedback at zero and and external IR (the built-in 8" speaker simulation does not sound bad, but it sounds like a typical 8" speaker, which sometimes is nice, but the tone will increase a lot with larger speakers. In combination with a good Marshall/Celestion cabinet IR (212 closed with V-Types is a good starting point) you get a nice vintage crunch to overdrive tone, somewhere between a Tweed and a Plexi tone. Volume at 11 or 12 does not convince me so much, this is the typical slightly "broken" sounding Tweed (Champ) tone, but with a trick you can get much more convincing higher gain tones out of this plugin: Stack two of them, one in B mode with feedback at zero, the other one, as you like it, turn volume up on both to 6 or higher, deactivate the speaker simulation and use an external closed 212 or 412 cabinet IR instead and you will get great sounding, still dynamically reacting vintage high-gain-tones, even with great harmonics, which additionally can be individually voiced by the A and B modes as well as by simply varying Input and Feedback levels to your personal taste. I personally like the results of this combination, reminds me even a little of an EVH Variac Plexi. An additional Noise Gate is recommended for this combination. Also an additional high pass filter or an equalizer plugin should be used to reduce some low end about 80 - 120 Hz, but that‘s all you need for getting some great sounding hot-rod tones. The real gem of this plugin for me is the (negative) feedback control, which I also would like to have in some real tube amps as well as in some other amp plugins. Simple, effective, great tones, even after all the years, and well working with other plugins and it‘s free- or at least donationware, what more can you expect?
Bryan (B.J.) Dec 15 2021
Dec 15 2021
This is the amp sound i've been looking for! Watched the YT video and downloaded. Went through the installer process but it isn't in my programs. Can you think of what I may be doing wrong? Thank you!
Anonymous Dec 15 2021
Dec 15 2021
What is your setup (daw, os...) ?
Bryan (B.J.) Dec 18 2021
Dec 18 2021
Audacity. Will be getting an interface for Christmas.
Bryan (B.J.) Dec 18 2021
Dec 18 2021
It isn't that I can't get any sound, It is that when I open the zip and go through the stages of installing nothing happens.
Faydit Jan 09 2022
Jan 09 2022
Ace will not be visisble as a program, it's a VST plugin, no standalone program. So it will be installed in (one of) your VST folders and needs a DAW or VST host program, which is capable of loading VST plugins. The installed file is named ace.dll and should be most probably visible under Programs/SteinbergVST, Programs/VST or a similar named folder. Audacity is no good solution for this purpose in my opinion, as is is no real DAW or VST host, just a simple recording plugin. You may be capable of loading Ace into Audacity as effects plugin, but then you can only modify an already existing, pre-recorded track with it, but you cannot use or hear it before or while recording like an amp. Better use eg. Cakewalk or another freeware DAW with better VST implementation. Alternatively for live playing use without recording options also Cantabile Free is a good, simple solution, if you only want to hear your guitar signal running through Ace while playing. Additional effects or also external cabinet IR loaders or whatever else you can also add there easily.
AvidViVii Sep 21 2021
Sep 21 2021
If I ran the Mac installer, where is the plugin placed?
Rock`n`dres May 27 2021
(4 / 5)
May 27 2021
I wish it had a tone knob at least. Overall, sounds really good. Only for clean - little crunch tones.
Mark Lee Wilkins May 17 2021
(5 / 5)
May 17 2021
I like this little amp both for it's clean chiminess with my lap steel and dirtied up for everything else
Anonymous Apr 18 2020
Apr 18 2020
Wow this puts to shame Amplitube, to the very least. It's an amazing ROCK crunchy clean rythm amp.
Sir_Guy Aug 09 2019
(5 / 5)
Aug 09 2019
I needed a good rock style amp. Lucky I found this. It doesn't do Meshuggah as well though.
Iristone Nov 07 2018
(4 / 5)
Nov 07 2018
I also feel there's a bit of latency if you turn on the speaker sim. Using external IR cabinets generally avoids this (which I generally do because it gives more flexibility). Great sounding nonetheless.
functionform Sept 13 2017
(4 / 5)
Sept 13 2017
I have the real one re-issue sometime in the late 90s made of this. 10w I think. This vst is 100% accurate. Do yourself a favor and go scrap everything off of Shattered Glass Audios site and donate if possible.
SammyA Jun 17 2017
(5 / 5)
Jun 17 2017
Wow! this sounds sooooo good!
Iristone Jun 15 2017
(5 / 5)
Jun 15 2017
Another Amplitube user here... Always missing this plugin since I've upgraded my computer, installed Amplitube, bot forgot this. So when I hold it next time, I definitely won't let go the coat!
Albatros May 07 2017
May 07 2017
Great plug! I compared it with the fender collection 2 from amplitube... my wife prefered the ace... me too !! Very closed to the Fender Bandmaster 57, less organic but free!! Wonderful job done, thank you guys and keep on rocking. I come closer to the Neil Young sound with this one :)
Anonymous Nov 26 2015
(5 / 5)
Nov 26 2015
A very basic, but versatile amp sim. I like using a good distortion or overdrive vst before when other amps will sound too messy for my style
ksavHOMErecs Sept 14 2015
(5 / 5)
Sept 14 2015
this guys make very impressive plugs. Last one (eq) is really up to pro standards. Thanks for bringing cool sounding audio toys to our daws. Best wishes <3
hozodj Apr 27 2015
(5 / 5)
Apr 27 2015
What a sound!!! If you know how to play your guitar this plug-in might be all you'll ever need for a really great sound! Looks simple, comparde to others, but everything really makes sense, works and most of all, sounds right. If possible I would give 10 stars!
Adde_J Nov 11 2014
(4 / 5)
Nov 11 2014
With the Distorque Face Bender in front of it I manage to get exactly the tone I've been hearing in my head. Can't be happier. Only downside is that it is a bit cpu-hungry. Might be my stone age PC though. :)
cyber_T May 14 2017
May 14 2017
Many thanx for your inspiration! I tried it ("Face- Bender" with "Ace"- amp simulation) and the result was a mighty and realistic stoner-rock guitar sound.
Joaquin Oct 30 2014
(5 / 5)
Oct 30 2014
Ive tried a lot of (freeware and payware) amps sim in my life and this is the best freeware amp. Period. Download it, while it is still free:)
Anonymous Oct 05 2014
(5 / 5)
Oct 05 2014
Love it.
6string Sept 15 2014
(5 / 5)
Sept 15 2014
Sounds and responds like a real tube amp. I love how it breaks up. Great!!!
Dave Sept 13 2014
(5 / 5)
Sept 13 2014
Awesome sounding plugin. Behaves just like a tube amp. Pick softly and it will sound clean, dig in and it will growl. Sounds very close to a Champ I tried at the local store. No latency in either Reaper or Cubase.
Joseph Sept 07 2014
(2 / 5)
Sept 07 2014
Its okay, a bit of latency in FL Studio 11 that makes it kind of spongey to play with. Sound is average for a plugin of it's type.