Principle:

For recording, a particular configuration makes the most of the great flexibility of the Torpedo VB-101. This particular way of connecting the machine allows you to re-work any given recording after it’s been performed.

The reamping techniques are already known (recording a guitar or bass through a DI and sending that signal into an amplifier), we are describing here something we call "re-miking".

This is done in 2 steps:

1. Dry recording of the amplifier (simulation bypassed, or using the "PRE-SIM OUT" output (number 11 in figure).
2. Using the Torpedo VB-101 like an external processing unit into a digital loop through the AES/EBU or the S/PDIF I/O.

In this configuration, the analog-to-digital conversion is done by the studio converter. Note that it is possible to get a dry signal with no simulation from any outputs of the Torpedo VB-101 if you want the VB-101 to perform that conversion.

An even more interesting possibility consists in getting from the Torpedo VB-101 a dry output signal with no simulation and a processed signal at the same time. You can then get at the same time, in one take, a classic track recorded with a real cabinet and a microphone + a simulated track using the Torpedo VB-101 library of speakers and microphones + a dry digital track with no simulation, for later re-miking. This gives you a large amount of sonic possibilities, making you sure to get the tone you’re looking for !

Tutorial:

We recommend doing the recording and the re-miking using the digital I/Os of the VB-101. In this tutorial we will be unsung the digital capacities of the VB-101 assuming the user owns a sound card embedding digital I/Os in coaxial SPDIF or standard XLR AES formats.

1- Setup connections

• Plug your speaker out of the amp to the VB-101 speaker in.
• Plug the SPDIF/AES out of your sound card in the Torpedo SPDIF/AES in
• Plug the SPDIF/AES out of your VB-101 in the sound card SPDIF/AES in (now the digital loop is done)

2- Set up your VB-101 and the recording software for recording

Torpedo VB-101 :

• Under the "setup" menu of the VB-101, go to Audio/Input Select, choose Amp.

• Under the setup menu, go to Audio/Output Mode and select Wet/dry. The wet signal from the amp will be sent on the left channel (both digital and analogue) of the VB-101 and a dry signal on the right. This way you can play with a wet signal while recording the dry (and the wet, if needed).
• Under the setup menu, go to Sync/Sync and select the digital clock the VB-101 will be synced on (at least SPDIF or AES/EBU, WordClock if you have a master clock in your setup). We recommend putting he VB-101 in slave mode so you can control the digital out frequency of the VB-101 in your recording software.

Sound card :

• Select the Clock/Master mode on your sound card so your DAW is the master clock of the setup.
• Make sure the VB-101 is synced to your DAW and that you receive the signal from the VB-101 when playing.

Recording Software :

• Create a track (mono or stereo). Select SPDIF1/AES1 as an input (you will record the left channel, i.e. the wet signal).
• Create a track (mono or stereo). Select SPDIF2/AES2 as an input (you will record the right channel, i.e. the dry signal).

For any problem concerning your sound card configuration, please refer to your sound card user manual.

Set the software on record mode, you are ready to go.

3- Re-miking

After you recorded all your dry tracks, you may turn off your amp and configure your sound card and VB-101 for re-miking.

Torpedo VB-101 :

• Under the "setup" menu of the VB-101, go to Audio/Input Select, choose SPDIF or AES/EBU.
• Note that by selecting a digital or analog line input, the Load Compensation parameter will be automatically deactivated.

Recording software :

• Select one track with dry signal, and send its output NOT to the master bus (default setting) but to the SPDIF/AES out. For example, in Reaper, uncheck the "master/parent send" under the I/O window of your track. Select SPDIF1/AES1 under the Audio Hardware Outputs/Add Audio Hardware Output list.
• Create a track (mono or stereo). Select SPDIF1/AES1 as an input (you will record the left channel, i.e. the wet signal).

For any problem concerning your software I/Os configuration, please refer to your recording software user manual.

Set the software on record mode, you are ready to re-mike!