Bias 2: How to bypass Cab?
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I can't seem to find the Bypass cab on the new Bias Amp 2. I want to try it with a dual cab IR loader and cannot find the bypass. It was on the cab dropdown in the old version. If this is gone I would consider this a bug. I want to run into a real guitar cab sometimes and cannot have an IR in the way plus like I said I have some other IR loaders I use sometimes.
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You can unlock signal path in settings.
I may be hung for this, but for a lot of mine I also bypass the transformer and power amp :)
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Got it! Thanks a bunch! I thought I had unlocked signal path so I actually tried dragging it up but it wouldn't let me and was worried this might just be a new version thing/bug... this new version has me on edge I guess! :laughing:
Disabling power amp makes tons of sense if you are slaving out to a tube power power amp. Being able to do that is a feature, too!
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Call me a heretic, but in most cases, I just REALLY do not like power tube distortion. I generally don't like transformers, audibly, if I can help it, but in Bias, they can often give the compression to make things feel right to play
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@pipelineaudio : Cliff Chase at the Fractal Forum has written posts extensively about component function/operation and what they contribute to the sound and feel. Power amp gain makes it meaty and gives oomph. Warmer sound and more bandwidth to play in, though past a certain point on each amp exceeds the threshold. Typically lower settings are used for 'modern' metal/rock, and higher for music pre-00s. I like higher settings
All power amps have transformers. I think you're talking about rectifiers. I think most amps since the 80s have used SS rectifiers. Louder at the same output setting, though a little flatter but perhaps cleaner in sound. Bloom is different. Notice on BMP 2, the rectifier type was changed to 'clipping'.
I notice also there is a 'Pure' style for transformer type: "produces natural output with minimal coloring". That might be for you.
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Hey Everyone,
BUG ALERT: Just wanted to post an update. Actually I found a very nasty bug when bypassing a cab by pulling it out of the unlocked signal path: if you exit the standalone GUI with a preset loaded that has the cab bypassed using that method, Bias 2 will no longer load the GUI. It is permanently stuck...
Even an uninstall/reinstall would not fix it. Deleting the preset manually in the Bias2 GlobalPresets folder did not fix it... I actually had to search out the 'BiasAmp2.settings' file and delete it. This was not cleared out by uninstall/reinstall and kept trying to reload this bad state at startup even after a reinstall.
Also, if you do restore your GUI by deleting the settings and then reload one: the icon for those presets is all messed up (I suspect this is actually the root cause).
WORK AROUND: Load an IR. Set 'mix' to 0. This makes the IR/Cab contribute nothing to the signal and passes it through. It doesn't seem to have any of the problems a saved preset has with the cab pulled out of the signal path.
I would still like a 'Bypass' option like Bias 1 to make this more obvious, I do not see why they removed this.
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@elric If you haven't already, I'd notify PG support through email before the next release hits
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I thought they forgot to put it in. For that matter, the functionality may exist, but there's no UI component. The mix parameter is a fine enabler.....or maybe they intended that to be the determiner.
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@anthony-newcomb Thanks man, yeah I opened a ticket. I just wanted to make sure I passed along the work around so no one else would get bit by this! Took me a while to figure out what caused it and how to get the standalone GUI to come back. :sunglasses:
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@elric well I appreciate you bringing it to the table cause I would surely pull my hair out if that happened to me lol. Thankfully this is just software and not a hardware issue. I don't want to imagine what it would be like having a $1,500 - $2,500 digital hardware unit locking up...only having to ship to the manufacturer...ick.
This is why I like software solutions over hardware for home studio recording...the risks are lower and way cheaper ;)
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@elric Thanks for that tip!