If you’re looking for that classic “brown sound” of the late ’70s and early ’80s, good news! IK Multimedia has you covered with their brand new Brown Sound 78/79 Signature Collection for TONEX.
The Brown Sound 78/79 Signature Collection for TONEX is the first in an exclusive 3-part series diving deep into the legendary recorded guitar tones that defined modern rock. Using period-correct gear and an obsessive attention to detail, this collection features 50 Tone Models that capture the unmistakable sound of the rock icon’s first two groundbreaking albums.
At the heart of the Brown Sound 78/79 collection is “The ONE” – a meticulously crafted Marshall-style amp built from the ground up to the exact same spec as the infamous 1968 Super Lead serial number #12301, including crucial mods that capture the DNA of the early brown sound like no other amp model.
TONEX perfectly captures the saggier response and thicker gain produced when the voltage drops and tubes are starved for voltage. The internal amp bias was maximized and modeled using several different Variac settings, and the results were captured across all cab configurations, allowing users to hear and feel the various combinations of voltages and speakers.
Other details included removing output tubes 4 and 5 for the ’78 captures to produce that signature bite, bloom, and angry edge. For the ’79 captures, all 4 output tubes were used along with specific Variac settings. Every cab was miked with classic SM57s and run through a vintage-style analog console to capture the recorded vibe as authentically as possible. A few Tone Models were created using a U67 placed further back to capture more resonance and a smoother top end, perfect for double tracking with brighter, more articulate tones.
For players who want a bit more edge, alternate “Hot” Tone Models are included, created by driving the analog mic preamp harder to add extra gain and saturation, as heard on many early recordings.
Beyond the amp and cab, the front-end signal was run through the exact vintage pedals used in the original recordings, even when bypassed, to retain their subtle, but crucial tonal imprint. Several captures using the Vega wireless system are included. Many players famously used it, even in the studio, for its slight compression and subtle tone thickening.
