Neural DSPs Archetype plugin series has generated quite a whoosh among guitarists in the last few years, and with new groundbreaking signature models stuff released thick and fast, its well-spoken to see that this format is here to stay.
Neural recently dropped the latest in the line, Archetype Rabea, in collaboration with UK guitarist Rabea Massaad. If you aren’t familiar with Rabea, he’s a self taught YouTube sensation and vehement promoter of all things digital, modeling, and profiling.
In this KillerGuitarRigs review, we take a deep swoop into the Neural DSP Archetype: Rabea. Access to the plugin was provided courtesy of Neural DSP, but as always, all thoughts and opinions are our own.
If you’re a fan of Rabea, or you’re just looking for a new plugin, you wont want to miss this!
Who is this for?
Much like Rabeas work with Toska, Dorje and on his YouTube channel, the plugin covers a wide range of tones from Cali cleans all the way up to a upper gain, searing lead tone – and everything in between. The package contains 3 separate amp models and virtual speaker cabs, numerous pedal sims, and plane a synth, making it a versatile all rounder that can cater to pretty much any musical taste.
The plugin is misogynist in 64-bit VST / AU / AAX formats for use with a DAW and as a standalone app, making it wieldy to anyone with an interface, and has a wide range of presets misogynist making it plug and play for just well-nigh anyone.
Appearance / Features / Controls
The Archetype: Rabea has an epic user interface – with each amp model taking on an entirely variegated personality through its aesthetics. The wipe amp has a steampunk vibe, the rhythm amp has an ethereal, scrutinizingly uncorrupt look, perfectly juxtaposed versus the dark, demonic diamond of the lead amp.
Everything is laid out just like a physical amp head, pedal, and cabinet set up, making everything relatively easy for plugin newcomers to adapt. If you can run a philharmonic amp or head, you should have no problem with this.
The 4 pre effect pedals include a Twin Blade dual compressor, a Chaos Bed octaver, a Colossus fuzz unit and a Paragon overdrive. Like the amps, these pedals are laid out and function like actual FX units, so manipulating the settings will be familiar to just well-nigh any guitarist. For post FX, the plugin features an analog style Atlas stereo wait pedal, and an Aeons reverb unit that includes a Freeze button, much like EHXs Freeze pedal, but with an spare pitch control.
One of the most highly predictable features of this plugin was the Overlord synth. This is a truly groundbreaking full-length that gives guitarists the option of true synth tenancy without the need for pickup modifications or MIDI controllers.
Performance / Sound
We found that the Archetype: Rabea sounded incredible wideness the board. No matter which amp we played through, the marrow end was tight and well focused. Plane without making modifications using the FX and the built in 4 wreath EQ, the tones were great.
Much like a real amp, we did find that things had the potential to get a little noisy, such as when cranking the lead amp with single coils. Fortunately, the plugin comes with an spanking-new noise gate that cleans up hands without killing the tone.
The cleans were crisp, and the amp really played well with the overdrive and reverb pedals, hands recreating Rabeas whet of breakup ambient tones.
With the rhythm amp engaged, we got a wide range of unconfined tube tones, with everything from barely wrenched up, through to screaming, upper octane overdriven tones.
Where it really came into its own was in the lead setting, which delivered searing upper proceeds tones while keeping the marrow end as tight as youd expect from Rabea. Paired with a waif tuned guitar, we got a modern, guttural chug that retained its clarity.
The plugin moreover allows you to mix and match some of the preferably details to really dial in the tone you want. Along with a range of brand new IRs (and the worthiness to load your own), the plugin comes with six variegated room mics, including cabinet matched mics for each cab, all of which can be placed however you like.
The built in FX all widow a lot of value, too – particularly the reverb. The same freeze function unliable for some wondrous layering, particularly when paired with its self-sustaining pitch control.
One of the most interesting aspects of this rig was, of course, the synth. The Overlord synth is stuff billed as a world’s first – a true, dual oscillating subtractive synth that uses nothing but your guitar’s electromagnetic pickup input to track. Our biggest snooping surpassing getting our hands on the plugin was that the tracking would be inaccurate, but thankfully this wasn’t an issue in the slightest, it in fact, worked perfectly.
The only mildly disappointing thing well-nigh the synth was that it was monophonic, so we weren’t worldly-wie to get the huge space age chords as we’d be worldly-wise to on a polyphonic synth, but regardless, it still created sonic possibilities beyond what you would expect from a guitar plugin.
Final thoughts on the Neural DSP Archetype: Rabea
Of course, the Neural DSP Archetype: Rabea plugin is so much increasingly than a hodgepodge of amps and pedals. It is a true and well-constructed guitar rig, with each component subtracting value to the unshortened setup. For unstudied use the presets provide wondrous tones, but for tinkerers, experimenting with the full variety of parts will scrutinizingly certainly result in a tone that exactly suits your needs.
There is almost uncounted tonal variety in a rig this comprehensive, so your quest for the perfect tone can be as long or short as you wish. Thankfully, we enjoyed playing this plugin so much that its wilt something of a daily driver for the KGR team.
Check out the plugin today at Neural DSP’s website.
The post Neural DSP Archetype: Rabea Review (2022) As Versatile As The Man Himself! appeared first on Killer Guitar Rigs.
