El it can take home made impulses. They just have to be the correct format. I think 44.1khz sample rate and 24bit is the maximum. You can make your own impulses if you have the software etc and ability to send a sine wav through your rig etc.
Radbidgerry correct me if Im wrong but to answer the question of Marshall I would say this:
- Two Notes ($495): lets you use use multiple IRs at the same time and lets you have a bit more manipulation on your overal sound (poweramp simulation, etc)
- ESPi ($125 + $9 per IR or $125 for 49 IRs + $49 for pluggin software): one IR at a time and fix options to customize your sound... Question: do you use this software to mix multiple mics settings in to one IR and use it in the ESPi unit?
How do I answer this?
First of all let me address the two notes. Personally I have no need for the extra functionality it has and sure that makes it great but honestly simplicity of the EPSI for me is the winner. So everytime I will save myself some money and buy an EPSI if I was starting from scratch. I don't actually know why I would want two impulses at a time, I would record one, then record another if I wanted to hear two types together. May be I'm old fashioned but one take and one sound at a time is best for me. It never seems to work out trying to get more than one sound that blends perfectly at the same time. I believe mixing should be done elsewhere and good old trial and error to find out what make the best combos is the most effective way. Sure I could make an IR that combined two good impulses that sounded great together, but I would rather record one take using one IR, then another take using the other IR, sounds best for me.
Ok to actual question El, I have made my own impulses? actually sorry I'll say that correctly, spliced my own impulses together using two different kinds of IR in a DAW programme such as one with the mic in one place one with the mic type different and different distance etc. Yes I have and it worked fine after a bit of jigging about.
However, I quit all this f**king about because I realised it's nit picking and you spend hours and hours wasting time doing all this stuff and forget about playing and recording the actual songs properly. It's two distracting. The red wirez suite I got (I'll not say how I got it........for free) has so many options it's just insane. I never got through probably 2/3rds of the impulses as there is so many.
For me I found a few I liked and stuck with them. I use it like I use my live rig, so the same few cabs over and over, not constantly changing shit around.
If you want more distracting options to sit and pay with for hours on end go with the Two notes.
If you want to turn your rig on, and go through a selected IR - hit record - get a good take - then move onto the next take - and may be use a different impulse so as you can mix later in DAW, then EPSI is what you want.
EPSI has an EQ on it to adjust the IR's futher which is useful and you know what? It's pointless if you have a billions IR's to choose from like in RedWirez, because you can just pick a different impulse with the mic a little close or further away or in different position. Why bother with the extra EQing when you could twist the dial and be on a new different umpulse in a matter of seconds?
Ok I'll will admit the biggest con for the EPSI is not display that tells you what impulse you are on!!!!!!
You know what? I can live without that, why? Because I just flick through and use my ears until I get the right one. I basically use the EPSI as a substitute for my FX units onboard speaker sims. I very rarely adjust it now I've found IR's I like. I should really delete off those I don't use so I can flick to the ones I like a lot quicker.
It's depends on what you want to do with your time, spend hours messing about, or plug in, pick an impulse you like and play and hit record!!!
Epsi is also awesome to play live without cabs! I nearly thought about taking it on tour with me! As it's just a little pedal!
But I confess, nothing like a wall of cabs behind you making your intestines shake!!!!!
However if I was pushed I would take it on tour.
PLEASE NOTE: I have the redwirez. If you guys need it...........................PM me