HoRNet Valvola

The tube simulations basically sound good, but the output level is extremely low if not to say, much too low.

Next problem I have, the sonic results, you get from tubes, depend - apart from a lot of other factors- very much on different values of resistors and capacitors on anode, cathode and grid, what I hear here, basically is a very clean setting, without any - for guitar or bass - usable saturation or overdrive.

If I eg. stack two 12AX7 and a 6L6 or EL34, the result with saturation levels at 90-100% still sounds much cleaner and has a much too low output level than eg. a simple Tweed Champ circuit with only one 12AX7 and a 6V6 (or even 6L6), so these simulations do not at all behave and react like tubes in a typical tube amp circuit, rather like tubes in an old radio or another audio circuit.

Constant level control is - in my opinion - not only a useless feature, if it comes to tubes, it also affects the results in a very negative way, as it makes it impossible that cascading tubes can react like a real tube circuit, as an essential part of a good tube amp sound is the fact that the different stages overdrive in a controlled way the following ones. If they cannot, as the level is always automatically reduced before, you do not get any authentic tube overdrive, what is exactly, what's happening here. Then it also is no authentic simulation but just some fantasy programming without any connection to the physical reality of real tube gear.

I also do not see the sense of negative saturation, if positive saturation finally only results in (too) clean sounds.

I also tried to add the plugin after an already good tube amp simulation, but the results did not improve much, all I heard was a much lower output level but no real sonic improvements.

Good idea, but not a very convincing realisation. As it is, rather a toy but a usable plugin, at least for me, sorry.