My top 10 free IR packs for metal

[alessandroarzilli]

Hey everybody! I wanted to share with you all my top 10 favorite free IR packs, especially for heavy metal. Most of them were first seen on very old forums and communities (I remember some people talking about them during the 2005-2010 era).
I've been using the Catharsis and the GuitarHack ones for a long time, I especially love their fat sound and very fast attack. Me being an thrash/death metalhead, they sound insanely good considered they're free.

I don't take any credit for their creation or testing processes, as I said most of their origin is unknown. All the credits go to the people who spent time creating and recording them.

For this test I'm using my custom Jackson JS22-7 (equipped with a Seymour Duncan Invader SH-8B bridge pick-up) and my Solar A2.6W. Guitars straight into my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 soundcard, D.I. signals straight into Reaper using the Neural DSP Fortin NTS suite.

I'm neither sponsored, nor endorsed by any brand, I'm just a metalhead who likes making reviews.
These are my top 10 favorite free IR packs:
1) Catharsis Studio Fredman
2) Celestion Cenzo Townshend
3) Line 6 Free Allure
4) GuitarHack JJ Powertube
5) Brohymn Mesa 4x12 V30 SM57
6) Excalibur 1 and 2
7) BestPlugins IRs
8) Furbys03 Seacow
9) RedWirez 1960A G12M-25s
10) OwnHammer 412 MES-ST

And this is my full video comparison:

Which one was your fave?

 

[Spinedriver]

I've been using the GuitarHacks pack pretty much since I've started using IRs. I've tried a ton of others, even the Sigma3 and Two Notes cabs and I still go back to the GuitarHacks every time.

 

[nateispro]

Oh sweet! I'll have to check these out! I've been digging the ML soundlabs free one they've been dropping on the forums lately. I'm not 100% sure what it's based on but it KILLS!

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

Out of all of those, I only have the Ownhammer pack. I'll have to check out the rest with my setup

 

[Metropolis]

Oh sweet! I'll have to check these out! I've been digging the ML soundlabs free one they've been dropping on the forums lately. I'm not 100% sure what it's based on but it KILLS!

It's a Mesa Boogie Oversized straight cab with 90's version of Celestion V30, mic should be Shure SM57. Full cab pack version of .wav-files doesn't have that particular impulse, and they're much better. "MEGA OVERSIZE" is an impulse response (IR) collection based on a Mesa™ Boogie Oversized straight 4x12 guitar cabinet with rare original spec 70 watt Celestion™ Vintage 30's from the 1990s."
https://ml-sound-lab.com/products/mega-oversize

From free ones... Ownhammer and Redwirez. They sound balanced and fit in a mix better than the others. Seacow impulses have captured certain charasteristics of some cabs also quite well. Others have often way too much low end and high frequencies in wrong areas.

 

[alessandroarzilli]

I personally still prefer the grit and fast attack that Catharsis IRs have, but I must admit all of them sound super cool.
Here's the link to my Dropbox where you can find all the IRs I used in the comparison.
(Maybe I put it too low in the video description)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/34cblu2nr3vvhd5/List - Top 10 free irs for metal - IR FILES USED.zip?dl=0

 

[nateispro]

It's a Mesa Boogie Oversized straight cab with 90's version of Celestion V30, mic should be Shure SM57. Full cab pack version of .wav-files doesn't have that particular impulse, and they're much better. "MEGA OVERSIZE" is an impulse response (IR) collection based on a Mesa™ Boogie Oversized straight 4x12 guitar cabinet with rare original spec 70 watt Celestion™ Vintage 30's from the 1990s."
https://ml-sound-lab.com/products/mega-oversize

From free ones... Ownhammer and Redwirez. They sound balanced and fit in a mix better than the others. Seacow impulses have captured certain charasteristics of some cabs also quite well. Others have often way too much low end and high frequencies in wrong areas.

They ones Ml labs sells is that much better? And out of the free I agree with ownhammer and redwirez as well. There is a reason theyve been constantly mentioned for IR's in the last 10 years!

 

[Metropolis]

They ones Ml labs sells is that much better? And out of the free I agree with ownhammer and redwirez as well. There is a reason theyve been constantly mentioned for IR's in the last 10 years!

It depends, free ML Sound Lab sounds it's kind of mid ground tone which is very good but I like more high end frquencies than that. Having more options is always good, and amount of IR's in Mikko's packs aren't so overwhelming to get you fall in rabbithole.

Free ML Sound Lab IR can be downloaded here if someone is interested.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/m4fwk8jx6m08hse/ML Sound Lab's BEST IR IN THE WORLD.zip?dl=0

 

[alessandroarzilli]

That sounded very good, though at a first moment I had some troubles downloading from your link, maybe due to my internet connection. Thanks for sharing

 

[BMFan30]

I personally still prefer the grit and fast attack that Catharsis IRs have, but I must admit all of them sound super cool.
Here's the link to my Dropbox where you can find all the IRs I used in the comparison.
(Maybe I put it too low in the video description)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/34cblu2nr3vvhd5/List - Top 10 free irs for metal - IR FILES USED.zip?dl=0

Thanks for this, been on the hunt for IR packs lately.

 

[alessandroarzilli]

Thanks for this, been on the hunt for IR packs lately.

Thank you very much! I'm happy to help bros, I've been on the hunt for ages, too! This video is quite old now, there are some new gems (I'm going to make a better one soon!)

 

[BMFan30]

Thank you very much! I'm happy to help bros, I've been on the hunt for ages, too! This video is quite old now, there are some new gems (I'm going to make a better one soon!)

Awesome, I'll definitely be tuning in then! Keep up the good work man!

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

Oh FFS..now I need to add to my Google Drive IR folder..

Edit:
I just checked. I have these.

Learn from my mistake, kids...don't have so many fucking IRs that you don't even know everything you have

 

[alessandroarzilli]

Thank you BmFan30 and Drakkar.....too late for me lol

 

[Gmork]

I keep telling myself that I have plenty and that I don't need any more which is absolutely the truth. It's mostly been working too!
Lately I've been trying to avoid using the "best" of everything or going for "a tight metal tone" whether that be IRs, amps etc, in fear of just sounding like everyone else. Shits getting raunchy!!
It's been a lot of fun actually!

 

[BMFan30]

Learn from my mistake, kids...don't have so many fucking IRs that you don't even know everything you have

I'd love to have that problem. I'm working on accumulating this problem

Bought some great IR's from Dr.Bonkers & 3 Sigma recently. Extremely happy with them.