How To Dial In A Killer Metal Tone With LePoulin Amp Sims

If you’ve been chasing metal guitar tones in the box for any length of time, you’ve heard the name: LePoulin. These free amp sims are the stuff of legend in the home recording world. Years before the market was flooded with all-in-one plugin suites, these VSTs were giving producers high-gain tones that could genuinely rip.

But with all the modern, paid options out there now, do they still hold up?

Absolutely. Not only do they hold up, but they offer a unique character that can be the secret weapon for adding aggression and cut to your guitar tracks. The trick isn't necessarily to use them by themselves, but to know how to dial them in and blend them strategically.

Let's dive into how to use these classic free plugins to get a massive, modern metal guitar sound.

Your Starting Point: LePoulin & an IR Loader

First things first, LePoulin amp sims are just the "head" part of your virtual rig. They don't have built-in speaker simulation. This means you need to run your signal from the amp sim into another plugin called an impulse response (IR) loader. This simulates the cabinet and microphone.

Your basic signal chain in your DAW will look like this:

Guitar DI Track -> LePoulin Amp Sim Plugin -> IR Loader Plugin

There are great free IR loaders like Ignite Amps NadIR or you can use your DAW's stock loader if it has one. Loading a good IR—say, of a Mesa or Marshall 4×12 cab mic'd with an SM57—is half the battle.

Dialing In the LeXtac (The Bogner Ecstasy Sim)

Out of the whole LePoulin suite, the LeXtac is a monster that sounds incredible right out of the box. It’s modeled on the Bogner Ecstasy, a boutique high-gain amp known for its thick, articulate distortion.

Channel & Gain Settings

For a heavy rhythm tone, start with the red channel—it’s the highest gain. The built-in "Boost" switch is great for tightening up the low end and adding saturation, perfect for modern metal.

When setting your gain, don’t just crank it to 10. Push it until you get the aggression and sustain you need, but back it off if things start sounding fizzy or lose definition. You want the chugs to be tight and punchy, not a wall of mush. We found a great sweet spot with the gain around 6-7 on the red channel with the boost engaged.

EQing for Punch

Before you reach for a separate EQ plugin, use the controls on the amp itself. The LeXtac has a powerful EQ section. We found it needed a little more low-end fullness, so we nudged the Bass knob up to around 7. The Mids and Treble sounded great around 6, giving the tone a solid body without being harsh.

This sim alone, paired with a solid IR, can sound surprisingly great. But the real magic happens when you start blending.

The Secret Weapon: Blending Sims with Real Mics (or IRs)

This is the technique that takes the LePoulin sims from "good for a free plugin" to "pro-level secret sauce." The sims excel at delivering a very specific kind of top-end aggression and defined "cut." A real mic’d amp (or a high-quality IR of one) provides the low-end weight, body, and "air" that can sometimes feel missing from sims alone.

By blending them, you get the best of both worlds.

The Blending Process in Your DAW

1. Set Up Your Tracks: Keep your main guitar tracks with your mic’d amp sound (or your primary IR setup). Pan these hard left and right.
2. Duplicate Your DIs: Create two new tracks for the LePoulin sims. Put the LeXtac on both.
3. Pan & Blend: Pan these sim tracks slightly narrower than your main guitars—say, at 85-90% left and right. Start with the sim faders all the way down.
4. Bring in the Aggression: While your full mix is playing, slowly bring up the faders on the LePoulin tracks. Listen for how they add that aggressive, cutting edge and string definition to your main tone. You’re not replacing your core tone; you’re enhancing it.

This technique works incredibly well with all kinds of mic setups. We tried it with a Fredman setup, a classic SM57/D6 blend, and even a U87/SM7B combo. The LeXtac just worked, adding that perfect layer of grit to everything.

This is where understanding how to effectively use EQ on your metal guitars becomes critical for making space and ensuring the two tones work together, not against each other. Once you have a blend you like, you can send them all to a guitar bus and use some light compression to glue them together into one cohesive sound.

Trying Other Flavors: The Le456 and Blending Sims

Don’t stop at the LeXtac. The LePoulin suite has other gems worth exploring.

The Le456 (ENGL Powerball Sim)

The Le456, modeled on an ENGL, is way more aggressive and has a ton more high-end sizzle. On its own, it can be a bit much, but it’s perfect for when you need a tone that’s just nasty.

To make it work in a mix, you’ll likely need to do some more surgical EQ. We found a small mid-scoop helped tame its aggressive nature and let it sit better with the bass and drums.

Blending Two Different Sims

For a really wide and complex tone, try blending two different LePoulin sims. We experimented with the LeXtac on the left channel and the more aggressive Le456 on the right. Panned hard, this creates a cool, asymmetrical wall of sound. While it might still lack that deep, mic’d-amp low-end, it’s an awesome creative texture for layers or brutally heavy sections.

The Verdict: Where LePoulin Sims Shine

Even today, LePoulin amp sims are a powerful tool. Their strength lies in their ability to add a specific type of aggression and clarity that can elevate a good guitar tone to a great one.

• They excel at adding top-end cut and aggression.
• They are perfect for blending with mic’d amps or other IRs to get a full-range tone.
• They are a fantastic, no-cost way to add more layers and texture to your productions.

Using these techniques is a great start. But imagine watching the pros who recorded your favorite albums actually blend these elements, dial in the automation, and make it all sit perfectly in a dense metal mix.

At Nail The Mix, you get to do just that. Every month, you get access to the actual multi-tracks from massive songs and watch world-class producers like Will Putney, Jens Bogren, and Joey Sturgis mix them from scratch, explaining every single decision.

Check out our full catalog of past sessions to see how the pros build iconic guitar tones from the ground up.