It's not a modeler. It's the best pedalboard amp, in some respects better than a tube amp. And its AMP1 not Amped1. Balckstar ripped him off. Thomas' products are very personal in his designs. Thank god he has great taste! This thing will outlive all those rip offs and modelers you're comparing it with. Still, I'm still glad you made content for this product. It's a gem. I know you enjoyed it. You couldn't stop playing it. This is the longest random playing I've seen you include in your videos. Personally, I think you love it. And what's keeping you from making it you go to rig is the assumption that it's a modeler or that it's trying to model something. Everyone went through that stage of disbelief...even Thoms Blug himself. What you have there are 4 real amps in 1 box, albiet designed differently than the traditional amp. Four exceptional recreations of four famous amps circuits in 1 box.
It’s a great product, but I think a lot of people stopped buying them because we’ve been waiting for his new device he announced more than 3-4 years ago now, and there is still no release date yet. That device will be epic if it ever actually comes out.
The "crack" on the note is that Marshall thing, that zing that you get on the beginning of the note, that high end crack, that you get when Marshall is overdriving or near to overdrive, so it is not crystal clean anymore, and that thing Amp1 does really well, which is not surprise because it is Fender (clean), Marshall JTM45 (Vintage) Plexi/JCM 800 (Classic) Soldano etc (Modern), and they have that crack too. I have used few years it live and it is really great, and light 😀
“I was absolutely just playing guitar and thinking this is fun.” this is exactly why I love my BluGuitar Amp1 so much. It's the difference between playing guitar and ‘Hell yeah, I'm making music!’. It showed in your improvisations on this video too. 👍
Great video as always. Love your playing! The Bluguitar Amp 1 a great wee amp. I paired it with the Line 6 HXFX and gigged it for years. It replaced my Rivera M60 which weighed as much as dark matter (the Amp1 weighs about as much as a pint). You'll hear it on nearly all my recordings on youtube. I used it on my last album, 'Hyperreal'. I'd nearly finnished the album, but wasn't completely happy with the guitar tones. It wasn't the fault of the Bluguitar, but my terrible engineering skills. I still can't mic up a cab properly! I had a long chat with Thomas and he told me about the Blubox IR thing. At the time that was a gamechanger for me. I liked it so much, I went back and re recorded all the guitars on the album. This also makes it extremely versatile!! Over the years the wee pots down the side broke, but they were a very easy repair. Otherwise it's built like a tank! The reasons why I like Bluguitar are, it sounds great, it's loud enough to gig with (if you have a noisey drummer), it still has a valve amp feel, with the Blubox cab sim it is a great recording amp, its light, great for fly dates, takes FX well and (one of the most important things) the support is probably the best from any company I've worked with. And as a bonus Thomas is a top bloke!
I have the Mercury edition as my main amp. Great sounding 4 channel 100W head you can put on your pedalboard, which helps keep signal paths short for 4 cable method. Has useful MIDI functionality, incuding ability to adjust the gain structure on the fly. I have mine teamed up with a Boss MS3 so use the MIDI quite a lot. Eq controls are much more sensitive than on traditional tube amp, so treble control can add presence. Micro pots on the side also help volce the channels. Its not a digital modelling amp, it uses solid state analogue components in the preamp section. The nanotube in the power amp provides power tube saturation characteristics if you crank the master volume. It doesn't need a load, so you can use it for silent stage and still have these cranked power amp tones. Its been totally reliable in the last few years I've had mine.
I think it comes down to Blug not being able to react and respond to how quickly the market got crowded and competitive. In a pretty short amount of time, there was the stealing by Blackstar, Friedman's IR-X, major updates to the Helix (v3.5, the "Cab Update"), IK's ToneX platform, and dozens of rig rundowns that feature Kemper and the Quad Cortex. It also doesn't help that there are so few widely recognized artists endorsing or using the Amp1.
Most of the things you mentioned are not actually amps. Blue needs to better market itself as a premium product and not a backup amp to beat out Blackstar. The fact that this question even came up shows that they aren't seen as a premium product.
I bought the BluGuitar Amped1 Mercury Edition last week. I have decided to move away from Tube amps. I don't like the weight of them and all the hassle with the tube amp maintenance. With tubes you also have that the sound is not being consistant and having to wait till the tubes to warm up at the rehearsel room before it gives good tone and the tubes are cooled down before I am able to transport the amp. I have decided to go for a dry wet setup with a Quilter Mach 3 combo with Celestion Redback and a BluGuitar Amped1 with EV EVM12 in a Thiele Cabinet.
I am using the Amp1 since it came out. Meanwhile I use the newer “Mercury Edition” together with a HX FX controlling the Amp1 via MIDI from the HX. I used a Kemper with FRFR for a while but returned to the Amp1 since the feeling during playing is much more authentic with the Amp1. Now I am experimenting with a Helix using a Fender FR10 and have to say that modeling is currently at a very high level. Love the Plexi model of the Helix…The only thing the Amp1 does way better than any digital device is using controlled feedbacks. I have not decided yet how I am going to continue. It does very much depend on the pricing of the AmpX…the market is now full of very interesting alternatives. So, time to market and pricing are extremely important for AmpX now.
If you look closer, BS didn't rip them off. The circuits are completely different. The concept is the same, but Blug wasn't the first to do that even. Where BS comes under scrutiny, is the name, and similar design concpts. There is no " nano-valve " in the BS, and they don't claim to use one.
Putting that amp in "low gain" mode deals with the high end that can be troubling for some. Also IMO makes it sound much nicer. Putting amp in half-power and low-gain mode makes this amp sound sweeter. low-gain - hold boost switch (2-3sec) when turning on AMp1 half-power mode - hold first switch (2-3 sec) when turning on Amp1. To reset to factory settings , hold all 3 switches and turn on the amp1, it will blink leds to indicate the reset.
I have it used it mostly at home and as a backup of my main amp goes down. It never sounded as good as you make it sound. It’s obvious the player can make anything sound beautiful. Thank you for your melodic inspiration
Chase chase chase…we all do it. It’s fun, frustrating, rewarding, confusing, and expensive. Nothing beats playing well and understanding signal flow. This will always produce the best tone but takes far more work than online shopping. For me, the menus and complexity of digital gear are their Achilles heel. The limitations of a single or dual channel amp with a few pedals is actually the best part of going old school. Sound actually has nothing to do with it because modern digital gear sounds amazing. Ask yourself: do I want to be a chameleon who nails the exact tone for every cover band gig I do OR do I want to develop my own voice on the guitar? Mind, hands, neck, pickups, volume knob, amp, fx…in that order of importance. That said, I’m awaiting my Quad Cortex delivery today 😂 I think this is finally gonna be the one!
@@lanceholland yes - Blackstar's Amped 1 is the rip off... that's what my comment meant - sorry if I've been unclear - I've had the BluGuitar Amp1 since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 ;)
Amp1 Mercury has been my number 1 amp for the last three years. Rehearsals, gigging, touring recording. One of the best pieces of gear I’ve ever invested in.
I have the Irridium edition and as soon as X comes out I will buy that. It is an amazing unit! I could listen to only you and Pete Thorn exclusively on youtube and be 100 percent satisfied.
Those of us who use them do just that. My Mercury is now hooked up permanently as a 4 cable with my LT. It is quite simply the best rig I have owned… big stage, small stage, recording… bedroom….. you name it, it just works. I have let kit go I never thought I would as this just nails it all.
Im still in love with mine that ive had for a year and a half. Ran many pedals in front and the loop and still come back to guitar amp1(with reverb at 5 or 6) and 2x12 cab with greenbacks. Its where its purity will shine. Love cranking it and using the vol knob on the guitar for the dirt level.
11:02 you need to adjust the tone mini knob on the left side to adjust to your guitar and cab. The price is different since it has 4 channels and it’s a 100W amp, there’s nothing currently in the market to compare it with. The uniqueness of its architecture is one of its pros and main cons, not serviceable unless under warranty, but the idea is that it will not require constant service as a tube amp, no bias adjustment, etc
The Bluguitar Amp1 Mercury Edition has need my main amp for #majikband for years. Both live and recording. I run it 4CM with an HX effects, lots of other pedals in front including a crazy tube circuits tube overdrive to add some tube breakup to the preamp stage. I just played two outdoor shows this weekend where I could turn up to 5-6 and it just sings at the higher volumes. It’s the best amp I have had and pushes out high end amps in the studio for our albums regularly.
AMP1 has an analogue signal chain with a valve in the power stage. The digital side is only used for control as is not involved in the guitar signal, except for the reverb I believe.
There are some videos from the last NAMM show with demos of the next generation of the Blu. It sounded incredible. Never tried one, but each new generation (from a number of companies) shows this technology has really come a long way.
Great Amp. Been using it for years, I have the first version and the second Mercury Edition. It's a 100W+ amp with a tube in the power stage. Love this thing.
They are super cool units. Very sensitive to speaker choice. I do not recommend V30s for this amp. Something warmer like a Creamback or Redback will make it a lot more pleasant in the high end.
Quite agree. I use CL80's and (recently) Creamback H75. Sounds amazing. The V30's (chinese ones) were awful for anything exept thrash metal. Which is great, except I play mainly jazz!
Exactly that👍 gave up on V30s, I don’t get the hype on these speakers, and yes I know Slash uses them! Now using the cheaper 70/80s which seem to get a bad rep because they are cheap but boy they sound immense with the Amp1
@@davegale9116Here is a track from my #majikband with amp1 ME and a Chinese V30 cab. Sounds good to me. ruclips.net/video/Qg6ogJ6wsxw/видео.htmlsi=2lxPFWmaWWIoGNkW
@@davegale9116 I think V30s sound great at home because you get lots of clarity and it feels nice to play. Turned up to gig volume they become far too harsh for what I do at least.
I think the only downside to these are the inability to load IRs unless you get the Bluebox to go with it, I believe Thomas Blug is addressing this on the new one out soon.
Thank for this video John! I bought the mercury 6 months ago and just got the iridium. I love the way these feel. Have not been able to get my Helix to give me the kind of interplay and musicality. Going to combine these with an HX effects rig via midi. Powerful combination.
If you go for a HXFX make sure you get a new one or one that has been chipped. The original ones are noisey in an FX loop and hiss terribly if you go for the 4 cable method. AMP 1 and HXFX is a better deal than a Quad Cortex as you get waaaaaaay more fx, but the payoff is less amp sounds and you can't do captures, so you don't get to listen to any weird alien noises! You'd have to meet actual weird aliens for that!
I've been using the Amp1 Iridium for a few years now and I love it. Highly recommend. The only suggestion I have is to disable the built-in speaker cabinet simulator and use your own IR. There is also an additional cable that you can purchase from their site to allow you to use MIDI functions. 🤘🎸
I use the Amp 1 Iridium with a Helix LT in 4 Cable method using a Two Notes Cab M+ for speaker emulation/DI so I can go without a cab if required. I’ve never been happier with the sound. Works well with all of my guitars (single coils or humbuckers). Always get compliments about my sound when playing out. I’m controlling the Amp 1 using the Helix’s midi commander to leverage snapshots to allow me to access different amp channels, gain settings and the second master volume for boost. Haven’t needed to use the Helix as a pre-amp yet as I’m quite satisfied with the amp sounds from the Amp 1. I don’t find any high end chirping in my tones. You may want to try the low gain mode.
I recently bought a Mercury one and I think it is just awesome. Pairs super well with an HX Stomp. Super light and easy to get great sounds from. Should get more credit than it does.
Amp1 is the best gigging amp I’ve ever used bar none - I still use my Friedman smallbox for big gigs but I use the amp1 for 90% of gigs other than that. The secret is to crank the master past 7 and use the overdrive master!
I had 2 of them go down in a puff of smoke. When they did work often times they would start flashing and just shut off. I could never trust using them again.
By the his BluBox is an exceptionally good DI. Pairs great with the Amp1 as it lets you dial in an even greater variety of tones..... but also perfect for any amp instead of using a mic.
I considered a BluGuitar, then heard about their upcoming Amp X which has been delayed a few times. Instead I purchased a used, mint condition, ISP Theta Pro DSP Michael Sweet, and an ISP Theta Pro Stealth Amp which work great. My current set-up is the ISP Theta Pro DSP stage outs into my Engl E850/100 dual 100W rack power amp with each side going into an Engl PRO E212VHB cab; with the cab sim off; sounds amazing...the Theta Pro DSP is like a rack preamp with effects on the floor; I can also run the main / direct outs of the ISP Theta Pro to my PA with the cab sims; I can use either output or both together. For a smaller rig, I use the ISP Stealth Pro power amp into a Mesa Compact 2x12, and can send the main/direct outs to FOH if needed..
It's a product that doesn't have enough tubes for the tube snobs and not enough flexibility for the modeler crowd, add the fact that it isn't a shinny new thing and no wonder it dropped off the radar.
I have an original Amp1, which is great. I use it as a backup for my valve (or tube) amps. Easy to shove in the car and have it sitting there for back up.
The number of Amp1 users is growing! And more and more „names“ learn, how great this gear is. Ask Jennifer Batten, for instance 😊. I still use my Silver Edition (the insider name of the first run before the Mercury ) on a daily basis for practicing, recording, on rehearsals and gigs. I never had an issue, except the blue lit Logo sometimes flickers 😊. I’m on the waiting list for the AmpX. When it’s in my hands, my Friedman Small Box will get sold.
I’ve been watching johns channel develop now for a few years , his playing and feel are amazing , my only criticism and I don’t know if it’s the speakers I listen to his stuff is the reason but honestly nearly all his demos tone wise sound very similar to each other. This doesn’t take away from the music and quality of nite choice, to be fair other you tubers such such as Pete thorn fall into the same box , peace and love ❤
I think so often it's note choice as much as the tone itself. That's why so many famous guitarist still sound like themselves when playing through someone else's rig
I recently watched a video of Thomas comparing sounds between a real Plexi, his Amp1, and a PRS HRDX20. The Amp1 did such a good emulation that I went and googled for a price… Cripes. My guess is that’s why it may not be talked about much anymore. Besides reliability and portability, most people expect solid state options to be less expensive than tube amps. Although the Amp1 in his demo sounded exceptionally good, it didn’t sound better than the HDRX but it was just as expensive. So given that, I would just choose the tube amp instead.
Im curious why nobody talks about the Victory V4 amp pedals when talking about this subject? Is it price compared to the rest of the competition, or something else?
This amp should have been more successful in it's 10yr run (and still a current production model). Mine has replaced my 2203 Marshall JMP, as I can dial in the same sound, and the Amp-1 fits in a travel bag. On the occasions that I've taken the JMP head as a backup, other guitarists have assumed they were hearing the Marshall and complimented me on the tone! It's a box that almost seems too good to be true and I think it needed a big player to get behind it. You can pick up an original 'Silver' model used, for about £300, which is a STEAL. The Amp-X should be exciting, but I think it will struggle in the current market. Let's not forget that the USP of the Amp-1 is that it's Analogue, not a modeller.
@@TheMemagNeman I use the Classic channel, settings vary on the room but I put the overdrive master on full and control the gig volume with the global master volume. Tend to run gain around 4, and use a Digitech Bad Monkey as a mild drive on top to just add some sustain. Works really well. The Digitech isn’t really necessary, it just changes the feel a bit, makes some things a bit less work!
You didn't use the little knobs on the side. They control things like how forward or present it sounds like. Read the freaking manual dude. The only thing digital is the reverb.
I still have mine and a nanocab. It’s still a great setup. But we’ve moved to silent stage/IEMs so it never gets used. What happened? Thomas Blug is struggling to get the Amp-X out the door and at $2K- it’s a doomed product.
@@John-xd6ns I think it is still fairly unique, or at least a unique approach. I still keep coming back to the amp 1 after trying other gear as it just works and it's hard to beat it's combination of sounds quality and flexibility
Exactly. Blackstar stole the idea and circuitry from Blu Amp1? I think the guy is trying to find a way to get paid for his intellectual property. But Blackstar is a huge company, and they can steal from whoever they want. They are exempt from the rules of society, as most big companies are.
I've got one of these and it's both flawed and indispensable .. flaws first: Why does it have a reverb button?!! Would be SO much more useful if that was a level boost!! Only the Iridium version allows you to defeat the speaker sim on the rec out. That should be there on all and you should have user IR slots. The trim controls on the side should have more range. Benefits: It just sounds and feels so good. Fantastic EQ. MIDI! It really is loud! What I don't get (and here I think Blackstar were right), why has TB gone after the Amp-X without doing some simple derivatives?! He could sell that power amp stand-alone as a back end for a modeller, he could have done a deluxe version with more tone controls, he could have integrated some simple FX in to make a full stand-alone travel amp (add a delay and a modulation and you'd be laughing). They'd have been simple to add to the Amp-1, and would have bought time for him to do the Amp-X .. Ah well ..
You can switch the Amp1 to "preset" switching mode and have reverb button to switch to another preset channel (with boost on, or changed volume level on side pots). At the time speaker sim on recout was not thought out in full (simple filter). They changed it later on iridium. Time works that way. I've never use recout (well once to test it and that was it), used speaker out or direct to bluebox and so on. Try setting side pots first to your desired sound/feel, then use main EQ section to fine tune the tone. Range of the amp eq seems quite sufficient to me.
@@TheMemagNeman I hear what you say and I've worked round it as well .. I can't think of a piece of gear I own that I haven't had to do a work round in some way shape or form. Ultimately I've kept it and nothing has come close to displacing it so the flaws can't be that bad!!! As you say, time does that .. and it's a shame that TB has focussed on the Amp-X so much and not done further updates .. c'est la vie I have this Amp-1 and an HX Stomp .. if I needed a small rig that might be silent and definitely needs to go to FOH, I'd take the Amp-1 before the HX Stomp .. in sound terms, it's so good that I've swapped my Friedman head out for it (when a tube's gone) and carried on with the gig without anyone in the band noticing .. never mind the audience .. and with me thinking at the end "can I be arsed with that valve thing?!"
The difference between the real amp and the Amp1 was immediately evident. To each their own, but the Amp1 sounds harsh by comparison to my ear. Question: why doesn't anyone ever demo that kinds of units through a cab in the room? As soon as you start running through IRs and whatnot, you're not really hearing the unit anymore. Also: how does it sound LOUD? That where every digital modeller ever falls down. They're great for the bedroom but they turn to mush at gig volumes.
My amp 1 sounds great loud. Played two outdoor shows this weekend and it sounds fantastic at 5-6 master volume. Any higher would be too loud for almost any stage.
Well...I don't know what channel John was on but it was certainly running more gain and there was more break up going on. I thought it sounded good - but not the same as the fender
I'm curious to hear the final version of AmpX, the Amp1 is interesting but I was definitely turned off by the harsh high end when I tried it. Like every class D instrument power amp, it felt very compressed even at its cleanest settings too.
I still have the first version of the BlueAmp1 and I just use it as power amp for an Helix Stomp. I was never so much blown away from its sound and I think all the actual digital gear is much more flexible - and sound better in the end. I find the other versions of the BluAmps too over priced. The Amp-X story has become a bad joke in the mean time and I wonder who will buy this one for a price of an Axe-FX if it will ever released.
Have you tried the twonotes ReVolt ? I still like being able to turn a physical knob to tweak eq rather than having to adjust presets . Something like that with a HXFX or the Amp1 would give you 3 channels of direct sounds without a ton of presets . Just have you core sounds and whatever fx you need separately
Amp 1 sounds awesome, but, needs a Computer Wiz kid to simply integrate the OS into the digital domain where it can be tweaked with automation filters and still function as it does, just more integrated into the DAW driven workd of at home musicians. As a oedal amp its terrific, but, as a recording device it needs an better interface. Some kid will come along and bring that old rocker into the 21st century and his product will sell like hotcakes. ~ Inertia
I have seen a video where he claims that Blackstar stole his tech. What I heard of the Marshall model he demoed sounded very good. I just think there is far too much competition in the current market. Good for the buyer, but companies will fold. Some of them seem more like toy makers…
Who says it dropped of the radar? It is still selling, some accessories and especially the discontinued remote are almost impossible to find, almost nobody got more NAM coverage than Blug. And for a product that does not do everything (but a few things very well) while being not dirt cheap and, without any disrespect, having a few flaws (some important settings only accessible via the non-existing remote, urgently required Midi adapter almost always sold out, no uncomplicated way to get a DI signal out for use with own IRs, to name the ones I experienced), there is nothing to complain about. Yes, obviously Blackstar tried to rip this off, but whoever played their Amped 1 thru 3 devices, will have to admit that they are a) vastly different, and b) apart from the clean tones (which are pretty usable as a pedal platform), sound like shit and have awful amounts of latency. All we see is a dated product, and since it is a analog device - there are no fancy updates with tons of new features, selling less since the successor has been announced for years. This is not a complaint, and I prefer a working product myself. But the timing of this was Thomas' decision. No need to blame anybody else.
Not really. There's apparently some of the same components in the power section that are, or thought were proprietary. But otherwise they're quite different units
Different products though. This really is an amp head in a compact floor unit. Plug it straight into a cabinet and off you go. ToneX is your capture through IR through PA approach
This caught my eye a few weeks ago from Blug talking about the Amped 1 stuff. That was on my radar as I saw a comparison of poweramps for a modeller and the blackstar sounded great just using the power amp but now knowing the Blackstar seems to be a copy of the Bluguitar it has definitely been on my radar. Would you be able to do a video of using a modeller going into just its power amp/effects return to hear how it sounds?
The HX Stomp is over $200 USD cheaper, and is a true modeler. This is just a 100W class D solid state guitar amp in a floor pedal format, with a gimmicky low voltage tube in the preamp section. Or am I missing something?
@tonystartup3817 I never said it was a modeler, but others were comparing it to one. And the "nano tube" cannot be part of the power stage since we know that's a 100W class D transistor output stage. Without a schematic I can't comment further, but this tube probably isn't doing anything useful other than adding lots of "dirt".
@@joeltunnahthe nanotube is in the power amp section. Thomas discusses and compares with class D and tube power amps from about 7 mins onwards in this video ruclips.net/user/liveiZ--XLUjOrw I understand its like a first stage of the poweramp section before the class D section to give you power tube response characteristics when driven hard by the preamp section.
@spharr a sub-miniature tube cannot and will not act in any way like an octal power tube driving an output transformer. That's why I'm calling it what it is, a gimmick that gives people the warm fuzzies because of the word "tube".
@@joeltunnah due to its design it has no power transformers, you could check their Channel and post your questions, they may not tell you every single detail, but they’re quite responsive.
John plays so well it’s hard to tell if any amp he demos is a bad amp
yeeeeahhh thats absolutely true!!!!!
Someday you’ll have to take us to visit Tony up the road.
It's not a modeler. It's the best pedalboard amp, in some respects better than a tube amp. And its AMP1 not Amped1. Balckstar ripped him off. Thomas' products are very personal in his designs. Thank god he has great taste! This thing will outlive all those rip offs and modelers you're comparing it with. Still, I'm still glad you made content for this product. It's a gem.
I know you enjoyed it. You couldn't stop playing it. This is the longest random playing I've seen you include in your videos. Personally, I think you love it. And what's keeping you from making it you go to rig is the assumption that it's a modeler or that it's trying to model something. Everyone went through that stage of disbelief...even Thoms Blug himself. What you have there are 4 real amps in 1 box, albiet designed differently than the traditional amp. Four exceptional recreations of four famous amps circuits in 1 box.
This comment! 💯
It’s a great product, but I think a lot of people stopped buying them because we’ve been waiting for his new device he announced more than 3-4 years ago now, and there is still no release date yet. That device will be epic if it ever actually comes out.
The "crack" on the note is that Marshall thing, that zing that you get on the beginning of the note, that high end crack, that you get when Marshall is overdriving or near to overdrive, so it is not crystal clean anymore, and that thing Amp1 does really well, which is not surprise because it is Fender (clean), Marshall JTM45 (Vintage) Plexi/JCM 800 (Classic) Soldano etc (Modern), and they have that crack too.
I have used few years it live and it is really great, and light 😀
“I was absolutely just playing guitar and thinking this is fun.” this is exactly why I love my BluGuitar Amp1 so much. It's the difference between playing guitar and ‘Hell yeah, I'm making music!’. It showed in your improvisations on this video too. 👍
Great video as always. Love your playing!
The Bluguitar Amp 1 a great wee amp. I paired it with the Line 6 HXFX and gigged it for years. It replaced my Rivera M60 which weighed as much as dark matter (the Amp1 weighs about as much as a pint).
You'll hear it on nearly all my recordings on youtube.
I used it on my last album, 'Hyperreal'. I'd nearly finnished the album, but wasn't completely happy with the guitar tones. It wasn't the fault of the Bluguitar, but my terrible engineering skills. I still can't mic up a cab properly!
I had a long chat with Thomas and he told me about the Blubox IR thing. At the time that was a gamechanger for me. I liked it so much, I went back and re recorded all the guitars on the album. This also makes it extremely versatile!!
Over the years the wee pots down the side broke, but they were a very easy repair. Otherwise it's built like a tank!
The reasons why I like Bluguitar are, it sounds great, it's loud enough to gig with (if you have a noisey drummer), it still has a valve amp feel, with the Blubox cab sim it is a great recording amp, its light, great for fly dates, takes FX well and (one of the most important things) the support is probably the best from any company I've worked with. And as a bonus Thomas is a top bloke!
I can’t remember, do you have the iridium or mercury? I know you’ve had plenty Timmy Taylor Landlords 😂
We are waiting for Amp X!
The different versions of Amp 1 are great but all packed together in one just sound fu*king amazing
I hope it's still coming this year. I've been putting off getting anything pedalboard or amp related because I'm holding onto hope 😁
Core of my live rig since 2020. together with a HxStomp, it gets all jobs done
I have the Mercury edition as my main amp. Great sounding 4 channel 100W head you can put on your pedalboard, which helps keep signal paths short for 4 cable method. Has useful MIDI functionality, incuding ability to adjust the gain structure on the fly. I have mine teamed up with a Boss MS3 so use the MIDI quite a lot.
Eq controls are much more sensitive than on traditional tube amp, so treble control can add presence. Micro pots on the side also help volce the channels.
Its not a digital modelling amp, it uses solid state analogue components in the preamp section.
The nanotube in the power amp provides power tube saturation characteristics if you crank the master volume. It doesn't need a load, so you can use it for silent stage and still have these cranked power amp tones.
Its been totally reliable in the last few years I've had mine.
I think it comes down to Blug not being able to react and respond to how quickly the market got crowded and competitive. In a pretty short amount of time, there was the stealing by Blackstar, Friedman's IR-X, major updates to the Helix (v3.5, the "Cab Update"), IK's ToneX platform, and dozens of rig rundowns that feature Kemper and the Quad Cortex.
It also doesn't help that there are so few widely recognized artists endorsing or using the Amp1.
the Amp X might change the situation
@@patrickmckay6621It won't. The design is outdated. Doesn't mean it's not a great product, but it's not eye catchy
Most of the things you mentioned are not actually amps. Blue needs to better market itself as a premium product and not a backup amp to beat out Blackstar. The fact that this question even came up shows that they aren't seen as a premium product.
All you’ve listed are modelers. This is not what an Amp1 is. Amp1 is a real amp, an analog one.
@@zinni_dethe masses see it as a modeler. I guarantee it.
I bought the BluGuitar Amped1 Mercury Edition last week. I have decided to move away from Tube amps. I don't like the weight of them and all the hassle with the tube amp maintenance. With tubes you also have that the sound is not being consistant and having to wait till the tubes to warm up at the rehearsel room before it gives good tone and the tubes are cooled down before I am able to transport the amp. I have decided to go for a dry wet setup with a Quilter Mach 3 combo with Celestion Redback and a BluGuitar Amped1 with EV EVM12 in a Thiele Cabinet.
Amp 1, not Amped 1...Amped 1 is the Blackstar ripoff...
I am using the Amp1 since it came out. Meanwhile I use the newer “Mercury Edition” together with a HX FX controlling the Amp1 via MIDI from the HX.
I used a Kemper with FRFR for a while but returned to the Amp1 since the feeling during playing is much more authentic with the Amp1.
Now I am experimenting with a Helix using a Fender FR10 and have to say that modeling is currently at a very high level. Love the Plexi model of the Helix…The only thing the Amp1 does way better than any digital device is using controlled feedbacks. I have not decided yet how I am going to continue. It does very much depend on the pricing of the AmpX…the market is now full of very interesting alternatives. So, time to market and
pricing are extremely important for AmpX now.
Blackstar ripped Thomas Blug off - that's what happened.
Exactly. Slimey company that sells cheap crap anyway.
If you look closer, BS didn't rip them off. The circuits are completely different. The concept is the same, but Blug wasn't the first to do that even. Where BS comes under scrutiny, is the name, and similar design concpts. There is no " nano-valve " in the BS, and they don't claim to use one.
Blug ripped Marshall Plexi off - that's what happened.
Putting that amp in "low gain" mode deals with the high end that can be troubling for some. Also IMO makes it sound much nicer.
Putting amp in half-power and low-gain mode makes this amp sound sweeter.
low-gain - hold boost switch (2-3sec) when turning on AMp1
half-power mode - hold first switch (2-3 sec) when turning on Amp1.
To reset to factory settings , hold all 3 switches and turn on the amp1, it will blink leds to indicate the reset.
Yes, I think this mode should be the default setting.
Tony from up the road seems to own a ton of gear
Came here to say the same thing 😅
Not at much stuff as you'd think. Just nearly all of it ends up with John at some point
I have it used it mostly at home and as a backup of my main amp goes down. It never sounded as good as you make it sound. It’s obvious the player can make anything sound beautiful. Thank you for your melodic inspiration
Chase chase chase…we all do it. It’s fun, frustrating, rewarding, confusing, and expensive. Nothing beats playing well and understanding signal flow. This will always produce the best tone but takes far more work than online shopping. For me, the menus and complexity of digital gear are their Achilles heel. The limitations of a single or dual channel amp with a few pedals is actually the best part of going old school. Sound actually has nothing to do with it because modern digital gear sounds amazing. Ask yourself: do I want to be a chameleon who nails the exact tone for every cover band gig I do OR do I want to develop my own voice on the guitar? Mind, hands, neck, pickups, volume knob, amp, fx…in that order of importance. That said, I’m awaiting my Quad Cortex delivery today 😂 I think this is finally gonna be the one!
AMP 1 - Amped 1 is Blackstar's rip off
I think you have it the other way around. The Amp1 was released first.
@@lanceholland yes - Blackstar's Amped 1 is the rip off... that's what my comment meant - sorry if I've been unclear - I've had the BluGuitar Amp1 since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 ;)
@@VictorEMusiqueyou were perfectly clear.
Based off his original 68 Plexi i believe. . How can u go wrong?
@@jamesprice6381 The clean channel is based off his Fender amps, the vintage, classic and modern channels are Marshall
Amp1 Mercury has been my number 1 amp for the last three years. Rehearsals, gigging, touring recording. One of the best pieces of gear I’ve ever invested in.
I have the Irridium edition and as soon as X comes out I will buy that. It is an amazing unit! I could listen to only you and Pete Thorn exclusively on youtube and be 100 percent satisfied.
i have the iridium version I love it very versatile and surprisingly loud
I came from Helix and switched to Amp1 Iridium this spring. I'm not looking back 😊 I still use Helix Native for recording though
Those of us who use them do just that. My Mercury is now hooked up permanently as a 4 cable with my LT. It is quite simply the best rig I have owned… big stage, small stage, recording… bedroom….. you name it, it just works. I have let kit go I never thought I would as this just nails it all.
Im still in love with mine that ive had for a year and a half. Ran many pedals in front and the loop and still come back to guitar amp1(with reverb at 5 or 6) and 2x12 cab with greenbacks. Its where its purity will shine. Love cranking it and using the vol knob on the guitar for the dirt level.
I just love that I'm sitting here in my sweatpants with the pockets flipped out and so are you 10:52 🤣.
You forgot the lint fuzzes. ha
@@johnsmith-ug5tp yeah I noticed that. Some serious lint balls 🤣
11:02 you need to adjust the tone mini knob on the left side to adjust to your guitar and cab.
The price is different since it has 4 channels and it’s a 100W amp, there’s nothing currently in the market to compare it with.
The uniqueness of its architecture is one of its pros and main cons, not serviceable unless under warranty, but the idea is that it will not require constant service as a tube amp, no bias adjustment, etc
The Bluguitar Amp1 Mercury Edition has need my main amp for #majikband for years. Both live and recording. I run it 4CM with an HX effects, lots of other pedals in front including a crazy tube circuits tube overdrive to add some tube breakup to the preamp stage. I just played two outdoor shows this weekend where I could turn up to 5-6 and it just sings at the higher volumes. It’s the best amp I have had and pushes out high end amps in the studio for our albums regularly.
AMP1 has an analogue signal chain with a valve in the power stage. The digital side is only used for control as is not involved in the guitar signal, except for the reverb I believe.
There are some videos from the last NAMM show with demos of the next generation of the Blu. It sounded incredible. Never tried one, but each new generation (from a number of companies) shows this technology has really come a long way.
Great Amp. Been using it for years, I have the first version and the second Mercury Edition. It's a 100W+ amp with a tube in the power stage. Love this thing.
I have the Iridium Edition
(the metal one) I think it’s a really great piece of gear!
I think people are not talking about it as much because it's not new. It's still a very nice product. And if course everybody is waiting for Amp X.
They are super cool units. Very sensitive to speaker choice. I do not recommend V30s for this amp. Something warmer like a Creamback or Redback will make it a lot more pleasant in the high end.
Quite agree. I use CL80's and (recently) Creamback H75. Sounds amazing. The V30's (chinese ones) were awful for anything exept thrash metal. Which is great, except I play mainly jazz!
Exactly that👍 gave up on V30s, I don’t get the hype on these speakers, and yes I know Slash uses them! Now using the cheaper 70/80s which seem to get a bad rep because they are cheap but boy they sound immense with the Amp1
@@davegale9116Here is a track from my #majikband with amp1 ME and a Chinese V30 cab. Sounds good to me.
ruclips.net/video/Qg6ogJ6wsxw/видео.htmlsi=2lxPFWmaWWIoGNkW
@@davegale9116 I think V30s sound great at home because you get lots of clarity and it feels nice to play. Turned up to gig volume they become far too harsh for what I do at least.
I think the only downside to these are the inability to load IRs unless you get the Bluebox to go with it, I believe Thomas Blug is addressing this on the new one out soon.
The new one is more than double the price though. The Mercury with for example a Two Notes Torpedo Captor X would be cheaper.
Yeah, that has to be more emphasized: Besides a digital Reverb, it is ALL ANALOG. NOT COMPARABLE TO KEMPER, AMPED1 ASO. NO MODELLING ALL ANALAOG!
Thank for this video John! I bought the mercury 6 months ago and just got the iridium. I love the way these feel. Have not been able to get my Helix to give me the kind of interplay and musicality. Going to combine these with an HX effects rig via midi. Powerful combination.
If you go for a HXFX make sure you get a new one or one that has been chipped. The original ones are noisey in an FX loop and hiss terribly if you go for the 4 cable method. AMP 1 and HXFX is a better deal than a Quad Cortex as you get waaaaaaay more fx, but the payoff is less amp sounds and you can't do captures, so you don't get to listen to any weird alien noises!
You'd have to meet actual weird aliens for that!
@@nickjitsu thanks! I heard about the earlier units being noisy. I will go new.
Be nice if. Tonex would put a 100 watt. Class D. Amp. Along with the captures!
I've been using the Amp1 Iridium for a few years now and I love it. Highly recommend. The only suggestion I have is to disable the built-in speaker cabinet simulator and use your own IR. There is also an additional cable that you can purchase from their site to allow you to use MIDI functions. 🤘🎸
I use my Mercury Edition Amp1 on my paid gigs with a Matrix NL12. Just a super light, easy set up and great sounding rig
I use the Amp 1 Iridium with a Helix LT in 4 Cable method using a Two Notes Cab M+ for speaker emulation/DI so I can go without a cab if required. I’ve never been happier with the sound. Works well with all of my guitars (single coils or humbuckers). Always get compliments about my sound when playing out. I’m controlling the Amp 1 using the Helix’s midi commander to leverage snapshots to allow me to access different amp channels, gain settings and the second master volume for boost. Haven’t needed to use the Helix as a pre-amp yet as I’m quite satisfied with the amp sounds from the Amp 1. I don’t find any high end chirping in my tones. You may want to try the low gain mode.
I recently bought a Mercury one and I think it is just awesome. Pairs super well with an HX Stomp. Super light and easy to get great sounds from. Should get more credit than it does.
Please upload your intro jams to Apple Music, Spotify etc. I’d listen to them all day…
Great playing John, impressive!
Amp1 is the best gigging amp I’ve ever used bar none - I still use my Friedman smallbox for big gigs but I use the amp1 for 90% of gigs other than that. The secret is to crank the master past 7 and use the overdrive master!
I had 2 of them go down in a puff of smoke. When they did work often times they would start flashing and just shut off. I could never trust using them again.
This sounds like a really really bad luck or just user error.
Just to emphasize it again. The Amp1 is a full grown analog 100W amp, not a pedal or a modeller.
I use a Mercury sometimes. It is a great compact unit. Bang it through a 2x12 v30 loaded cab and it sounds killer on a big stage!.
By the his BluBox is an exceptionally good DI. Pairs great with the Amp1 as it lets you dial in an even greater variety of tones..... but also perfect for any amp instead of using a mic.
I considered a BluGuitar, then heard about their upcoming Amp X which has been delayed a few times.
Instead I purchased a used, mint condition, ISP Theta Pro DSP Michael Sweet, and an ISP Theta Pro Stealth Amp which work great.
My current set-up is the ISP Theta Pro DSP stage outs into my Engl E850/100 dual 100W rack power amp with each side going into an Engl PRO E212VHB cab; with the cab sim off; sounds amazing...the Theta Pro DSP is like a rack preamp with effects on the floor; I can also run the main / direct outs of the ISP Theta Pro to my PA with the cab sims; I can use either output or both together.
For a smaller rig, I use the ISP Stealth Pro power amp into a Mesa Compact 2x12, and can send the main/direct outs to FOH if needed..
It's a product that doesn't have enough tubes for the tube snobs and not enough flexibility for the modeler crowd, add the fact that it isn't a shinny new thing and no wonder it dropped off the radar.
I have an original Amp1, which is great. I use it as a backup for my valve (or tube) amps. Easy to shove in the car and have it sitting there for back up.
The number of Amp1 users is growing! And more and more „names“ learn, how great this gear is. Ask Jennifer Batten, for instance 😊. I still use my Silver Edition (the insider name of the first run before the Mercury ) on a daily basis for practicing, recording, on rehearsals and gigs. I never had an issue, except the blue lit Logo sometimes flickers 😊. I’m on the waiting list for the AmpX. When it’s in my hands, my Friedman Small Box will get sold.
Will you look into new Laney 60w laudpedals? Lionheart/Ironheart
I’ve been watching johns channel develop now for a few years , his playing and feel are amazing , my only criticism and I don’t know if it’s the speakers I listen to his stuff is the reason but honestly nearly all his demos tone wise sound very similar to each other. This doesn’t take away from the music and quality of nite choice, to be fair other you tubers such such as Pete thorn fall into the same box , peace and love ❤
I think so often it's note choice as much as the tone itself. That's why so many famous guitarist still sound like themselves when playing through someone else's rig
Sounds great 👍🏼
I recently watched a video of Thomas comparing sounds between a real Plexi, his Amp1, and a PRS HRDX20. The Amp1 did such a good emulation that I went and googled for a price… Cripes. My guess is that’s why it may not be talked about much anymore. Besides reliability and portability, most people expect solid state options to be less expensive than tube amps. Although the Amp1 in his demo sounded exceptionally good, it didn’t sound better than the HDRX but it was just as expensive. So given that, I would just choose the tube amp instead.
It was cheaper until a couple of years ago. Think I paid £599 which I thought was reasonable. Don't think I'd buy again for £799.
@@tonystartup3817 And that’s over $1200 here in Canada.
This isn’t a solid state option so you can’t really make that comparison.
@@kcinseattle What isn’t a solid state option? The Amp1? It is absolutely solid state.
Im curious why nobody talks about the Victory V4 amp pedals when talking about this subject? Is it price compared to the rest of the competition, or something else?
Man, the way you play is addictive. ‘Nough said.
This amp should have been more successful in it's 10yr run (and still a current production model). Mine has replaced my 2203 Marshall JMP, as I can dial in the same sound, and the Amp-1 fits in a travel bag. On the occasions that I've taken the JMP head as a backup, other guitarists have assumed they were hearing the Marshall and complimented me on the tone! It's a box that almost seems too good to be true and I think it needed a big player to get behind it. You can pick up an original 'Silver' model used, for about £300, which is a STEAL. The Amp-X should be exciting, but I think it will struggle in the current market. Let's not forget that the USP of the Amp-1 is that it's Analogue, not a modeller.
Curious, which channel are you using for 2203 JMP tone? Any chance of full settings rundown? Thanks mate!
@@TheMemagNeman I use the Classic channel, settings vary on the room but I put the overdrive master on full and control the gig volume with the global master volume. Tend to run gain around 4, and use a Digitech Bad Monkey as a mild drive on top to just add some sustain. Works really well. The Digitech isn’t really necessary, it just changes the feel a bit, makes some things a bit less work!
@@odgeUK Custom tone controls (small pot) is set to zero (left most, counterclockwise)? tnx
You didn't use the little knobs on the side. They control things like how forward or present it sounds like. Read the freaking manual dude. The only thing digital is the reverb.
I still have mine and a nanocab. It’s still a great setup. But we’ve moved to silent stage/IEMs so it never gets used. What happened? Thomas Blug is struggling to get the Amp-X out the door and at $2K- it’s a doomed product.
@@John-xd6ns I think it is still fairly unique, or at least a unique approach. I still keep coming back to the amp 1 after trying other gear as it just works and it's hard to beat it's combination of sounds quality and flexibility
A new one is scheduled to be released later this year - there is an interview with Thomas somewhere on YT
Your title is incorrect. It's Amp1 not Amped1. Amped 1 is a Blackstar product.
Exactly. Blackstar stole the idea and circuitry from Blu Amp1? I think the guy is trying to find a way to get paid for his intellectual property. But Blackstar is a huge company, and they can steal from whoever they want. They are exempt from the rules of society, as most big companies are.
Absolutely 💯 indeed
I've got one of these and it's both flawed and indispensable .. flaws first:
Why does it have a reverb button?!! Would be SO much more useful if that was a level boost!!
Only the Iridium version allows you to defeat the speaker sim on the rec out. That should be there on all and you should have user IR slots.
The trim controls on the side should have more range.
Benefits:
It just sounds and feels so good.
Fantastic EQ.
MIDI!
It really is loud!
What I don't get (and here I think Blackstar were right), why has TB gone after the Amp-X without doing some simple derivatives?! He could sell that power amp stand-alone as a back end for a modeller, he could have done a deluxe version with more tone controls, he could have integrated some simple FX in to make a full stand-alone travel amp (add a delay and a modulation and you'd be laughing). They'd have been simple to add to the Amp-1, and would have bought time for him to do the Amp-X ..
Ah well ..
You can switch the Amp1 to "preset" switching mode and have reverb button to switch to another preset channel (with boost on, or changed volume level on side pots).
At the time speaker sim on recout was not thought out in full (simple filter). They changed it later on iridium. Time works that way.
I've never use recout (well once to test it and that was it), used speaker out or direct to bluebox and so on.
Try setting side pots first to your desired sound/feel, then use main EQ section to fine tune the tone. Range of the amp eq seems quite sufficient to me.
@@TheMemagNeman I hear what you say and I've worked round it as well .. I can't think of a piece of gear I own that I haven't had to do a work round in some way shape or form. Ultimately I've kept it and nothing has come close to displacing it so the flaws can't be that bad!!!
As you say, time does that .. and it's a shame that TB has focussed on the Amp-X so much and not done further updates .. c'est la vie
I have this Amp-1 and an HX Stomp .. if I needed a small rig that might be silent and definitely needs to go to FOH, I'd take the Amp-1 before the HX Stomp .. in sound terms, it's so good that I've swapped my Friedman head out for it (when a tube's gone) and carried on with the gig without anyone in the band noticing .. never mind the audience .. and with me thinking at the end "can I be arsed with that valve thing?!"
In case it hasn't been said, the lead for the foot switch is just a guitar lead.
Still got one but it became unreliable for gigging kept cutting out ,shame really it sounded good just lost faith in it
Check with their support. Check speaker impedance and outputs you plug in.
@TheMemagNeman only ever used a nanocab into the 8 ohm socket ,it went back and had the pcb replaced and still did it
The difference between the real amp and the Amp1 was immediately evident. To each their own, but the Amp1 sounds harsh by comparison to my ear.
Question: why doesn't anyone ever demo that kinds of units through a cab in the room? As soon as you start running through IRs and whatnot, you're not really hearing the unit anymore.
Also: how does it sound LOUD? That where every digital modeller ever falls down. They're great for the bedroom but they turn to mush at gig volumes.
My amp 1 sounds great loud. Played two outdoor shows this weekend and it sounds fantastic at 5-6 master volume. Any higher would be too loud for almost any stage.
Well...I don't know what channel John was on but it was certainly running more gain and there was more break up going on. I thought it sounded good - but not the same as the fender
I'm curious to hear the final version of AmpX, the Amp1 is interesting but I was definitely turned off by the harsh high end when I tried it. Like every class D instrument power amp, it felt very compressed even at its cleanest settings too.
You’ve obviously never used one.
@@sid35gb No, I haven't, but the whole point of a video like this is so that people who haven't used them can hear them. And I stand by what I heard.
I still have the first version of the BlueAmp1 and I just use it as power amp for an Helix Stomp. I was never so much blown away from its sound and I think all the actual digital gear is much more flexible - and sound better in the end.
I find the other versions of the BluAmps too over priced.
The Amp-X story has become a bad joke in the mean time and I wonder who will buy this one for a price of an Axe-FX if it will ever released.
Use it all the time
Have you tried the twonotes ReVolt ? I still like being able to turn a physical knob to tweak eq rather than having to adjust presets . Something like that with a HXFX or the Amp1 would give you 3 channels of direct sounds without a ton of presets . Just have you core sounds and whatever fx you need separately
(any) Guitar lead is only cable you need between the floorboarsd and Amp1
Already told him
@@tonystartup3817 And i am supposed to believe you just because you say so??
I am not born yesterday 😀
@@aristocasterwish I was, would make these aches and pains less
@@tonystartup3817
Hear you.
John should really try Amp1 on stage.
@@aristocaster I might suggest it but I doubt he'd want to use someone else's gear like that
Perfect timing, i'm really into it latelly.
Will u try the iridium?
@JohnNathan Is your opening jam for this video available as a transcription on your Patreon? This was, once more, awesome playing.
Amp 1 sounds awesome, but, needs a Computer Wiz kid to simply integrate the OS into the digital domain where it can be tweaked with automation filters and still function as it does, just more integrated into the DAW driven workd of at home musicians.
As a oedal amp its terrific, but, as a recording device it needs an better interface.
Some kid will come along and bring that old rocker into the 21st century and his product will sell like hotcakes.
~ Inertia
im waiting for amp x
I have seen a video where he claims that Blackstar stole his tech. What I heard of the Marshall model he demoed sounded very good. I just think there is far too much competition in the current market. Good for the buyer, but companies will fold. Some of them seem more like toy makers…
I have my eyes on one, but that's really just me being greedy.
Who says it dropped of the radar? It is still selling, some accessories and especially the discontinued remote are almost impossible to find, almost nobody got more NAM coverage than Blug. And for a product that does not do everything (but a few things very well) while being not dirt cheap and, without any disrespect, having a few flaws (some important settings only accessible via the non-existing remote, urgently required Midi adapter almost always sold out, no uncomplicated way to get a DI signal out for use with own IRs, to name the ones I experienced), there is nothing to complain about. Yes, obviously Blackstar tried to rip this off, but whoever played their Amped 1 thru 3 devices, will have to admit that they are a) vastly different, and b) apart from the clean tones (which are pretty usable as a pedal platform), sound like shit and have awful amounts of latency.
All we see is a dated product, and since it is a analog device - there are no fancy updates with tons of new features, selling less since the successor has been announced for years. This is not a complaint, and I prefer a working product myself. But the timing of this was Thomas' decision. No need to blame anybody else.
A bluguitar amp1 or Blackstar amped 3 make most sense for me. I’m more straight forward and don’t really want fx much more than delay/ reverb.
The Bluguitar is the real deal the Blackstar just a bad ripoff of the amp 1.
Everybody in guitar world is waiting for BluGuitar's "AMP X"...!!!
But Thomas Blug is not able to finish this new item, nobody knows why...
I think Thomas has gone over quite a lot of times why it's taking time. He's starting to gig it himself now so it's not too far away
@@tonystartup3817 👍🏻
He wants to make it perfect - so it takes more time than expected...
sweet playin... great sounding amp... until you played you fender pro reverb... Dude! that sound made me weep
I prefer the Fender Amp
Blackstar is what happened!! They stole it!!
Not really. There's apparently some of the same components in the power section that are, or thought were proprietary. But otherwise they're quite different units
Closer by Ne-Yo?
Very good guitar qear, but boy for me to expensive. Tonex one is for me price wise a better option
Different products though. This really is an amp head in a compact floor unit. Plug it straight into a cabinet and off you go. ToneX is your capture through IR through PA approach
*Amp1. 'Amped1' is Blackstar's ripoff name.
This caught my eye a few weeks ago from Blug talking about the Amped 1 stuff. That was on my radar as I saw a comparison of poweramps for a modeller and the blackstar sounded great just using the power amp but now knowing the Blackstar seems to be a copy of the Bluguitar it has definitely been on my radar. Would you be able to do a video of using a modeller going into just its power amp/effects return to hear how it sounds?
Ir-x vs bluguitar
The HX Stomp is over $200 USD cheaper, and is a true modeler.
This is just a 100W class D solid state guitar amp in a floor pedal format, with a gimmicky low voltage tube in the preamp section. Or am I missing something?
This isn't a modeller at all and isn't marketed as such. Tube is in the power amp section, pre amp is just solid state
@tonystartup3817 I never said it was a modeler, but others were comparing it to one.
And the "nano tube" cannot be part of the power stage since we know that's a 100W class D transistor output stage. Without a schematic I can't comment further, but this tube probably isn't doing anything useful other than adding lots of "dirt".
@@joeltunnahthe nanotube is in the power amp section. Thomas discusses and compares with class D and tube power amps from about 7 mins onwards in this video ruclips.net/user/liveiZ--XLUjOrw
I understand its like a first stage of the poweramp section before the class D section to give you power tube response characteristics when driven hard by the preamp section.
@spharr a sub-miniature tube cannot and will not act in any way like an octal power tube driving an output transformer. That's why I'm calling it what it is, a gimmick that gives people the warm fuzzies because of the word "tube".
@@joeltunnah due to its design it has no power transformers, you could check their Channel and post your questions, they may not tell you every single detail, but they’re quite responsive.
at any point is it just the amp?
As opposed to going through the load box and IRs? No I don't think so on this video
Is the title a joke on the Blackstar copycats?
Blug sadly looks like it's from the 90's
For the algorithm!!!
4:40
congrats bud! ruclips.net/user/liveny5YJ3RT1sE?si=58T0CjYddloAvCJl&t=734
non modeling, all anologue apart from the reverb
This vs. Laney Ironheart or Lionheart Loud pedals would be interesting… @johnnathancordy