The Neural-Analog-Preamp™

BluGuitar’s „digital soldering iron“ for analogue amp tuning: until now, combinations of analogue circuitry and digital control have been limited to adjusting and storing operating parameters such as tone controls, gain etc.

The NEURAL-ANALOG-PREAMP™, on the other hand – like the NANOTUBE-X power amp – offers for the first time the groundbreaking ability to edit and store circuit parameters at component level. Technically speaking, this is the same as actually changing a circuit. Thanks to this new approach and the use of extremely small and light components, AMP X can now authentically recreate every conceivable circuit of classic tube amplifiers in analogue form and store it as a BlugPRINT™.

100-watt NANOTUBE X power amp

The proven 100-watt NANOTUBE power amp of the AMP1 has been extended with flexible headroom behaviour for the AMP X.

As with the NEURAL-ANALOG-PREAMP™, we have direct access here to tone-shaping elements such as power amp saturation or current feedback, and can edit and store them. This allows us to authentically reproduce the sound and playing feel of different power amps. Combined with our NEURAL-ANALOG-PREAMP™, this „neural“ flexibility enables us to recreate every conceivable amplifier circuit.

Analogue and digital pre and post effects

In keeping with the purist approach of the AMP X, effects that can be realised in analogue form (compressor, booster, distortion, tremolo and wah-wah) have also been built as discrete analogue circuits.

The additional digital effects section works with a state-of-the-art 8-core DSP. Here too, the signal path remains fully analogue, because the digital effects are mixed into the analogue direct signal.

AMPX has a Pre FX section („PEDAL“) and a Post FX section („FX“). The latter is designed for stereo and offers classic effects-loop effects as well as typical studio post effects such as modulation, delay or reverb.

Dynamic IRs

Impulse responses, known as IRs, are now the standard for simulating guitar speaker cabinets. IRs deliver a precise image of the frequency response of the cab in question – but only at one fixed volume.

When the volume changes, the sound of the speaker changes too. IRs cannot capture these dynamic changes in tone because they are static.

With the new Dynamic IR™ technology, BluGuitar has solved this problem. Here, changes in tone are recreated dynamically. Dynamic IR™ delivers lively, „mixing-desk-ready“ direct sounds like nothing you have heard before.

And that is not all: with the AMPX, up to five dynamic IRs can be used at the same time. These can be freely assigned to different outputs (e.g. Stereo Recording Out, Line Out, Speaker Out). This makes every conceivable setup possible – from a recording direct signal made up of a mix of five different speakers to wet/dry/wet setups, which can even be realised with full-range cabs. Of course it also works more simply – basic setups are naturally possible too.

AMP X Easy Access Control Panel

We have made the handling of the AMP X simple and clear, just like on traditional tube amps. The control panel with knobs for Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble and Presence is recessed, well protected and directly accessible.

For programming more advanced settings, a second control panel is hidden under an aluminium flap. Here, dedicated controls are available for POWER DRIVE and BOOST. Depending on the effect selected, the relevant effect parameters are assigned to the X CONTROLS knobs and their function is shown in displays. Selection buttons for PEDAL, AMP, FX and CAB give direct access to the four different sections that make up the AMPX guitar system. Finally, the combination of DISPLAY and rotary encoder allows deeper editing of selected parameters.

Despite its complexity, this unique operating concept keeps the AMPX simple, direct and intuitive to use at all times.

BLUGPRINTS™

What was previously only possible digitally in the form of modelling can now, for the first time, be achieved with AMP X in perfect, analogue quality:

the sounds of every conceivable tube circuit in one compact device – with the special feature that, thanks to analogue tube technology, the authentic playing feel, identical to the original, is retained.

With our new neural technology, we can analyse, capture and store the „DNA“ of any sound and make it available to every AMP X user in BlugPRINTs™. A BlugPRINT™ is the digital blueprint for controlling the analogue AMP X circuit. Every BlugPRINT™ contains all the information about tone-shaping parameters such as gain structure, tone stack, power amp saturation, current feedback etc.

BLUGPRINTS LIBRARY

AMP X comes from the factory with the proven sounds of the AMP1 Mercury Edition + Iridium Edition. All the IRs of the BluBOX and a basic set of analogue and digital standard effects are also on board.

Beyond that, AMP X can be expanded by loading further BlugPRINTS™. BlugPRINTs™ are available online in the webshop as AMPs (amp models), FX (effects) or Cabs (cabinets) in the BlugPRINT Sound Library. This library is constantly being expanded with new tube amp and effect classics. It is the database, the source and the gateway to the sound world of the AMP X all in one. This makes AMP X a versatile and permanently expandable Tube Tone Chameleon.

AMP X-WINGS

ALL-IN-ONE – No extra pedal board needed: the AMP X-Wings can be attached to either side of the AMP X and, depending on the space required, extended independently and continuously and locked in place.

This allows additional pedals for controlling special functions, such as expression or wah pedals, further footswitches or other much-loved classics, to be permanently integrated into the AMP X housing unit. The AMP X thus becomes a pedalboard that holds all your gear and can be safely stowed in the optionally available X-Bag.