Blu Guitar Amp-X

[Bearitone]

This is the only floor unit that has interested me i think ever.

A metal oriented analog floor unit with multi-effects and what appears to be a decent power section? Fuck yeah.

 

[Backsnack]

This is the only floor unit that has interested me i think ever.

A metal oriented analog floor unit with multi-effects and what appears to be a decent power section? Fuck yeah.

It's not just metal, because it contains all the preamps from the Amp1 Mercury Edition as well. That one covers vintage (think JTM45) to modern Marshall (JCM800) sounds. So out of the box it comes with 8 preamps/channels to choose from.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

Can you expand any of the Blu Amps by using another SS Power Amp?

 

[Backsnack]

Can you expand any of the Blu Amps by using another SS Power Amp?

You could feasibly plug the recording out into a power amp. At that point it's acting like a multichannel preamp.

 

[Element0s]

Another great potential option for my imagined tiny touring rig. Looking forward to seeing this develop.

 

[laxu]

Can you expand any of the Blu Amps by using another SS Power Amp?

You can always take the signal out of the fx loop and run that into another poweramp.

 

[Bearitone]

Can you expand any of the Blu Amps by using another SS Power Amp?

You wouldn’t be expanding anything. You would bypassing the Blu poweramp in place of another one. Kind of pointless unless you don’t actually like the sound of the Blu’s own power section.

 

[Backsnack]

You wouldn’t be expanding anything. You would bypassing the Blu poweramp in place of another one. Kind of pointless unless you don’t actually like the sound of the Blu’s own power section.

Good point.
@MASS DEFECT the Amp1 will not do stereo if that’s what you’re looking for. It would just be more mono signal.

 

[Wolfhorsky]

The question is: will it sound better than my HX stomp and PS170 combo? I doubt there will be noticeable upgrade of the quality that is worth the upcharge

 

[c7spheres]

Although this thing looks incredible and probably will be, especially for small footprint, I'm sticking with my old rig. Watching the video again I picked up this time that it's all surface mount tech. That stuff scares me. It's always hard or expensive to get repaired or find parts. I know, I always got this repair thing going on in my head and it's not justified really, but I like the fact that "normal" amps like Boogies and such use readily available compenents and most techs (sometimes even myself) can repair them. There's something about that that I like. There just already proven winners that have stood the test of time. So I'll probably still want one of these when they become available : )

 

[Bearitone]

The question is: will it sound better than my HX stomp and PS170 combo? I doubt there will be noticeable upgrade of the quality that is worth the upcharge

Idk why but i have high hopes for the power section of this thing. I liked the PS170 when i owned it but, it didn’t blow me away.

 

[Backsnack]

@laxu @lewis @Se7enHeaven

I'm still pretty excited for the release of this thing next year. I've been sending some emails back and forth to Bluguitar asking about planned features. I thought I'd share some things I've learned, some of which may be specific to my nerdy desires for using this with additional pedals.

• It will have a built-in tuner and utilize the light rings along the footswitches for the needle/strobe.
  
• The Amp X wings and expression pedal will need to be purchased separately (not surprising, but I checked anyways).
  
• There will not have risers or high enough feet to accommodate a TRS-MIDI converter box to be mounted underneath the unit for external pedals to be used with the device. (Can probably figure out a DIY solution though, so not a big deal).
• Each amp channel/BlugPrint will have a much deeper set of parameters for adjusting tonal options than the tone stack side knobs on the regular Amp1 models.
• No looper effect/function, so you'll have to bring your own looper pedal if you enjoy doing that.
  
• The Amp X will send out PC messages to external pedals. CC messaging (like with the expression pedal) might be added at a later date after release.
• The analogue post-EQ settings can be saved per preset, unlike the regular Amp1 models!

 

[lewis]

@laxu @lewis @Se7enHeaven

I'm still pretty excited for the release of this thing next year. I've been sending some emails back and forth to Bluguitar asking about planned features. I thought I'd share some things I've learned, some of which may be specific to my nerdy desires for using this with additional pedals.

• It will have a built-in tuner and utilize the light rings along the footswitches for the needle/strobe.
  
• The Amp X wings and expression pedal will need to be purchased separately (not surprising, but I checked anyways).
  
• There will not be risers or high enough feet to accommodate a TRS-MIDI converter box to be mounted underneath the unit for external pedals to be used with the device. (Can probably figure out a DIY solution though, so not a big deal).
• Each amp channel/BlugPrint will have a much deeper set of parameters for adjusting tonal options than the tone stack side knobs on the regular Amp1 models.
• No looper effect/function, so you'll have to bring your own looper pedal if you enjoy doing that.
  
• The Amp X will send out PC messages to external pedals. CC messaging (like with the expression pedal) might be added at a later date after release.
• The analogue post-EQ settings can be saved per preset, unlike the regular Amp1 models!

Thats a great list of features!!!
Thanks for Sharing dude!

Im going to hold off on potentially adding this, until Ive used my Iridium live to gauge if this can hang with the big boys or not.

 

[Backsnack]

Thats a great list of features!!!
Thanks for Sharing dude!

Im going to hold off on potentially adding this, until Ive used my Iridium live to gauge if this can hang with the big boys or not.

Let us know how it goes.

My whole Amp1 Iridium pedalboard purchase got put on hold for a while mostly due to the current pandemic situation. I figure I might as well wait for the Amp X!

 

[laxu]

@laxu @lewis @Se7enHeaven

I'm still pretty excited for the release of this thing next year. I've been sending some emails back and forth to Bluguitar asking about planned features. I thought I'd share some things I've learned, some of which may be specific to my nerdy desires for using this with additional pedals.

• It will have a built-in tuner and utilize the light rings along the footswitches for the needle/strobe.
  
• The Amp X wings and expression pedal will need to be purchased separately (not surprising, but I checked anyways).
  
• There will not have risers or high enough feet to accommodate a TRS-MIDI converter box to be mounted underneath the unit for external pedals to be used with the device. (Can probably figure out a DIY solution though, so not a big deal).
• Each amp channel/BlugPrint will have a much deeper set of parameters for adjusting tonal options than the tone stack side knobs on the regular Amp1 models.
• No looper effect/function, so you'll have to bring your own looper pedal if you enjoy doing that.
  
• The Amp X will send out PC messages to external pedals. CC messaging (like with the expression pedal) might be added at a later date after release.
• The analogue post-EQ settings can be saved per preset, unlike the regular Amp1 models!

This looks like it will be a real dream unit with everything you need and nothing more. Personally I haven't minded not being able to save the EQ knob settings, the Amp 1 ME has been designed really well so all channels sound like they belong together no matter where you point the knobs.

I've recently found out that the Amp 1 ME poweramp is also good for amplifying digital modelers. Running my Helix full amp models through it gives similar results to what I got from the Fryette Power Station 2. That's going to give me a lot of fun stuff to play with while waiting for the Amp X. I've also built a wet/dry rig out of my Bogner GF45 SL + 4x10 and the Amp 1 ME + 1x12 and that sounds just massive.

 

[lewis]

This looks like it will be a real dream unit with everything you need and nothing more. Personally I haven't minded not being able to save the EQ knob settings, the Amp 1 ME has been designed really well so all channels sound like they belong together no matter where you point the knobs.

I've recently found out that the Amp 1 ME poweramp is also good for amplifying digital modelers. Running my Helix full amp models through it gives similar results to what I got from the Fryette Power Station 2. That's going to give me a lot of fun stuff to play with while waiting for the Amp X. I've also built a wet/dry rig out of my Bogner GF45 SL + 4x10 and the Amp 1 ME + 1x12 and that sounds just massive.

ive fallen in love with tone demos of boosted old jcm800s, does the mercury get close to that? or will my iridium be closer?

also quite interested to hear what differences, if any, the amp x has over the iridium

 

[laxu]

ive fallen in love with tone demos of boosted old jcm800s, does the mercury get close to that? or will my iridium be closer?

also quite interested to hear what differences, if any, the amp x has over the iridium

The Amp X should have both ME and Iridium sounds in it on release.

I haven't tried the Iridium but I would expect that there is a good amount of overlap for JCM800 tones in them. The Mercury does it with ease on the Classic channel.

 

[Backsnack]

ive fallen in love with tone demos of boosted old jcm800s, does the mercury get close to that? or will my iridium be closer?

also quite interested to hear what differences, if any, the amp x has over the iridium

The Amp X should have both ME and Iridium sounds in it on release.

I haven't tried the Iridium but I would expect that there is a good amount of overlap for JCM800 tones in them. The Mercury does it with ease on the Classic channel.

@laxu you’re right.
The Amp X will ship with all of the channels of the Iridium and Mercury editions. Any others to follow seem like they will need to be purchased, pricing info hasn’t been released yet.

 

[lewis]

The Amp X should have both ME and Iridium sounds in it on release.

I haven't tried the Iridium but I would expect that there is a good amount of overlap for JCM800 tones in them. The Mercury does it with ease on the Classic channel.

damn im going to need to look into the Mercury for cheap then. With my effects and pedalboards setup I likely won't need the AmpX really. Given I already have the HX effects etc

 

[Backsnack]

I’m also hoping Blug will include a nice-sounding tape delay in the unit.