BluGuitar Amp X

[jellodog]

I'm not gonna lie, for whatever reason Thomas Blug puts me to sleep before he's clearly made his point. From what I could tell, he was sure that he had made a Very Particular Power Transformer that he had someone custom wind for him, the details of which made it seem like you'd probably need to go to the same vendor that Thomas used to get an accurate copy of the proprietary transformer? So either get really mad at the vendor you got to make the transformer, or kick yourself for having not paid the vendor a liiiiiittle more to keep them from making that design for anyone else.

I'm trying not to be jaded grumpy gatekeeper, but I just always find him to spend sooooo much time and energy trying to articulate why what he is doing is so novel and original compared to what's been done before that I start to question just how novel/original it is. Or maybe its just me, having spent a career in the world of inventors pitching their New And Groundbreaking Idea, when rarely are the ideas all that new, and even less rarely are they groundbreaking, that I'm just kind of immediately skeptical that anyone in an art thiiiiiiiiiiiis old and well developed is really doing anything sufficiently special at a circuit architecture level for me to get too worried about copy-cats.

Yes! That's a totally fair and nuanced take. I like Thomas an awful lot, but he does indeed seem to make things more convoluted for himself at times.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I thought it was pretty simple. They named a product Amped 1 using the same custom transformer as his product the Amp 1.

The name part is cheesy and in poor, but very Blackstar, taste. The using the "same custom power transformer"...meh. If the foundation of your product is a custom transformer that isn't really inventive, and can easily be knocked off into a product sold for significantly less than what you're making, then you better make sure there is other sauce in your product that separates it from the cheap knock offs that are liable to come around (pretty sure the Amp 1 does that?).

 

[Whizzinby]

The name part is cheesy and in poor, but very Blackstar, taste. The using the "same custom power transformer"...meh. If the foundation of your product is a custom transformer that isn't really inventive, and can easily be knocked off into a product sold for significantly less than what you're making, then you better make sure there is other sauce in your product that separates it from the cheap knock offs that are liable to come around (pretty sure the Amp 1 does that?).

The inventiveness or novelty of the transformer is beside the point imo. They named the product nearly identically to his, while using the exact same custom component. Anyone would be disappointed. It’s not like he is on a crusade, he was asked about it on a podcast.

The degree to which anyone should care about it, (if at all) is certainly debatable.

We’ve all become so indifferent to this sort of idea/circuit/product “borrowing” in this industry, that we actually start pointing the finger back at the very people that got ripped off.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

The inventiveness or novelty of the transformer is beside the point imo. They named the product nearly identically to his, while using an exact same custom component. Anyone would be disappointed. It’s not like he is on a crusade, he was asked about it on a podcast.

The degree to which anyone should care about it, is certainly debatable.

We’ve become so indifferent to this sort of idea/circuit/product “borrowing” in the industry that we actually start pointing the finger back at the people that got ripped off.

That's a 100% fair point. I guess the question is where the line gets drawn between reasonable annoyance/complaints/efforts to keep people from copying and when we're in Gibson-territory of suing every tom dick and harry that is building a one-off kind-of-sort-of flying V inspired guitar in their garage that I think we can all agree is dumb, regardless of any legal standard that might apply.

 

[Jarick]

Did you watch the full video, where the reasoning for being copied was explained concerning the "very specific" details?

No, I watched several minutes talking about the transformer and naming. Then looked at the two products. They aren't the same thing.

From what I understand, tons of class D amplifiers all use the same "ICEPOWER" module. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a handful of transformers with similar specs that many brands are using.

Another thing, my dad is an engineer and once had developed something that needed to be mass produced in a factory in China. They sent over a prototype and got back the samples. They decided to not go through with development, but then found out afterwards that the prototype was actually shopped by the factory to a competitor. So it's entirely possible there's some shady activity that's outside of Blackstar's control. Lord knows that China doesn't exactly have the strongest IP laws. Also, did Blug patent the transformer? Or was it a spec that he built to and then was now available for wider production?

All that to say, it's also entirely possible that Blackstar ripped apart an Amp 1, reverse engineered some design, then slapped their name on it. However I don't think they've ever done that in the past, and again the products are very different.

So I take all this with a grain of salt. To me it stinks of click bait from a small channel that's thrilled to get thousands of people watching their videos.

 

[jellodog]

From what I understand, tons of class D amplifiers all use the same "ICEPOWER" module. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a handful of transformers with similar specs that many brands are using.

Respectfully, the AMP 1 doesn't contain an ICEpower module; and neither does the Amped 1.

 

[Jarick]

Respectfully, the AMP 1 doesn't contain an ICEpower module; and neither does the Amped 1.

I know, just using that as an example of how common a single part can be.

For the record I don't honestly care that much. To me they seem apples and oranges. I'm sure to Blug it's a shot.

Only reason I got an Amped 1 is I found a good deal on one used at TOP. My first choice was the Duncan Powerstage but none were available used. Second choice was the Orange Pedal Baby and same thing. This one came up at a good price, and I saw a couple people had used it and liked it. I expected disappointment, and was pleasantly surprised.

I was also looking at the Amp 1 to use as a standalone power amp as I've heard great things about it for that purpose, and I like the concept. It's like a super version of the Friedman IRX. I'd still like to try one someday.

 

[jellodog]

I know, just using that as an example of how common a single part can be.

For the record I don't honestly care that much. To me they seem apples and oranges. I'm sure to Blug it's a shot.

Only reason I got an Amped 1 is I found a good deal on one used at TOP. My first choice was the Duncan Powerstage but none were available used. Second choice was the Orange Pedal Baby and same thing. This one came up at a good price, and I saw a couple people had used it and liked it. I expected disappointment, and was pleasantly surprised.

I was also looking at the Amp 1 to use as a standalone power amp as I've heard great things about it for that purpose, and I like the concept. It's like a super version of the Friedman IRX. I'd still like to try one someday.

If it's any consolation, I do really like the Amp 1 when used as intended, but I didn't enjoy the sound of the Axe-Fx III or FM9 through it when used as a standalone power amp

I know that @laxu has had good results and that he enjoyed using the power section; but again, I just didn't personally like the tones and my mate didn't either when I asked him.

 

[Jarick]

If it's any consolation, I do really like the Amp 1 when used as intended, but I didn't enjoy the sound of the Axe-Fx III or FM9 through it when used as a standalone power amp

I know that @laxu has had good results and that he enjoyed using the power section; but again, I just didn't personally like the tones and my mate didn't either when I asked him.

That's good to know!

I heard a lot of folks loving class AB instead of class D amps, and I had just gotten rid of my Katana Artist (class AB) and ordered the Amped 1 (class D). So my expectations were low, but I've been super happy with it. It even does a half decent job of faking a cleanish Fender amp for that "amp and pedals" kind of approach.

It would be interesting to see Blug make a stripped down version of the Amp 1 that was basically his version of a Powerstage, just the poweramp with EQ controls maybe. But it probably wouldn't be cheap enough to compete with the Pedal Baby, Powerstage, Amped 1, etc.

 

[laxu]

If it's any consolation, I do really like the Amp 1 when used as intended, but I didn't enjoy the sound of the Axe-Fx III or FM9 through it when used as a standalone power amp

I know that @laxu has had good results and that he enjoyed using the power section; but again, I just didn't personally like the tones and my mate didn't either when I asked him.

I didn't find it to sound really that much different from the Fryette PS-100. Less neutral like any guitar poweramp, but nothing I can't compensate from the amp model. But I was using it at "loud home" volumes of about 90 dB @ 1m.

I don't have a whole lot of experience with different Class D poweramps, but whatever BluGuitar does, it works. I can't tell it's not a tube poweramp, and I put it against the Bogner Goldfinger 45 SL I had at band volumes through the same cab.

It would be interesting to see Blug make a stripped down version of the Amp 1 that was basically his version of a Powerstage, just the poweramp with EQ controls maybe. But it probably wouldn't be cheap enough to compete with the Pedal Baby, Powerstage, Amped 1, etc.

I think he said in one of BluGuitar's live streams that he'd like to do something like that, but it may only happen after Amp X gets released. They could probably just cram the Amp 1 poweramp + EQ + master volume into a smaller package, would be a good way to make the Amp X a stereo setup.

I'm hoping you could do a wet/dry rig like this:

• Amp X poweramp -> BluGuitar 1x12 Fatcab.
• Amp X fx -> line out -> Amp 1 ME fx return -> BluGuitar 1x12 Nanocab.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

I wouldn't worry too much about it if I was him. That BlackStar is not nearly as good as any BluGuitar amp.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

All that to say, it's also entirely possible that Blackstar ripped apart an Amp 1, reverse engineered some design, then slapped their name on it. However I don't think they've ever done that in the past, and again the products are very different.

I don't think they did that, on the sole count that the Amped is not that great, while the BluGuitar actually is.

I have an Amp1 ME and it hangs with my Marshalls without issues. The Amped, not so much.

This seems to be the theme with BlackStar, amps that are kind of like something, but fall short.

The Artist is kind of like a Plexi, but worse. The HT40 is kind of like a DSL40 but, yep... worse.
Now the Amped. Like a BluGuitar, but worse.

Their amps are not terrible but I can't think of an amp company with more vanilla, bland amps than BlackStar. I don't think they're an industry "threat" at any level.

Do you know when kids ask "mom can we get an amp?" and the mom replies "we have an amp at home". The amp at home is BlackStar.

 

[laxu]

I don't think they did that, on the sole count that the Amped is not that great, while the BluGuitar actually is.

I have an Amp1 ME and it hangs with my Marshalls without issues. The Amped, not so much.

This seems to be the theme with BlackStar, amps that are kind of like something, but fall short.

The Artist is kind of like a Plexi, but worse. The HT40 is kind of like a DSL40 but, yep... worse.
Now the Amped. Like a BluGuitar, but worse.

Their amps are not terrible but I can't think of an amp company with more vanilla, bland amps than BlackStar. I don't think they're an industry "threat" at any level.

Do you know when kids ask "mom can we get an amp?" and the mom replies "we have an amp at home". The amp at home is BlackStar.

Yeah that's my experience with Blackstar. Even the St. James, while a bit unique on the market, seems like it's "there's nothing wrong with this, but it's also not exciting". Do they somehow manage to voice their amps for "everyone" to the point that they lose any character? I feel like Revv has a bit of a similar issue.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Yeah that's my experience with Blackstar. Even the St. James, while a bit unique on the market, seems like it's "there's nothing wrong with this, but it's also not exciting". Do they somehow manage to voice their amps for "everyone" to the point that they lose any character? I feel like Revv has a bit of a similar issue.

I wanted to like the St. James so bad. I tried a used one out at GC and I was about as underwhelmed as you could get. The specs for me were there. EL34s, lightweight. But the tones were boring with a capital B really in every way