SwiftReason
Newbie
- Messages
- 3
Here's the thing... I think the Blackstar Amped 1 is an excellent piece of gear — but it's often misunderstood.
Most of the time, that’s because players don’t know how to really dial it in. It’s not designed to be a full-featured amp modeler or a traditional tube head — it’s a modern pedal platform that thrives when used with your pedalboard, not instead of it.
That said, I’ve been using the Amped 1 as my primary amp, and after a lot of experimenting (plus a little help from AI), I’ve zeroed in on amp voicing + response combinations and CabRig settings that make a massive difference.
What makes it special?
My Setup (for context)
I need a rig that’s:
Amped 1:
This gives me a great Marshall-meets-Vox-style pedal platform, and with my pedalboard I can shape anything from shimmering cleans to gritty leads.
Suggested Starting Points for Amp Emulations
If you're chasing specific amp tones, here are some tested Voice + Response + CabRig combinations to get you close quickly:
Amped 1 Settings (UK + EL84)
Key Vox Traits Replicated
Amped 1 Settings (USA + 6L6)
Amped 1 Settings (UK + EL34)
Amped 1 Settings (UK + EL84)
Matchless Tone Traits You’ll Achieve
I hope this guide has helped you in some way better understand how to dial in a Blackstar Amped 1. I'm sure you could use these settings with an Amped 2 or 3 as well. I'm not sure what the CabRig settings look like for those but it should be fairly close.
Most of the time, that’s because players don’t know how to really dial it in. It’s not designed to be a full-featured amp modeler or a traditional tube head — it’s a modern pedal platform that thrives when used with your pedalboard, not instead of it.
That said, I’ve been using the Amped 1 as my primary amp, and after a lot of experimenting (plus a little help from AI), I’ve zeroed in on amp voicing + response combinations and CabRig settings that make a massive difference.
What makes it special?
- It goes direct to FOH via XLR with CabRig, while still powering a real guitar cab at the same time
- It all fits on my pedalboard — light, compact, fast to set up/tear down
- It reacts beautifully to a well-planned pedal chain — especially overdrives, verbs, and modulation
My Setup (for context)
I need a rig that’s:
- Dynamic
- Clear with ambient effects
- Capable of rich drive when needed
- Still mix-friendly for live FOH
Amped 1:
- Voice: UK
- Response: EL34
- Gain: 9–10 o’clock (Vox-like edge of breakup)
- Volume: 1–2 o’clock (Power amp saturation)
- Bass: 10 o'clock
- Middle: 1–2 o'clock
- Treble: 12–1 o,clock
- Cab: 2x12 Classic UK Combo (Open Back)
- Mic: 57 - Dynamic 57, Off-center (Axis button selected)
- Cab Level: +4.6 dB
- Lo-Cut: 3.0
- Low: 0.0
- Low Mids: 0.0
- High Mids: -1.5 to -2.0
- High: +2.0 to +2.5
- Hi-Cut: 7.0
- Room: Medium Dampened
- Stereo Width: Wide
- Room Level: -2.5 dB
This gives me a great Marshall-meets-Vox-style pedal platform, and with my pedalboard I can shape anything from shimmering cleans to gritty leads.
Suggested Starting Points for Amp Emulations
If you're chasing specific amp tones, here are some tested Voice + Response + CabRig combinations to get you close quickly:
Amped 1 VOX Emulation Settings
Amped 1 Settings (UK + EL84)
- Voice:UK
- Closest to Vox’s British tone stack.
- Response:EL84
- Vox compression, chime and harmonics.
- Gain:10 o’clock
- Keeps you at edge-of-breakup with clarity.
- Volume:1:30 to 2 o’clock
- Boosts power amp response for natural feel.
- Bass:11 o’clock
- Tightens up the low end.
- Middle:1-2 o’clock
- Adds Vox-style midrange complexity.
- Treble:12-1 o’clock
- Delivers that signature sparkle
- Cabinet: 2x12 Classic UK Combo (DC30 is a 2x12)
- Mic: 57 – Dynamic, Off-center
- Cabinet Level: +4.4 dB
- Lo-Cut: 2.5
- Low: +0.5 to +1.0
- Low Mids: +0.5 to +1.0
- High Mids: 0.0
- High: +2.0
- Hi-Cut: 6.5 to 7.0
- Room Type: Medium Dampened
- Stereo Width: Wide
- Room Level: -2.0 to -2.5 dB
- Master: 0.0dB (Unity for FOH)
Key Vox Traits Replicated
- Chimey highs and vocal mids
- Touch-sensitive edge-of-breakup
- Tight low end with open feel
- Gain is kept low (9–10 o’clock) → clean headroom
- Volume is pushed (1–2 o’clock) → amp compression/saturation
- CabRig cab is 2x12 Open Back → same layout as a real AC30
- EQ is tight in the bass and lifted in the high mids/highs
- Slightly increasing Gain (~10:30–11:00)
- Slightly reducing Volume for more sag
- Adding more Room Level in CabRig to simulate roomier, smaller amp feel
- Choosing a Ribbon mic (if available) for smoother response
Amped 1 Fender Blackface Emulation Settings
Amped 1 Settings (USA + 6L6)
- Voice:USA
- Gives you a scooped-mid, sparkly top-end tone reminiscent of blackface Fenders.
- Response:6L6
- Replicates the power tube feel – high headroom, clean bloom and spongy response.
- Gain:9 o’clock
- Keeps it clean and open.
- Volume:2 o’clock
- Gives you that touch-sensitive feel.
- Bass: 10-11 o’clock
- Middle: 10-11 o’clock
- Treble: 1-2 o’clock
- Cabinet: 1x12 Classic USA Open Back (or 2x12 Vintage Open)
- Mic: 57 – Dynamic, Off-center
- Cabinet Level: +3.8 dB
- Lo-Cut: 2.5
- Low: +0.5 to +1.0
- Low Mids: -1.0 to -1.5
- High Mids: 0.0 to +0.5
- High: +2.0
- Hi-Cut: 7.0
- Room Type: Medium Dampened
- Stereo Width: Wide
- Room Level: -2.0 to -2.5 dB
Amped 1 Marshall Emulation Settings
Amped 1 Settings (UK + EL34)
- Voice:UK
- Best matches the British EL34 tone stack (Marshall DNA).
- Response:EL34
- Iconic Marshall tube type – bold, tight, mid-heavy.
- Gain:12-1 o’clock
- Natural amp distortion begins here (especially for Plexi or JCM800).
- Volume:1-2 o’clock
- Simulates pushed power section breakup.
- Bass:10 o’clock
- Keeps low end punchy without mud.
- Middle:2 o’clock
- Marshall lives in the mids.
- Treble:2 o’clock
- Top-end bite – essential for cut.
- Cabinet: 4x12 Classic UK
- Mic: 57 – Dynamic, On-center
- Cabinet Level: +4.8 dB
- Lo-Cut: 3.0
- Low: 0.0
- Low Mids: +1.0
- High Mids: +0.5 to +1.0
- High: +2.0 to +2.5
- Hi-Cut: 6.5 to 7.0
- Room Type: Medium Dampened
- Stereo Width: Wide
- Room Level: -2.0 to -2.5 dB
- Master: 0.0dB (Unity for FOH)
Amped 1 Matchless Emulation Settings
Amped 1 Settings (UK + EL84)
- Voice: UK
- Response: EL84
- Gain: 10 o’clock
- Volume: 1:30 to 2 o’clock
- Bass: 11 o’clock
- Middle: 1-2 o’clock
- Treble: 12-1 o’clock
- Cabinet: 2x12 Classic UK Combo (DC30 is a 2x12)
- Mic: 57 – Dynamic, Off-center
- Cabinet Level: +4.4 dB
- Lo-Cut: 2.5
- Low: +0.5 to +1.0
- Low Mids: +0.5 to +1.0
- High Mids: 0.0
- High: +2.0
- Hi-Cut: 6.5 to 7.0
- Room Type: Medium Dampened
- Stereo Width: Wide
- Room Level: -2.0 to -2.5 dB
- Master: 0.0dB (Unity for FOH)
Matchless Tone Traits You’ll Achieve- Full, responsive midrange
- Slightly compressed feel with great note bloom
- Ambient effects (reverb/delay) will feel lush and controlled
I hope this guide has helped you in some way better understand how to dial in a Blackstar Amped 1. I'm sure you could use these settings with an Amped 2 or 3 as well. I'm not sure what the CabRig settings look like for those but it should be fairly close.
Last edited:
