NAD: BluGuitar Amp1 Iridium

[2dor]

Some tips:

• It can be useful to leave the gain knob on the OD channel higher (5-7), and rolling your guitar volume and tone pots down. This can reduce any harshness you might get from a bright cap.
• I recommend tuning the little side tone knobs and the EQ to the cab you use. I find that when I've got settings I like with a particular cab, I leave the side knobs parked there and at most tweak the EQ knobs a tiny bit for different guitars or volumes.
• If you get the MIDI adapter (MIDI controller built into the adapter cable) you have access to the powersoak, a 2nd master volume, switchable fx loop and ability to set the gain range of each channel. The Amp 1 ME at least has a shitton of gain on tap, so paring it down 20-30% can be useful. My understanding is that the Iridium can also save the gain range setting whereas the Mercury does not.
• You can use the Reverb footswitch to toggle between two states of the noise gate on the Iridium. You can set the gate to the faster "metal" setting, and use the Reverb footswitch to turn on "soft" for leads. If you don't want to use the reverb, just turn the knob all the way down.

All good tips !
What I want to try is routing my Synergy SYN-1 through it.
The "Preset" mode + TRS footswitch seems like a killer combo. 3 presets + the ability to toggle the Boost on/off and switching to and back from the Clean channel .

 

[laxu]

All good tips !
What I want to try is routing my Synergy SYN-1 through it.
The "Preset" mode + TRS footswitch seems like a killer combo. 3 presets + the ability to toggle the Boost on/off and switching to and back from the Clean channel .

Make sure you try the fx loop level switch at the bottom of the Amp 1 to find the level that works best with the Synergy. You can press it with the tip of your guitar cable.

Should make a great poweramp for it.

 

[2dor]

Make sure you try the fx loop level switch at the bottom of the Amp 1 to find the level that works best with the Synergy. You can press it with the tip of your guitar cable.

Should make a great poweramp for it.

Definitely; the SYN-1 also has a FX Loop level toggle so I'm pretty sure they'll pair well together.

 

[timbuck3]

blu ampx will likely wait out the I'm being a dipshit and starting a political thread bs because their unit is supposed to come in at like 2k$ but with I'm being a dipshit and starting a political thread it may be closer to 3k...He seems a perfectionist with a small staff and a control freak which can be both good and bad.

 

[Mongillo19]

blu ampx will likely wait out the I'm being a dipshit and starting a political thread bs because their unit is supposed to come in at like 2k$ but with I'm being a dipshit and starting a political thread it may be closer to 3k...He seems a perfectionist with a small staff and a control freak which can be both good and bad.

Yeah that's what he's waiting for

Would be a good excuse though but that ship sailed long ago

 

[2dor]

blu ampx will likely wait out the I'm being a dipshit and starting a political thread bs because their unit is supposed to come in at like 2k$ but with I'm being a dipshit and starting a political thread it may be closer to 3k...He seems a perfectionist with a small staff and a control freak which can be both good and bad.

I'm not too worried about the I'm being a dipshit and starting a political thread mostly because I'm in the EU so if it comes out, when it comes out I'll most likely grab one.

For now, I'm pretty well set up - I can use this and my Quad Cortex for a solid live rig; or use the Synergy SYN-1 and the Amp1 Iridium. A lot of options for sure.

 

[2dor]

Managed to shoot some NAM profiles of the Iridium today.

BluGuitar Amp1 Iridium NAM Profile · TONE3000

Check out 2dor's neural amp head capture for guitar, bass and recording: DI captures of the BluGuitar Amp1 Iridium edition on all 4 channels: - Clean - Vintage - Classic - Modern Reamps done with the St.Rock ReactIR II reactive load with the Mode pushed IN (frequency response similar to a Mesa...

www.tone3000.com

These have the input gain calibration metadata cooked into them; just dial your interface's input value (in dBu) in the NAM plugin and you're all set.

I did not spend too much time fiddling around dialing the unit in to get "the best tones" out of each channel but rather settled on what seemed to be serviceable & representative tones for each of the 4 channels:

- Clean
- Vintage
- Classic
- Modern

I gotta say ... it feels like a real amp. Vintage mode with the Gain dialed at about 7 and a boost pedal in front ... just puts on the smiles.

 

[BahamaDada]

I read you can use it in Preset mode (3 fs - 3 presets). Can I use it as Clean-Rhythm-Lead, where the lead is louder as a solo boost? Does it save the volume setting?

 

[2dor]

I read you can use it in Preset mode (3 fs - 3 presets). Can I use it as Clean-Rhythm-Lead, where the lead is louder as a solo boost? Does it save the volume setting?

I haven't tried it yet to be honest.

 

[laxu]

I read you can use it in Preset mode (3 fs - 3 presets). Can I use it as Clean-Rhythm-Lead, where the lead is louder as a solo boost? Does it save the volume setting?

None of the knobs on the front panel can be saved. Channel, boost and reverb state can be.

I think Iridium can save the gain range and maybe the 2nd master volume only accessible via MIDI could be used for what you want.

 

[timbuck3]

I'm not too worried about the I'm being a dipshit and starting a political thread mostly because I'm in the EU so if it comes out, when it comes out I'll most likely grab one.

For now, I'm pretty well set up - I can use this and my Quad Cortex for a solid live rig; or use the Synergy SYN-1 and the Amp1 Iridium. A lot of options for sure.

the I'm being a dipshit and starting a political thread thing in usa are odd...yamaha raised the price for the tag3c i wanted from 1699-1799...which is odd as smaller less expensive power supplies have jumped more % then this in many cases. I dont think yamaha is selling a boatload of the tag3c anyhow so why not just eat 100.00 on an item like this to still garner sales? I mean they are a billion dollar corp right? whats 100$ to them on a not super popular demanded item? Its odd..

 

[EOengineer]

the dipshit thing in usa are odd...yamaha raised the price for the tag3c i wanted from 1699-1799...which is odd as smaller less expensive power supplies have jumped more % then this in many cases. I dont think yamaha is selling a boatload of the tag3c anyhow so why not just eat 100.00 on an item like this to still garner sales? I mean they are a billion dollar corp right? whats 100$ to them on a not super popular demanded item? Its odd..

You don’t become a billion dollar company by discounting your products.

 

[Baba]

I have a Mercury Edition on the way, looking forward to putting it through it's paces, and hopefully putting it on my board with my Stomp XL, and just using a cab with it, and direct when I need that.

Right now, I'm running dirt pedals into the clean channel of a PRS MT-15, with great results, but if the ME "sounds and feels like an amp", even if I only like running dirt pedals through it's clean channel, if I can fit it on my board, that's one less piece to carry into a gig, and I can use it as a direct rig, so I still might keep it.

Judging by the fact that I can't find a bad demo of it, and the multiple A/B comparisons to Thomas' own Plexi, and other amps, I'm sure I'll like it.

It's odd that I'm just now coming around to this piece, I've known about it since inception, and could have used it, plenty, but, for some reason, it's been under my radar.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I'm being a dipshit and starting a political thread

 

[laxu]

I have a Mercury Edition on the way, looking forward to putting it through it's paces, and hopefully putting it on my board with my Stomp XL, and just using a cab with it, and direct when I need that.

Right now, I'm running dirt pedals into the clean channel of a PRS MT-15, with great results, but if the ME "sounds and feels like an amp", even if I only like running dirt pedals through it's clean channel, if I can fit it on my board, that's one less piece to carry into a gig, and I can use it as a direct rig, so I still might keep it.

Judging by the fact that I can't find a bad demo of it, and the multiple A/B comparisons to Thomas' own Plexi, and other amps, I'm sure I'll like it.

It's odd that I'm just now coming around to this piece, I've known about it since inception, and could have used it, plenty, but, for some reason, it's been under my radar.

I've pretty much stopped using any drive pedals with the Mercury Edition. Not because it doesn't sound great with them, but because they are pretty unnecessary with it. The 3 overdrive channels + boost can do so much already.

I think it's a little bit big to comfortably go on a pedalboard (unless you have a large one), but it works great as a very portable amp to throw in a backpack and then on top of your cab.

The HX Stomp XL should be a great pairing for the Amp 1. I recommend getting the MIDI adapter and using the HX Stomp for switching the Amp 1 features.

You can set it up as either presets on the Amp 1 (channel, boost, reverb state) or toggling those features individually via MIDI CCs.

Also I can't stress this enough on the ME: Use your guitar volume and tone controls. It can be a very bright, even harsh amp if you don't leave the gain higher to reduce the bright cap effect - just like vintage Marshalls. The treble EQ knob doesn't really work for controlling those frequencies, so you want to work with the gain knob vs your guitar volume/tone to get the right amount of drive and bite.

On my LP style guitars, I typically have the gain at about 5-7 on the OD channels, bridge pickup tone knob at maybe 6-7 and volume depending on how much gain I want.

 

[timbuck3]

You don’t become a billion dollar company by discounting your products.

Discounting? I never said that…

 

[Baba]

I think it's a little bit big to comfortably go on a pedalboard (unless you have a large one), but it works great as a very portable amp to throw in a backpack and then on top of your cab.

 

[Baba]

I've pretty much stopped using any drive pedals with the Mercury Edition. Not because it doesn't sound great with them, but because they are pretty unnecessary with it. The 3 overdrive channels + boost can do so much already.

That's the plan.

I mean, there's nothing wrong with have a favorite couple of dirt boxes, and that being your main tones, but, I'm more of an amp guy, and I would love to JUST use the Stomp as an effect/switching unit. Having said that, I HAVE been looking for that, clean, "amp in a box" pedal/direct solution to use dirt boxes with, and to throw on the pedalboard for fly gigs and direct casino gigs.

The HX Stomp XL should be a great pairing for the Amp 1. I recommend getting the MIDI adapter and using the HX Stomp for switching the Amp 1 features.

You can set it up as either presets on the Amp 1 (channel, boost, reverb state) or toggling those features individually via MIDI CCs.

100%. Do you know if you can access each of the dirty channel's modes, via midi?

Also I can't stress this enough on the ME: Use your guitar volume and tone controls. It can be a very bright, even harsh amp if you don't leave the gain higher to reduce the bright cap effect - just like vintage Marshalls. The treble EQ knob doesn't really work for controlling those frequencies, so you want to work with the gain knob vs your guitar volume/tone to get the right amount of drive and bite.

On my LP style guitars, I typically have the gain at about 5-7 on the OD channels, bridge pickup tone knob at maybe 6-7 and volume depending on how much gain I want.

 

[laxu]

Do you know if you can access each of the dirty channel's modes, via midi?

Yes.