Which amp-in-a-box pedal?

[Jarick]

I'm a huge fan of the IR-X but I would probably start with the Iridium. I think with the right IR it's an excellent single channel platform, it processes in stereo, you can find them used all day long, and it doesn't require a current doubler to run off a pedal power supply.

The three options are fairly versatile. I ran the Iridium mostly with the Marshall style amp and it took boost pedals extremely well. it also worked really well with pre/post effects.

That said I haven't tried the UAD or Walrus pedals, so they may be good. But I think the Iridium would probably work for 90% or more of people who want that single channel amp.

One piece of advice I'd give though is to probably not try and recreate something like an FM9 or Kemper or Helix or other all in one with pedals. It's expensive and has a lot of drawbacks like needing lots of power, interconnects, a big board, doesn't have the same switching functionality, etc. You really have to think of it like an amp with a few pedals.

 

[kartikg3]

One piece of advice I'd give though is to probably not try and recreate something like an FM9 or Kemper or Helix or other all in one with pedals. It's expensive and has a lot of drawbacks like needing lots of power, interconnects, a big board, doesn't have the same switching functionality, etc. You really have to think of it like an amp with a few pedals.

this can't be stressed enough

 

[metropolis_4]

I'm a huge fan of the IR-X but I would probably start with the Iridium. I think with the right IR it's an excellent single channel platform, it processes in stereo, you can find them used all day long, and it doesn't require a current doubler to run off a pedal power supply.

The three options are fairly versatile. I ran the Iridium mostly with the Marshall style amp and it took boost pedals extremely well. it also worked really well with pre/post effects.

That said I haven't tried the UAD or Walrus pedals, so they may be good. But I think the Iridium would probably work for 90% or more of people who want that single channel amp.

One piece of advice I'd give though is to probably not try and recreate something like an FM9 or Kemper or Helix or other all in one with pedals. It's expensive and has a lot of drawbacks like needing lots of power, interconnects, a big board, doesn't have the same switching functionality, etc. You really have to think of it like an amp with a few pedals.

Good advice. My goal here is simplicity - back to basics. I don’t even want any more options than necessary

Overdrive > Amp > Delay

 

[Devin]

BluGuitar Amp1

 

[Byrdman]

I hate to say it, but the Tonex pedal would cover what you need, BUT if you could get a Stomp, that absolutely would be my first choice. Out of the list of pedals, I-RX would be what I would choose.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Can't go wrong with a Helix stomp, but I have to say the Vox Copperhead drive is my current favorite amp in a box. It's a MIAB and it covers ground from spanking clean to thick distortion. It's great as front end into a DAW, or pushing a clean Helix patch. Other drives work will into it like a TS9 or Fuzz. Totally underrated and they're only $129 which is a steal IMO.

 

[la szum]

IMO it sounds no better than the Strymon Iridium + 3rd party IRs. The Lion is just adjustable more like the real Marshall whereas the Iridium is a little bit of a weirdo in how the drive settings translate to a jumpered amp. Ends up with more normal than treble volume so it tends to work best with a bit leaner sounding IRs.

I don't like UA because they are just so limited for digital pedals. I hoped the Lion would be e.g JTM45/Superlead/JCM800 type pedal because that would have been great. The 3 flavors of Superlead are not that drastically different with the same settings and like always, most of the real sound shaping is in the cab sims. Which again are severely limited, I think I liked maybe two of them when I tried the Lion.

GAS Killer!

 

[la szum]

 

[UncleJesse]

I tried a lot of them and my favorites were the Beekeeper and the Sarno SMS Classic. I liked both of those much more than Iridium/Dream but I was also running to a real power amp and cab not to a PA/"FRFR".

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I think I’m gonna build a small pedalboard around one of these, but which one?

Just looking to use it like a single channel amp. Running clean-ish and hitting it with pedals. Total old school approach.

The only one I’ve actually tried was the ACS1 and I thought it was not great, but I hear the new update is a game changer for it.

FYI, the UA Ox Stomp behind my Synergy preamp is great - speaker cab, killer Plate Reverb. Dunno if the delay as tap tempo-able? Haven’t bothered using the delay in it. If you wanted to go tube preamp
Pedal could be an options for you.

 

[jellodog]

We had the IR-X here and we liked it. It's decent value. Great for the knobs and WYSIWYG crowd and it sounds good.

However, even though it uses real preamp tubes don't be fooled by thoughts of "tubes are always better". It really doesn't sound any better than the Friedman's in the Axe-Fx. If anything, the Axe-Fx sounds slightly better because it has more complex and nuanced power section modelling. So if you've already got a modeller you're not missing anything in terms of tone.

Still, if you want simplicity - then the IR-X definitely has all that and the price is right.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

We had the IR-X here and we liked it. It's decent value. Great for the knobs and WYSIWYG crowd and it sounds good.

However, even though it uses real preamp tubes don't be fooled by thoughts of "tubes are always better". It really doesn't sound any better than the Friedman's in the Axe-Fx. If anything, the Axe-Fx sounds slightly better because it has more complex and nuanced power section modelling. So if you've already got a modeller you're not missing anything in terms of tone.

Still, if you want simplicity - then the IR-X definitely has all that and the price is right.

"We"?

 

[jellodog]

"We"?

No, I'm not royalty.

@hemmelight and I share gear.

 

[hemmelight]

Please, there he goes again with the false modesty. That's Lord Jellodog of Slough you're speaking to!

But yeah, +1 to what he said. The feel of the IR-X was cool (very "juicy" and reactive for lack of a better term), but it could be matched close enough for me with the Fractal BE100 models.

 

[holoholo]

Wait we’re sharing gear over here?

 

[jellodog]

Wait we’re sharing gear over here?

 

[metropolis_4]

Got a Lion arriving tomorrow, we’ll see

 

[dronerstone]

Not an expert on this, still voted Boss, mainly because a close friend swears by his and the tones he gets out of it are surprisingly good/convincing.

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

simple digi amp in box? My go to usually is Lion.

 

[adam]

I am low key waiting to see what other amps they will give the IR-X treatment to

If they bring out a deliverance I'll be selling off some gear for sure to make room for that
Maybe also for a vh4