The original version of the AMP1™ has been – and still is – a real game changer for many guitarists worldwide, because it combines boutique tube sound and power in a super-compact and lightweight format. Plus, it always sounds the same using any power socket on this earth without an isolation transformer. Today, thousands of guitarists worldwide – from amateur guitarists to world-class artists – rely on this little tone monster. With the IRIDIUM EDITION, the AMP1™ family has now been expanded to include a high-gain specialist offering tight, characterful sounds.
Three independent, discrete OVERDRIVE channels deliver rich and tight distortion sounds that can be changed in gain structure and timbre. Each of these channels offers different attack, response and dynamics. The CLEAN channel with its massive headroom and treble reserves gives even mid-heavy humbuckers transparent, sparkling clean sounds.
MODERN – With its extremely high gain reserves, this channel delivers crystal-clear string separation through a massive low-cut, and the Custom Control TONE knob lets you dial from a “cut thru the mix” solo sound to the typical “maximum brutality” mid scoop.
CLASSIC – Due to the hard distortion characteristics and the specially tuned bass filter, this channel is percussive and significantly wider and harder in the mid-range than VINTAGE. The mid-range can be shaped by the Custom Control TONE from “Hot Rodded British High Gain” to “German wall of sound“.
VINTAGE – Tight and mid-emphasized woody sounds that are transmitted tightly especially using extreme low tunings while delivering creamy midrange distortion.
CLEAN – Massive headroom thanks to the 100 watt power amp and treble reserves, which give even mid-emphasized humbuckers a transparent, sparkling clean sound. Optimal platform for pedals like shimmer reverb, modulation or delay.
BOOST
The AMP1™ IRIDIUM EDITION possesses an adjustable gain/boost function that is placed in the front of the channels like a pedal. It has a moderate mid hump to give cleaner sounds more definition, or give overdriven sounds more gain without turning muddy. The Custom Control can adjust the gain/boost level. Cranked all the way up, it will sound more like an overdriven preamp or a Tube Screamer to get even richer tones with tons of gain that never gets muddy.
NOISEGATE
The switch (on the side of the unit) for the noise gate has 3 positions: Soft, Off and Metal.
METAL – Extremely fast and hard. High gain playing and staccato riffs become sharper, and palm muted parts clean up with no unwanted noise.
OFF – The opposite of on. If you can´t figure that out, maybe you should buy a drum kit instead. (the editor would like to apologise to drummers for this comment).
SOFT – In this position the noisegate is extremely sensitive and responds to the lowest signals, so the quietest nuances are still audible without being cut off.
METAL BONUS
As soon as the reverb is switched on, the gate defaults to “soft”. With the use of the reverb switch, it is possible to switch the gate between the two settings (when the toggle switch on the side is in Metal position) soft when reverb is on and Metal when reverb is off. The settings can be saved as presets.
SPECIAL NANOTUBE POWERAMP FOR METAL
With more than 100 watts on tap, the amplifier is capable of packing a serious punch with headroom to spare. The logarithmic master volume works very precisely and enables you to easily find the perfect level you need at home (up to the middle position) or on stage (around middle to maximum). Don´t be afraid to turn it up!
UNIQUE TONE CONTROLS
To obtain the ultimate punch and attack, many modern tube amps for Metal along side the usual tone control have extra punch and presence controls, that work with the current feedback loop the power amp stage. The AMP1™ IRIDIUM EDITION works with that same current feedback design, which responds to the speaker and the power amp insuring a punch in the low end, that won´t get muddy when its turned up. The same with the highs, keeping a precise attack and bite. The trick with the AMP1™ IRIDIUM EDITION is that “bass” controls both the bass in the preamp and the punch from the current feedback design in the power amp with only the one control. The same with the treble, that is the classic treble of a tone stack AND presence with one control. That makes it even easier to dial in the perfect chug.
RECORDING OUT
The loudspeaker simulation of the AMP1™ IRIDIUM EDITION is analog and is voiced specially for metal sounds. The power amp uses a strong current feedback and thus forms the punch and bite together with the speaker. This is used for natural sound quality when recording. Depending if there’s a speaker connected to the SPEAKER OUT jack of the AMP1™ IRIDIUM EDITION or not, the speaker emulation curve on the REC OUT jack is automatically adjusted.
Best results are with a loudspeaker. Even at low volumes, the current feedback loop helps create a more organic tone.
For more choices of loudspeaker emulations, it is possible to turn off the internal analog speaker simulation and use external impulse response (IR) tools with your favorite impuls response.
1. To use the internal analog speaker simulation, simply connect the 1/4“ REC OUT on ™ with your mixer or audio interface.
2. From the recording output jack, please connect the BluBOX ™ or an impulse response loader.
3. You can also connect the recording straight out to your sound card and use IR´s from your DAW.
Just press the BOOST footswitch until the left switch (the channel footswitch) is lit. The channel switch will turn the internal speaker emulation on or off, which will be signified by the REVERB switch being lit for on, and off for being disengaged.
The on/off function will not be active if the REMOTE ™ or MIDI ™ units are being used.
REVERB
The reverb in the AMP1™ IRIDIUM EDITION is optimised for a natural room sound where as the REVERB for the AMP1™ MERCURY EDITION has the characteristics of a spring reverb. There are even more features available to customise the AMP1™ IRIDIUM EDITION (to your personal preference like fine tune the gain structure for each of the 4 channels, automatically switch on/off for internal presets or half power-mode) that you can find on the BluGuitar website.
• Please note that the activated REVERB always sets the noise gate to soft mode when in the METAL position.