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Modules can be dragged and dropped.

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• Review

TH1 offers virtual amplifiers, pedals and rack effects that can be chained together, with a graphical representation that looks like real hardware.

First-time users will probably start by flicking through the well-structured, genre-savvy factory bank, as we did. We were particularly taken with the Solo Y J preset, which is presumably an imitation of Yngwie Malmsteen's signature Marshall sound – it sure sounds like it!

The top of the interface offers, among other things, a tuner and Global controls. The latter are non-patch-specific and enable you to switch input sensitivity, apply gating, dial in bass/treble EQ, and set the general reverb and delay mix.

The Overview panel depicts the signal path – to insert new modules, click a section of cable and choose from a menu. Reordering is achieved by dragging, and a dual amp/effects chain is possible because the cable splits and recombines with a simple mixer.

The Module View is for changing settings – click a module in the Overview to bring it into focus here, or drag the background to pan around. It's clear that serious thought has gone into TH1's super-slick interface – you can even resize it by dragging the bottom-right corner.

Amps

Overloud doesn't say which amps are modelled, but we're guessing from the names that they're a Fender Twin, Vox AC30, Marshall JTM45, Marshall JMP 'Master Volume', Marshall JCM900, Peavey 5150, and Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, with all the channels you'd expect.

There's also one that appears to take after a Soldano design; this so-called SloDrive amp shouldn't be overlooked, as it offers a range of expressive tones.

Sonically, TH1 is very impressive. We found convincing twangy Strat sounds and those sought-after 'just breaking up' tones to be readily available. What's more, they stack up well against anything else on the market.

Cranking up the gain, we dare say that the full-on rock and heavy metal sounds surpass those of AmpliTube Metal. Once dialled in, they're heavy yet clear, punch at the right frequencies and sound great in the mix.

They're not as ballsy and grinding as a real amp, but this same criticism can be levelled at almost every digital amp simulation's hot-rodded tones, excepting perhaps those of (the CPU-intensive) ReValver Mk III from Peavey.

Speaking of which, the only TH1 amp we didn't get on with was the HeaVy51, presumably a Peavey 5150 emulation – it's too 'fizzy' on the Lead channel for us.

Each amp module enables you to select two models and morph between them using the SLR slider, creating a 'hybrid' amp model depending on its position. We didn't find this as exciting as it sounds, but it's cool nonetheless and often best used with compression to even out the levels.

The extremely comprehensive Cabinet Model module lets you position two mics at any point in 3D space, as well as set the cabinet model (21 types), mic type (18 types), balance between mics and ambience type. The optional Respire mode emulates cabinet sound pressure, for a thicker, more lively tone.