Blackstar Amplification has unveiled its next-generation of digital guitar amps and promises that the ID:X is the “most natural-sounding modelling amp on the market today”.
It goes without saying that the ID:X is loaded with features. We have grown accustomed to electric guitar’s digital transformation, but even so, there is a lot to get into here.
Available as a 50- or 100-watt 1x12 combo, the ID:X presents players with six core amp voices, each selectable via a rotary dial, and a comprehensive suite of tone-shaping features.
Some of these features are reassuringly old-school. You still have the 3-Band EQ, with Gain, Volume, and Treble knobs doubling as Gate, Resonance and Presence respectively.
Long-time Blackstar aficionados will not be surprised to see the British amp brand’s patented ISF dial, which adjusts the overall EQ voicing from UK to US style, offering all points in between.
Fans of the Silverline series – aka, Blackstar gives digital amps a boutique makeover – will be pleased to see that the ID:X combos similarly feature a switchable tube amp response emulation, so you can “swap out your power tubes” on this 100 per cent digital amp, have it with EL34s one minute, 6L6s the next. EL84 power tube emulation is also on the menu.
All this is made possible by digital signal processing but so far we’re not actually dealing with anything that’s conceptually alien to tube amp purists – indeed, the goal is not to alienate these players but convert them.
Things really get interesting once we get to the effects. Blackstar offers heaps (i.e., over 35) of them. It also presents us with an OLED display screen so that we can do all the editing on the amp.
But note: you’ll want set aside some of our amp budget for the FS-12 and FS-18 footswitches, which are sold separately and will make this a more performance friendly proposition.
There is, of course, an effects loop, so you can easily integrate your hardware pedalboard. As much as we love our tube amps, there is something inherently practical in these digital designs. Blackstar has endowed these with MIDI outputs, USB, a 3.5mm line in. Maybe they’ll bundle it with an electric toothbrush should they ever launch a 2x12 version.
There is power scaling available on both models, so you can get it down to 10-watts or a single-watt for domestic practice with no drama. A single Anthem 100 speaker handles all business in the cabinet.
But the the ace in the hole might well be the onboard CabRig technology that presents these as more than just high-functioning practice amps. Hook the ID:X up to the device of your choice and you can swap out speaker cabinets, adjust the room size etc, then go direct when playing live or recording.
And… These are not expensive. US price is still TBC but at £349 for the ID:X 100 and £269 for the ID:X 50, that’s a lot of amp for the money. For more details, head over to Blackstar Amplification.
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