In just a few years, the major players in the amplifier market have expanded their product lines to include numerous modeling amplifiers. While this category wasn’t nearly as extensive just five years ago, it now boasts dozens of models.
For those of you who were sleeping in the back, modeling amps use a digital process to create the sound, which is then amplified by a power section and sent to the speaker. It varies from brand to brand, but the goal is always to simulate the different behaviors of tube or transistor amps. The most common modeling technique involves digitally modeling each component of an amp to recreate their various interactions as you adjust different settings. In fact, the idea is to digitally reproduce the amplifier’s various sections to create a digital version that is as convincing as the original in terms of dynamics, saturation, and playing feel.
The accuracy of the modeling depends on several factors: the algorithms, the quality of the development, the converters, and the DSP (digital signal processing). A digital modeling process involving two conversions inevitably results in latency. The more complex the modeling, the more computation it requires. Some high-end DSP systems manage to remain very responsive in terms of latency while offering highly detailed models. The past two years have seen the emergence of new “smart” amplifiers equipped with interesting features, such as automatic stem separation or the search for and arrangement of sounds via prompts interpreted by artificial intelligence.
Here, we’ll round up 10 must-have modeling amps to help you make the right choice.
