Blackstar Amplification Dept. 10 AMPED 1 100W Guitar Amp

The first round of Dept. 10 pedals released by Blackstar Amplification (Boost, Dual Drive, Dual Distortion) were full of options, HUGE tones and exquisite build quality. Those effects focused on boost, overdrive and distortion elements, showing how you could really push your amp and shape your tone with ease. The latest release from Blackstar sees them switching focus now to the actual AMP aspect of the chain, bringing you the marvelous Dept. 10 AMPED 1 100W Guitar Amp. Small enough to fit on any pedalboard, but powerful enough to drive any cabinet, this one is the latest in a wonderful line of pedalboard amplifiers, and we are absolutely here for it.

Amped 1 is a 100W, no compromise, pedal platform floorboard amp capable of delivering the tone and feel of traditional valve amps. Therefore, the USA and UK voices offer two of the most revered and popular platforms for pedals and effects. In addition to these traditional guitar amp voices, the Flat voice provides the ability to plug your favourite amp modeller or preamp pedal directly into your Amped 1 without colouring your tone.

Via the Response control, Amped 1 offers 5 distinctly different power valve responses and a Linear response for transparent power amplification. The power valve responses (EL84, 6V6, EL34, 6L6, and KT88) deliver the response, dynamics, sag and break up characteristics of their analogue counterparts. The 6 responses are delivered with 100W of power at 8 or 16 ohms in a compact package that fits in your gig bag. Use the Flat voice with the standard power valve responses or in combination with the Linear response for totally transparent power amplification. AMPED 1 provides the opportunity to experience any modeller, profiler, preamp pedal at its absolute best.

CabRig is Blackstar’s next-generation DSP speaker simulator and begets a fundamental shift in the accessibility of professional recording and performing. CabRig awards budding musicians the ability to access previously unattainable technology, that has long been reserved for professional sound engineers and producers. The CabRig outputs enable you to get the sound in your head from any speaker including headphones, studio monitors and front of house. AMPED 1 can also be used as an audio interface, recording the same tones you use live straight into your computer via USB-C.

Features include:

100 watts of true Blackstar amplifier sonics in a lightweight, ergonomically designed pedal
Engineered by Dept. 10 – Blackstar’s R&D division – implementing cutting-edge research
Power reduction modes can freely toggle between 100-, 20-, and 1-watt modes without compromising output quality
Patented TVP technology delivers reliable valved responses for a robust suite of sound design choices
Variable preamp voicing modes include USA, UK, and Flat, for standalone use to external sound modeling
3-band EQ and foot-switchable reverb are easily accessed with ergonomic formfactor
CabRig DSP uses state-of-the-art technology for over 250 mic/cab combinations to overcome the limits of IR snapshots
Free Architect software ensures deep control and customization options for cab simulations, with 3 slots for user presets available on the pedal
CabRig outputs include dedicated line out and D.I. XLR
Dedicated outputs let you choose between 8- and 16-ohm speaker configurations
Universal voltage design promises worry-free use worldwide
TRS MIDI input enables customizable control schemes for external use of pedal functions
USB-C port means low-latency 4-channel audio for streamlined recording and studio use
FX can be run in series or parallel (via Architect)

Obviously, there’s a LOT of information and options to decipher with the Dept. 10 AMPED 1, but once we sat down with AMPED 1 and started connecting things and moving knobs, it became very intuitive. It’s easy to dial in a great sound right out of the box, but it’s also nice that you can dig in as deep as you wish, to really create something that’s just for you. In our demo video below, we explore speaker cab and D.I. connectivity, run through all of the sounds of the power valve responses, lose ourselves in glorious reverb and much, much more, so be sure to head to YouTube to see what this monster can do. Cheers to our friends at Blackstar Amplification on another brilliant device, one that changes the way we all think about rig, recordings, setups and more. Have a great weekend, everybody!!

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