The Blackstar AMPED 1 is a professional 100 Watt guitar amp in a compact pedal. You can take your sound wherever you go because it transforms any pedalboard, modeller, or multi-effector into a performance-ready amp. It is equally at home on stage or in the studio thanks to power reduction down to 1W and USB-C connectivity.
At a Glance
- 100W guitar amp in a compact pedal.
- Turns any pedalboard, modeller, or multi-effector into a performance-ready amp.
- The power amplifier’s high-headroom design delivers maximum power with any cabinet set-up at 8 or 16 Ohms.
- Response control delivers five distinctly different authentic power valve responses – KT88, 6L6, EL34, 6V6, and EL84. Each setting delivers the response, dynamics, sag and break-up characteristics of the selected valve power amp. The Linear response offers transparent power amplification, used in combination with the Flat voice when pairing your AMPED 1 with an external amp modeller.
- Pro connectivity and integration into your setup using low latency USB audio as an interface for recording, and XLR D.I. for live use.
- Effects loop, 2x 9V DC outputs and MIDI control for easy integration into your pedalboard or rig.
- Includes Cabrig, The next-generation DSP speaker simulator that reproduces the sound and feel of a mic’d up guitar cab. Deep-dive using the accompanying free Architect software and capture the incredible tones via USB / XLR out.
- The power Reduction switch allows you to select 100 Watts, 20 Watts or 1 Watt to easily get the perfect balance of power and response for any situation from studio to stage.
- Studio quality reverb with ‘freeze’ effect.
- Footswitchable Preset.
AMPED 1: Blackstar's Design Philosophy
First, to produce a 100W, no compromise, pedal platform floorboard rig capable of delivering the tone
and feel of traditional valve amps. Countless hours went into the development of the sonics culminating
in a complete, from the ground up, redesign of our digital signal processing. The voices and responses
contained within AMPED 1 are both the most authentic replications of their analogue counterparts and the most refined that we have ever crafted in a digital product.
Secondly, to offer the ultimate companion for any amp modeller or profiler. With an AMPED 1, any line
level guitar amp signal can be imbued with 100W of power, providing the flexibility to go straight into a
standard guitar cab, to front of house or directly into a DAW. The structure of the AMPED 1 caters for
as much or as little tone shaping as desired, using 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.
AMPED 1 Front Panel Detail
USA Voice:
The gain structure and sonics of this voice have been inspired by classic American amplifiers of the
mid ’60s (Fender ‘black-face’). It is very clean and bright but with solid low-end and controlled mids.
Also, on this voice, the power valve responses are set to be tight and relatively clean and linear across
the frequency range. This is one of the most popular choices for a ‘pedal platform’ as it provides a solid
clean foundation to apply effects to.
UK Voice:
The UK voice emulates a ‘classic’ valve/tube preamp topology based on a much loved British ‘class A’
amplifier of the early ’60s (Vox AC-30 Top Boost). This is a low to medium gain preamp that can be
used clean, warm or mildly overdriven. This voice also features a hybrid MIDDLE control; below halfway
the MIDDLE control will interact with the BASS and TREBLE controls, as per a typical tone stack, but
above halfway the MIDDLE control will transition into an active mid boost. Again, this is a very popular
choice for a ‘pedal platform’ as well as for a great responsive crunch tone. When this channel is
selected the power valve responses are set as ‘open-loop’. This has a looser feel with a resonant bottom
end and lively highs.
FLAT Voice:
This voice is intended for use with typical amp modellers. Using this voice will bypass all gain structures
typically used in guitar amp channels and provide a linear and extremely high headroom voice to avoid
unwanted colouration of your tone. The typical tone stack will also be bypassed and instead the BASS,
MIDDLE and TREBLE knobs will control a semi-parametric EQ to allow for gentle tone shaping. With the
knobs at 12 o’clock this EQ will be totally transparent.
The semi-parametric EQ is set-up as below:
BASS: Low shelf at 300Hz +/- 10dB
MIDDLE: Peak filter at 800Hz +/- 10dB
TREBLE: High shelf at 1KHz +/- 10dB
Responses
The Response control delivers five distinctly different and authentic power valve responses – KT88, 6L6,
EL34, 6V6, EL84. Each setting delivers the response, dynamics, sag and break-up characteristics of the
selected valve power amp. The Linear response offers transparent power amplification, use in
combination with the FLAT voice when pairing your AMPED 1 with an external amp modeller with its
own power valve emulation.
Blackstar’s power valve responses change the characteristics of the sound from dynamic and tight to compressed and spongy.
– KT88 – Tight, bold and dynamic Class A/B with strong low end
– 6L6 – Tight dynamic Class A/B with extended high and lows
– EL34 – Classic British Class A/B full bodied crunch with focussed mids
– 6V6 – Crisp Class A with high compression and tight mids
– EL84 – Bell-like full bodied Class A with lots
As you move from KT88 to EL84 the amount of compression and overdrive available from each valve
response is increased.
Reverb
The reverb type, time and tone can be customised using Blackstar’s Architect deep-editing software and saved to the AMPED 1 in place of the default reverb.
When the Reverb is active, holding the Reverb footswitch will activate the ‘Freeze’ effect. Whilst the
Reverb footswitch is held down and the ‘Freeze’ effect is active, the Reverb will decay over a much
longer period of time, achieving a synth-pad-like effect. Playing into the Reverb will add to the ‘Freeze’.
Preset
You can recall the stored Preset with this footswitch. When you activate this switch, the LED above the
footswitch will light up and the settings stored in the Preset will be applied, overwriting the physical
state of the controls. Deactivating the Preset will revert the settings to the physical state of the controls.
Holding the Preset footswitch for 2 seconds will store the current settings to the Preset. The Recall
Indicator and Preset LEDs will flash to confirm a successful save.
Rear and Side Panel Features
Cab Rig Switch and Level Control
The Cab Rig switch selects between the three currently stored Cab Rig patches. The three factory
patches are completely customisable using the Cab Rig section of Blackstar’s Architect software (more
information in the Cab Rig section below), which also offers additional Blackstar presets and almost
limitless further options and permutations.
This control allows quick access, physical control over the XLR, Line Out and USB audio Channel 3
output level. At maximum (fully clockwise), this control has no effect on the signal level. At minimum
(fully anti-clockwise), this control attenuates the signal on these outputs by 20dB.
USB Audio – Cab Rig Output
This USB type C socket is used for USB audio and connecting to the Blackstar Architect software app.
The audio output via USB from your amplifier directly to your computer is carried across four
independent, simultaneous channels:
Channel 1: Cab Rig, left channel – The fully processed guitar sound, with power amp and
speaker cabinet emulation. This will include the left channel of the Cab Rig Room. This signal is
taken after the Master volume control.
Channel 2: Cab Rig, right channel – The fully processed guitar sound, with power amp and
speaker cabinet emulation. This will include the right channel of the Cab Rig Room. This signal
is taken after the Master volume control.
Channel 3: Preamp output – The sound of the preamp voices and EQ stages, taken before the
reverb and without any speaker or cabinet emulation. Ideal for use with your own effects and
power amp/cabinet emulation plugins within your recording software/DAW. This signal is not
affected by the Master volume control or any controls within Cab Rig, but it can be attenuated
by up to 20dB using the Cab Rig Outputs ‘Level’ control on the side panel.
Channel 4: Unprocessed dry guitar signal – This is the direct signal from your guitar as received
by the input stage of the amp. This signal is ideal for reamping. This signal is not affected by
any of the amplifier’s controls.
The AMPED pedal can also receive audio input from your computer:
Channel 1: Line input, left channel – Used for audio monitoring or backing track playback via
the XLR and Line Out Cab Rig outputs.
Channel 2: Line input, right channel – Used for audio monitoring or backing track playback via
the Balanced XLR and Line Out Cab Rig outputs.
Cab Rig
CAB RIG is Blackstar’s next-generation DSP speaker simulator and begets a fundamental shift in the
accessibility of professional recording and performing. CAB RIG awards budding musicians the ability to
access previously unattainable technology, that has long been reserved for professional sound
engineers and producers. Leading edge advancements in speaker cabinet and microphone simulation
will allow any player to achieve unparalleled quality in their live sound and recorded music.
Blackstar’s Architect software provides access and in-depth control over every aspect of CAB RIG,
granting a vast collection of gear that, in the real world, can only be found in professional recording
environments.
Is this the ultimate Powered Portable Guitar Amp for your Pedal Board? We think so. check it out for yourself at your Blackstar Dealer.
More info via Blackstar’s website
Blackstar is distributed by CMI Music & Audio in Australia.
