So I did a State of Power article back at the start of last year - where I identified that I really needed to update / upgrade a couple of my power supplies - my Friedman Power Grids - which were just a constant 10 x 350mA - all properly isolated, but not really up to some of the recent digital / hybrid pedals - which average out at 9V 500mA, and where the Tube Preamps typically take at least 9V 500, but more typically 12V @ 300mA+. The NUX Zeus supplies were the perfect replacements for the ...

When I first saw this pedal I thought it could be decent competition for my Poly Ample (which has 56 different Amp Types onboard), while it turns out that the Nux Amp Core Studio is more like that - with the below selection of 26 Amp Types : 

Jazz Clean, Deluxe Rvb, Bassmate, Tweedy, Twin Rvb, Hiwire, Cali Crunch, Class 15, Class 30, Plexi 100, Plexi 45, Brit 800, 1987 X50, SLO 100, Fireman HBE, Dual Rect, Die VH4, Vibro King, Budda, MR.Z.38, Super Rvb, Brit Blues, Match, Brit 200, Uber ...

This article was prompted by the recent NAMM show, the new Walrus Audio Canvas Rehearsal in particular, and my thoughts about the big forthcoming UK Guitar and Pedal Shows. This post also hints at the return of a personal favourite!

I initially had the list and visual arranged in alphabetical order - but it made more sense to arrange those devices per the above visual - which has the sort of guitar jack micro multi-fx and headphone amps listed first, followed by the mini, and then compact ...

It’s been a while since I covered loopers, and that topic is timely once more as there have been a number of very recent innovations.

I still feel that the TC Electronic Ditto+ is the one essential looper you need, while a number of the recent ones offer up some very interesting possibilities - in some intriguing formats. This selection focuses solely on ’Compact’ editions - so the Sheeran ones for example don’t qualify within that form factor. And a number of these combine a Drum Machine ...

So the current Voxy & Plexi slots are #18 and #19, while the first formation occurred back at the start of 2018 - with the Bearfoot EGDM on slot #15, and the MI Effects Super Crunch Box V2 on slot #17 - we’ve obviously come a long way since then! That original pairing had a very decent 2 year innings. Which was actually a few month more than the enduringly popular Pettyjohn Electronics pairing. Of all of these - those 2 pairs have endured the longest, with the Menatone TBIAC + KOB duo putting ...

Another strong month for sure! A little dominated by Keeley Electronics, but some solid releases over the month - with a crazy flurry towards the end - to coincide with Europe’s largest Guitar Gear Show - Mannheim’s Guitar Summit. It seems evident now that Guitar Summit is an event I should really be at - and I will make a concerted effort to be their next year.

As it was I attended just one guitar gear event this month - EarthQuaker Devices Showcase at GuitarGuitar in Camden - where I got ...

So a number of readers had asked me to check out the NUX ’63 Diamond to see how it compared with my other favourites on the Brian May / Voxy slot. I of course decided to do a proper twofer feature - where I checked out the NUX Plexi Crunch as well. Both of those got a decent run in my pedal chain before I formulated my lasting impressions.

First impressions in terms of quality of manufacture and finish is very good - and I love how the Footswitches are slightly recessed into the enclosure -...

I hadn’t intended to upgrade my power supply infrastructure this year - but was kind of compelled to because of the recent Poly VERBS addition to the chain. The Poly VERBS needs 500mA, so I swapped over the supplies for the VERBS and Hologram Microcosm slots - as the Friedman Power Grid was powering the particular VERBS slot and only delivers 350mA - which turns out is actually not enough for either pedal (Microcosm states 400mA requirement). The Microsm kind of works with no noticeable ...

The most recent NUX Mini Core Series are not the first ever mini pedals to have Full Stereo Ins and Outs courtesy of TRS cables, while I believe it’s the first time we’ve had a range of pedals released concurrently with this smart functionality.

It used to be almost a given that Mini Pedals would be Mono only, while the recent trend for using single TRS enabled ports for a stereo signal has really taken off of late. A great adjacent example to this is Chase Bliss’s recent Generation Loss ...