AmPlug Metal Review

Even with its ultra-compact size, amPlug perfectly reproduces the complex and warm distortion that is distinctive of a vacuum tube, as well as the powerful high gain produced by a large amp stack. Using all new analog modeling technology, amPlug delivers full-fledged amp sound.

Features:	7.5
Sound:	9
Reliability:	9
Impression:	9.5
Overall rating:	8.8
Users rating:	8.5
Comments:	21

overall: 9.3

Featured review by: foo_diddles, on march 26, 2008

Price paid: $ 40

Purchased from: amazon

Features: It's pretty straight forward, a headphone amp that's supposed to sound great through headphones. I'm not the greatest player, but I got this thing so I can practice whenever I wish without disturbing any one or having to turn on my amp, since I mostly play metal on electric (acoustics are for clean sounds) this amp is great for me. It has a 1/4" jack direct to guitar, one aux input for playing along to cd's and mp3's, and one gain, one tone, and one volume control. No effects, but the line in sells it for me. // 8

Sound: My guitar is a piece of crap but it has emg's that make up for the horrible feel of shameful workmanship. It suits me very well for a headphone amp since I really just wanted distortion anywhere I go with my guitar. Even with the gain cranked and single coil pickups the hum is more of a low hiss that doesn't bug me since I know how bad hum can get from single coils. The clean sound was elusive to find and not particularly great, too dark with a wierd snap and uneven volume with fast playing. This thing wasn't designed for anything but pure distortion and the quality is better than some full sized amps. It goes from a smooth crunch into face melting, head ripping distortion with gain and tone maxed. The sound is consistent with volume changes, but since it's headphones I don't max it out. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I highly doubt it would break from normal use since it has a nicely solid feel for a plastic object. I wouldn't gig with it but I would use it for a pre-show warm up to mp3's of the setlist. It still works fine and will for a good while. // 10

Impression: For playing anything high gain this amp would be perfect. I've been playing for a little over one year and have tried endlessly to match the distortion of my Peavy without having to set up an amp, I tried making a headphone amp to save the money but that disaster doesn't need to be mentioned. I am very happy with my purchase and would hunt down any thief and torture them for eternity for stealing this great amp (they could keep the guitar though). My only fault is that it doesn't have effects but the sound quality is good enough to make up for that. Anyone Who wants a practice amp couldn't go wrong if they love extreme distortion. Not for the faint of heart. // 10

overall: 8.3

Reviewed by: JoePerry4life, on september 01, 2009

Price paid: C$ 50

Purchased from: Ebay Seller

Features: A fairly new device. Its a headphone amp (No built in speaker), that models a high gain american voiced amp. Has a gain, tone, and volume control, and an aux in for playing along with a CD player or mp3 player. Pretty basic, but yet versatile, compact and portable. // 7

Sound: When I plugged this into a random pair of sony headphones, man was I blown away by the sound.

I use an Epiphone G-400 with an MRG Rocker in the bridge, a stock AL-3000 and a partscaster with a GFS Lil Killer in the bridge.

Really nice tone, honestly sounds better then most low end solid state amps, if I were a beginner I'd buy a few of these instead of an amp. Distortion can get very heavy, but can also do things like guns n roses pretty well too, minus the solo tone. I find it great for rhythm playing but not so much for lead, but there is another amplug for that anyways. Its possible to get a clean tone but only with a single coil, gain down, volume on the amplug up and lower the guitars volume a bit, it actually gives a decent clean sound with a strat.

I play thrash and 80's hair metal on this and its great. Despite what you may think, it can get loud enough. I went out and bought a cheap pair of headphones, not ear buds, and it made alot of difference than the noise canceling sony ones I had. They only costed 8 bucks, so I could imagine how it sounds on a 100 dollar pair.

I never got to use the aux in yet so I can't comment on that. Is this amp noisy? No its actually really quiet depending on the enviroment. For instance, when in my room with a computer on, its quiet, but when I turn my little T.V on its get a really annoying buzz, but its really not an issue once you find a place to play.

I do however find the controls react to each other. For instance, if you have the gain on 10, which really isn't needed, then you probably should put the tone past 6 or 7 and volume past 3. That's right 3. Its fairly loud. I never put the volume past 4. // 9

Reliability & Durability: It comes in a plastic case which doesn't seem like a good idea. However it holds up pretty good, I dropped mine a few times and its fine. I've had it for a few weeks and never had a problem with it. I wouldn't gig with it, but take it to practice Backstage maybe. Seems prety well built for such a small palm size amp. // 8

Impression: Overall, this is the best thing invented since slice bread. I'm still amazed how great this sounds. My Peavey XXX is in repair right now so this thing helped me through this wait period. I play thrash and 80'hair metal on this thing and its great, better than most low end solid states. I've been playing 3 years and have 3 other guitars and they all sound great on this thing. The only thing I don't like about it is the plastic casing, but it seems to hold fine. I love the tone. If it were stolen, I would easily buy another as its only 50 CAD. Overall, great buy, really convenient device. // 9

Comments

[djjiles]

holy shit imagine gigging with this beast!

headphone amps > full stacks

[J.J.G.]

What's your guitar? I cant remember any guitar with true emg's that you can actually call "crap"...

[webbtje]

J.J.G. wrote:

What's your guitar? I cant remember any guitar with true emg's that you can actually call "crap"...

A Squier Bullet with EMGs is still crap.

[foo_diddles]

a johnson strat copy that i plan to scrap after i get my esp. this summer i'm gonna build a super strat baritone with the pickups and a dimebucker.

[PLOP]

your on the main page! :p

[mikko_9119]

PLOP wrote:

your on the main page! :p

+1 haha
this looks cool

[TomD03]

I purchased one of these from the store I work at as soon as we got it in
All I can say is it's ASTOUNDING!

If you have a 1/8th inch to RCA adapter, you can even plug this bad boy into a stereo system and it sounds BADASS!

[guitarnoobie]

Looks like a good bye. Do they make these with other genres in mind? IE AmPlug Blues, AmPlug Hard Rock, etc.

[flyrocker]

They make them in a classic rock sound and in the original ac30 vox sound. I got one of these too and it really does kick ass.

[AndreasB]

i got one for a couple of month ago. and it is really nice

[ZakkWylde9123]

can u use it with out headphones?

[xHellbound]

ZakkWylde9123 wrote:

can u use it with out headphones?

I was gonna ask the same thing.

I'm looking for something that I can use while sitting at my computer, that's not headphones only. =/

[hustlinda1088]

yeah its just head phones, i wish someone had told me that before i bought it.
but you can hook up computer speakers to it and walk around with it of thats what your into

[cedaguol]

ZakkWylde9123 wrote:

can u use it with out headphones?

you can plug speakers in the headphone input...

[jdhinds1234]

you can even plug it straight into your comp for on the go recording n stuff. i love the sound but since i play a les paul the damn thing sticks out like an inch and smashes the input jack and kinda bends the 1/4 in jack. but if you pay attention to it youll be fine

[inelms]

I was worried this thing was going to have a weak sound but I just got mine today and i'm not disappointed. I like to play Protest the Hero (attempt to play their music anyway) and any other similiar music and this little amp has solid enough distortion that I'm not complaining. If you're on the fence go for it.

[Stretch_Wilson]

J.J.G. :
What's your guitar? I cant remember any guitar with true emg's that you can actually call "crap"...

by crap he means that the feel of the guitar is not suited to his playing. emg pick-ups don't make you sound good it is all based on how well designed the guitar is

i think i might buy this headphone amp

[EARNEST]

what about cleans? are they good?

[yenners]

for cleans you'd be better off with the AC30 amplug model, but my impression is that if you want both cleans and high gain, get both models =)

[AbbeH]

i actually allmost got the cleans, but that was when i set the volyme on the guitar to a very low setting as well as the gain but turned up the volume on the amp to compensate

[SGburnsRED]

From all the reviews of this i've read and videos it sounds awesome!
Im going to buy this today or tomorrow.