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13 Jun

Reviewed: IK Multimedia iRig Micro Amp

Sound and Music | Soundandmusic.com | RRP: $320

Mobile interfaces and micro amplifiers have been making bedroom music quieter, smaller and easier in the last five years. IK Multimedia realised they could collapse the two into one back in 2016 with the iRig Nano Amp. As a seriously affordable and insanely compact home recording solution, it was nothing short of revolutionary. This year the brand has returned with the iRig Micro Amp, a beefier and feature-rich new option to ward off the competition.

13 Jun

17 May

Reviewed: Vox VX50GTV Amplifier

Yamaha Music Australia | au.yamaha.com | Expect to pay: $450

Vox Amplifiers are clean amp royalty. The Vox AC30 is hailed, imitated, profiled, gigged and loved endlessly, which is why the Vox VX50GTV is such an interesting product. The VX50GTV is a 50 watt amp modeller with built-in effects, tuner and 8” speaker. It sits in its own spot in the market between all-out profiling amps and multi-FX pedals, but is by no means an entry-level product.

17 May

15 Apr

Reviewed: Marshall Studio Series Amps

Electric Factory | elfa.com.au | Enquire For Pricing

Marshall are responsible for some of the most iconic amps in guitar history. JTM, JCM, Jubilee, Plexi -- the list goes on. For most people, Marshall are associated with louder, bigger gigging amps that can really move some air. Yes, there are some great nuances in the aforementioned amps, but typically they match the stereotype . Aiming to put some of their classic tones into smaller formats the Studio Series sees the introduction of 20 watt models that can be used for home, recording and gigs.

15 Apr

10 Apr

Reviewed: Ashdown Woodsman Parlour Acoustic Amplifier

Pro Music Australia | promusicaustralia.com | Expect to pay: $399

Amplification options for the singer-songwriter, duo or small band lineups have often been few and far between in the lower price bracket. Typically, you are stuck with a dedicated PA and mixer with an expensive acoustic guitar amp (or heaven forbid, an acoustic into an electric guitar amp). As a dedicated acoustic guitar amp with a mic input, Ashwood's Woodsman Parlour looks to give the blues, folk and country crowd a compact combo for jamming, rehearsing and even small gigs.

10 Apr

20 Feb

Reviewed: EVH Gear 5150III 6L6 2x12 Amplifier

Fender Music Australia | fender.com.au | RRP: $2499

The first Peavey 5150 was produced in the 90s for Eddie Van Halen, and subsequent models have pushed the boundaries for controlled, articulate tone.

20 Feb

14 Aug

Reviewed: HeadRush FRFR-112 Cabinet

Electric Factory | elfa.com.au | Expect To Pay: $599

HeadRush jumped into the market a few years back as a serious competitor in the digital modeling effects market with its popular HeadRush Pedalboard. Utilising technology from Avid’s Eleven Rack, and indeed some of the personnel behind the unit, the pedalboard can be used for both live and studio work giving you tons of sounds, parameters and processing.

14 Aug

8 Aug

Reviewed: Line 6 Powercab 112 and Powercab 112 Plus

Yamaha Music Australia | au.yamaha.com | Expect to Pay: 112 - $1119, 112P - $1599

Line 6 take their modeling very seriously. The Helix (and original POD) offer amps, cabs and effects tones to use in the studio and on stage to give you a huge sonic palette with a myriad of tweaking options. Further developing this concept, Line 6 has introduced the Powercab range of active guitar cabinets designed as a live sound reinforcement device. Yes, it takes on the FRFR ethos that many modelers utilise, but it also incorporates specific cab sounds for added tonal flexibility.

8 Aug

27 Jul

Reviewed: Line 6 Spider V Practice Amp

Yamaha Music Australia | au.yamaha.com | Expect to Pay: $290

Every time I sit down at my crowded little desk to write I am accompanied faithfully by one of my oldest and most prized possessions. When I was around 12 years old I was given my first electric guitar package for a birthday. While the cable, strap, picks, pitch pipe and even the axe itself have all fallen foul of the intervening years, my first ten-watt practice amp remains plugged into the wall at all times. Although practically worthless as amps go, it has always been my go-to for quick access to ideas or a cheeky shred before leaving the house. I’ve even used its terribly low headroom to record a number of times as it lends a ferocious amount of colour to guitar, bass and snare alike. Loosed of many of the trimmings of its more powerful counterparts yet not at all limited in doing so, the Line 6 Spider V 20 seems custom built for exactly this purpose.

27 Jul

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