IK Multimedia have announced the release of the Brown Sound 82/84 Signature Collection for their TONEX platform, the third and final part of its limited Brown Sound series. While IK never explicitly names the artist, the 'brown sound' is universally understood as Eddie Van Halen’s guitar tone from that era, making this series an unofficial deep dive into some of rock’s most influential recorded sounds. This release focuses on the 1982 and 1984 recording sessions that shaped those landmark albums. The new collection offers 83 Tone Models, including several amp-only captures for pairing with impulse responses or for use with a real cab on stage.
The Brown Sound evolved in the early 1980s as the pursuit of radio-ready production brought a brighter, more polished edge to recordings. The ’82 sessions were tracked at Amigo Studios, with G12-65 speakers, mic placement shifts, and outboard processing contributing to a smoother, layered character. By 1984, at a new studio in Coldwater Canyon, the tones had become more controlled and precise, aided by suspected Telefunken EL34s, amp tweaks and refined Variac adjustments.
The new release is centred around “The ONE”, a Marshall-style amplifier built to the same specifications as the original 1968 Super Lead (#12301), incorporating mods that defined the early Brown Sound. The collection explores variations in voltage, cab voicing, mic geometry, and pickups, with all models level-matched and captured raw for authenticity.
IK Multimedia recently released the second part of the series with the TONEX Brown Sound 80/81.The release follows the Brown Sound 78/79 collection, which focused on the raw early tones, and the Brown Sound 80/81 Signature Collection, which both arrived earlier this year. The latter introduced 73 tone models reflecting a darker, heavier edge and more saturated mid-era tones, again built around The ONE amp. Together, the three releases trace the guitarist’s sonic evolution from club stages to full-blown stadium productions.
Pricing & Availability
The Brown Sound 82/84 Signature Collection is available now within any version of TONEX for Mac/PC and via ToneNET at $99.99€99.99 (excluding taxes).
Previous entries in the series include Brown Sound 78/79 ($99.99€99.99, 50 Tone Models) and Brown Sound 80/81 ($99.99€99.99, 73 Tone Models).
