TC Electronic Ampworx

For those who like to keep amp modelling simple, these six pedals each offer a great sound at a decent price.

Affordable digital amp and speaker modelling has been around since the original Line 6 Pod launched way back in 1998. Many manufacturers now offer a selection of amp models, onboard effects and speaker cabinet emulations in a single unit, but there’s an emerging trend for pedals that model just one specific amp and speaker setup in great detail — for example, in recent years, Universal Audio’s UAFX range of amp models has attracted a lot of praise for their tonal accuracy and playing feel. The latest company to adopt a similar paradigm is TC Electronic, with the Ampworx range.

Features

The DSP‑powered Ampworx series comprises six single‑amp pedals, the amps being modelled at the component level. There are currently three ‘vintage’ and three ‘high‑gain’ models, though there may yet be more to come. Each is housed in a six‑knob, two‑footswitch pedal. Technically, I should say seven‑knob, because each pedal has an additional function that can be adjusted using a rear‑panel trim pot, and can be switched to offer two settings.

By default, the leftmost footswitch on all but the Combo Deluxe 65 pedal activates an additional boost, while the right footswitch acts as a channel switcher, allowing the user to flip between two different sets of panel settings. In effect, this makes the pedal behave like a two‑channel amp, and the status LED changes from green to red depending on which channel is selected. The pedal simply remembers the knob positions for whichever mode you’re in, so there’s no save routine involved. The boost on/off setting is also saved independently for the two channels. For those who prefer a more straightforward mode of operation that simply switches between bypass and wherever the knobs are set, there’s an alternative bypass mode that’s activated by holding down both footswitches. The rightmost switch then acts as a bypass.

One output, without a cab emulation, is intended for feeding into an amp, and a separate DI output includes an IR‑based speaker sim. There’s no option to load your own impulses, or to switch virtual mic positions, but the IRs are high‑quality ones provided by Celestion, and the speaker type is matched to the amplifier model. Both these outputs are on TRS jacks that are pseudo‑balanced using ‘ground sensing’ circuitry. Quarter‑inch TS jack cables (the sort you’d usually use for a guitar, pedals and amp) work fine, but for long runs to a mixing desk a TRS cable feeding a balanced line input is recommended. A TRS mini‑jack on the left provides a headphone output complete, with cab emulation.

There’s a USB connector to allow for firmware updates (this doesn’t function as an audio interface), while a standard 9V centre‑negative connector accommodates your power supply, which needs to deliver 300mA or more. No PSU is included and there’s no battery power option either, so if you don’t already have a suitable supply you’ll need to buy one along with the pedal.

The Ampworx pedals can feed amps and line inputs, the latter with Celestion IR‑powered speaker modelling to suit the specific amp.

Model Citizens

First out of its box came the DC30 pedal, complete with blue paintwork and chicken‑head knobs that leave you in no doubt that it’s based on a Top Boost AC30 from the 1960s — an amp used by many top UK bands, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Rory Gallagher, the Shadows, the Who and, in later years, by Brian May, to name just a few. By way of control, there are separate gain knobs for Normal and Brilliant, so you can blend the sound of the two input channels any way you like. Level looks after the output volume. The EQ has bass and treble controls, plus there’s a separate top‑cut control that applies more cut as you turn it clockwise. This tone control setup follows what was fitted to the original amp, and the only real departure from the original is that the tremolo of the original is omitted.

Sonically, you get a good representation of the original ‘jangly clean’ and ‘light crunch’ sounds, but there’s enough gain on hand to get into classic rock territory too — and that’s before you invoke the boost. The strength of boost is controlled by the rear‑panel trim pot. The rear‑panel switch allows the boost to be set pre or post the preamp too. For all the pedals in this series that include boost, including this one, it seems that positioning the boost before the preamp emulates a drive pedal with some Tube Screamer‑type mid lift, while placing it afterwards adds a transparent level boost. At gains below around one third, with no boost, the sound stays pretty clean but beyond that it soon dirties up. There’s good touch‑responsiveness and, unlike a real AC30, you can hit the sweet spot without the volume driving everybody out of the room. The speaker IRs are based on a pair of classic blue‑backed Celestion Vox speakers, and all in all I found this a very convincing take on a versatile classic amp.

Next up I tried the Combo Deluxe 65, and given its Fender‑esque script and knob design there are no prizes for guessing what this model alludes to. This model forgoes boost in favour of a modelled spring reverb with a lively, surf‑style character, and its level is controlled using the knob at the top left of the panel. Apparently, the reverb was created by taking an impulse response from an original spring unit. The rear‑panel trim pot and switch control the reverb’s tonality — a useful addition not found on the original. The remaining controls are straightforward, with gain, bass, middle, treble and level knobs, and the leftmost footswitch bringing the reverb in and out. The gain range runs from clean and spanky to a sweet blues overdrive when using single‑coil pickups, and with humbuckers you can just about coax enough drive out of it to play the more polite end of classic rock. As there’s no boost, you may need to add your own drive pedal if you need something dirtier than that.

With the cheekily‑named JIMS 45, we’re back on UK soil with a tribute to a classic Marshall amp that was famously used by Jimi Hendrix. The speaker emulation is of a 4x12 G12M Creamback cab, and the provision of separate normal and high gain controls (that can be used together) allows for the recreation of the sound you got from the original when linking both input channels using a short cable. Turn both gains and all three tones flat out, bring in the pre boost, and you get that smooth but authoritative rock sound heard on countless records. However, this amp can also produces subtle clean tones, as well as bluesy ‘mild breakup’, making it a really good all‑rounder.

The JIMS 800 channels a more modern rock sound, with a more aggressive edge, but it’s still capable of some useful cleans and light crunch. This model has been tweaked slightly to reduce the ‘treble bleed’ of the original that some users found too gritty, and the speaker emulation is of a G12‑65 4x12 cab. All the essential controls are here: gain, boost (a main panel control), level, bass, middle and treble. This time, the rear‑panel controls look after Presence and pre‑/post‑boost switching. The Presence control emulates the negative feedback topography around the output transformer in the original amp. Even without the boost, there’s a fair mount of ‘rawk’ on tap, so if you like British high‑gain sounds, this pedal deserves a closer look.

If you gravitate towards a more edgy US‑style modern rock, you need look no further than the Dual Wreck, which has a definite treadplate flavour and delivers edgy gain in spades. The speaker emulation is taken from Celestion Vintage 30 speakers in a closed‑back 4x12 cab. In this instance the rear‑panel control adjusts presence while boost can still be switched pre/post. By way of panel controls, there’s gain, level, bass, middle, treble, and Tight. Tight is an additional control that tames some of the lower frequencies to deliver a more focused tone. You can just about get this pedal to play cleanly, but the gain setting needs to be almost right down to achieve that. Really, I don’t feel that it’s the best clean sound out there — this is an amp that wants to run wild and, whether you’re looking for a Santana kind of tone or something that will support your shredding habits, it does that very well.

Last up is the 550, which I suspect is based on the sound of the EVH 5150 Iconic Series 40W, co‑designed by Eddie Van Halen. This is another US, high‑gain amp but it has a warmer sound than the Dual Wreck, with smoother‑sounding highs. Its speaker emulation is of a 4x12 G12M cab. Again, the boost is preset and the rear‑panel knob controls presence, but the familiar gain, level, bass, middle and treble panel controls are joined by Reso, which modifies the bass response of the power stage. The gain range goes from a light crunch up to full‑on rock mayhem, and that’s before you kick in the boost. This amp doesn’t really do clean, but then that’s not what the original was designed for either!

TC have managed to capture the essence of six classic amplifiers very effectively and, importantly, with a laudable degree of touch sensitivity.

Tone & Performance

Each Ampworx pedal has a distinct sonic character and visuals to match, right down to the type of knobs fitted. TC have managed to capture the essence of six classic amplifiers very effectively and, importantly, with a laudable degree of touch‑sensitivity. There’s no Hi‑Watt version (as yet?) but the existing range covers pretty much everything from country and blues to rock and shredding. If you need something that’s tonally versatile and capable of both clean and dirty sounds, the Vintage Series DC30, JIMS 45 and Combo Deluxe 65 are strong contenders, though you may want to put an overdrive pedal in front of the last of those. If more assertive rock is your thing, the high‑gain amps deliver three different characters and sound good, but of those only the JIMS 800 can serve up really useful clean sounds.

In all cases, it’s worth noting that there’s a fraction of a second lag between turning a knob and hearing the tone change. That’s due to the way the modelling algorithm has to update multiple parameters behind the scenes. It’s barely noticeable and there’s no gap — the previous settings apply until the change is made — but it pays to be aware of it, especially if you’re in the habit of making quick adjustments. I found the speaker cab emulation very effective for DI’ing into a PA and for recording. It might not be adjustable, but in all cases it suits the amps perfectly well, and it avoids time wasted fiddling with arcane parameters.

Having a separate output free of speaker emulation means that for live performance you can send the normal output to your stage amp and the speaker‑emulated DI to the PA. However, when using with your own guitar amp, you’ll get the most accurate result by feeding the pedal into your effects loop return socket so as to bypass your amp’s preamp stage. If you don’t have an effects loop, you can still get perfectly workable sounds going into the amp’s usual input but then you have the coloration and tonal attribute of your amp in series with the pedal, so you will need to adjust both the pedal’s tone controls and those on your amp to get the sound you want. Ideally your amp should also be set to a clean sound so as not to further colour what the pedal is doing.

Inevitably, comparisons will be made with other amp modellers, but in reality no two can be expected to sound exactly alike because the miking setups will be different, and with vintage amps, drifting component tolerances and speaker wear means that no two will sound identical either. What I can say is that this range of pedals produces musically satisfying results that record well, and I reckon that’s particularly impressive given that what you pay for one of these pedals can be less than the cost of a decent analogue overdrive. I like the simplicity of having a pedal that does one thing well, and having Celestion IRs for the cab emulation seems to have paid off.