Skinnyman Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 Does this count as a new Amp? Given that it’s advertised as a “0 watt amplifier” then I’m going to say yes. This is the DSM & Humboldt Simplifier Classic which is an amp and cab sim “pedal” (it’s not really a pedal as there’s no on/off button but it’s sized to fit on a pedal board and so…..pedal). I mainly play through my guitar synth which is plugged into the PA but I also wanted the ability to play the guitar “straight” and have that through the PA rather than lug an amp around with me. I initially started looking at things like the Headrush and Helix Stomp but I have a pedal board with all the pedals I need and the multi fx-style solutions are overkill (and expensive) for what I need. Having gone down the YouTube rabbit hole, I came across this little chap. DSM & Humboldt are, apparently, two Chilean companies who have produced this as a joint venture and I have to say that first impressions are very, very good. The pedal is very well made. It looks and feels like a lot of standard parts were used but they’re good quality and the whole thing seems well put together. Its also tiny. I have no idea how they’ve got everything inside, especially as this is an all-analogue product. Be aware that there is no PSU supplied with it so you’ll need to buy one separately (or use one of the millions we all accumulate and have lying around the place). It doesn’t run on batteries, only mains power so do t forget that PSU… I only received it yesterday so I’ve not had too much time with it yet. Switching it on, I’m impressed with the low noise floor and by how solid all the switches and knobs feel to operate. There are three amps simulated; A Fender blackface), Vox AC30 and a Marshall. Cab choices are 1x12, 2x12 and 4x12. You can switch between three different types of valve and you can alter the positioning of the virtual mics. Alongside gain, volume, presence and resonance, there are bass, mid and treble controls. The great thing is that each of these makes a noticeable difference to the tone. The amp models sound pretty close to the real thing but the tweaking options let you dial in exactly the sound you’re after. It took me all of ten seconds to find a beautiful clean tone to work with the drive pedals on my board and I could, if I wanted, just use that and never twiddle again. I probably will though. So, first impressions positive - here are some pictures of it on my board (not yet fully positioned or plugged in). I’ll update once I’ve had chance to gig with it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 Different valve SIMs in addition to the amp SIMs; nice. That Ocean’s 11 looks interesting too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnyman Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 1 hour ago, ezbass said: Different valve SIMs in addition to the amp SIMs; nice. That Ocean’s 11 looks interesting too. The EL88s really thicken the sound up. Lots of combinations to play with - I’m impressed. It’s taken me a while but I’ve now got the board I want with nothing I don’t want on it. The Ocean’s 11 is lovely, although I don’t really use the shimmer and other more extreme effects. I really like that Soul Food too. It thickens up a clean tone without making it too driven and gainy. I might add a cheap Landlord echo pedal at some time but that’s about it. If I need any more esoteric sounds, I just use the synth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardMarlowe Posted September 8, 2021 Share Posted September 8, 2021 Looks like an interesting option - what kind of money is in it? I'm very keen on the Mooer series of preamp pedals and the poweramp pedal myself. The poweramp pedal could be constant, then switching in and out the preamp pedals depending on whether I want an AC30 or a Marshall Stack or a Fender Tweed type sound. This sort of thing I am sure will only become more common for live work. A nice 2x12" could be a good addition if you're unsure about what monitors/PA will be available. Something else to carry, but on the other hand the difference in weight between my Vox AD120VT and the matching 2x12 extension cab is phenomenal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnyman Posted September 9, 2021 Author Share Posted September 9, 2021 15 hours ago, EdwardMarlowe said: Looks like an interesting option - what kind of money is in it? I'm very keen on the Mooer series of preamp pedals and the poweramp pedal myself. The poweramp pedal could be constant, then switching in and out the preamp pedals depending on whether I want an AC30 or a Marshall Stack or a Fender Tweed type sound. This sort of thing I am sure will only become more common for live work. A nice 2x12" could be a good addition if you're unsure about what monitors/PA will be available. Something else to carry, but on the other hand the difference in weight between my Vox AD120VT and the matching 2x12 extension cab is phenomenal. I got mine from Andertons for £280. I’ve rehearsed with it a few times and will be gigging with it in a week or so’s time. Very impressed with the sound. The Mooers look like they’d do the job too but, obvs, with more real estate on the board. That would allow foot switching between amp models which isn’t possible with the Simplifier. In my case, I do a mix of the signals from my pedal board, synth and guitar synth to balance the levels and send one signal to the PA, so I have the Simplifier velcroed to a music stand alongside a little behringer mixer. As a result, it’s an easy job (albeit the switch is a bit small and fiddly) to just flick between the different amp models. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardMarlowe Posted September 9, 2021 Share Posted September 9, 2021 8 hours ago, Skinnyman said: I got mine from Andertons for £280. I’ve rehearsed with it a few times and will be gigging with it in a week or so’s time. Very impressed with the sound. The Mooers look like they’d do the job too but, obvs, with more real estate on the board. That would allow foot switching between amp models which isn’t possible with the Simplifier. In my case, I do a mix of the signals from my pedal board, synth and guitar synth to balance the levels and send one signal to the PA, so I have the Simplifier velcroed to a music stand alongside a little behringer mixer. As a result, it’s an easy job (albeit the switch is a bit small and fiddly) to just flick between the different amp models. Definitely looks like a nice solution. I'll be interested to hear how you get on with it in the wild. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
