Grateful Dead Music Forum

Greetings... Not quite certain where to post this, here I sit, trying to figure out the best type of box, pedal, or whatever, to put in front of my Mac 30w tube amp to have a hopefully unique & usable 'rig'.... The one that my attention returns to is the Effectrode SR-71 Blackbird unit,,, Since the Mac has no volume or input attenuator, one consideration was to use only the 2 output channels of the SR71, (ignoring the 'Bypass', not knowing how the amp would react to an 'open' or no load), keeping one ch. squeaky clean, & the other for edge of OD, & reassigning the Bypass to switch the Classic/Creamy options..... Footprint is important, & I'm trying to work around the FYD or Sarno SMS route, though both phenomenal options.... I want channel switching between clean & edge, & reverb not necessary....
Thoughts, opinions?
Many thanksॐ

If you aren't going to go full voltage tube like the SMS, and you want small, that screams small floor modeler to me.

The one I like right now for small size, decent tones (certainly for classic Fender ) and price would be the NUX Amp Academy.

https://www.nuxefx.com/ampacademy.html

https://www.amazon.com/NUX-NGS-6-Academ ... B09YPR4384

The biggest weakness of this little powerhouse is the built in IR's, but you would just shut off the IR block anyway. What you will get is a decent Fender Twin Reverb (or Super Reverb) sim, an effects loop if you want it, built in reverbs, compressors, and drives, and shockingly flexible routing for a small cost effective box, with 1/4" and XLR outs and switchable IR/cabinet blocks.

It does let you go up and back between one clean amp and one dirty amp (Marshall, SLO, etc) but you currently can't go between the two clean amps with the left foot switch which is a non-issue for a JG rig, but worth mentioning. The right foot switch lets you go between two or three "presets" for each amp where you can have different amp setting and different effects settings. This can be pretty useful.

I have one on my mini practice board. I have a delay and an old looper in the effects loop and some mini drives and a turbotuner upfront. I mostly use it for headphones since I have other ways to play loud, but it would sound glorious through a Mac and some JBL's.



Note that other than the Jamman, those are mini pedals (I need to get a mini Ditto or Ditto plus for that board!) so the Amp Academy is smaller than it looks in a lot of photos. FWIW, the pedals are on a Pedal Train nano+ for another size reference.

I looked up the blackbird, and the ad copy at least says the tubes are running the plates at amp voltages, so that's a positive. For that kind of money, I would bump a bit and go SMS, but it definitely looks like a viable option for a floor pedal pre-amp.

Chocol8 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 07, 2023 4:14 pm If you aren't going to go full voltage tube like the SMS, and you want small, that screams small floor modeler to me.

The one I like right now for small size, decent tones (certainly for classic Fender ) and price would be the NUX Amp Academy.

https://www.nuxefx.com/ampacademy.html

https://www.amazon.com/NUX-NGS-6-Academ ... B09YPR4384

The biggest weakness of this little powerhouse is the built in IR's, but you would just shut off the IR block anyway. What you will get is a decent Fender Twin Reverb (or Super Reverb) sim, an effects loop if you want it, built in reverbs, compressors, and drives, and shockingly flexible routing for a small cost effective box, with 1/4" and XLR outs and switchable IR/cabinet blocks.

It does let you go up and back between one clean amp and one dirty amp (Marshall, SLO, etc) but you currently can't go between the two clean amps with the left foot switch which is a non-issue for a JG rig, but worth mentioning. The right foot switch lets you go between two or three "presets" for each amp where you can have different amp setting and different effects settings. This can be pretty useful.

I have one on my mini practice board. I have a delay and an old looper in the effects loop and some mini drives and a turbotuner upfront. I mostly use it for headphones since I have other ways to play loud, but it would sound glorious through a Mac and some JBL's.



Note that other than the Jamman, those are mini pedals (I need to get a mini Ditto or Ditto plus for that board!) so the Amp Academy is smaller than it looks in a lot of photos. FWIW, the pedals are on a Pedal Train nano+ for another size reference.

How does the Nux sound through headphones? Wanting to get something to play through headphones that sounds really good. Tried the Fender Mustang Micro, it was ok. Sent back an HX Stomp, it was over my head & didn't want to spend that much for just headphone use. Have been looking into the Strymon Iridium & Walrus ACS1. If the Nux sounds as good or at least pretty close, would be great to save a couple hundred bucks.

I think the NUX sounds better than the Iriduium and it does quite a bit more as well. I am really not a fan of the Iridium at all.

The NUX AA certainly has its limitations. The amp options and switching are pretty limited, but it does what I need with the Twin on one channel and a Marshall on the other. I use the Twin much more than the Marshall which I don't think is modeled as well. The reverbs are good enough, but there is no built in delay which I find almost necessary for headphone use, to give you a bit of the sound bouncing in a room sensation. That's why I have the Carbon Copy mini pedal in the loop. It's usually turned way down to the point I barely notice it, but if I turn it off I miss it.

The other "issue" that I mentioned earlier is the stock Choptones IR's are not very good. You will likely want to replace them. Also, like nearly all modelers, you need to do a little tweaking to get it to sound good, but the tones are in there. The software is pretty basic, but it gets the job done, and they have an IOS version too so you can use an iPad to do any deep configuration without a PC.

You aren't getting a Fractal or Helix for $200, but for a headphone practice solution, I think it's pretty darn good.

Edit: One thing I should add is the results you get will depend heavily on the earphones as well. This is true for all headphone amps, but I find I need to dial in for a specific pair of headphones.

There's a thread here with fender or blackface or something options for pedals. I'll look for it. But for sure try a search!

ALL great information & ideas,, but I'm looking for something that serves basically as just the purest of front-ends, & as the Blackbird offers, a 2nd channel with overdrive...
I'm not modeling, direct recording, headphoning, nor bringing it up thru a P.A....
Thnx again ॐ

I think the Shiftline Twin pedal is exactly what you are looking for. Very hard to find, but sounds amazing and is tiny.

Shiftline is a Russian firm that builds its pedals in St. Petersburg. (Not telling anyone what to do or not do, merely noting a piece of factual information of potential relevance to some folks' spending decisions. https://shift-line.com/about )

Why not get a sms ? You have a very nice power amp why skimp on a pre amp? I know its not pedal size but very light and will sound very good

^ What he said. The preamp is such an important part of the whole deal. Once i got a SMS, i didnt know how i owned anything else all these years. SMS doesnt weigh much either. I had owned 2 1960s Twin Reverbs i used when playing Dead/JGB stuff for 2 decades. The SMS is more flexible and portable etc than the Twins. But now since i got it, if im playing Dead or JGB, i cant use anything else haha. Its that magical to me.