Honing the perfect amp tone is a lifelong pursuit for an expert, let alone a beginner. There are many things to consider, including how your guitar’s pickups interact with your amp, how to incorporate pedals and so forth. Fortunately, the amPlug 2 series from VOX can guide the way.
This line of micro amplifiers is designed to plug straight into your guitar and work specifically with headphones. Perfect for solo practising on the go, or in your bedroom, catering for beginners all the way up to tonal connoisseurs.
Need mobile amplification but don’t want to give up the quality of the studio? The amPlug 2 series from VOX caters to experts and beginners alike with all the tonal options under the sun.
More Options?
Like the MV50 series, the virtue of the amPlug 2 series lies in its versatility. The range comes in an array of flavours, with each model specialising in a certain tone. The AC model emulates VOX’s most famous amp, the AC30; BL dishes up the authentic crunch of a cranked-up vintage tweed amp; CL delivers crystalline clean tones.
LD provides more than enough searing, high-gain lead tone; CR conjures up an all-British 100 watt classic rock amp; MT is perfect for modern metal riffage; BS provides for our friends in the low-end, that’s right bass players, VOX has got you covered too.
Easy Operation
Once you’ve chosen your desired default, each amPlug 2 model has a range of tone-shaping options for further honing of your tonal signature. Firstly, each model comes with controls that you would typically find on a full-size amp. For example, there’s a Gain knob for adding a little extra heat to the signal, Tone adds some extra bite and Volume increases the overall output of the amp.
Further still, if you hold the On/Standby button while the amPlug is already switched on, you can change the mode of the amp. For example, if you’re using the CL amPlug, you can switch between Pure Clean, Twin Clean and Boutique OD modes. If you’re using the BL amPlug, you can switch between Clean, Crunch and Lead. Each model in the amPlug 2 line has its own trio of tonal characters for you to tap into.
Ambience and modulation can also be added in the form of Chorus, Reverb and Delay. If you hold down the FX buttons and tap the On/Standby button, you can scroll through the effects – a total of 9 are on board, with three variations on each of the aforementioned effects types.
Practising and Beyond
Practically speaking, the amPlug 2 series is your best buddy for practising. Therefore, there are a couple of inclusions that will make life easier for you, no matter where you find yourself. The minijack input for your headphones, yet this also functions as an output for an external recording device.
If you’re jamming along to your favourite tracks, our have set up a metronome for slaying those scales (on the BS version, you can even play along with a rhythm), you can make use of the Aux stereo minijack input and adjust the volume on your external device accordingly. Cleverly, the jack plug itself can be rotated to the suit whichever guitar type you’re using.
Practising aside though, there are a couple of interesting ways that players of the amPlug 2 series can connect to the outside world. For example, it’s possible to use the amPlug as an effects processor before you hit another amp. And if you really want the miniature experience but can’t deal with headphones, you can connect to the amPlug cabinet – a vintage-inspired VOX cabinet that can still fit in your pocket and perch upon your coffee table.
With amps like the AC30, VOX was set out on a path to dominate the world via the stadium. With the amPlug 2 range, VOX has sought to harness their history of tones, delivering their tonal pedigree straight to your ear.
For more information, visit the Yamaha website.
