In recent weeks we have seen the launch of Neural DSP’s Nano Cortex, two updates for the Kemper Profile Player and now this, upon the first anniversary of its AI-driven TONEX amp modeller and profiler, IK Multimedia is offering a potentially game-changing upgrade to the platform with the addition of eight new guitar effects – and the update is free.
New to the system are digital and tape delays, chorus, flanger, tremolo, phaser and rotary effects, all of which can be controlled via tap tempo, and newly designed spring reverb algorithm. Existing onboard effects include compressor, room reverb, plate reverb and noise gate, and TONEX presents these 15 effects across seven slots.
There is more. Two new effects blocks can be configured pre or post amp and cab, giving you more control over your electric guitar tone. These updates will be available in November, and are compatible with the TONEX Pedal, TONEX One and TONEX for Mac/PC.
The TONEX Pedal and the TONEX One mini pedal are not so much amp-in-a-box pedals as they are amps, plural in a box, with AI-driven modelling and profiling technology that gives you access to a huge array of digitally modelled amps and effects.
These were designed to replace the “real” guitar amp in your life, at least when leaving the home, allowing players to capture their own amp (or choose an onboard model or download one from the free tone-sharing community ToneNet) then throw it in a backpack and that was your live rig right there.
IK Multimedia has also taken the opportunity to enhance the integration of its sounds across the TONEX eco-system. AmpliTube 5 X users can upgrade (again, free) their system for a TONEX view, which makes editing and managing your sounds that bit easier. It also makes finding your sounds that bit easier, with new search terms added to the GUI. Users can now filter by Type, Instrument, Character, Favorite and Skin.
Once you find what you need you can drag and drop your models into the AmpliTube gear chain, or select by Skin and load them up that way.
Having all the user-generated sounds and captures of the ToneNET community at your disposal makes the TONEX eco-system such a powerful tool – with a bewildering array of tone options. Just be careful you don't fall all the way down that rabbit hole.
There is additionally the promise of an imminent update to the TONEX Live Editor that will allow make life a lot easier – and tone design quicker – for players with the TONEX Pedal or TONEX One.
There is also some hardware news coming out of IK Multimedia which will be of particular interest to those yet to grab themselves a TONEX Pedal. A limited edition, Italian-made run of TONEX Pedals in a pearl white finish has been unveiled. These come pre-loaded with 150 Premium Tone Models designed by IK Multimedia partners, are priced $/€449 and are available to preorder now.
Will these updates give IK Multimedia a competitive edge in a market that is being disrupted on such a regular basis? Possibly. Unlike the Kemper updates, these are free to existing users, and adding onboard effects addresses one of the few caveats MusicRadar had with the TONEX Pedal, which otherwise offered “faultless” amp tones that were as good as it gets.
You can read MusicRadar’s reviews of the TONEX Pedal and TONEX One – and the competition by way of Neural DSP’s Cortex Nano. And find out more about TONEX at IK Multimedia.
