“It can transform your amp, but it’s equally adept as a boost anddrive”: Dirty Boy Preamp review

One delivers the raw sound of the preamp for use with a power amp and speaker setup, maybe plugged into the effects return of a conventional guitar …

“The ultimate weapon for metal guitarists”: Blackstar unveils Series One MK II 100W tube amp head

After more than 30 updates to the circuit and channel voicings, Blackstar’s flagship high-gain amp is here, and it’s equipped with power scaling, MIDI connectivity, effects loop, and…

Fuchs ODH hybrid tube/solid-state amp is gig-worthy tone machine at a very approachable price

At the time, iffy reliability and even more disappointing tones from many products — including several by big names like Fender and Vox — confined solid-state technology to…

A British Hi-Fi Brand Revives Its Vintage Amplifiers from the 1960s

Quad, the revered British hi-fi company, has a long history of delivering high-end audio components that look and sound like nothing else. Its revolutionary electrostatic loudspeakers, the …

Joe Bonamassa reveals the secret to tube amp consistency on tour and he “nicked it” from Angus Young

Ask any touring pro and they’ll tell you the same thing; the road is tough on tube amps, and it is not just the constant moving around and…

“All the sounds you could ever want from a Plexi”: Suhr SL68 MkII head review

The master volume circuit is removed when its control is turned all the way, and at lower settings it maintains the genuine character and feel of an amp…

Universal Audio takes its Edge-approved amp sim pedals to the digital realm with $299 plugin packages

The UAFX Dream ’65 and Ruby ’63 pedals – which The Edge used during U2’s Sphere residency – have been digitized alongside the Marshall-inspired Lion ’68 …

The 7 Best Band Saws for Precise Lines and Smooth Curves

Grizzly’s benchtop band saw offers build quality and features that are ideal for cutting with peak precision. A laser projects a clear, easy-to-see cutline on stock, and an…

FiiO FT1 review: FiiO’s first closed-back over-ear headphones let down by hit-and-miss sound

The FiiO FT1 are the company’s very first pair of closed-back over-ear headphones and, given FiiO’s extensive catalogue, it’s strange to think there could be any kind of…

Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2

With a lively, fluid delivery, a beautiful way with voices and an array of upgrades, the Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 turntable is an appealing, capable performer for the…