AMP & IR CAB- Strymon Iridium ...it may be a game changer!

 STRYMON IRIDIUM AMP & IR PEDAL 

Unless you have been living in a cave over the last few years

$400.00 USD

the very high end digital market is making the ultimate amp in a box or even throwing in every effect box and then some.
Most offer an endless stream of digital downloads for newer sounds as they come along. 
The leader of the 'do it all' is arguably the new 
AXE FX III. 
Some team up their boxes with a cheap and cheerful studio/PA type D power amp and sell the unit as an amp.The Kemper is still King of this group.
I will not go into IR's but it is a way of cloning a speaker's response to eliminate a guitar speaker cab to record direct or go straight into the PA and eliminate a cab altogether.
The most popular units add amp simulators as well. In short you can have 'Everything in one box'.

The heart of the cutting edge emulating tech is called Modeling. It is software based and like most tech it has drifted into consumer PC's and related hardware. In a few years totally pro stuff will be silly cheap
and specific hardware based units will be history.
Strymon were very clever with the Iridium. The timing is perfect. A serious unit at an affordable price with I suspect a healthy profit margin.

THE BOX
So the Iridium gives you 3 basic sounds (others are really derived from them.)

First there is a Fender DeLuxe Reverb ...perfect choice!  A little tweaking will give you everything from a Tweed to a Twin!
Second a Vox AC30 ...again perfect!
Third a Marshall 100 watt Super Lead (1959 model) ...it just can not get better. Again put a good Metal pedal like a REVV on this and you have the overkill sounds nailed! lol
These are generally considered the 3 best classic amps in the world. I am 100% in agreement!
You have these 3 and ANYTHING else can be done adding a pedal.
Pretty much every gourmet amp on the planet starts by using the schematic of one of these 3 amps!.

Once you pick an amp you have a wide selection of speakers. Either the ones associated with your 3 amps or several you can get creative with. You get both open back ones and of course your typical closed backs including 4x12 Marshalls.

The big selling point is that using the unit is dead simple where as others are all for Rocket scientists.
Secondly. 
For me I would simply use the classic 3. The Vox, and Fender with it's original speakers and the Marshall stack.
They add a 'room' effect. Obvious a reverb since micing your own amp adds the room you mic it in.

The quality is second to none!!! In fact they are made with the higher specs than any other Modeling unit.You get a world class unit for $400.00 USD!!! Plug this thing into a track on any industry standard digital recording set up and you get a sound second to no one on the planet. Period!!!

CONCLUSION

This unit is an industry shake up BIG DEAL! There are probably a dozen video's I could add. But this is hands down the very best. The others are either messy and all over the map ...either the guy wastes time on 3 variations of the Fender patch because he is a Fender guy or you get an infomercial. There is a fine line on need to know and a bit of show off that makes a good vid. This one has it nailed. 

I added the Sweetwater video ...definitely an infomercial. I put it in as it virtually a verbal read out of the circuit and features. A how to.

Most of you know I am an old school tube amp guy. But common sense tells me two things. Spend hours recording and then doing hours of post production and then pat yourself on the back because your effort sounds like this unit just plugged straight in. FACT!!! 

Live this will sound probably better thru the house system then your rig to all but 3 players in your audience that night.

Bottom line? I need a backup amp! This is bullet proof just add a cheap class D pedal board amp and this. I then am never painted in the corner. I own both extremes. Even with my Marshall antinuated down to a 20 watt on stage monitor and all else going thru this box my ass is covered no matter what!

BUT!!! The winter NAMM is in January so wait! This pedal has been released just early enough to preempt it for the first adopters ...yet look fresh enough to impress most buyers at the show.

The down side????

It is a mater of time before the equivalent will be a $200.00 software package that can kill the current leader the all in one box the AXE FX III.

Newer video's DEC 1/10  IRIDIUM / KEMPER comparisons

A David & Goliath thing 

and Dave comes out with ...if not a 10 ...at worst a 9.5

many will call it a tie!

In short ...in a band situation any difference would be inconsequential.

THE FINAL CURTAIN

Now if the Strymon is dead close to the Kemper

it would be good to know how close the either were to the amp's they copy.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I am going to buy a Strymon Iridium and then turn it into a conventional amp

I play gigs that where only the vocal is miked. So my custom made

Digital Modeler Amp will sit on a cab just like a regular amp.

Read the Post AMPLIFIER- MONOPRICE UNITY 200 watt amp

I will then have it and my Plexi. One will be my backup.

BUT WHICH ONE????

I will let you know!!!