Hughes & Kettner's amp specialists are proud to present the Spirit AmpMan Classic: It's a pedal-format guitar amplifier that, thanks to its innovative Spirit Tone Generator technology, will thrill musicians and audiences alike with a wide range of vintage clean and overdrive sounds, while providing the dynamics and feel of a real tube amp. With two independently operating channels, an FX loop so that guitarists can connect their favourite pedals, built-in Red Box AE+ circuitry for authentic-sounding speaker simulations, and an output of up to 50W from the integrated power amp, the Spirit AmpMan Classic is a versatile and compact all-rounder for the rehearsal room, the studio, or even for use on stage.
The beating heart of the AmpMan is Hughes & Kettner's unique Spirit Tone Generator, which reproduces the analogue functionality of a tube circuit with incredible authenticity. In addition to tone control and a gain pot, both channels feature a sagging control that replicates the saturation behaviour of a genuine tube amplifier. Channel 1 offers a wide range of clean sounds, while channel 2 provides distorted sounds suited to everything from blues to classic rock. The Intelligent Dual Breakpoint noisegate is a great tool for effectively combatting noise or hum at high distortion levels, while the switchable FX loop allows guitarists to insert their favourite modulation effects in the signal chain and activate them as needed. With its Red Box AE+ interface, the AmpMan also makes it possible to create direct recordings with a very natural character but without any complex miking, using one of eight different cabinet simulations.
Thanks to its compact dimensions, the Hughes & Kettner Spirit AmpMan Classic can be easily mounted to any pedalboard, and of course effortlessly stowed away in a standard guitar case. This makes this universal pedal particularly a great option for musicians who don't always want to bring their entire kit with them every time they play. The 50W power amplifier, when connected to a suitable speaker cabinet, is more than enough to cut through in the rehearsal room or on larger stages. And with its Red Box AE+ circuit, its AUX input, and its headphone output, the AmpMan can bring its vintage sounds to audiences in an almost endless array of situations.
Hughes & Kettner is one of the largest German suppliers of guitar and bass amplifiers. Founded in 1984 by Hans and Lothar Stamer under the name Stamer Musikanlagen GmbH, the manufacturer from St. Wendel in the Saarland can boast of its numerous innovations. For example, its first venture into the field of guitar amplifiers, the ASR64 from 1986, was the first programmable amplifier in the world. Thanks to its compact format, the Cream Machine of 1987 can be counted among the very first mini tube amplifiers. Equally influential were the Red Box analogue speaker simulation, the first six-channel amplifier (the Triamp), and the ZenTera, which used modelling technology in an integrated amplifier even before Line 6.
A quick early-morning bedroom practice session, with headphones and backing tracks on AUX; rehearsals with the rest of the band at lunchtime on a 4x12" cab; then take to the stage in the evening with a full-sized speaker stack – the Hughes & Kettner Spirit AmpMan Classic can handle all these situations and more with ease. In addition, this compact two-channel pedalboard amp has a Red Box AE+ recording out that makes it possible to generate an almost endless range of sounds in the studio without the need for complex amp miking – the sonic palette ranges from crystal-clear chords to singing, soaring solos all the way to warm, vintage sounds. Meanwhile, thanks to the unique Spirit Tone Generator technology, the AmpMan gives guitarists a playing feel that's in no way inferior to that of a real tube amp. When connecting to a guitar cabinet, users should note that it's important not to hook up the AmpMan with a standard instrument cable, but a thicker speaker cable that can cope with the higher output of the power amplifier in the long term.