Amplified Nation Ampliphonix & Gain 50W Head & 112 Cab w/ Shabat Lynx HSS

What Do We Think?

For those without one-on-one time with a Dumble as point of reference, the Ampliphonix channel could be compared to a chimey Bassman. The midrange is strong and round. The top end has some extra chirp and punch, unless you want to simply roll back the treble to keep in the Bassman’s more low-key territory. The bright switch brings the top end truly forward. This might become your go-to for feeding a shimmery complement of pedals in the amp’s effects loop.

The boost switch on the clean channel takes you to the ready-to-go attitude of Underoath’s “Writing on the Walls.” It’s less about crystalline cleans and more about the harmonics coming alive. We hear some of Dave Grohl’s live rhythm parts in there. If you roll back the volume on the guitar you get his woody bottom and tailored highs. And with the guitar’s volume thrown wide open you immediately feel more presence, chime and saturation.

The Gain side has some serious grunt. Wow. Through the Celestion Creamback the low end content is enormous, yet controlled. Not woofy, not farty, just huge. It’s not all high-gain chug either. With the input switch set to normal, it has a vintage-leaning character that sounds just as good at light breakup as it does at later modded Marshall tones.

The lowest reaches of the gain knob can be made to sound like a darker, more brooding version of the clean channel with just a touch of breakup. Think JCM-800 as clean as it’ll go. Complex harmonics are always there in the background, ready to jump forward the more you dig in. Things ramp up quickly; by the time you reach 9 o’clock on the gain knob you’re in serious crunch territory that cleans up really nicely with the volume knob if you’re all about set-and-forget.

Okay don’t laugh... Ivey says the gain knob above noon is perfect if you are writing a theme song for a muscle car show. But seriously, it’s gnarly. We’re approaching Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier territory, especially if you plug into a larger cab. Perhaps a little more warm and compressed on bottom than your typical Dual Rectifier reference tone.

The bright switch on the gain channel can be used to give the amp a more “modern” EQ structure. We like it with the treble dialed back a little, where it gives the impression of slightly scooped upper mids, with a lively top end and massive bottom and growling low mids. It has amazing presence without sacrificing body. This is an incredibly versatile amp and we’re hard-pressed to find a voicing we don’t care for.


Check out this one and more in our store!

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