DSP = Digital Signal Processor
The analog input signal is converted to digital stream, processed by DSP, and later converted to analog
I think you will find that most of the functionality is done in the digital domain, which enables tremendous flexibility.
This is true. But it's so much more than this. Having a micro controller in the amp as well, allows us to define the user interface which is limited only by the power of the DSP processor and our vision as to what we want the B|AMP to be. Having this processing power to control and change things in the software, along with a USB port, allows us to add or modify different features of the amp not only in production, but equally as well in the field. In other words, unlike any analog amp, your B|AMP will never be obsolete!
Two quick examples. After shipping the amps to Australia it was determined the amps were running hotter than I had anticipated. Turns out the modules run hotter at 240VAC than 120VAC. But it's not the output section that runs hotter, it's the power supply. We were not given the ability to monitor the Power supply temperature by ICE, so I compensated by having the fan turn on at a lower output section temperature. Took me all of 2 minutes to create the change in the software and email the new firmware to Australia where customers where able to load it into their amp in less than a minute. Now their amps are running cooler as was intended in the first place.
Another example, which I give with much reservations (I don't want everyone with a B|AMP asking for custom firmware ;-}), I have a highly regarded player in Germany who after some discussion, it was determined that the q's on the tone controls were a little too wide, and adjustments in one frequency band were reaching a bit too far on either side of the center frequency for his tastes. No sooner did he email me so I had his email address, a new firmware was on its way back to Germany with a narrower q on the tone controls, which made a big difference for him. The whole process from the time the phone call ended to the time he had the new firmware installed in his amp and up and running took at most 10 minutes! There's no way an analog designed amp could do this. It would require modifying resistor and/or capacitor values on the PC boards which would be out of the question.
And, in this very thread, some players are testing some overdrive/distortion circuits for the B|AMP which took me just a "little" more than 5 minutes to design, but less than a minute for them to download the firmware to a thumb drive and install into their amps. These are only a few examples and represent a small part of the power and versatility of the amp's architecture, but it should be helpful in giving you better insight into the thought and technology behind the design.
And just to be clear, this is not a modeling amp. This is an amp that was designed for you to sound like you, as accurately and musically as possible. And to accomplish this, we gave you a host of very useful tools. Things like a Variable high pass filter, variable feedback/notch filter, semi-parametric tone controls, and of course the profile filters. Not to mention a built in chromatic tuner, 2 memory locations for storing tone settings, a studio quality DI, programmable bright filter, and more. In other words, it's not just another off the shelf, Class D module with a pre-amp thrown in front of it. It was designed to be a "solution" to bass amplification, not just another baked in voice for it. As one of my dealers put it, it's the Swiss army knife of bass amps. All this being said, if someone prefers the sound of something like Ampeg or Fender, then they should consider buying one of those amps. But as it's been said many times, no matter which amp or bass you play through, you're always going to sound like you! ;-}
