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The Amp Of The Future
- Thread starter Code Brown
- Start date
Can you somehow build in a Bluetooth magic connection so I don't need cables and I can wear this thing around my neck like FlavaFlav?
A lot of mirth in this thread, but I think we should keep the ideas coming. It's easy to fall into the trap of assuming that our tech has reached some kind of pinnacle.
It's also a good time for our society to review what we gain and lose from moving every technology to touchscreen controls. Drivers have begun to revolt against the touch screens in our cars. That's a good lesson for comparison because like a car, a musical instrument has to be adjustable on the fly while paying attention to our surroundings.
Experiences with modern tech also show that user interfaces can range from wonderful to horrible. Something like the original Apple Mac or iPhone were well thought out, with input from some visionary designers and academic research. But we're also flooded with examples of user interface failures. The entertainment controls on most cars are horrible. Nobody knows why the screens have to be so bad. Likewise a lot of "enterprise software" and web pages for consumer services.
I think a challenge is that really sweating the details of a good digital interface is a hard problem, that is labor intensive beyond the budgets of all but the largest players in the industry.
This isn't to say the problem is unsolvable. Just hard.
It's also a good time for our society to review what we gain and lose from moving every technology to touchscreen controls. Drivers have begun to revolt against the touch screens in our cars. That's a good lesson for comparison because like a car, a musical instrument has to be adjustable on the fly while paying attention to our surroundings.
Experiences with modern tech also show that user interfaces can range from wonderful to horrible. Something like the original Apple Mac or iPhone were well thought out, with input from some visionary designers and academic research. But we're also flooded with examples of user interface failures. The entertainment controls on most cars are horrible. Nobody knows why the screens have to be so bad. Likewise a lot of "enterprise software" and web pages for consumer services.
I think a challenge is that really sweating the details of a good digital interface is a hard problem, that is labor intensive beyond the budgets of all but the largest players in the industry.
This isn't to say the problem is unsolvable. Just hard.
You won't need amps in the future when you have telepathy instead. Just think of a bass sound and mentally transmit it to the audience. Here's a scene from the movie Flash Gordon for reference.
I have some rambling thoughts about this...
Probably more effective than a driver revolt, an independent safety agency in the EU has stated that they're going to downgrade the ratings of any car using touchscreens for functions that affect vehicle operation. They're not a regulatory body but their ratings are meaningful enough among the public to affect sales of new cars. So don't expect it to make the air conditioning controls to get any better, but it might mean the return of the turn signal lever, among other things.
Yesterday I saw a post on Mastodon observing that, for no apparent positive reason, their [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], and concluding that it was because it was cheaper for the manufacturer to add a bluetooth board to the subwoofer and shove the tone and volume control into an app than it was to add three knobs to the subwoofer cabinet. Which brings up the other facet of app-ization -- manufacturers are going to find offloading user interactions to external devices more appealing when the cost of doing so is less than the cost of manual controls. A commodity-level home theater audio system might be built to sell in the high tens or low hundreds of thousands, where it probably is cheaper to design around an app. Most of the software development is in kit form these days, and you don't need a high level of coding expertise to assemble the pieces together for a freely downloadable iPhone app. And the app has no additional costs* after its initial implementation, unlike the ongoing expense of every electronic module with knobs on it that have to be mounted on the speaker case. *(there's the annual fees necessary for the developer accounts used to post software to App Stores, but at a corporate level the prices are trivial.)
Again, they're manufacturing at volumes significantly greater than that for pro audio. In pro audio, the economic tradeoff through volume sales isn't there, so there is going to be a greater need for app-ified interfaces to justify themselves in practical ways to the users.
There isn't a safety agency for pro audio but the size of the market makes it easier for users to have direct communication with the manufacturers. So far the app-ization seems limited to areas where interactions are sufficiently complex that offloading the heavy work to an external device is reasonable, at least in the short term -- for modeling amps and multi-effects units and mixing boards. I don't think it will happen in our lifetimes for amps that have a relatively simple panel of knobs to control volume and tone.
Like bassists, replaced by AI and or backing tracks, and a bunch of dancers.
I don't think this is far off at all. The amp I think would be on the cab since Class D power amps are already so light. See that already with powered monitors. I have an idea for the future of bass amps. It could go two ways just based on what you are looking for.
First would be the unit. It would be an iPad screen type device. Same size as an iPad and would have internet connectivity and app capability. Just like an iPad, but for just music only, none of the other Apple/Android/whatnot stuff in the way. This device would hold everything like a multi effects unit. You would have apps to get any sound you want. Preamps, distortion, mods, dirt, whatnot. It would be like a more expansive Quad Cortex/Helix in a pad. There would be a wireless type connection between the bass and the pad and between the pad and the amp. Technology would have to be strong enough that there is no latency in the connections. The pad would be a pedalboard right at your fingertips. You could add a wireless footswitch if you want to be able to trigger with your feet. But you would be able to control everything on the pad. Lots of folks already using pads attached to their mic stand already.
There would also be a connection sent straight to the FOH board via a small receiver you could plug right into the xlr of the board. The cabs or monitors would have the class D power built in and would have an internal receiver to receive signal from the pad. You could go with traditional bass voiced cabs if you aren't running amp/cab simulations or FRFR type monitor cabs. On these cabs, you could have the option of a tube preamp as well. Looking at the Sushibox pedals, the Noble, and others, this could also be on the cab next to the class D power and would not add much at all in weight.
For example, a Mesa D-800 is 5.5 lb, a Genzler BA 210 is 37 lb, and a Sushibox Venus Z is maybe a lb or two, an Arkham Oracle is under 2 lb. So you would have an intact cab/monitor unit that could weigh about 43-44 lb. Maybe 50-55 for a 2x12 unit.
You would walk into a gig with your bass, that box, a pad, and an xlr connector for FOH (if needed) that would fit in your pocket. Get you a mic stand if you sing. That is it.
I know there are close solutions to this now, but I think it can really be boiled down this simple and have everything you could think of. Connectivity is the key. Once the techology gets the wireless connectivity at a crazy efficient level, we will see something like this.
First would be the unit. It would be an iPad screen type device. Same size as an iPad and would have internet connectivity and app capability. Just like an iPad, but for just music only, none of the other Apple/Android/whatnot stuff in the way. This device would hold everything like a multi effects unit. You would have apps to get any sound you want. Preamps, distortion, mods, dirt, whatnot. It would be like a more expansive Quad Cortex/Helix in a pad. There would be a wireless type connection between the bass and the pad and between the pad and the amp. Technology would have to be strong enough that there is no latency in the connections. The pad would be a pedalboard right at your fingertips. You could add a wireless footswitch if you want to be able to trigger with your feet. But you would be able to control everything on the pad. Lots of folks already using pads attached to their mic stand already.
There would also be a connection sent straight to the FOH board via a small receiver you could plug right into the xlr of the board. The cabs or monitors would have the class D power built in and would have an internal receiver to receive signal from the pad. You could go with traditional bass voiced cabs if you aren't running amp/cab simulations or FRFR type monitor cabs. On these cabs, you could have the option of a tube preamp as well. Looking at the Sushibox pedals, the Noble, and others, this could also be on the cab next to the class D power and would not add much at all in weight.
For example, a Mesa D-800 is 5.5 lb, a Genzler BA 210 is 37 lb, and a Sushibox Venus Z is maybe a lb or two, an Arkham Oracle is under 2 lb. So you would have an intact cab/monitor unit that could weigh about 43-44 lb. Maybe 50-55 for a 2x12 unit.
You would walk into a gig with your bass, that box, a pad, and an xlr connector for FOH (if needed) that would fit in your pocket. Get you a mic stand if you sing. That is it.
I know there are close solutions to this now, but I think it can really be boiled down this simple and have everything you could think of. Connectivity is the key. Once the techology gets the wireless connectivity at a crazy efficient level, we will see something like this.
New leaked photos on the dark web of the back side of "future amp"...
There have been many comments concerning the lack of knobs on the "future amp". I want you to know that I've heard you, and I directed my imaginary design team to address your concerns. After a lot of hard work, today I'm happy to announce the release of "future amp v2.0"!
This is the back side of the "future amp". Unfortunately, traditional knobs were too bulky, so we used rotary dials as a compromise. I'm sure some of you will be disappointed about the lack of "real" knobs. To those I apologize, but I'll keep my design team working on it
Of course, each dial can be assigned to any parameter you'd like. Those young whipper snappers using the touch screen can easily disable the dials to prevent accidentally changing parameters.
There have been many comments concerning the lack of knobs on the "future amp". I want you to know that I've heard you, and I directed my imaginary design team to address your concerns. After a lot of hard work, today I'm happy to announce the release of "future amp v2.0"!
This is the back side of the "future amp". Unfortunately, traditional knobs were too bulky, so we used rotary dials as a compromise. I'm sure some of you will be disappointed about the lack of "real" knobs. To those I apologize, but I'll keep my design team working on it
Of course, each dial can be assigned to any parameter you'd like. Those young whipper snappers using the touch screen can easily disable the dials to prevent accidentally changing parameters.
Since most of us bring a "spare" amp to gigs because... just in case, will we need to bring two of these to gigs because... just in case? And what would you do in a situation where competing blue tooth signals show up at a gig and someone in the audience is messing with stage signals?
Fishheadjoe
Fishheadjoe
Yeah - but can it play my bass for me?Here it is - the amp of the future!
(Apologies for my poor photoshop skills)
View attachment 5439836
A digital modeling / multi-effect processor with touch screen interface and fully integrated preamp / DI / 800W power amp - all in the palm of your hand!
Basically a Kemper, Fractal, etc. with a cell phone screen attached to a very compact amp head. It'll have everything you ever wanted:
3,500 effects (up to 128 simultaneously)
Store unlimited user patches
Cab sims and IR
Bluetooth / Wi-Fi / USB connectivity
Every type of input / output connection
2 hour looper
USB audio interface
MIDI I/O / Thru
Stereo FX loop
etc.....
A optional footswitch is available.
MSRP: $599.99
How is this miracle of technology even possible??? I don't know, go ask agedhorse.
I think this is where we're headed. Agree or disagree? Will you embrace this future or stick with your traditional gear?
Credit to Headrush Core screen that I totally used without permission
I was gonna say, it would be wearable tech, but on second thought, I think it'll be some kind of implant.
There's a logical outcome for the gifted acoustician, cornered by existential pressures...
Doesn't this thing need a "Swiss Army Knife" logo on it somewhere?Here it is - the amp of the future!
(Apologies for my poor photoshop skills)
View attachment 5439836
A digital modeling / multi-effect processor with touch screen interface and fully integrated preamp / DI / 800W power amp - all in the palm of your hand!
Basically a Kemper, Fractal, etc. with a cell phone screen attached to a very compact amp head. It'll have everything you ever wanted:
3,500 effects (up to 128 simultaneously)
Store unlimited user patches
Cab sims and IR
Bluetooth / Wi-Fi / USB connectivity
Every type of input / output connection
2 hour looper
USB audio interface
MIDI I/O / Thru
Stereo FX loop
etc.....
A optional footswitch is available.
MSRP: $599.99
How is this miracle of technology even possible??? I don't know, go ask agedhorse.
I think this is where we're headed. Agree or disagree? Will you embrace this future or stick with your traditional gear?
Credit to Headrush Core screen that I totally used without permission
Our AI overlord has a different vision of the future.
Call me a technophobe.
Heck! Call me a dinosaur.
But there are some old fashioned concepts that I'm not willing to compromise, not least for the sake of convenience over quality / cost.
Unless a bass amp uses real Conniefitun, it cannot be considered a bass amp at all!
Arguably, the opposite is true;
It's a niche market, where user experience / interface is paramount, and a degree of tactile control is essential, combined with an almost military grade robustness.
That is all factored into the cost.
But yeah, at the consumer, and pro-sumer end of the market, it makes it easier for new brands with a fresh idea to enter, and build an affordable product to a much smaller budget, in greater numbers.
New leaked photos on the dark web of the back side of "future amp"...
There have been many comments concerning the lack of knobs on the "future amp". I want you to know that I've heard you, and I directed my imaginary design team to address your concerns. After a lot of hard work, today I'm happy to announce the release of "future amp v2.0"!
View attachment 5440851
This is the back side of the "future amp". Unfortunately, traditional knobs were too bulky, so we used rotary dials as a compromise. I'm sure some of you will be disappointed about the lack of "real" knobs. To those I apologize, but I'll keep my design team working on it
Of course, each dial can be assigned to any parameter you'd like. Those young whipper snappers using the touch screen can easily disable the dials to prevent accidentally changing parameters.
There's a back side to this amp?
You mean it occupies three dimensions?
Pfft!
Doesn't sound very futuristic to me
