Available for download, IK Multimedia’s Ampeg SVX is software that emulates the world-renowned and well-regarded sound of Ampeg amplifier heads and speaker cabinets. It also provides models of the microphones used to capture these cabinets in the studio, as well as a comprehensive pedalboard with overdrive, wah, chorus, envelope filtering, and more. You’ll even find a digital, accurate, and chromatic tuner.
It is primarily intended to be used with electric basses, though it has been known to sound good on guitars, keyboards, or any signal to which you’d like to lend the sound of an emulated bass amplifier. Indeed, it has been designed with a stereo path to encourage such experimentation.
The software uses Dynamic Saturation Modeling and Volumetric Response Modeling technologies to provide a realistic emulation of Ampeg gear. As such, it is a suitable choice for producers, mixing engineers, and other studio stalwarts looking to impart more mojo upon a relatively dry DI’ed bass tone. It should be noted, however, that integration with IK Multimedia’s series of hardware products offers you the ability to use this software onstage, and therefore, to bring the sound of Ampeg hardware to your live gig in a comparatively compact form factor.
Many presets have been provided to get you started. They are tagged extensively for advanced search, and are designed to offer great bass timbres out of the gate. Any preset you build for yourself can be shared, if you choose, using Preset Xchange—though you can also keep them to yourself; the decision is yours.
The software operates in 64-bit, is compatible with Mac and Windows platforms, and works in Audio Units, VST2, VST3, and AAX formats. It also operates as a standalone application, in which case you’ll have access to a multitrack recorder to capture ideas.