Dream '65, Ruby '63 and Woodrow '55 units offer US, UK and Tweed amp tones, while serving up tube reverb and vibrato sounds, a handful of speaker sims and mobile app sound-sculpting powers
(Image credit: Universal Audio)
Though the company isn’t attending NAMM 2022, Universal Audio has sought to capitalize on the ongoing gear hype by unveiling an all-new range of UAFX guitar amp emulator pedals.
Comprising three pedalboard-friendly units – Dream ‘65 Reverb, Ruby ‘63 Top Boost and Woodrow ‘55 Instrument – the UAFX pedal amps promise to provide authentic tube amp tones courtesy of the company’s UAD modeling technology and dual-engine processing.
As an overview, each pedal offers a distinct tonal option, and serves up a number of speaker cabinet, mic and room tone pairings, which have been derived from Universal Audio’s award-winning OX Amp Top Box.
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(Image credit: Universal Audio)
(Image credit: Universal Audio)
(Image credit: Universal Audio)
A number of amp-specific extras – including custom boosts and circuit mods, tube reverb and vibrato – are also available, with an additional UAFX mobile app aiming to provide an extra level of hands-on tone-tweaking capabilities.
When used alongside the UAFX app, all three UAFX pedals are said to be able to tap into the tones of UA-approving artists such as Tim Pierce, Nels Cline, Cory Wong and more.
The pedal amps are also highly configurable – presets can be saved and footswitch operation can be personalized.
Each UAFX unit features six control knobs – which adjust a variety of sound-sculpting parameters – as well as three toggle switches that engage the onboard effects and speaker cabs.
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For specifics, the Dream ‘65 Reverb takes inspiration from the cleans, breakups and spring reverb and vibrato of US tube amps favored by the likes of the Beatles, Muddy Waters, Elvis Costello and others – dare we guess Fender‘s Twin Reverb?
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(Image credit: Universal Audio)
(Image credit: Universal Audio)
(Image credit: Universal Audio)
Control-wise, it features knobs for Volume, Reverb, Output, Bass,Treble and Boost, as well as a speaker-switching toggle that flicks between GB25, Oxford and EV12 alternatives.
The Ruby ‘63, meanwhile, aims to offer up the same UK tube amp tones that were employed by names such as Queen, Radiohead and U2 – aka the Vox AC30. This time, the speaker toggle offers Silver, Blue and Green options, while the parameters are reserved for Volume, Cut, Output, Bass, Treble and Boost.
Capping off the list is the Woodrow ‘55 Instrument – a Tweed Deluxe-inspired offering that pays homage to the sounds utilized by Neil Young, Chuck Berry and the Eagles. BlU15, JP12 and GB25 speakers are on offer via the left-hand toggle switch.
Instrument Volume, Mic Volume, Output, Room, Tone and Boost knobs complete the control set.
“When it comes to tone, guitarists are as discerning as they come,” said Bill Putnam Jr., CEO of Universal Audio.
He added, “We spared no expense in our multi-year effort to capture the sound of these amps, and knew we were done when we stopped talking and got lost in their sound.”
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
