A broad range of basic and esoteric reverbs, all with excellent tones, ready for recall at the drop of a foot.
Pros
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The sounds are excellent.
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Can be used as an audio interface.
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Up to 300 storable presets.
Cons
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Pricey.
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All of the pedals in the AmpliTube X-Series share the same three-footswitch form factor. So, like the X-Vibe modulation, and X-Time delay, the X-Space has both mono and stereo connectivity and full MIDI implementation.
There are 16 algorithms and up to 300 storable presets that can be managed with the included librarian app and used in AmpliTube 5. Also, the necessary USB computer connection lets the pedal function as an audio interface for recording, with or without cab sim.
While basically preset-based, the pedals have physical knobs to quickly adjust the main parameters, while several more are accessed with a push-and-turn parameter knob. Presets and banks are easily recalled for live use and you get some useful performance features, such as being able to add an expression pedal, and the X-Mode facility, which momentarily alters a parameter by holding down a footswitch.
(Image credit: Future / Phil Barker)
Among the usual straight reverb types, Hall, Room, Chamber and Church give you the sense of dimensional space you’d expect.
The Plate and Spring emulations deliver the sonic flavour of the real physical thing and offer enough parameters to dial in the exact sound to sit well with your rig, the Plate having different damping parameters for the low, mid and high frequencies. You also get gated reverb, an ‘early reflections’ algorithm that’s useful for building the sound of very small spaces, a reverb that swells in, and a cool reverse reverb.
The rest are altered and enhanced reverbs. There are two types of Shimmer: one where a single shimmer pitch can be set; the next with two pitches so you can set up harmonies or discordances.
Most of the others have various modulation options to create movement and floaty ambiences and, with no tap tempo, you get instant footswitch access to three presets, rather than the two of the other pedals.
Trevor Curwen has played guitar for several decades – he's also mimed it on the UK's Top of the Pops. Much of his working life, though, has been spent behind the mixing desk, during which time he has built up a solid collection of the guitars, amps and pedals needed to cover just about any studio session. He writes pedal reviews for Guitarist and has contributed to Total Guitar, MusicRadar and Future Music among others.
