Ludington, MI, United States
About this listing
OverviewThe Hughes & Kettner Spirit of Metal is a compact, high-gain amplifier head designed specifically for guitarists seeking powerful metal tones in a highly portable package. Released in October 2020 as part of the Spirit Nano series, this innovative "nano amp" stands out for its unique Spirit Tone Generator technology, which aims to replicate the analog feel and dynamics of a traditional tube amplifier without using actual tubes or digital modeling. Weighing a mere 1.1 kg (2.4 lbs) with its power supply, and roughly the size of a thick paperback, the Spirit of Metal defies its diminutive dimensions by delivering up to 50 watts of power into a 4-ohm load, making it suitable for everything from silent practice with headphones to rehearsals and even small gigs. It matters to the modern guitarist for its blend of portability, power, and authentic high-gain analog tone, making tube-like response accessible in a solid-state format.History & DevelopmentHughes & Kettner, a renowned German manufacturer of guitar and bass amplifiers founded in 1984, has a history of innovation in amplifier technology. The Spirit of Metal, alongside its siblings the Spirit of Rock and Spirit of Vintage, emerged from the company's development of the "Spirit Tone Generator" technology. This award-winning bionic design was first introduced in the larger Black Spirit 200 amplifier, and its success led to its miniaturization for the Spirit Nano series. The core philosophy behind the Spirit Tone Generator was to meticulously reproduce the complex analog processes and interactive nature of a tube circuit using purely analog components, rather than relying on digital emulation.The Spirit Nano series was officially released in October 2020. Hughes & Kettner's Senior Product Manager, Rüdiger Forse, stated that the goal was to condense the "spirit of legendary tones" into three small but powerful amps, each echoing a distinct chapter in guitar sound history. The Spirit of Metal was specifically voiced to cover the spectrum from classic '80s metal sounds to the aggressive bombast of modern metal tones, fitting into the manufacturer's lineup as an ultra-compact, high-gain specialist within their innovative Spirit line. Its development aimed to provide a robust, reliable, and expressive amplifier that could be used across various scenarios without sacrificing the feel and dynamics typically associated with tube amps.Circuit Design & SpecificationsThe Hughes & Kettner Spirit of Metal is built around the proprietary "Spirit Tone Generator" technology, an entirely analog circuit designed to mimic the topology and characteristics of tube amplifiers. This means it delivers a tube-like playing experience with zero latency, without employing digital modeling.A key circuit design feature is the "Sagging" control, which allows players to dial in power amp saturation and tube-like compression independently of the volume level. This emulates the dynamic response of a tube amp recovering from a voltage drop, providing control over the amp's "feel". The headphone output features a built-in Red Box cabinet emulator, derived from Hughes & Kettner's TubeMeister series, enabling silent practice with a studio-quality cabinet simulation. Additionally, the unfiltered line output is ideal for integrating software-based cabinet impulse responses (IRs) or direct recording into an audio interface. An integrated noise gate helps manage the high gain sounds. The amp also includes an Auto Shut Off (A.E.S) switch, which powers down the unit after 90 minutes of idle time to conserve energy.SpecificationType Solid State Nano Amp Head with Spirit Tone Generator technologyPower Output 25W @ 8 ohms; up to 50W @ 4 ohmsPower Amp Class Ultra Response power amp (behaves like tube-based cousins)Tube/Transistor Complement No tubes (solid-state with "Spirit Tone Generator" bionic analog circuitry)Rectifier Type Solid-state (analog replication of tube rectifier sag)Channels1Controls Master, Sagging, Tone, Gain, InputSpeaker Configuration Head unit; compatible with 4, 8, or 16 ohm speaker cabinets (can power 4x12 cabs)Effects No built-in digital effects like reverb/tremolo; includes Red Box cabinet emulation on headphones out, and an integrated Noise GateEffects LoopNoInputs 1 x 1/4" Instrument Input, 1 x 1/8" (3.5mm) Aux InputOutputs 1 x 1/4" Headphone Output (with Red Box cab emulation), 1 x 1/4" Line Output (unfiltered), 2 x 1/4" Speaker Outputs (4-16 ohms)Dimensions (W x D x H) 190 x 90 x 90 mm (7.4" x 3.5" x 3.5")Weight1 .1 kg (2.4 lbs) with power supply; 725 g (approx. 1.6 lbs) without power supplyTone & Sound CharacterThe Hughes & Kettner Spirit of Metal is specifically voiced for metal and high-gain genres, offering a versatile range of aggressive, tight, and articulate tones. Despite being solid-state, its Spirit Tone Generator technology provides a remarkably tube-like sound and feel, with impressive dynamics and responsiveness.Clean Tone: While primarily a high-gain amp, with careful adjustment of the gain knob (e.g., set low), it can produce usable clean tones, though reviewers note it may still exhibit a certain character due to the humbuckers typically paired with this amp. It's not its primary strength, but it's capable of offering clean articulation.Overdrive Characteristics: The Spirit of Metal excels in producing massive amounts of gain, from classic '80s metal crunch to modern, scooped, and aggressive saturation. The "Tone" control is uniquely voiced for metal, allowing for dialing in sounds from thick, fat grunge and doom metal to razor-sharp thrash and screaming leads. The bass response is noted as big and chunky but tight, with mids that can be prominent or scooped. The amp has ample gain reserves, often making external boosters unnecessary.Dynamic Response: A standout feature is the "Sagging" control, which significantly impacts the dynamic response. It allows players to fine-tune the power amp saturation, mimicking the compression and "give" of a cranked tube amp. This enables a punchy, articulate low end and allows for a nuanced playing feel that reacts to attack and volume settings.Genres/Styles: As its name suggests, the amp is ideally suited for various metal subgenres, including classic metal, modern metal, thrash, doom, stoner, hard rock, and high-gain rock. Its versatility allows for tones ranging from tight, aggressive riffing to big, loose fuzz walls.
Price$169.95
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