Disclaimer: The Friedman IR-X was sent to me by Friedman, and I get to keep it as compensation for my work. However, the company has no say in the things I mention in the video/post.
Features
- All-tube HIGH-VOLTAGE preamp – DI
- 2 x 12AX7 preamp tubes
- Two independent channels + boost
- Channel 1 (Top channel) clean to gritty
- Channel 2 (Bottom channel) high gain drive
- MIDI programmable features:
- Channel select / Boost
- IR select
- Thump and Presence – three-way switch per channel
- Effects loop ON/OFF
- Boost Lock
- Power amp simulation with software-editable Presence and Thump (per channel)
- Low-latency Impulse Response cabinet simulation (bypassable)
- Three-position CAB/IR select switch per channel (programmable via software)
- 12 free Friedman IRs or load your own
- Boost Volume and Gain controls (per channel)
- Volume and Gain controls (per channel)
- Full EQ consisting of Bass, Middle, Treble (per channel)
- 3-way Bright switch (Channel 1)
- 2-way Tight switch (Channel 2)
- Three multi-function footswitches
- Ultra-transparent series FX loop (bypassable)
- TRS balanced output
- Headphone output
- MIDI 5-pin standard connector and USB MIDI
- USB software editor – powered by SYNERGY
- Limited 3-year Warranty
- Universal 12V Power Supply Included
- 6-foot USB2.0 A Male to B Male cable Included
- Dimensions (Including Knobs): 5.5” (D) x 6.5” (W) x 2.3” (H)
- Weight: 1.5 lbs.
First Impressions
Unboxing the IR-X, I’m immediately impressed by how solid the pedal feels. There’s a nice weight to it, and everything feels well-built and solid. The amp-style knobs feel great, and overall, the pedal feels well made, which is something you would expect from Friedman, especially at this price point.
I plug in my trusty Tele with Sheptone pickups into the IR-X, and with all controls on the first channel at 12, I’m getting that classic Friedman tone right out of the box. Just like the amp the Friedman BE-OD is based on, the preamp sounds fantastic from the get-go.
Without getting into the whole modeler vs real amps debate, I really like how dynamic and responsive the pedal feels. So far, I’m really impressed.
How Does It Sound?
One thing you should understand about the IR-X is that it’s not designed to produce a wide variety of tones. Instead, it gives you a huge number of shades of the same legendary British tones that thousands of guitarists have loved over the decades.
Unlike with some affordable modelers, all your guitar’s tonal differences are more noticeable, and swapping guitars for different songs or song parts feels more significant. The preamp also cleans up beautifully when you turn down the volume knob on your guitar.
To push the tonal limits of the IR-X, I decided to experiment with a few very different impulse responses, and the results were a pleasant surprise. Switching the cabinet to a Vox or Fender-style IR made a massive difference, and with a bit of tweaking, I was getting tones I didn’t think were possible with this unit. This could be especially handy when you’re recording lots of guitar layers for a song.
Other Highlight Features
The Bright and Tight switches add more options to fine-tune your tone, and the boost function gives you more of whatever sound you have going on at that moment. The unit is clearly designed for all kinds of setups, with the ability to bypass the Impulse Response or the preamp loop to integrate it seamlessly with your amp.
There are a few more tweaking options available, including the ability to upload your own impulse responses by connecting the preamp to your computer. The editor app allows you to upload custom IRs and program MIDI commands for any live situation.
Is the Friedman IR-X Good?
I don’t think the Friedman IR-X is for everyone because, in a nutshell, it offers many shades of one (legendary) tone. But for those of us who love this tone but can’t achieve it without annoying family or bandmates, it’s a true problem solver.
To me, the IR-X stands out when it comes to that Plexi tone and touch sensitivity. It’s difficult to make it sound bad, which I feel is the point here.
I also realize the IR-X isn’t exactly affordable, and you can get plenty of high-quality modelers for the same price. But again, that’s not the point. For me, the IR-X is the perfect blend of old and new, where I can still have that tube feel (and sound, if you believe in such a thing) without breaking my back.
Interested to get your Friedman IR-X?
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►►Get Friedman IR-X At Thomann: https://thmn.to/thoprod/572666?offid=1&affid=394
►►Get Friedman IR-X On Reverb: https://tidd.ly/3Tjw82W
‘►►Get Friedman IR-X On Sweetwater: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/ZQ2g0z
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