Disclaimer: APFX provided me a free license for the Primo plugin to review. However, all opinions expressed in this post are my own.
To use PRIMO, you need audio software that can load it. We officially support the following desktop and mobile DAWs:
PRIMO includes a standalone version (64-bit only) available on macOS, Windows, and iPadOS. Support is guaranteed for these operating systems and software platforms, though that doesn’t mean our plugins won’t work in other DAWs.
iPadOS
Primo is a guitar amp modeling plugin that follows a “think less, play more” philosophy. It has a simple yet versatile user interface that lets you dial in all kinds of tones—from jazzy lines to modern metal and everything in between. The UI is designed for maximum usability, making it easy to get great sounds quickly without unnecessary distractions.
According to APFX, they used AI to carefully capture “the soul of a boutique handmade Italian amp,” but they don’t mention any specific brand. From what I gathered on their website, they used certain amplifiers as the foundation of their model, then added their own twist.
APFX puts a lot of emphasis on user-friendliness and ease of tone-shaping. For the most part, the plugin really is straightforward. You get a two-channel layout combined with some basic effects and tone-shaping tools, giving you a wide tonal palette to work with.
Besides traditional gain and volume controls, each channel features a 3-band EQ. You can also add compression, overdrive, chorus, phaser, delay, and reverb to both channels. Like many modern plugins, Primo includes an IR-loader plus a selection of impulse responses from Choptones, with the option to upload your own IRs as well.
Right out of the gate, I’m getting tones I really enjoy. The clean-ish tone has a vintage-flavored vibe, which is exactly what I like in a clean sound. Playing softly yields a glassy, edge-of-breakup tone, while digging in a bit harder introduces a nice dynamic crunch you can control with your pick. There’s a good amount of dynamics here, and the plugin feels “real” to play.
Switching to the second channel, I get a more “British-flavored” tone that doesn’t immediately remind me of any specific amp. It covers everything from rock to modern metal, even with the somewhat vintage-spec HSS guitar I was using. The built-in effects, though fairly basic, provide a nice array of “colors” to experiment with. In particular, Primo leans a bit into those 80s tones, which I personally love.
For me, this plugin is a no-brainer: it sounds great, it’s easy to use, and it’s incredibly versatile. Plus, you can get it for both your computer and iPad for under 30 euros. I really enjoyed the tones I was getting and how good it felt to play. I do wish it had a few more presets built in to showcase its range, but given how easy it is to dial in your own sounds, I don’t see that as a big downside.
If you’re interested in getting Primo for your computer or iPad, you can find all the details here:
https://apfxaudio.com/products/primo
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