NuX Amp Academy Stomp – The Sleeper Hit of 2026?

Every now and then, something lands on the desk that doesn’t just feel like another incremental update—it feels like a bit of a statement. The Amp Academy Stomp might just be one of those.

On the surface, it looks like another compact amp modeller. Dig a little deeper though, and you realise there’s a lot going on here. So much so, in fact, that editing it on the unit itself almost feels like doing things the hard way—just use the app, trust me.

Power Amp Section – The Secret Sauce

Let’s start with what might be the most interesting feature: the power amp section.

This lets you mix and match different power amp types with different preamps—even combinations that don’t exist in the real world. Want a Fender-style preamp running into something a bit more British on the power side? Go for it.

Now, the differences aren’t night and day, but they’re just enough to matter. It adds another layer of tweakability that you don’t often see in units at this level.

Old School Inputs, New School Flexibility

One of the really nice touches carried over from previous NuX units is the amp input modelling.

High/low inputs on vintage Fender-style amps

Four-input Plexi setups with jumper options

It’s the kind of detail that doesn’t scream for attention, but once you start using it, you realise how much it adds to shaping your base tone.

Cab Sims – Where Things Get Seriously Impressive

The cab section is where this thing really starts flexing.

• You’re getting:
• Stereo cab sims as standard
• Independent level control per cab
• High and low cuts
• Panning for wide stereo spreads or tight blends
• Multiple mic options with 20 positions per cab

It’s properly in-depth without feeling overwhelming. You can go from subtle studio-style blending to massive, wide stereo tones without breaking a sweat.

And if that’s not enough? You’ve got a bunch of IR slots ready to load in your own favourites.

Noise Gates, Drives & The Essentials

When you start pushing gain, things can get messy—but NuX have thought about that too.

You’ve got two flavours of noise gate:

• A more traditional ISP-style gate
• A frequency-targeting option, similar to an EHX Hum Debugger approach

That second option is particularly handy for surgical clean-up without killing your tone.

On top of that, there’s a solid selection of drive pedals built in to push your amp tones further. Nothing too wild, but more than enough to cover your bases.

Reverbs & FX Loop – Keeping It Practical

Reverb-wise, it’s a nice, sensible selection including Spring, Plate,  Room,  and a surprisingly usable shimmer. They haven’t gone overboard here, which is what this unit is about. Amp sims at the core, everything else surrounding it to support that main feature. 

If you want more? That’s where the FX loop comes in—and crucially, you can move it around in the signal chain. Perfect if you want to drop in something like a TC Electronic Plethora X1, X3 or X5 for modulation duties and build out a full rig around the unit.

NAM Compatibility – And Yes, It Does the Thing

Now, here’s the bit people have been waiting for.

The Amp Academy Stomp supports NAM (Neural Amp Modelling)… and it lets you run those profiles alongside the stereo cab section.

It is impressive.

A lot of units at this level force you to choose between NAM and cab sims. Not here. You get both. It’s very much the next step on from what we saw with units like the Tiny Stomp—but pushed further into proper gig-ready territory.

Built for the Stage

Speaking of gigging, this isn’t just a studio toy.

The footswitching options really hammer that home:

• Assignable switches for effects
• Scene-based setups (verse, chorus, lead, etc.)
• Flexible control over your entire signal chain

It’s designed to be used live, not just tweaked at home.

A Bit of a Sleeping Giant?

The NuX Amp Academy Stomp feels like one of those releases that’s quietly slipped under the radar… for now.

It’s got:

• Deep amp and cab control
• Proper stereo flexibility
• NAM compatibility done right
• Genuine gigging potential

If something like the Tiny Stomp feels like the perfect home or studio companion, this is the next step up—a fully-fledged, gig-ready rig in a compact box.

NuX have been oddly quiet about just how capable this thing is. But give it time… once people catch on, this could very easily be one of the standout units of 2026.

Deep Dive with the Soran Tiny Stomp – More Than Just a Budget Modeller

After dropping the initial video on the Tiny Stomp, it felt only right to spend a bit more time with it. Not just a quick demo, but a proper sit-down, poke-around, “what actually is this thing capable of?” kind of session. 

Safe to say… there’s a lot going on under the hood.

First Impressions – it is more than just a nam player than can do cab sims at the same time.

The beauty of something like the Tiny Stomp is that it invites you to just explore. You can find yourself dialling in tones you wouldn't usually lean towards because that effect is there. One thing that was asked about time and time again in the comments was the looper. On the recent live stream, I had the tiny stomp on the floor and could activate the looper with my foot. For those wondering if the buttons are substantial enough, I did a few loops on the live stream and it worked perfectly well. I probably wouldn't trust it putting full weight on it, but whilst sitting down then you certainly can. We added some of the built in drums into the mix too and, surprisingly, they stood up really well. Not studio quality, by any stretch, but not soulless 90s midi drums either. It is definitely a win for me. 

Delay Section – Simple, But Covers Ground

Working through the delay options, you’ve got your usual suspects:

Digital (bright and cutting)

Modulated (a bit of that MXR Carbon Copy-style movement)

Tape (warmer, softer repeats)

Reverse (because chaos is sometimes necessary)

None of them are reinventing the wheel, but they all do a decent job. The modulated and tape delays in particular add a bit of character, especially when you start stacking them with gain.

Amp & Cab Pairing – Where It Gets Interesting

Switching over to a JCM800-style model, paired with a V30-loaded 4x12 cab, things start to feel very familiar—in a good way.

Where this unit actually punches above its weight is in the cab and mic options. You’re not just stuck with a static cab sound; you can tweak mic types and placement:

MD421 for a balanced punch

E906 for that upper mid bite

SM57 (because of course… it’s the benchmark)

It’s these little touches that make it feel less like a toy and more like a genuinely usable bit of kit.

Modulation – A Pleasant Surprise

Cheaper multi-FX units can be a bit hit-or-miss when it comes to modulation—but the Tiny Stomp actually holds its own. There’s a particular vibe-style effect in there that nails that slightly uneven, lopsided wobble you’d expect from vintage units.

It doesn’t feel overly clinical or perfectly symmetrical—it’s got a bit of character to it, which is exactly what you want.

The Weird Stuff – Hit and Miss (As Expected)

The pitch shifter, for example, is… fine for single notes. Start throwing chords at it and it begins to struggle a bit. That’s not exactly a shock at this price point. Remember, this thing comes in at less money than a stand alone pitch shifter tends to cost, it is all relative.

On the flip side, the fuzz models are actually better than expected. A lot of budget units tend to not really get the character of fuzz, with it being more of a bass-heavy distortion more than anything. Now, I'm not saying this is a perfect recreation of a vintage Fuzz Face, but absolutely usable in a pinch.

 Why This Thing Is So Fun

The Soran Tiny Stomp isn’t about perfection—it’s about possibility. It’s a compact, affordable unit that lets you:

Experiment with different amp and cab combinations

Explore effects without needing a full pedalboard

Get genuinely usable tones with minimal fuss

More importantly, it makes you want to play. You start off testing features and end up just jamming—which is always a good sign.

It might not replace your full rig, but as a grab-and-go creative tool, home practice and demo recording just stepped up the game. 

Revisiting the Boss OS-2 OverDrive/Distortion – Underrated or Underwhelming?

Today we’re giving the old OS-2 another crack at the whip. It’s long been labelled the runt of the Boss drive litter—but is that actually fair? Or has it just been misunderstood all these years?

On paper, this thing should be a bit of a winner. You’ve got two circuits in one box: an overdrive and a distortion, with the ability to blend between the two using the Colour control. That’s a pretty forward-thinking idea, especially considering when this pedal first dropped.

 The Overdrive Side – Perfectly Fine… Just Not Special

Let’s start with the overdrive side. If you’re familiar with classics like the Boss OD-3 OverDrive, Boss BD-2 Blues Driver or even the humble Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive, you’ll know Boss can absolutely nail this kind of circuit.

The OS-2… doesn’t quite reach those heights.

It’s not bad by any stretch. You can get some nice **low-gain grit and boost-style tones**, especially with the gain kept in check. In fact, it behaves best in that lower-to-mid gain range. Push it too far though, and things start to feel a bit noisy and a touch unrefined—particularly by modern standards.

There’s also that classic older Boss quirk: **the tone control sweet spot**. Sit in the wrong part of the sweep and things can get a bit fizzy or a bit dull. Find the middle ground, though, and it behaves itself nicely enough.

The USP – Blending OD and Distortion

Now, this is where things get interesting.

The OS-2 isn’t really about the individual circuits—it’s about how they interact. Boss clearly had a vision here, and you can see that Boss clearly saw potential in this idea with later pedals like the Boss JB-2 Angry Driver.

Set the Colour control right in the middle, and something quite cool happens. You get this tight, crunchy definition from the overdrive side, with a softer, mushier distortion layered underneath. It’s arguably the best sound in the pedal—the actual sweet spot where everything clicks.

The frustrating bit? It feels like the individual building blocks aren’t quite polished enough to fully realise that idea. It’s like a great concept that just needed a bit more refinement.

Pushing an Amp – Does It Redeem Itself?

You’d think a pedal like this might come alive when used as a boost into a driven amp—and to be fair, it does a decent job.

But again, it’s a crowded field. There are plenty of pedals that do this better, cleaner, and with more character. The OS-2 holds its own, but it doesn’t exactly stand out.

So… Is It Actually Any Good?

Here’s the honest take:

It’s not as bad as people say… but it’s also not exactly a hidden gem.

It lands somewhere in the middle as a perfectly usable, slightly unrefined drive pedal with an interesting core idea. There are players out there who absolutely swear by it—and for certain setups, I can believe it works brilliantly. But it often feels like they’re getting great tones in spite of the pedal rather than directly from it.

Final Thoughts

If you can grab a Boss OS-2 OverDrive/Distortion cheap on the used market, it’s definitely worth a punt. There’s enough in there to have a bit of fun with, especially if you lean into that blended sweet spot.

At full price though? Absolutely not.

You could easily look towards something like the Joyo King of Kings for less money. Ok, it doesn't do exactly what this does but you can get overdrive out of it, you can get distortion out of it and, more importantly, it sounds great in most settings.

The OS-2 isn’t a disaster. It’s just… a bit average. And in a world full of incredible drive pedals, “average” is sometimes the hardest thing to justify.