NAM A2 Isn't Just Better... It's the Moment You Realise What You've Been Missing
When I put together my recent video comparing NAM A1 and the brand-new NAM A2 architecture, I deliberately kept my opinions out of it.
The idea was simple: same guitar, same riff, same profile, same signal chain. The only thing changing was whether the profile had been created using the original A1 architecture or the new A2. Then I left it to you to decide what you were hearing.
Having spent a lot more time listening back to the clips, though, I think I've landed firmly on where I stand.
Clean Tones? Honestly... It's Hard to Tell
Let's start with the clean examples because I think this is where a lot of people expected there to be a dramatic difference.
Personally, I don't hear one.
Or at least, not one that really matters.
If there are differences, they're incredibly subtle. Perhaps there's a tiny bit more openness here or a touch more detail there, but we're talking about changes that could probably be matched with a slight tweak of an EQ control.
If somebody swapped between A1 and A2 in a blind test on a clean Fender-style amp, I'm not convinced I'd confidently pick one every single time.
That's not a criticism of A2 either. It's more a compliment to just how good A1 already was.
Then You Add Gain...
Everything changes.
The crunchy amp comparison was the moment that made me sit up.
Don't get me wrong, the A1 profile sounds fantastic. If you'd told me a few years ago that we'd have access to captures that accurate for free, I'd have laughed.
It's thick and punchy.
It has all the characteristics you'd expect from a great cranked amp.
If all you'd ever heard was the A1 version, you'd probably think, "That sounds incredible."
Then you switch to A2.
And suddenly your brain goes...
"No... that's incredible."
The best way I can describe it is that the entire sound seems to open up.
It's almost like someone has pulled back a curtain that you didn't even realise was there.
The 1080p vs 4K Comparison
Trying to describe sound is always difficult because we end up borrowing words from other senses.
A1 is like watching something in 1080p. It looked fantastic for years. Then somebody puts the same footage next to a true 4K version. Suddenly you're seeing textures you didn't know existed.
The 1080p version didn't suddenly become bad...you've just realised what was missing.
That's exactly how A2 feels to me. The harmonics become clearer. There's more sparkle on the top end. The note separation improves. Everything just feels more three-dimensional.
Higher Gain Makes the Difference Even More Obvious
If the crunch comparison was impressive, the high-gain Soldano example removed almost all doubt for me.
That's where A2 really stretches its legs.
Higher gain naturally compresses a guitar signal, so any extra clarity is incredibly valuable. Instead of everything blending together into one wall of distortion, individual notes retain more definition. It's not a completely different sound. It's simply a more convincing version of what was already there.
So What Does This Mean Going Forward?
This is probably the part that excites me the most.
We've already seen several manufacturers publicly say they're working on bringing NAM A2 support to their hardware.
Companies like Sonicake, Valeton and NuX have all posted that they're looking at implementing the new architecture across compatible products.
At the time of writing, nobody has confirmed exactly which units will receive support or when that might happen.
Realistically, I'm not expecting every entry-level modeller to suddenly gain A2 overnight. Ultra-budget devices with very limited processing power may simply not have the horsepower.
That said, one of the interesting suggestions surrounding A2 is that the architecture is actually more efficient than A1.
If that turns out to be true, it opens up some really interesting possibilities.
Could even some of the smaller, cheaper units eventually run A2 captures?
Right now, that's just speculation on my part.
But it's exciting speculation.
Budget Modelling Just Keeps Getting Better
One of the things I've loved watching over the last few years is how quickly affordable modelling has evolved.
What used to require expensive flagship hardware is now appearing in units that cost a fraction of the price.
NAM A1 already felt like a huge leap forward.
NAM A2 doesn't make A1 obsolete—it simply refines it.
It's another step towards making genuinely world-class amp captures available to just about everyone.
And if this is the direction things are heading, I don't think we're anywhere near the ceiling yet.
Personally, I can't wait to hear what comes next.
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