Walrus Audio Mako Series: ACS1 Amp + Cab Simulator

[@bensinger6031]

Very cool that you can run two amp types independently and good selection of Radiohead tracks there! Might've swung it for me.

[@stevenwang3396]

Board going from 99% walrus to 100% walrus

[@NWD518]

Don’t lie you have a boss tuner….

[@c0unterac342]

​@@NWD518 real folks use Korg tuners or Polytuners

[@DalelCampbell]

The ability to use two amps is a really strong feature. I love the pairing of a vox and a fender. We'll have to see if the sound is up to par with the Iridium. I have my doubts, but we will see.

[@RedCarRecords]

Love how much Radiohead has been featured in these recent videos. Good on you Walrus for making this stereo AND mix/match compatible!

[@Michael_Is_Avg]

I've been a Kemper user forever, but I'm wanting to get away from menus and sub-menus and digital screens. Selling that set-up and purchasing a R1, D1, and ACS1 for a little fly rig. This mako series is just incredible. Throw a couple dirt pedals in front of them and you have a compact set-up that can handle about anything.

[@walrusaudioeffects]

Yes! Would make a great fly rig!

[@DoctorMcFarlandStudios]

I want to do the same. I love the kemper but all the editing can get tiresome.

[@LoVeAmBiEnT]

And I now have every Mako pedal you guys are awesome just got this pedal in the mail today

[@leftthechatsound]

My Black Friday 2024 purchase!

[@カーロス-w1g]

The Bluesbreaker model alone makes it nicer than the Iridium.

[@claytonmurrayguitar]

Excited to try it. But the Plexi model on the Iridium is really good! It's probably my favorite model on it.

[@gonebymidnight2881]

I prefer a superlead but I purchased the ACS1 anyway no regrets

[@seanachiescourt6659]

walrus you guys are amazing =) i own a fathom and in some distant future i plan on investing into more of your effects and even acs1 looks amazing!! gj!

[@jmoody3]

Wow. I’m just learning about this unit. As much as I’m a Tech21 guy, I can definitely confirm that this is the next purchase. This is a solid answer to running direct when needed.

[@johntierney387]

I just want to say, I bought this pedal and it is singularly the very, very best guitar pedal I’ve ever heard, played or owned. It’s next level. I put an exceptional TS808 in front of it and you can’t get an even mediocre sound, impossible. If I could own only one pedal for life, it would be so easy to choose this one. For the record, my favorite tones: Syd Barrett, Roger McGuinn(5d era), Polvo, early Beatles, early Stones...

[@walrusaudioeffects]

Thanks so much!

[@kinomex]

The L&R switch 🔥

[@andrewkirschmann4779]

2 new things?! Wow!!!

[@revol40]

Wish I knew about this before, I just bought the Iridium.

[@Theroamingmoto]

@Tyler Wilhelm I love my iridium!

[@timothyemery1298]

That was my first though - though it might just be the choice of tones, I prefer my iridium to what I heard here. Though I'd love the flexibility this has with mixing different amp tones - I definitely want to give this amp sim a shot though!

[@Matt-mk8ph]

Wait a few months after it comes out and you will be able yo trade your Iridium for one easy. I like the way the Iridium sounds then anything I heard here.

[@bengaulden4655]

@@Matt-mk8ph Same.

[@nogoogleplus]

Awesome....Mako series rules! Please tell me there’s a M1 modulation pedal in the works!!

[@johntierney387]

Yes!!! This ACS1 is my favorite pedal of all time, already. I especially hope they make a chorus/vibrato.

[@danielreizinger548]

This aged well

[@loveisrealdudes]

Two releases back to back. Very sneaky

[@benstagram97]

Shooooooott. The fact that you can designate the speaker IRs AND cabinet model surpasses the Iridium, where you’re stuck with a cabinet but can do different speakers. Big big deal

[@jwstout007]

I think a demo with all three mako pedals is in order, they all sound really good & I bet they'd be wild all put together with a little midi peppered into it ;)

[@164Vault]

You have to have a patient spouse as an electric guitarist. BOUGHT IT

[@LunaticTheCat]

Although I would love to have both new releases, I can't afford any more pedals at the moment. I do however have 21 total pedals, including 8 Walrus Audio pedals, so I'll think I'll survive lol.

[@davesguitarworld2296]

Happy New Pedal Day, Walrus :)

[@chriselt777]

That Chris Stapleton riff though! @1:07

[@DavidVOLTA]

SO what should I now do with my DSM Simplifier which is nearly brand new?! ...thanks Walrus Audio! This looks very cool.

[@trevormccue9585]

I have the same problem.

[@dimamarchuk2616]

same situation.... I think I stay with my Simplifier... Don't think he is worst then Walrus ACS1

[@DavidVOLTA]

@@dimamarchuk2616 I really love how Simplifier is versatile and I appreciate how it works good with most of my effect (including overdrives). But to be fully honest I think the base sound of the Simplifier is not very good. The Fender amp is nearly useless and the other two just sound too thin. Walrus sounds more full with lot of soundstage which I miss with the DSM.

[@dimamarchuk2616]

@@DavidVOLTA ACS doesn't have fx loop, so how this thing works with timebased effects is the question... With some room reverb Simplifier sounds pretty good for me. And Fender amp with some preamp configuration sounds usefull

[@DavidVOLTA]

@@dimamarchuk2616 missing FX loop doesnt worry me at all - it is part of the MAKO series which is all stereo effects including reverb and delay. And the demo with MAKO reverb sounds very good. But you are on point that FX loop does not behave the same as having just stereo lineup of pedals. But depends how DSM is built internally. In the end of the day it just mimics the amplifier behaviour.

[@adrian972228]

Hello! Can you make a video explain it the right way to conect it to midi controller? Like a DPC 5 of disaster area, please

[@brentstabbs2262]

The difference between this and the Iridium is small but potentially huge with being able to use different L/R setups. However, and it could be the KZbin audio fooling me, this doesn’t pop in any way like the Iridium does. Strymon kept it very, very simple, but they really nailed the sounds. I won’t feel like I’m missing out on this unless I get my hands on one and the audio quality impresses me more than here. The Iridium is a time-tested classic.

[@matts1661]

Can the headphone volume be adjusted independent of the amp volume?

[@shashankraman2512]

Can we do a Wet-Dry setup having one amp as Fullerton for the wet effects and the other amp as London for the dry effects?

[@LunaticTheCat]

It's cool seeing pedal manufacturers start to make pedals MIDI capable. That's HUGE for expanding the versarility of what a pedal can do. Makes me wonder what pedals will be like after another five or so more years of innovations. I would love it if someone eventually starts making pedals that can be controlled wirelessly with an iPad or Computer. Imagine being able to make preset tones for every pedal on your board and being able to instantly dial them up with just the touch of a screen. That would be game changing for live performances.

[@LoVeAmBiEnT]

Love walrus what's next, the Mako modulation pedal? If so of course I'll have to have that as well it's a sickness at this point

[@eliarr9093]

I'm late to the amp/cabinet "Simulator" party... you're telling me I could get rid of fragile, heavy-to-carry-around amps, and simply plug into this bad boy? Can I go from the simulator direct into an interface? No need to mic up and amp? How does it work with other pedals before it? I've so many questions but man this looks good!

[@ArtyShat]

Hardware Amp Simulators are amazing, you need a good DI and nice audio interface for ultimate sound but it's not like recording a tube amp it's any cheaper/easier. The benefit is definitely the SGR (Silent Guitar Recording), the tonal capabilities and switching in couple clicks with way more accessible price, I could only imagine how much would it cost to have a 1962 Bluesbreaker, 1964 AC30, 1965 FDR. The amazing part of ACS1 is the truly stereo separation which my Iridium is not capable to do, I'm waiting for Iridium comparison videos and if its superiore I will have to find a new home for my Iridium boy.

[@eliarr9093]

@@ArtyShat I might buy that Iridium from you! I've spend all day exploring the world of amp/cabinet simulators and the iridium caught my eye. I don't play stereo and I'm a big fan of fender-like sounds so the Iridium might be the way to go for me. Quick question though... I usually play on the clean channel of my amp. If I were to replace my amp, how much would the gain nob on the iridium or the ACS1 affect my tone? Should I treat it as an effects loop and place the simulator after my drives and then plug it into my modulation/time effects? Can I still plug into a Direct Box after that? Or should I just place the simulator at the end and risk distorting my reverbs, delays, and other modulation effects?

[@LunaticTheCat]

Ya, DAW's have been using cab simulators for years now. Recently pedal companies have been figuring out how to get them in stomp boxes. It's all algorithm based.

[@sacuna3333]

are the outputs at line level (e.g., for recording)? or could you send them to another amp or cab?

[@walrusaudioeffects]

Its line level meant to go direct into an interface or DI.

[@sunlounger29]

Does the L/R mixing of amps only work if you go stereo out or does it just blend them in mono?

[@isaacethans]

No, mono is one signal (amp) , stereo is two, therefore giving the ability to have two separate of amps.

[@Firewaltzwithme]

wished it simulated three diffrent line6 amps though :(

[@nightshade8482]

What is the riff at 2:19 from?

[@bradleyhughes2140]

Question! The answer might already be out there but if using the mono in/mono out setting is there, or could their potentially be in the future, a way to still run two ‘amps’ in parallel but thru the one out?

[@walrusaudioeffects]

That’s a cool idea, it’s possible to try that but not sure how putting two amps through one channel would sound or work from a practical standpoint and how they would be controlled. But that’s something to chew on for sure!

[@dylanklipfel7288]

my question is how well can it handle modern gain and more heavier tones for say metal or hardcore?

[@calebneff5777]

Can the boost be set as a post-gain boost to increase overall volume for solos?

[@walrusaudioeffects]

The order can't change where the boost is set in the signal flow, but the volume control is post gain!

[@calebneff5777]

@@walrusaudioeffects Oh I missed the part where the boost controls volume and gain. Thank you!

[@alessiograziani6355]

One question: to connect the ACS1 to a PA do I need a stereo DI Box?

[@jnh73]

It's not necessary to use a DI, though greatly preferred as it'll likely be a quieter yet more robust signal. Also, you can use any mono DI just fine, it doesn't have to be a stereo DI.

[@cedrickwallace1930]

This is so sweet! There’s a KZbinr by the name of J Cruz Project that could use one of these at the moment. You guys should check him out seriously. His content is great just need some folks pushing him...

[@gerjanbosch1088]

Is there a more thorough manual available? Just got the pedal and struggling a bit…. Some great sounds though..👌

[@walrusaudioeffects]

What do you need help with? Happy to help. Or email [e-mail].

[@gerjanbosch1088]

@@walrusaudioeffects tnx for Youri rapid reply, i’m struggling to figure out how to find al the presets. Is there some kind of user guide to help? I got the one that came with the box but that one is a little brief… but maybe it’s just me. I’m Dutch so my english is not native language..🙄👍

[@walrusaudioeffects]

@@gerjanbosch1088 Are you asking what the factory presets are? We have an updated manual that shows what the factory settings are. You can download it on the product page. cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0906/8480/files/ACS1_1.25_manual_Booklet_002.pdf?v=1631800889

[@gerjanbosch1088]

@@walrusaudioeffects thanks a lot. 👍

[@benjamingilmore825]

Does it need its own dedicated power supply or can it run on a shared power supply with other pedals? Can it run on 9v?

[@chucksmyth2598]

The video says Stereo in/ Mono out. The manual says Mono in/ Stereo Out.

[@thekramer1097]

The manual should be the oficial

[@thisbridgehascables]

How would you connect the stereo out to an interface? Are those outputs line level or instrument level?

[@walrusaudioeffects]

If you’re going into a recording interface like an Apollo twin, you just fro from the ACS1 into the interface. For direct live situations you’d need a DI.

[@davidthaot]

once I upload the IR onto the front or back slots how do I find it on the pedal

[@walrusaudioeffects]

Use the toggle that says cab. A / B / C corresponds to where you loaded the cab through walrusaudio.io. To get to the back cabs, just hold down bypass then move the toggle to the slot you’d like!

[@davidthaot]

@@walrusaudioeffects am I able to mix front and back L + R?

[@SinkRecords]

Love that this was demonstrated with some Radiohead

[@yokaii7109]

can someone tell me what is played at 4:11 ??? i'm 99% sure it's an radiohead song but i just can't find it ahhhhhh really cool pedal btw

[@TomaszGutka]

Radiohead- Bodysnatchers

[@yokaii7109]

@@TomaszGutka thank you!!!!

[@kahlrhoam6769]

@Walrus Audio; What’s your IR/ 3rd Party IR ms length, pls? THX!

[@walrusaudioeffects]

default settings for an IR file should be 200mS, 24 bit, 48k Hz mono in .wav format. Loading third-party cabs in different formats through walrusaudio.io will automatically convert them to match the proper format at which the ACS1 runs.

[@kahlrhoam6769]

@@walrusaudioeffects; THX very much. I hope in a update, is it possible to increase the length to 500ms? Your AC1 sounds fantastic, either way, not as low miss heavy & claustrophobic like the other guys’. Thx.

[@walrusaudioeffects]

@@kahlrhoam6769 thanks! This platform will only do 200.

[@danielcastillo5525]

Can I go straight to the PA? If so, how?

[@DylanMichaelToddMusic]

Are the outputs balanced? I use something similar and use TRS to XLR cables. I assume this could work for the ACS1

[@walrusaudioeffects]

They are unbalanced so for a live situation, you would need a DI box!

[@rockman4106ac]

Bass version PLZ!!!

[@MrFullCake]

Hello, i can’t find anywhere the answer. Is it possible to bypass the cabs ? Cause I would want to use this with my line6 Powercab+. Which comes with cabs already.

[@walrusaudioeffects]

Totally. From the manual- Hold down bypass, once the LED starts blinking continue to hold down while you adjust the mid knob. Once your changes are done you can release the bypass switch. Above noon, the bypass LED will blink green indicating the ACS1 IR block is active. Below noon, the bypass LED will blink red indicating the ACS1 IR block is bypassed!

[@MrFullCake]

@@walrusaudioeffects i was about to buy the Iridium because of this, and now I’m totally sold on this one thanks for your time. You’re stuff is amazing as always. Just sad we lost the beautiful artworks on this series.

[@eyesintheskies]

Is this analogue or digital?

[@phunkyjunkee]

Wait, stereo IN mono OUT? No mono IN stereo OUT? Could someone explain a scenario where you would use stereo IN mono OUT?

[@walrusaudioeffects]

It does do mono in, stereo out.

[@truce11]

Why USB micro instead of USB-C??

[@whollenbeck8]

Why am I seeing a hand touch several knobs but do nothing to them? I see them fingers move from knob to knob with no adjustment.

[@walrusaudioeffects]

The point is to show you HOW do what’s being talked about

[@tricko2286]

No balanced outs? Why the F not?

[@Bilsuburbians]

Its crisp and warm. Is this Analog modelling or what? Cmiiw

[@mattrawlins6402]

Brilliant looking device with cool amp choices. Can the headphone out be used in isolation (with all other outputs disconnected)?

[@walrusaudioeffects]

Yes it can!

[@wabisabi6802]

To anyone who has already tried, how's the dynamics?

[@xxSk8ing4christxx]

Does anyone else notice that the ACS1 tends to clip on high end sounds?

[@anibalresendezpulido]

One question, no MONO IN - STEREO OUT?

[@EggyPilot]

If you run Mono In, Stereo Out it explodes

[@tonymoore78]

That’s what they’re doing for most of the video…

[@anibalresendezpulido]

@@tonymoore78 I had an issue with D1, when you turn it off sound only comes in the side you are connected, maybe I’m doing something wrong, but that’s why I’m asking

[@tonymoore78]

@@anibalresendezpulido Oh I see, you’re saying when the pedal is bypassed it doesn’t duplicate the mono to stereo. If it’s true bypass, then I don’t think it will. But if there is a setting for buffered bypass, then it probably will. You’ll have to check with Walrus, I’m not familiar with the settings.

[@walrusaudioeffects]

@@anibalresendezpulido Change bypass modes! It ships in true bypass so if you're only putting a mono signal in, you'll get a mono out when its bypassed. The other two bypass modes will change that for you.

[@Grant_Ferstat]

I have to say that IMO the AC30 style simulation is neither very Vox nor very pleasing generally. Vox style amps are my jam so this is a bit of a disappointment. Maybe some other demos will reveal a better take on the sound.

[@greggoryblock1071]

So it's a complete and total copy of strymon iridium? Down to every knob and switch...

[@DM-pf6om]

But one major difference, and its a big one. You can run two amps and two cabs in stereo.

[@trahnettilhcs]

Form factor is not an insignificant part of that comparison either. I run small boards and the iridium can be a dealbreaker at that size.

[@petarnedyalkov256]

Bluesbreaker instead of Plexi?

[@Moka8]

Love hearing some Stapleton on there!

[@StampyDog99]

Has there ever been a walrus demo without a Radiohead song in it? Not complaining though.

[@ggm6844]

Airbag!

[@bilanggoboy]

It sounds like a transistor amp simulator.

[@dieorginalbanane]

I love Radiohead.

[@johnstrawberriusfields]

tune those gits

[@BummerParty]

Iridium copycats! I like the sounds from my Iridium more, but the L/R amp splitting thing is pretty neat.

[@ZacharyRyanMusic89]

Isn’t the iridum just a copy cat of everyone else who did amp boxes before them then too? It’s okay to take something and do your own version of it. I don’t see a headphone out so there’s something that’s different stereo ins and outs, a boost, separate stereo amps to go with stereo cabs , there’s similarities sure but also differences. I could say the iridium is just a sans amp with it’s instead of analog cab sims

[@LEUNN_]

Not really digging the sounds here.

[@geoffwhiteproductionllc7693]

I thought I was the only one. But yeah, they sound not much better than my Peavey Vypyr.

[@Natenie]

clash city rockers anyone?

[@tonoht2016]

Suena asqueroso con distorsión 😂

[@Gummmibaer]

I dont know if the guitar world was waiting for a pedal that is this close to the Iridium. I mean there are thousands of similar Drive Pedals but this is really copycatish.

[@middle_pickup]

I love you, Walrus, but these tones don't sound good. The only one that sounds okay is the "Bodysnatchers" riff. It just sounds like a free amp plugin. Even as an emergency backup rig, this doesn't pass the sniff test for me. Also, $400 is a lot for what this is. The HX Stomp is just a bit more, and obviously has a lot more functionality. I've been an avid fan of your pedals for many years. The Voyager has been the longest living drive pedal I've ever had on my board. I hope to see you continue to succeed. These are just my thoughts.

[@nileskeller7195]

The london tone is absolutely awful

[@jspic4907]

Sounds very dry and “hard” to my ears. Did not find it very inspiring. Useful features notwithstanding.

[@bengaulden4655]

Sounds terrible.

[@fsdjgygsdsdhuw]

Sin , NOT is an analog or passive circuit , ... we need analooog things