DSM & Humboldt Simplifier DLX Amp/Cab Sim

since I heard of amp in a box (pedal style) stuff, I've wanted to get my hands on one of those to make small gigs easier (not having to carry amp and cab). Before the Simplifier DLX was even there, I got a very affordable AC 30 style pedal (it was fine actually) early in 2020 right before Covid hit and live shows were no more for a while and I forgot about the whole thing.

Then a couple of months ago I stumbled upon the Simplifier DLX by coincidence while browsing Thomann and man I was so impressed and wanted to try it! and its features seem more appealing than one of another very popular choices (which is still great but I'm glad I didn't get that one) since the DSM has an FX loop and more routing options plus it's analog. Anyway long story short I've received it a week ago and I'm still blown away by the quality of sound and how tube like it feels and responds! It's really a piece of art and inspires a lot! all 3 amp models are amazing, and it takes pedals really really well (tried it with TC Rusty Fuzz, Tube Screamer Mini, and a Wampler Triple Wreck) plus a TC Plethora in the loop and it sounds phenomenal! build quality is great! the cab sim is really convincing although you can use the unbalanced out and bypass the internal CAB sim to use your own CAB IRs if you wish and it delivers great too! Oh and it's handmade and hand signed!! which is a nice thing too!

All in all, it's a well engineered piece of gear!

I am super happy with this analog pedal sized dual amplifier especially after getting familiar with its functions and the possibilities it offers. This is coming from a guy who proudly owns a Kemper. When it comes to this type of solution I think the playing 'feel' I get from this pedal takes me closer to a real amp. The dynamic range of this thing is amazing.
Pedals work fantastic with this device. Be mindful of proper gain staging when using pedals. I am really having fun playing with this thing.

Setups that I tried
DLX => ID22 interface => mac => FRFR monitors
DLX => JOJO BlueJay amp => Vox cabinet
DLX (cab sim off) => Kemper (amp off, cab on) => amp (return) =>cab
The DLX sounds great with headphones (I am using the AKG K712) which makes it also a perfect practice tool.

Pros:
- Very good sound that feels very responsive. Dynamic range is amazing for this kind of solution.
- Endless routing possibilities
- Super easy and straight forward interface.
- Takes pedals really well (seriously)
- Blending between the two amp channels creates a lot of possibilities. Amp channels offer the same amp models but are still different from each other.
- pricing is just right for this level of quality.
- compact size means you can take it anywhere.

Cons:
- The small knobs are slightly wobbly.
- Manual lacks depth. I want to read more about it!
- Reverb is 'ok' but then again you can plug in your favourite reverb pedal in the send/return of the pedal.
- stereo Spread function is non adjustable and tires me after a while (too much phase shifting)

I love the box. It sounds so good and lively, and it's feature packed to shape your tone in various ways. I'll share one little gotcha that might save you some time. Use a good quality power supply. I found that the DLX is susceptible to humming otherwise. On that note, I know this is nitpicking but they could have provided a power supply adapter. Also, my box isn't sitting perfectly flat, but wobbles a tiny bit. No biggie and can probably be solved by putting on rubber feet, which again would have been nice if it was included. Other than that, it's everything I wanted it to be. Many options for routing the signal, parallel amps, parallel cabs, send and return for fx loop, stereo xlr output. Superb really.

This unit has unrivalled features for the price and size as well as remarkable flexibility, but after 3 months it was developing faults and after 9 months had to be returned. I'm now without it for nearly a month while it's been sent for repair.

I was using the DLX in a parallel amps config with the stereo fx loop going out via the XLRs to my audio interface. The sound quality was fantastic. Everything from sparkly cleans to heavy overdrive can be handled by this unit. The 'Marshall' tones are huge.

But, there's a but. A big one. When I opened the DLX box and took the unit out for the first time, one of the retaining nuts for a mini toggle switch fell off. Every other retaining nut was very loose and the toggle switches could be depressed simply by touching them lightly. I had to tighten them all before even powering the DLX up. I was concerned I might get an electric shock if I powered the DLX on in the condition I received it.

3 months later the red channel began playing only intermittently. Shortly after, it was only producing low volume scratchy distorted output regardless of amp model and gain setting. Shortly after that it would only output a 100% wet reverb signal, even when reverb was disabled.

So the DLX I received was in no state to be sent to a customer. The build quality may actually have been dangerous as well as inadequate. And I'm back to having to use and lug an amp around while I wait for it to be repaired. Exactly what I hoped to avoid when I bought the DLX.

Whenever I show this to friends, they are more often than not taken aback by the apparent complexity of the thing, however, do not be deceived. The amount of knobs is simply due to the fact that there are 2 channels (duplicated top row of knobs) and then L & R amp & cab sims (duplicated bottom row of knobs), so in essence you will more often than not be using only half the knobs at any given moment.

Of course, it's still quite an impressive amount of options, and on the sides there are a dozen further features and bypass options, but everything is appropriately labelled so it's very easy to know what you are doing. The construction feels solid.

It is simply amazing how much stuff they managed to cram into this small box. I was spending forever trying to find a nice small amp and loadbox and cabsim to handle it all in a small apartment, but thanks to this marvel of engineering I can sell all of that and just use this alone to get my tones. And thanks to the 3 different pre amp options, 3 different power amp tube options, 3 different cabs and the Resonance and Presence knobs, this thing has tone for DAYS.

If you have a small apartment, this is a godsend.

I have bought this to play using headphones at home. At the end I couldn't justify the price for the function that I bought this device for.

Issues:
Left and right in headphone out seems to be reversed. Minor issue, but still.

Sound is not tube-like, at least not for me. I own old Laney Cub 8, it's as entry as it gets to tube amps and I was not excited by the Simplifier DLX compared to Cub8, although YouTube reviews did seem promising. Maybe it's my headphones - ATH M50x, but, anyway, it didn't work for me. I guess it's also important to mention that I play mostly clean, DLX might work if you play in overdrive more.

Quality - doesn't seem bullet proof. Don't get me wrong, it's solid, but it feels flimsier than than EHX / Strymon pedals that I own.

Good:
No noise - I have used with Thomann wall-wart PSU and had no noise issues, which I've seen reported in reviews occasionally.

The product has lots of functionality, with endless options for achieving the exact tone that you want.

You can output the sound through headphones, speakers, a PA system, and more. There are also lots of options for configuring things such as effects loops, bypass, etc.

The quality feels reasonable on first impression, but less sturdy than other pedals such as Boss, Strymon and EHX. For this price point, I would have expected a little more so that I could be reassured by the longevity.

The headphone out/amp seems to be poor quality. It clips, pops, and is unreliable with poor quality sound.

It can be a bit overwhelming at first and the manual is not very clear in some areas, so requires some learning and patience to get familiar with the product.

The pedal is very unique with lots of flexibility, but there are quality issues that I can only hope that they address for customers in a future iteration. This is frustrating as the pedal at first glance has lots of potential.

I have had issues with the sound from the outputs; sound cuts in and out, creates static, popping, etc. And in the most recent session, the unit was unplayable. I have also had issues with it taking pedals.

18 knobs +18 switches... and it's called Simplifier?
Don't be fooled by the overwhelming number of knobs and switches. It's simply two guitar preamps in one box. If you've played with guitar amps, effects loops, and cabinets, you're already familiar with all the parameters you can tweak.

Signal routing: best among competition
This is where I had to spend a few minutes playing with the options. The routing possibilities this unit offers are astounding: single/dual/stereo channels combined with dual/stereo effects loop options and all the outputs you need to connect your amp or stage monitor and PA at the same time. It covers any signal configuration in both the stage and at home.

Excellent sound quality
You will notice this even before you learn how to properly operate the unit. It's not complicated to make it sound good. Unlike other similar solutions, there are no "sweet spots" you have to find to get the right sound. No. It sounds good with almost any combination, because all those knobs are there to help you "build" your sound. And because it's full analog, you can forget about latency issues. Well, the reverb module is digital, but works in parallel so there are no latency issues here. Plus, it's also really good.

Great pedal. I've been using it for 5 months and it hasn't let me down in the slightest.