My favorite new product from NAMM is the Bad Cat "The Unleashed"

[straightblues]

The Bad Cat "The Unleashed" is the opposite of an attenuator. It allows your 15 watt amp to be amplified into a 100 watt amp. You can use this with your own small club amp to play those few outdoor festivals we all do each year and still get your own sound. You run the speaker out into this device and then run it to a 100 watt cabinet (or your own speaker if it is big enough). The MSRP is $399.

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2012/Feb/GALLERY_NAMM_2012_Day_2.aspx?Page=38&#gallery

[cr8z4life]

Sounds interesting.......should work for those guys that love their low powered amp but it just doesn't have enough umphhh......neat concept!

[flcmcya]

:drool I want that badass jacket!...

[Tonesmiths]

I was equally impressed with the Unleash. When I inquired about it, owner John Thompson explained the painstaking process they went through to make a class D transformer that works at the output stage of the amplifier while maintaining the tonal integrity of the circuit, pre, and power tubes. He also showed me the 5-100w prototype amplifier that inspired the innovation. It's a single ended tweed style circuit w/ tube reverb that utilizes a 6SN7 octal preamp tube into a 6V6 (much like the At Mars Specialist). It sounds genuinely killer at all volumes and is super light for it's size (after all it is a 5w amp!)

IMHO, this backwards approach is a breath of fresh air in a world of less than satisfying power scaled, attenuated, and PPMV amps. It just seems to make more sense to take a grab-n-go 5-15w combo and bump it up to fit any room, instead of lugging a heavier 30-100w rig only to starve it to death in smaller venues.

Thank you John for thinking outside the box!

[straightblues]

I couldn't agree with you more bender. Now let's just hope it works in the real world. I have been to NAMM and heard stuff I was excited about only to be disappointed when I put it to use. I am really excited about this one.

[b3john]

Sounds interesting.......should work for those guys that love their low powered amp but it just doesn't have enough umphhh......neat concept!
I don't get it. Why not just mike the amp?

[Tonesmiths]

I don't get it. Why not just mike the amp?

I guess you could just mic the amp. Folks have been doing that for ages. But that involves a mic, cable, snake, board, power amps, and speakers which all color your sound. It's also great to be able to adjust your amp to stage level and use it as a monitor.

[Crash-VR]

I guess you could just mic the amp. Folks have been doing that for ages. But that involves a mic, cable, snake, board, power amps, and speakers which all color your sound. It's also great to be able to adjust your amp to stage level and use it as a monitor.

Especially if you have a nice 412 cab laying around... It would essentially allow ou to use your 15 watt amp as a head. It's always nice to have options. I just traded for a Nolatone Rotten Johnny so this definitely has my interest...

[katuna]

I don't get it. Why not just mike the amp?


I had a marshall 18 watt style Clark amp that I loved but I couldn't hear it over my drummer. This device would've allowed me to use it. I need some air pumping at me at gigs and practices; I hate having to rely on monitors to hear my guitar sound.

I'm pretty excited about this actually.

[Derelict]

pretty cool i think. i love the way smaller amps (speakers) cut through a mix.

[schmidlin]

Would this work well with an attenuator??

:hide2

[katuna]

HA HA

[bluesdoc]

Or, PDI09 to power amp to cab or mon. Not that this doesn't sound like a great product......

jon

[JubileeMan 2555]

Dunno... seems sorta dumb.

Big watts means big iron which means big lows and big sound.

15 watts reamped into something much louder doesn't add any of that. Its just essentially a mini PA system that allows you to get more volume out of your amp.
...which is something us gigging musicians have been fighting against for decades.

I might be wrong...

[schmidlin]

"What you are hearing is the sound of 10,000 sound men's souls crying out in terror."

[katuna]

Dunno... seems sorta dumb.

Big watts means big iron which means big lows and big sound.

15 watts reamped into something much louder doesn't add any of that. Its just essentially a mini PA system that allows you to get more volume out of your amp.
...which is something us gigging musicians have been fighting against for decades.

I might be wrong...

I think that it is good if you a) can only afford one amp and happen to like a small amp sound but need it louder sometimes or b) maybe to help you get through a gig on a small amp if your 100 watt hiwatt that you normally use goes down right before the gig.

Yeah, I agree with most of your commentary though. It's a helpful tool for some situations, not the be all and end all for everyone.

[Onioner]

Why not just use a power amp?

[MRscratch]

Why not just use a power amp?it is a power amp. a class D power amp. kind of like those EH 22 and 44 magnum.
probably has a different input but still a power amp im guessing

[Jon C]

so it's kind of a reverse re-amping device like a Ho Attenuator in reverse?

[Paul86]

Actually, Mr Ho has been doing exactly this for quite a while now. He's been selling both attenuators and "unleashers" for quite some time now.
It's funny what some brand names and colourful jackets can do to people's perception of toan!
It's going to be very funny reading what some of the UA bashers have to say about this new toy...

[jwri9790]

so this is a solution to all clean headroom issues? will this will make my Maz 18 a clean amp at stage volumes with a huge drummer?

[Tonesmiths]

Why not just use a power amp?

That's essentially what it is. The only difference is that typical QSC/ Crown style solid state power amp have many unwanted artifacts that sterilize the tone and response of a tube amp. Bad Cat's quest was to create a transparent transformer and circuit that color the original tone in no way whatsoever. It required a lot of trial and error and audio analysis to develop this product, but I'm glad somebody did.

[jwri9790]

i assume that black knob is the level of watts? so would this blow a 80 watt speaker or could you use it conservatively and run it at about 50 watts to save the speaker?

[The Kid]

Cool idea

[jbt7764]

so this is a solution to all clean headroom issues? will this will make my Maz 18 a clean amp at stage volumes with a huge drummer?

Yes it will.

[phillygtr]

Imagine the great cleans of your 5 watter scaled up to 100 watts. Think about a Carr Mercury ramped up to 80 watts etc.

Dunno... seems sorta dumb.

Big watts means big iron which means big lows and big sound.

15 watts reamped into something much louder doesn't add any of that. Its just essentially a mini PA system that allows you to get more volume out of your amp.
...which is something us gigging musicians have been fighting against for decades.

I might be wrong...

[jads57]

Any further news on the Unleash or the Bob Cat 100 ?

[katuna]

I'm curious - is there a max wattage that you can put into this thing? They keep mentioning up to 15 watts, so does that mean a 20 watt amp can't work with it? I guess I should just ask Bad Cat, ha?

[Tone_Terrific]

A slave amp, repackaged.
OLD concept but there may be some significant practical advantages to this development.

[jkr]

Would this work well with an attenuator??

:hide2


Pure hilarity!!

PS. Why are guys being pessimistic about this product considering no one has even heard it. It seems like a great idea. Not super novel, but maybe a better sounding way of re-amping. I think people should give it the benefit of the doubt and wait until they hear it before getting critical. Maybe it is a better sounding mouse trap, and if it is, I hope they have a hit on their hands.

[phillygtr]

Pure hilarity!!

PS. Why are guys being pessimistic about this product considering no one has even heard it. It seems like a great idea. Not super novel, but maybe a better sounding way of re-amping. I think people should give it the benefit of the doubt and wait until they hear it before getting critical. Maybe it is a better sounding mouse trap, and if it is, I hope they have a hit on their hands.

Actually I like this idea. I'd rather scale up a small amp than starve down a larger amp. Imagine if they continue to perfect this amp -- you buy the Unleash and pair that with smaller boutique amps. You bring your own "iron" so to speak. Think of pairing this with a Carr Raleigh or Mercury or one of those new Vox 5 watters. Etc.

[smv929]

Actually, Mr Ho has been doing exactly this for quite a while now. He's been selling both attenuators and "unleashers" for quite some time now.
It's funny what some brand names and colourful jackets can do to people's perception of toan!
It's going to be very funny reading what some of the UA bashers have to say about this new toy...

I have used Ho's verison of the unleasher for about four years and can't believe it (that kind of device) hadn't taken off yet by now. It allows you to play a smaller wattage head at big venues and still be heard. It simplified my rig. I can take the same amp to any gig and not worry if it's going to be too small to be heard. I take a small head (like a Blue Angel at 18w) and plug into the Ho's device which plugs into a 2x12 cab. You crank the small head to the desired amount of breakup and then use the volume knob on the device to bring that sound up in volume--kinda like a PA. I can take the same small amp to small or big venues. Although I think it sounds the same as the amp by itself, I'm sure people with EJ ears will object.

[smv929]

so this is a solution to all clean headroom issues? will this will make my Maz 18 a clean amp at stage volumes with a huge drummer?
Yes

[Tone_Terrific]

M-B has had slave out jacks on amps for decades.
The Red Box serves a similar purpose.
The Ho is just an attenuator (always at max att'n) then reamped (slaved)

Any att'r signal can be sent to a power amp.

It's the convenience and package size, assuming it sounds good, that is the attraction, here.

[Tonesmiths]

I was just at BadCat yesterday. John was sharing all of the features they're including in the Unleash at the request of touring musicians. It's now an Unleash/ Attenuator/ load box/ speaker simulator/ DI with an adjustable & footswitchable lead boost. It will also feature an input trim, so you can attenuate or boost any wattage of amplifier you desire. It probably does some other stuff I forgot too:huh. Whether attenuating (I guess we can call it that, though, technically your just turning down the external power amp) or boosting, it maintains the true nature of the amp better than any traditional attenuator on the market. The only time it suffers is when the speaker isn't seeing enough signal to respond correctly. This is such a left field approach it's really hard to compare it to anything else on the market.

[smv929]

This is such a left field approach it's really hard to compare it to anything else on the market.

I bought my Ho device from Mark at Ultimate Attenuator (who works with Ho). Mark said they were puzzled on how to market it and what to call it. I can see why. But I think it's a game changer. Bye bye 100watt amps.

[Broken Cord]

When do we get to hear what the real world thinks of the new Cat Unleashed?

[smv929]

http://www.badcatamps.com/bobcat.html

Also Interesting. Using the "Unleashed" technology in a single ended combo amp.

http://www.badcatamps.com/images_01/amps_F_bobcat.png

I saw the ad in the new GP mag. It's 100 watts and 30lbs! This is what Ho/Mark at Ultimate Attenuator did with their Ultimate Tube Amp--a tiny amp/head the size of an attenuator with 1 to 100watts. The same tone thorughout the spectrum. Very practical stuff for gigging musicians. I'm glad to see this technology finally coming about.

[dorianadams]

Great. My Marshall Studio 15 saw this thread and now she is demanding that I buy her an unleashed ..........

[socalscott]

Hope it delivers the goods. I'd be most happy with a basic model for say $250. $400 added to my little $500 head is a stretch for me. Not such a problem for real working players though.

Never hurts to have yet another trick device available.

[jads57]

Okay, now the wait begins, until my dealer has one to try! I sure hope someone does some Youtube clips of this amp!

[The Kid]

Can you use it to make a 30 watt amp into a 100 watt amp?

[Tonesmiths]

Can you use it to make a 30 watt amp into a 100 watt amp?

Yes. Since you'd essentially be running your amp into an external power amp, you can make your 30w amp a 100w (or a 1w amp) with the turn of a dial.

[hearmecrybaby]

i don't see the point behind this product.

1. no one is stopping you from plugging your 15 watt combo into a 100 watt 4x12 cabinet. Its going to be like 70% as loud as a 100 watt head through the same cabinet. If you're playing on a stage that's big enough to where 15 watts through a 4x12 isn't enough then you're going to need to mic no matter what amp you're using. people away from the stage aren't going to hear the amp with any top end or bass response if you don't mic.

2. you can already have an "unleash" for very cheap. people have been doing this since the 80s. Use a load box into a solid state power amp. Both load boxes and reference monitoring power amps are super cheap and plentiful.

3. if you run your own setup with a load box/power amp you can also rout one of your outputs from the load box into a cabinet simulator like a palmer, or even a line6 pod (with cab sim and wet effects like delay and reverb), then send that cab sim to the house mix so you don't have to futz with microphones.


the unleash seems like its taking an old idea and making it more expensive and less functional.

[hanales]

its taking an old idea and making it more expensive and less functional.

Shhhh, you're going to break the entire boutique market with talk like that!

[MRscratch]

i don't see the point behind this product.

1. no one is stopping you from plugging your 15 watt combo into a 100 watt 4x12 cabinet. Its going to be like 70% as loud as a 100 watt head through the same cabinet. If you're playing on a stage that's big enough to where 15 watts through a 4x12 isn't enough then you're going to need to mic no matter what amp you're using. people away from the stage aren't going to hear the amp with any top end or bass response if you don't mic.

2. you can already have an "unleash" for very cheap. people have been doing this since the 80s. Use a load box into a solid state power amp. Both load boxes and reference monitoring power amps are super cheap and plentiful.

3. if you run your own setup with a load box/power amp you can also rout one of your outputs from the load box into a cabinet simulator like a palmer, or even a line6 pod (with cab sim and wet effects like delay and reverb), then send that cab sim to the house mix so you don't have to futz with microphones.


the unleash seems like its taking an old idea and making it more expensive and less functional.
yeah but turning a nice juicy tweed deluxe into something that you can feel in you're pant leg is pretty cool.

[dorianadams]

As it turns out My Studio 15 just informed me that she has two line outs , one balanced(XLR) and one unbalanced.........so line out to power amp to cab..........I guess these are for amps with no line out? Or is there more to it?

[XXTwighlight]

What about the life of your tubes on a product like the "unleash"?

[dorianadams]

What about the life of your tubes on a product like the "unleash"?
Should have no effect...... it is the power soaks that eat up your tubes

[jads57]

That's what it seems to claim, but on the Ho Electronics site it's called a Tone Enhancer. And it says it turns your 50 watt into a 100 watt. Not sure if it's the same principle o not?

[jbt7764]

If you are using the Unleash to get a loud clean tone with your Princeton, no difference. If you are pushing your tiny terror hard it will be no different, just louder.

[b3john]

...... it is the power soaks that eat up your tubes
:huh

No more than running a cranked amp.

[ripoffriffs]

It seems to me what's being done here has been done before by Gjika.

Now retro-channel is doing it again in a much smaller/lighter package. Lance describes & demoes it here:

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=1034607

[dorianadams]

:huh

No more than running a cranked amp.
exactly.... which has an effect on the life of your tubes ..running a "slave " does not. I mean to say that running a power soak can shorten your tube life and running a slave amp will not.If you are running a cranked amp why would you need a power soak..? :huh

[Tonesmiths]

i don't see the point behind this product.

1. no one is stopping you from plugging your 15 watt combo into a 100 watt 4x12 cabinet. Its going to be like 70% as loud as a 100 watt head through the same cabinet. If you're playing on a stage that's big enough to where 15 watts through a 4x12 isn't enough then you're going to need to mic no matter what amp you're using. people away from the stage aren't going to hear the amp with any top end or bass response if you don't mic.

2. you can already have an "unleash" for very cheap. people have been doing this since the 80s. Use a load box into a solid state power amp. Both load boxes and reference monitoring power amps are super cheap and plentiful.

3. if you run your own setup with a load box/power amp you can also rout one of your outputs from the load box into a cabinet simulator like a palmer, or even a line6 pod (with cab sim and wet effects like delay and reverb), then send that cab sim to the house mix so you don't have to futz with microphones.


the unleash seems like its taking an old idea and making it more expensive and less functional.

I'm no rocket scientist, but:
Palmer PDI/load box $350
Decent Class D amplifier $150
Grand total= $500

The Unleash sounds better, is compact, and costs less at $400 MSRP

[Onioner]

exactly.... which has an effect on the life of your tubes ..running a "slave " does not. I mean to say that running a power soak can shorten your tube life and running a slave amp will not.If you are running a cranked amp why would you need a power soak..? :huh

It's the last bit that makes me scratch my head. Because it's really, really loud?

[jerrydog]

Bump for interest... has anyone tried one of these yet?

[jwri9790]

Temporarily taken off the new Bad CAt website so new photographs can be taken of guts and stuff. The Bobcat amp that uses the Unleash technology is supposed to be out in May, so the Unleash will probably be released at a similar time.

[jbt7764]

Temporarily taken off the new Bad CAt website so new photographs can be taken of guts and stuff. The Bobcat amp that uses the Unleash technology is supposed to be out in May, so the Unleash will probably be released at a similar time.

True,true,true.

The Unleash will have an input trim so you can input anything from 5-100 watts. Two sepertate footswitch able volume controls. Attenuate or boost.

John

[jerrydog]

Is there still talk of a cab with an Unleashed built-in? I would LOVE to crank my Raleigh up thru a 212!

[katuna]

True,true,true.

The Unleash will have an input trim so you can input anything from 5-100 watts. Two sepertate footswitch able volume controls. Attenuate or boost.

John

NOW we're talking!

[jbt7764]

Is there still talk of a cab with an Unleashed built-in? I would LOVE to crank my Raleigh up thru a 212!

We are still debating this internally but will certainly do them on a custom basis with little difficulty.
Just give us a call and we can set you up.

John

[jerrydog]

We are still debating this internally but will certainly do them on a custom basis with little difficulty.
Just give us a call and we can set you up.

John

Awesome!
Another idea might be to offer a cab-mountable-version... or offer some matching hardware to those who might want to mount one.
I am very much looking forward to getting my hands on one of these!

[GA20T]

Can not wait. Good price, compact design... Hello Magnatone, 6g2, GA-5T, and GA-20T at party volumes!

[smv929]

If anyone has updates on the Unleash or Unleash in a cab, let us know. Still looking forward to this. The dual volume controls is a great feature.

[shredtrash]

I'm going back and forth on whether I want a Bobcat 100 or an Unleashed and a low-wattage combo. Either way, this is a huge breakthrough! It's going to be awesome walking in with a lunchbox and blowing doors!

[Electric I]

True,true,true.

The Unleash will have an input trim so you can input anything from 5-100 watts. Two sepertate footswitch able volume controls. Attenuate or boost.

John

Dig the added features.

Footswitch included ?

[jbt7764]

Dig the added features.

Footswitch included ?


Si.

[pompeii0]

I am so looking forward to this being released, or "unleashed"! lol

[Electric I]

Si.

Yes!

[WurstBurst]

This is exactly the technology needed for today's typical player. Even 5 watts is too big for a lot of people in apartments. 40 watts can't be cranked even in a club.

Being able to hit the sweet spot of the amp, then change the volume up or down to whatever is needed for home/gig is a fantastic idea and long overdue.

[Blueshound]

If that had a built in fx loop, I would be all over that. It answers 90% of what I would like to see in a product. A loop would put it over the top.

[tucky]

I am so looking forward to this being released, or "unleashed"! lol

When is it due?

[DeaconBlues]

Any updates?

[jbt7764]

Chassis at the chassis shop for both the bobcat and the unleash. Both now are sporting effects loops. The bobcat has improved quite a bit since NAMM. We really took our time with these to make them as bullet proof as we could.
Two major goals, the unleash had to be absolutely transparent and the bobcat needed to sound fantastic. Nobody would care about the technology if it didn't sound good.
The bobcat will ship first. We are building the first 25 starting next week. They will be in black tolex with dark gold grills and available at our dealers and on our new web shopping cart starting July 13th.
The unleash will be in Swiss army red and the feature set has changed since NAMM..
1. Any input from 1-100 watts can be received.
2. It will attenuate from absolute silence as well as boost through 150 watts plus.
3. Two sepertate volume controls that can be footswitched.
4. Two outputs to drive two cabinets
5. Effects loop send and return
6. Dir recording out silent. The unit provides a load for you amp, no speaker necessary.
7. Input trim to fine tune,
If you want more details or to get on the list contact is at 714-630-0101

John

[socalscott]

Now that Unleash is one sick multi-tool everybody can use...extensively.

150W '62 Reverberocket...with efx loop...oh yeah!

[wedewer]

So, in terms of using it strictly as an attentuator, is it going to sound exactly the same as the leash or is this a new design? My buddy has a leash, which just sits and collects dust because he says its not really that great or transparent. He actually prefers his Jim Kelley attenuator or evern his hotplate over the old leash.

This product interest me for the attenuator and the load ability for late night recording.

[jbt7764]

So, in terms of using it strictly as an attentuator, is it going to sound exactly the same as the leash or is this a new design? My buddy has a leash, which just sits and collects dust because he says its not really that great or transparent. He actually prefers his Jim Kelley attenuator or evern his hotplate over the old leash.

This product interest me for the attenuator and the load ability for late night recording.

It has nothing in common with the leash. Totally different circuit , design and concept. Though I would argue with his assessment on the leash as being not very transparent. It sounds like your buddy's leash has a problem. You should have him call us maybe one of the wipers isn't catching.

As for the unleas It is a transparent as you can get. Frequency response at all amplitudes , frequencies and impedences are flat. Only experienced magnetics engineers could have pulled this off. The Unleash has nothing in the marketplace that does what it does. Nothing.

John

[huggernaut]

Will the direct out/silent option be usable for headphone play as well?

[Minski86]

Question about the 100 watt maximum input. Would it be compatible with a Peavey 5150 (120 watts) as long as the master isn't cranked? Say half way or less on the master volume.

[jbt7764]

Question about the 100 watt maximum input. Would it be compatible with a Peavey 5150 (120 watts) as long as the master isn't cranked? Say half way or less on the master volume.

It will handle a 120 watt 5150. Really it comes down to how hard you push the peavey and how quiet you play it. How much of the signal is the attenuation absorbing. The unleash will handle a full 100 watts pumping into it with e volume going to the speaker discontented.

I think you are safe with a peavey 5150.

[iluvstrats]

Will this or the bobcat be at Namm this week

[jbt7764]

Will this or the bobcat be at Namm this week

We chose not to exhibit at summer NAMM. But the good news is that production begins Monday morning on the bobcat. I am picking up the chassis tomorrow morning. All transformers and parts are in. Heat up the solder guns on Monday. We will be shipping them out very soon. Demos on web next week.
I can't wait!!!!,
John

[socalscott]

Ah the smell of fresh rosin in the morning. lol John is AMP'd up...my bad.

[kevin_jazz]

We chose not to exhibit at summer NAMM. But the good news is that production begins Monday morning on the bobcat. I am picking up the chassis tomorrow morning. All transformers and parts are in. Heat up the solder guns on Monday. We will be shipping them out very soon. Demos on web next week.
I can't wait!!!!,
John

Just picked up a Two Rock EXO-15 and this thread. This is exactly what I need to play my outdoor gigs! Plus (buffered?) effects??

Fantastic! I think you have a winner here.....

[jbt7764]

Just picked up a Two Rock EXO-15 and this thread. This is exactly what I need to play my outdoor gigs! Plus (buffered?) effects??

Fantastic! I think you have a winner here.....

Sorry passive loop on this one. Small buffered pedal you'll be ok.
John

[kevin_jazz]

Sorry passive loop on this one. Small buffered pedal you'll be ok.
John

Any recommendations? The EXO-15 has a passive loop as well.

[eelcloud]

The Unleash is so cutting-edge, it's a bit difficult to wrap one's head around all the options and different things this box can do.
Rather than go off, I'll just say this-wouldn't you LOVE to adjust your amp for that "sweet spot", and then adjust THAT volume up or down, without any tone change?
I would...
This thing is WAY cool.

['63-Strat]

Yeah this sounds very cool!

[vashuba]

this thing is sick! gotta get one

[kombi1976]

Y'know, John, I can see people asking for a pair of Unleashes in a rack box with buffered loops.

[jbt7764]

Y'know, John, I can see people asking for a pair of Unleashes in a rack box with buffered loops.

Are you asking?

[kombi1976]

No, I'm not, not for the moment, anyway.
But I can see having 2 or more being excellent for gigging musos.

[userd]

Hi John,

are there plans for additional features for the Unleash (other than the Ohm-thing)?

i.e. Headphones, Stereo-output?

[vchizzle]

The Unleash is so cutting-edge, it's a bit difficult to wrap one's head around all the options and different things this box can do.
Rather than go off, I'll just say this-wouldn't you LOVE to adjust your amp for that "sweet spot", and then adjust THAT volume up or down, without any tone change?
I would...
This thing is WAY cool.
I'm considering getting one for just this purpose. Been struggling with volume levels in clubs. I could just get the Leash to attenuate, but I could eliminate another piece of gear using the DI and the footswitchable volumes is cool as well giving a true volume boost without altering the tone.

The rackmountable stereo Unleash is a h3ll of an idea as well. Could be a big hit with touring guys with big rigs...that also makes me rethink my rig situation and what I could do with something like that.

Hmmmm...