Modeler News
Firmware updates, gear announcements, industry trends, and the practical bits that change how a modeler player actually works.
Blackstar's $130 Beam Solo Now Runs NAM Natively — the First Headphone Amp to Do It
A free firmware update, built with TONE3000, gives the $129.99 Blackstar Beam Solo native NAM A2 capture playback — Blackstar calls it the first headphone amp in the world to run NAM on-device. You browse the TONE3000 library in the Beam app and load captures straight onto the unit, no computer, no proprietary conversion. Five weeks after A2 launched with Blackstar on the partner list, the promise is already shipping hardware.
FM9 Firmware 12.00 Goes Final And FM3 13.0 Hits Beta — Both Now Carry The Axe-Fx III 32.06 Amps
On July 7 Fractal shipped FM9 firmware 12.00 as a final release and posted FM3 firmware 13.0 Beta 2. Both bring their platform up to Axe-Fx III 32.06 — which means the Brit JVM Crunch trio and the PVH 6160 Block Clean, plus the reworked power amp model from 32.04, are no longer III-only. If you own an FM9 or FM3 and skipped the Axe-Fx coverage because you don't own the flagship, everything in those three F&K breakdowns now applies to your unit.
Axe-Fx III Firmware 32.06 Adds Three Brit JVM Crunch Models And Changes Plex Block Behavior
Fractal released Axe-Fx III firmware 32.06 on June 25, 2026, with Axe-Edit III 1.14.34 shipping the same day. The headline is three new amp models — Brit JVM Crunch Green, Orange, and Red — captured from the Crunch channel of a Marshall JVM410. There is also a quieter but consequential change to the Plex block: Master Pitch now controls pitch only, and detune is handled separately. No modeling code changed, so existing presets are untouched.
Neural DSP's John Mayer X 1.1.0 Just Documented 14 Signal Chains — and Added Room-Size Cabs Worth Stealing
Neural DSP shipped Archetype: John Mayer X 1.1.0 on June 24 with 14 song-specific presets — Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, Perfectly Lonely, Vultures, Wild Blue — plus selectable Small/Medium/Large room sizes on every cab. The presets are a free signal-chain reference for one of the most-requested clean tones in guitar, and the room-size control is a tone-design idea you can replicate on a Helix or HX Stomp today. Here's how to read both.
Fender Tone Master Pro Firmware 1.8.45 Adds EVH 5150 III Amps, 8 New Cabs, and 15 Effects
Fender's biggest Tone Master Pro update yet lands eight new amps — including three EVH 5150 III 50-watt models that finally give the platform real high-gain credibility — plus eight matched cabs, 15 effects, and a second page of footswitch assignments. Released June 3.
Axe-Fx III Firmware 32.05 Adds PVH 6160 Block Clean And Deluxe Tweed Normal
Fractal released Axe-Fx III firmware 32.05 on Thursday May 22, 2026 — four weeks after 32.04 — and the headline is two new amp models: PVH 6160 Block Clean and Deluxe Tweed Normal. Axe-Edit III 1.14.33 shipped the day before to support the new models. Smaller release than 32.04, but the PVH 6160 Block Clean fills a hole in the 5150 lineage that has been sitting open for a long time.
FM9 Firmware 12.00 Hits Public Beta — Catches Up To Axe-Fx III 32.04
Fractal pushed FM9 firmware 12.00 to public beta on May 4 and followed with Beta 3 about ten days later. The headline is parity with Axe-Fx III 32.04 — the reworked power amp model and the catalog re-analysis are now on the FM9. New DRIVE block additions include a 'Swedish Metal' layout and an Oversampling control. DynaCabs jumps to 1.09.
Axe-Fx III Firmware 32.04 Reworks Power Amp Modeling — FM9 In Private Beta, FM3 To Follow
Fractal pushed Axe-Fx III firmware 32.04 on Friday April 24. The headline change is improved power amp modeling and a fresh round of amp model updates based on new analysis methods. There is also a real bug fix in the Chorus block that was costing depth on Auto-Depth presets, and a Multiplexer USB routing fix. FM9 is already in private beta. FM3 is next.
Neural DSP Announces CorOS 4.1.0, Darkglass Ultimate, and a US Price Increase on May 7
CorOS 4.1.0 is the biggest PCOM update Neural DSP has shipped — five Archetype X plugins coming to the Quad Cortex at once. Darkglass Ultimate ships imminently as a free update for existing Darkglass Ultra users. And the Quad Cortex MAP in the US goes from $1,699 to $1,799 on May 7 due to new tariffs.
Fractal AM4 Is Finally In Stock — And V2.00 Firmware Makes It Worth the Wait
Fractal's most accessible modeler just got a major firmware update on the same week it finally hit open stock. V2.00 brings the AM4 fully in line with Axe-Fx III firmware 32.02, adds a new HM-2-based drive model, and improves the gate block in ways that matter for tight, low-tuned playing.
Kemper OS 14.0 Leaves Beta — Profiling 2.0 Is Now Live for All MK2 and Player Owners
After a six-week public beta, Kemper's OS 14.0 reached stable release on March 31. Profiling 2.0's 100,000-point frequency analysis is now in the hands of anyone who paid for a MK2 or Player — including the Player's long-awaited ability to create profiles, not just play them.
TONEX 1.11.0 Adds Full Preset Sharing to ToneNET — Free for Everyone
IK Multimedia's latest TONEX update goes beyond individual Tone Models with community preset sharing, direct hardware transfers, and a redesigned signal chain UI. The update is free for all users, including the free TONEX CS tier.
Helix Stadium Firmware 1.10 Drops With 8 New Amp Models and Proxy Cloning Improvements
Line 6 delivers the first major update to Helix Stadium's Agoura engine with eight new amp models, improved Proxy cloning accuracy, and a redesigned cab engine that makes dual-cab routing easier than ever.
Kemper OS 14.0 Public Beta Brings Profiling 2.0 With 100K+ Frequency Analysis
Kemper's biggest software update in years overhauls the profiling engine with dramatically higher resolution analysis. Early testers say the difference is audible, especially on high-gain amps with complex EQ curves.