For years, amp modelling meant someone at a company recreating an amp circuit in software, or profiling it inside a closed ecosystem. Neural Amp Modeler, or NAM, takes a different approach. It has gone from a studio-nerd secret to something you can buy in a pedal, a compact portable box, or a touchscreen desktop amp. With its second-generation architecture, it now runs on very small, inexpensive hardware too.
What is NAM?
NAM is a free, open-source technology that uses deep learning to capture the sound and feel of real amps, pedals and studio gear. Instead of approximating a tone, it learns how the gear responds to your playing and level changes, then turns that behaviour into a lightweight profile file.
NAM launched as an open-source project in 2019. Its reputation is accuracy, and the community is a big part of the appeal. Sites like TONE3000 host huge libraries of free captures of amps, pedals and outboard gear.
Why now: NAM A2
The first version of NAM had a problem. Steve Atkinson designed Architecture 1 (A1) to run inside DAWs on computers, not on embedded devices like multi-FX pedals. Architecture 2 (A2) changes that. TONE3000 built it in partnership with Atkinson, rebuilding the architecture from the ground up for better sound using far fewer computational resources.
Two sizes. A2 comes in two versions:
- A2-Full is aimed at pro audio. TONE3000 says it beats A1 on quality while using 30 to 40% less CPU, so you can run three A2-Full models for the CPU cost of two A1-Standard models.
- A2-Lite is aimed at embedded devices. It runs at 50% CPU on a $3 ARM Cortex-M7 600MHz chip. That is the reason it suits pedals and amps.
For scale, a MacBook with an Apple M-series chip can run 64 A2-Full models or 200 A2-Lite models at once.
The “works anywhere” idea. TONE3000 argues that NAM files work anywhere NAM is supported, much like IR or MIDI files. The architecture, training code and inference engine are open source, and any company can ship them in commercial products. Lava Music is one of the companies TONE3000 lists as supporting A2. In practice, some devices load NAM files directly and others convert them first, for example Valeton.
How good is it? TONE3000 makes strong claims, so here is how it tested them. This is the company’s own testing, but it published its methods:
- Quantitative test: It compared recordings of real gear against models from A2, A1, Neural DSP Neural Capture V2, ToneX and Line 6 Proxy, scoring each on four error metrics across 39 tones, including amps, pedals and outboard gear.
- Blind listening test: Over 1,000 participants submitted more than 100,000 ratings using the MUSHRA methodology, hearing the real gear first and then rating anonymised models on how closely they matched it.
- Transparency: The test code and raw ratings are open source.
TONE3000’s conclusion is that A2 outperformed Neural Capture V2, ToneX V2 and Line 6 Proxy in both tests. Independent verification will take time, but publishing the data lets others check the work.
Valeton: two routes to NAM A2
Valeton’s NAM A2 update works differently depending on which pedal you own.
Native loading (GP-150 and GP-180). These load NAM A2 Lite files directly, with no conversion step.
Conversion (the rest of the range). The other models use Valeton’s desktop software to convert A2 files before loading. The converted file, in Valeton’s SnapTone format, is what gets loaded onto the pedal. Conversion support covers:
- GP-100 and GP-200 series: GP-100, GP-100 VT, GP-200, GP-200X, GP-200R, GP-200JR and GP-200LT, which Valeton describes as getting full NAM A2 file support.
- Compact and newer units: the GP-5, GP-50, GP-150 and GP-180.
The practical payoff on the GP-200 is flexibility. An earlier update lets you load converted files into two separate blocks, one for amp captures and one for pedal captures, so you can build a boost-into-amp metal tone with Valeton’s built-in effects after it.
The tech also reaches the smaller units:
- GP-5: A single-footswitch mini pedal that works as a multi-FX unit and as a NAM/IR loader. It ships with 50 curated files and can store up to 80 NAM files.
- GP-50: It uses the same SnapTone technology for converting and importing NAM files.
Stem splitter. The same update adds a stem splitter on the GP-150, GP-180, GP-5 and GP-50. It separates a song into parts so you can play along, which is a practice feature rather than a tone feature.
One caveat: native loading applies to A2 Lite files, so full-size A2 captures still need conversion or a Lite version.
PX Blackbox: compact and portable
The Blackbox is a pocket-sized processor built for moving around. It’s a portable guitar/bass modeler with 80 editable presets, 20 IR cab slots, and up to 10 hours of battery life on a full charge. Its effects chain includes a noise gate, boost, compressor, 20 preamps, a 3-band EQ, modulation, delay and reverb modules.
NAM works through conversion rather than native loading. You convert .nam files with It’s ANNlab software and import them using the M-EFCS app. It also lists a dedicated ANNBlackbox firmware and a NAM to NAN white paper on its download page.
For rehearsals, travel and trying out captures away from the studio, though, it gives you a battery-powered way to carry NAM tones around.
Lava Studio: NAM on a touchscreen
At the other end, the Lava Studio treats NAM as one feature in a bigger package. It combines a guitar amp, Bluetooth speaker, multi-FX unit, mini recording studio, jamming partners and a learning platform in one place. The spec sheet lists native NAM A2 support and access to 25,000 amp profiles via TONE3000, plus 40+ lavaAI amps, 50+ effects and custom IR support. Everything runs through a 13.3-inch multi-touch display instead of knobs.
It covers the practice side too: a mini-DAW and 8-track looper, plus stem isolation for pulling vocals, drums, guitar and bass out of songs. One forum user said that downloading a Fender Princeton ‘65 NAM made it sound better than the factory presets. That is anecdotal, but it shows why native NAM matters here.
Which route suits you?
| Valeton | PX Blackbox | Lava Studio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAM handling | Native A2 Lite (GP-150/180), converted on the rest | Converted via ANNlab | Native NAM A2 |
| Stem splitter | GP-150, GP-180, GP-5, GP-50 | No | Yes |
| Best for | Gigging and pedalboards | Portable practice and experimenting | Home practice and studio recording |
The takeaway
The same free capture can now live in a mini pedal, a pocket-sized box, or a touchscreen amp. That is why NAM matters. The tone is no longer locked to one company’s hardware, and the main difference between products is how much friction sits between you and the file.