8180 Monster Tube

Name: 8180 Monster Tube
Price: 29.99 USD
Author: Nembrini Audio

by Nembrini Audio · Amp Sim · High-gain tube amp sim

Not rated yet

A two-channel high-gain tube amp plugin from Nembrini Audio, with rhythm and lead channels for clean-to-crunch and rock-to-metal tones.

It includes eight cabinets, an IR loader and a noise gate, and is on sale for $24.99 (regular $137).

Best for: Guitars. Genres: Metal, Rock & Indie.

Keywords: tube, aggressive, electric guitar, impulse-response based, clean, crunchy, hardware emulation, 90s, AUv3/iOS, classic, heavy, tight.

What it does

8180 Monster Tube is a two-channel high-gain guitar amp model. The developer's page says it is based on a Peavey 5150, the amp first made as Eddie Van Halen's signature head.

Rhythm channel: goes from clean tones to heavy crunch, with its own volume and gain.
Lead channel: rock and metal drive, also with independent volume and gain.
EQ: shared low, mid and high controls for both channels.
Power amp: switch between 6L6 and EL34 tubes, with resonance and presence controls.
Filters: Tight cuts low end (useful for 7- and 8-string guitars), Rumbling reduces low-frequency rumble and Harsh softens the highs.
Noise gate: threshold, range and gate speed controls.
Cabinets: eight cabinets and four microphone models, with an on/off-axis switch, continuous position and distance knobs and a mixer with solo, mute, pan and faders.
IR loader: load and blend up to three third-party impulse responses with volume, pan, phase, solo and mute.

The current version is 2.0.7. It is on sale.

Source: Nembrini Audio product page

When to use it

8180 Monster Tube is a focused 5150-style amp with its own cabinets and IR loader, the better pick when you want that one classic metal tone at a low sale price. Compared with Archetype: Gojira X or Archetype: Nolly X, it has no pedals, studio effects or artist presets, but it costs much less on sale. Unlike AmpliTube 5 MAX, which spreads across many amps, it covers just one amp with a choice of 6L6 or EL34 power tubes. If you want to capture your own amps, Neural Amp Modeler or TONEX MAX are more flexible.

Best for: rhythm metal and hard rock guitar, and EVH-style lead tones.
Genres: metal, hard rock, metalcore.
Look elsewhere if: you want effects pedals, many amps or ready-made artist presets in one plugin (Archetype: Gojira X or AmpliTube 5 MAX).
Tip: forum users suggest turning off the noise gate on the presets, which they found too aggressive, and setting the mids to taste.

What producers say

Owners rate its high-gain sound highly; the main complaints are about preset gate settings and the developer's pricing.

KVR users give it 5 out of 5 from 1 review; the reviewer (2020) called it "the best, most naturally sounding and reacting simulation of an EVH amp".
Developer store: 92% of 24 customer reviews on the product page are positive.
Loopy Pro forum users (iOS version) said it "sounds MASSIVE" and praised both its high gain and clean tones.
Criticisms: noise gate settings on presets felt too aggressive, and some buyers disliked Nembrini's shifting prices.

Where to buy

Nembrini Audio: $29.99

Tutorials and reviews

Similar plugins

6160III by Mercuriall · High-gain amp model · $89.99
AmpCraft - 1992 by Kazrog · High-gain amp sim · $19.99
BST100 V2 by Nembrini Audio · High-gain tube amp sim · $137
Cali Dual by Nembrini Audio · Three-channel high-gain amp sim · $137
EN Hardball by Nembrini Audio · Four-channel metal amp sim · $137
E646 VS by ENGL · Guitar amp simulator · $50
Herbert by Diezel · Guitar amp simulator · $75
Diezel VH4 Amplifier by Universal Audio · High-gain amp sim · $75
Metallurgy: Modern by Line 6 · Modern metal amp and effects suite · $74.99
Cali Reverb by Nembrini Audio · Two-channel high-gain amp sim · $137

All amp sims