NAMM 2025: Boss has launched the Waza Tube Amp Expander Core, a “streamlined” and more compact version of its feature-packed reactive load box that promises “world-class recorded tones with no engineering experience required” – just what the home recording musician wants to hear.
This is a serious piece of kit for any guitarist who owns a tube amp. As much as we love our tube amps, it remains an iron law of electric guitar tone that they only really start to sound great once you’ve got them turned up, making those power tubes work for their money, but in doing so you have got to deal with all that volume.
Great for the stage. Not great for flatmates, neighbours, the Noise Abatement Society. AC/DC posited that rock ’n’ roll was not noise pollution but in the real world it has consequences. Well, the Waza Tube Amp Expander Core allows you to run your tube amp hot and access those sweet spots while playing at practice-friendly (and neighbour-friendly) volumes.
Furthermore, it has a suite of features that could make it an essential part of your home recording setup. This is an increasingly competitive market, the Waza Tube Amp Expander Core, $699 RRP, is priced somewhere between the Two Notes Engineering Torpedo series and more expensive units such as the original Waza Tube Amp Expander and the Universal Audio Ox Amp Top Box.
Boss says the unit takes the heavy lifting out of creating “mix-ready” guitar tracks. “The advanced Boss Tube Logic design approach harnesses the complete output of a connected tube amplifier, supported by premium cab emulation and studio processing to craft impactful, mix-ready guitar tracks,” says Boss.
Players tracking at home can use the Mix Assist feature to apply one of sound contour curves to their parts, with a variable transient control to make sure these parts sit well within the mix.
Direct recording needs a sense of space to make it sound real, and that’s where the Air Feel control comes in, applying spatial technology to make it sound like it is being recorded in a physical space.
There is a parallel/series effects loop for pedalboard integration, and this being Boss there are some onboard effects, too, with compression, EQ, delay, and reverb.
The editor software really expands the functionality. There are 22 Boss cabinet emulations and five recording microphone types to choose from. You can use two mics simultaneously.
The editor is your friend when it comes to designing and arranging these sounds, and you can save 10 of your favourite settings to the unit, selecting them via the Rig rotary dial. There is a headphones out with level control, plus controls for speaker out and line out volume. You can switch between combo and stack reactive load modes.
Around the back you’ll find a pair of XLR outputs (left and right), a connection for the Bluetooth adaptor (sold separately), a MIDI input, 1/4” tube amp input with selectable input level switch, a USB connection and the effects loop send and return.
The Waza Tube Amp Expander Core is available now. See Boss for more details.
Boss has been busy today. Earlier we saw the release of Boss' V-800 V-Guitar Processor, a virtual instrument unit that allows players to make their electric or bass guitar sound like another model, and acoustic guitar, a sitar, banjo, synth and a whole lot more besides.
