JBL made a pair of AI-powered practice amps
JBL is trying something new, with a pair of AI-powered practice amps. The BandBox Solo and BandBox Trio include built-in Stem AI that supposedly lets you separate or remove vocals and instruments from any music played over Bluetooth. So, let’s say you’re a young guitarist learning “Stairway to Heaven” (as one does). At least in theory, you could use the speaker to knock out Jimmy Page’s role and hone your skills with the rest of the group.
The $250 BandBox Solo, designed for individual musicians, has a single guitar/mic input. And the $600 BandBox Trio, better suited to bands, supports up to four instrument inputs. The latter also has a few extra benefits not found in the Solo: integrated controls (to reduce dependence on the app) and an LCD screen.
The more expensive BandBox Trio has an LCD screen and more onboard controls. (JBL)
The JBL One app lets you add filters to match a variety of modern and vintage amp models. You’ll also find effects like phaser, chorus and reverb, as well as a pitch shifter and tuner. A built-in looper will enable layering, but JBL says this feature will arrive via a software update in October.
JBL claims the BandBox Solo supports up to six hours of battery life. The BandBox Trio is said to last up to 10 hours. But the latter has a replaceable battery, so you can buy a spare (for an as yet unknown price) and double that time.
The $250 BandBox Solo and $600 BandBox Trio are available for pre-order on the JBL website starting today. Third-party shipping and retail availability is scheduled for March 1st.
