Blackstar JJN 50 amp simulator plugin interface

Blackstar JJN 50: Guitar Amp Simulator Plugin for Jared James Nichols Tone

Rated 4.0/5 on Plugin Boutique (5 ratings)

Blackstar JJN 50 is a guitar amp simulator plugin, designed with Jared James Nichols, that models the JJN 50 valve head with Pre-FX and Post-FX pedals, a master EQ, a noise gate and CabRig speaker simulation. It runs as VST2, AU, AAX and standalone on Windows and macOS.

VST2AUAAXStandaloneWindowsmacOS

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

Download Now

Opens the store in a new tab

01Overview

The JJN 50 plugin is built around the Blackstar JJN 50 valve head and its two channels. Channel I is aimed at clean, touch-sensitive tones, while Channel II targets blues-rock drive with EL34 warmth and a switchable 10dB boost. The plugin also includes a pedal board drawn from Jared James Nichols' own rig, covering overdrive, distortion and a 1960s-style fuzz before the amp and reverb, delay, vibe and rotary effects after it.

Best for

Blues-rock guitar tones
Clean and drive channel switching
Pedal board and amp simulation
Recording electric guitar
Live rig rehearsal
Heavy riff tones

Developer: Blackstar
Category: Amp Simulators
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

JJN 50 valve head amp model with two channels
Channel II switchable 10dB BLUES POWER boost
Pre-FX overdrive, distortion and Octofuzz pedals
Post-FX Tape Delay, Vibe, Rotary and Verb
CabRig speaker simulation with nine cabinets
Six industry-standard microphone models
Master EQ with four semi-parametric bands
Noise gate included
VST2, AU, AAX and standalone formats

03In depth

Amp Channels and Pedal Board Sound

Channel I gives clean, dynamic tones that respond to playing dynamics, which suits transparent cleans or using the amp as a platform for pedals. Channel II is the drive channel, voiced for blues-rock with vintage EL34 warmth. Its switchable 10dB BLUES POWER boost pushes the amp from soulful clarity into heavier, raucous output.

The Pre-FX section includes overdrive, distortion and an Octofuzz inspired by the 1960s, moving from transparent overdrive to fuzz. The Post-FX section adds Tape Delay, Vibe, Rotary and Verb for movement and space after the amp.

CabRig Speaker Simulation and Master EQ

CabRig is Blackstar's DSP speaker simulator. It includes Jared James Nichols' signature 2x12 and 4x12 cabinets, seven Blackstar classic cabinets, nine speaker cabinets in total and six industry-standard microphones. The developer says the simulation models the speaker, cabinet, microphone and room, and it does so without the phase issues of a static impulse response.

The master EQ is based on a rack unit known for finessing electric guitar recordings. It offers adjustable high and low cuts and four semi-parametric bands with selectable centre frequencies. A noise gate is included for controlling noise between phrases.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Blackstar
Type	Plugin
Category	Amp Simulator
Formats	VST2, AU, AAX, Standalone
Operating systems	Windows, macOS

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats does the Blackstar JJN 50 plugin support?

The JJN 50 plugin is available in VST2, AU, AAX and standalone formats.

Which operating systems does the JJN 50 plugin run on?

It runs on Windows and macOS. The listed macOS requirement is OS X 10.15 (Catalina) minimum, with Big Sur 11 recommended, and it runs native on Apple Silicon.

What do I need to use the JJN 50 plugin?

An iLok License Manager and an internet connection are required for authorization. The listed minimum is a quad-core processor, 8 GB of RAM and 700 MB of drive storage on macOS or 350 MB on Windows.