Fender Unveils the Cyber-Twin
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(Click for a close-up of the controls) |
January 18, 2001Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is proud to
introduce the most revolutionary and ambitious new product in its
fifty-five year history: The Cyber-Twin amplifier. The first amplifier
ever capable of Cybernetic Amp Design (C.A.D.) technology that
actually re-creates circuitry, the Cyber-Twin utilizes both analog and
digital components to instantly become over 120 of the world’s most
sought after classic and modern classic amplifiers tones.
Fender’s world class team of engineers have spent more than three years
of research and development on this extraordinary new amplifier. From
day one, the intention was to follow the long-standing Fender tradition
of innovation, and to set the standard by which all amplifiers will
follow in the future. The result is the future of amplifiers, the
Cyber-Twin
Not another “modeling” amp, the Cyber-Twin is a warehouse filled with
the best of history’s amplifiers housed in one cabinet, and whose
electronic architecture literally reconfigures itself to become the
amplifier that is selected. While a specific tonal quality may be
digitally replicated by a “modeling” amp to give a snapshot of an
amplifier at a single setting, C.A.D. makes it possible for the
Cyber-Twin to recreate the original amplifier’s schematic and maintain
its sonic personality, allowing it to become that amplifier.
Senior vice president of marketing for Fender, Ritchie Fliegler,
explains, “DSP modeling amps may provide a one-dimensional snapshot of a
very specific moment in time where a certain guitar is played at a
certain volume by adjusting its equalizer. Once you turn up the gain or
lower the treble, that moment is gone forever, and so is the amplifier
the DSP is trying to emulate.”
“C.A.D. literally reconfigures the Cyber-Twin’s tone stack, as if there
were a tiny robot inside with a soldering iron building each one of the
amps,” adds Fliegler. “Once the specific circuitry has been dialed up,
the Cyber-Twin is an actual amplifier that delivers the living,
breathing response of the original. If you dial up a classic Fender
amplifier like a ‘59 Bassman or a ‘65 Twin, you couldn’t tell the
difference if you were blindfolded.”
The versatility of the Cyber-Twin, however, does not stop at classic and
modern classic Fender tones. While most Fender amplifiers feature a
tone stack that’s placed before the preamp, many other classic sounds
are from amplifiers that have the tone stack after the preamp, like many
of the popular British models. The Cyber-Twin has the capability of
moving the tone stack either before or after the preamp, offering the
best of American and British amplifier voicings.
With the familiar Fender control panel, the Cyber-Twin is playable right
out of the box. There are 35 classic and modern classic pre-set
amplifiers to choose from, which are accessible by a large control
dial. Playing a ‘59 Bassman, for example, is as simple as dialing it up
and using the standard amplifier controls to get a desired tone.
Using the world’s most revered amplifier circuits its building blocks,
the Cyber-Twin also allows players to design their own amplifier
sounds. The “Custom Shop” function features 85 of Fender’s own pre-set
creations, all of which are fully adjustable to allow musicians to go as
deep as they want into their own personal tonal preferences. Once
adjusted, new sounds can be saved in the “Player’s Lounge” for 85 added
possibilities.
Four Quick Access keys provide instant assignment and recall of a
player’s favorite Amp Design pre-sets, all of which can also be accessed
remotely with the included four-button footswitch.
The Cyber-Twin features 130 Watts of stereo output (65 Watts per
channel) through 2x12” Celestion G12T-100 speakers (8 Ohms). Two
12AX7WA vacuum tubes are used in the preamp, and there are four tone
stacks which can be placed before or after the distortion circuitry.
“The Cyber-Twin truly is the Holy Grail of all amplifiers,” explains
Fliegler. “With Cybernetic Amp Design, we’ve taken musical
possibilities to a level never before attainable with one single amp.
What we’ve created is the future of amplifiers.” For more information, visit their web site at www.fender.com. | 
