NAMM 2023: Apogee’s guitar-targeted Jam X interface comes with a built-in analog compressor – and added Tim Henson

NAMM 2023: High-end hardware firm Apogee has announced its latest plug-in-and-play audio interface aimed at guitarists: the Jam X. 

Offering 24-bit/96 kHz audio quality, the chief innovation of the Jam X is a built-in analog compressor. The feature is a first for the Jam series and gives in-the-box players the chance to shape their signal before it hits their amp sim. 

Controlling an analog compressor on such a small unit obviously presents a challenge, but Apogee has long-mastered the simplified interface. Here, it offers three simple modes on the compressor: Smooth Leveler, Purple Squeeze and Vintage Blue Stomp. 

Apogee describes the effect as “responsive and musical,” stating: “It adds sustain and balances your dynamics. Use it to fatten up single-coil pickups or tame humbuckers. With 3 modes... you can go from subtle to extreme.”

In addition to the compressor, the Jam X also features the firm’s respected PureDIGITAL circuitry as well as the Blend mode found on its predecessor, the Jam+. This is a handy direct monitoring feature that allows you to record with zero latency in your headphone signal.

The Jam X connects to devices with the now-standard USB Type-C and is compatible with Mac, Windows and iOS devices and then there’s the obligatory 1/4" jack input, plus an 1/8” headphone output. 

It’s all wrapped-up in a solid, metal case, which like previous iterations, should lend itself well to travel and offer a simple, portable solution for recording/demoing on the road.

The changes are not limited to the hardware, though. Apogee has also overhauled the bundled software, now including a DAW, in the shape of Ableton Live Lite and, more excitingly for guitarists, an extended trial of Neural DSP’s Archetype Tim Henson amp/effects-sim.

The latter also explains why Apogee’s launch trailer is soundtracked by Polyphia’s nylon-string banger, Playing God. 

Is all that better than the previously bundled free copy of Positive Grid’s BIAS Jam software? We’ll leave the reasoned voices of the internet to calmly resolve that debate, but we imagine the swap might have something to do with Positive Grid launching its own Jam-rivalling guitar interface, the Riff, last year.

You can pick up the Apogee JamX from today for $199. Head to Apogee for more information.