NUX's Optima Air pedal promises to simulate any acoustic guitar tone

NUX has unveiled the Optima Air, a dual-switch acoustic guitar simulator with a preamp for acoustic and electric guitars.

The company touts the pedal as being able to simulate any acoustic guitar tone and convert it into an IR file with optimized sound.

There are 15 built-in acoustic profiles with IR level control, as well as nine preset slots and a profile capture function that allows users to create their own acoustic profile by capturing their favorite guitar sound.

The preamp, meanwhile, offers fine-tuning via a three-band EQ.

(Image credit: NUX)

The Optima Air sports controls for reverb, IR level, Select (chooses IR file), gain and bass, middle and treble.

An IR footswitch engages the selected IR file, while the Amp footswitch activates the pedal’s preamp section.

There’s also a send-return effect loop, XLR DI output for direct line/mixer connection, headphones output and auxiliary input and USB port.

The Optima Air is available for $179.

For more information, head to NUX EFX.

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Richard Bienstock

Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.