Winner of the "Best in Show" award at NAMM 2026, Purepath is not just a simple amp simulator.
It is not just a simple IR loader.
It is the world's first fully analog, self-powered speaker simulator, featuring a mechanical reactive load: an entirely new category of guitar accessory designed for musicians who want the feel of a real amp, not digital approximations.
Purepath requires no power supply and features no digital signal processing (DSP).
Your amplifier drives the entire system, interacting with a real mechanical load that reacts like a real speaker: dynamic, touch-sensitive, and three-dimensional.
To validate the concept, Bad Cat compared Purepath to real miced speakers, multiple speaker combinations, and all major impulse response (IR) and digital signal processor (DSP) based solutions on the market.
The results were conclusive.
While IRs sounded flat or distant, Purepath sounded immediate and natural.
While digital systems required menus and presets, Purepath produced an exceptional sound with a few simple switches.
Even when switching from a physical speaker to Purepath connected to a 12-inch PA speaker, the room ambiance never disappeared—because it never went away.
For tube amp guitarists seeking the most realistic direct sound possible—without latency, menus, or power cables—Purepath is a true revolution.
Studios. Live venues. Churches. Home recording.
If you love your tube amp, Purepath finally lets you hear it safely and at its best.
Designed at Bad Cat in Costa Mesa, California
Up to 150 watts
Impedance options: 4, 8, and 16 ohms
Version choice: Silent or extended cab
Data from Amp
Output to speaker
LEVEL: 0 dB / -20 dB
A 20 dB attenuator for very high-wattage amplifiers.
Use the -20 dB attenuation if the input of your mixer, PA system, or audio interface is clipping.
MIC: EDGE / CENTER
A sound profile based on common microphone positions.
EDGE = softer, rounder.
CENTER = brighter, more attack.
CAB: OPEN/CLOSED
A low-end contour.
OPEN = looser, airier.
CLOSED = tighter, punchier.
PKR: CERAMIC / ALNICO
A speaker characteristic setting.
CERAMIC = more modern attack (think "V30" style response).
ALNICO = softer highs, more vintage style.
PRESENCE: 0 / 1
A presence boost.
Use setting 1 if you want the sound to cut through the mix more.
GROUND: LIFT / NORMAL
Use the LIFT setting if you hear a hum or background noise through the PA system or interface.
PHASE: NORMAL / REVERSE
If your direct sound sounds "hollow" when mixed with the sound of a miced cabinet, reverse the phase.