Jake E Lee Signature – Dual Tube Preamp and DI – Simple, All-Tube Direct Solution
ALL-TUBE PREAMP, IR TECHNOLOGY, COMPACT SIZE
The Friedman IR-J dual-channel tube preamp is a complete Friedman rig in a compact, pedalboard-friendly enclosure. The IR-J features two fully independent, foot-switchable channels based on Friedman's legendary JEL-100 and JEL-20 designs, which are rooted in Dave's modified '800/PLEXI circuits. Powered by two high-voltage 12AX7 preamp tubes, each channel delivers deep harmonic richness and the tactile response of a full-size Friedman tube amp. The state-of-the-art, SYNERGY-powered DSP IR cabinet/power amp simulation sends studio-quality sound to your DAW or front-of-house. The IR-J offers easy-to-use controls without complex menus or 100-page manuals.
JAKE E LEE
Jake E Lee figures prominently on the list of influential guitarists who emerged as heroes to a new generation in the early 80s. Best known for his blistering guitar work and innovative songwriting, Lee contributed to two of Ozzy Osbourne’s most revered albums, 1983’s Bark at the Moon and 1986’s Ultimate Sin.
With Ozzy, his post-Ozzy band Badlands, and most recently, with his own group, Red Dragon Cartel, Lee’s playing has embraced 80s athleticism while remaining firmly anchored in 70s hard rock fundamentals. Jake’s tonal choices provide the evolutionary glue between the sounds of these two great eras.
Following the resounding success of the limited edition JEL-100 and JEL-20 signature heads, Jake E Lee and Dave Friedman have teamed up once again, using their legendary ears and talents to create the new IR-J, a signature all-tube direct solution that delivers Lee’s ultimate tones in a compact, pedal-friendly format.
In Lee’s own words: "Dave has an innate understanding of my background as a musician and we are similar in how we perceive sounds. Dave doesn’t hear things like a technician, he hears things like a musician, and that made collaborating with him really easy. I grew up in the 70s and those muscular, articulate rock sounds were the sounds I was always chasing, but I made my name in the 80s, when you needed a little more aggression and a little more scream. I always tried to keep a bit of that 70s heart and I still do, and that’s what this preamp does - though it has plenty more on tap if you need it!"
ALL-TUBE FRIEDMAN TONE
The IR-J does not simulate a Friedman tube preamp. It is one. While other preamp pedals use tubes to "warm up" their digital or solid-state circuitry, two burning 12AX7 preamp tubes, running at over 300 volts, are the beating heart of the IR-J. A true preamp in every sense, the IR-J delivers all the tone, response, gain characteristics, and harmonic complexity you expect from a Friedman design.
2 INDEPENDENT CHANNELS WITH BOOST
The IR-J features two fully independent, foot-switchable channels with volume, gain, 3-band EQ, Boost volume, and switches for Bright and IR selection. Channel 2 includes a two-position gain structure switch. Like Friedman’s famous flagship amps, channel 1 takes your sound from bluesy, British-voiced cleans to a muscular Plexi-style roar. Engage channel 2 for Friedman’s higher-gain JEL voicing and all the percussive punch, note clarity, and singing sustain that comes with it. Use the lower gain switch setting to access the classic 800-style preamp circuit everyone knows and loves.
Independent footswitches
ULTRA-LOW LATENCY
The IR-J combines high-voltage tube preamp tone with a powerful digital engine for impulse responses and power amp simulation. The oversized 500 MHz ARM DSP processor is used solely for these two functions, resulting in performance far better than competing products. How much? 50ms impulse response with less than 1ms of latency! Compare that to most current products that are only capable of reaching a 20ms IR length at 1ms latency. At 20ms length, resolution is only 48Hz, which means the impulse response will essentially sound the same below 150Hz - these are the critical frequencies where the "punch" lives.
DUAL INDEPENDENT TS-STYLE BOOSTS
Both channels feature their own independent, highly tunable TS-style Boost circuits (a first in the Friedman IR line). Each Boost has a dedicated tone and volume for maximum control. This famous green machine is well known in the 800-style amp world and will perfectly complement the sound. This essentially gives you four channels, accessible with a simple tap of the foot.
IMPULSE RESPONSE POWER AMP AND CABINET SIMULATION
All great tube amps need a great speaker cabinet, and whether you are sending your signal directly to the board or playing silently via the built-in headphone output, the IR-J gives you a selection of Dave Friedman’s favorite IRs. For the IR-J's output, Dave tapped his friends at OwnHammer to provide some new custom IRs. Select the IR per channel using the 3-way mini toggle switches or load your own quickly and easily via Friedman’s editing software. You can even disable the built-in IRs entirely to use the IR-J’s tube preamp with another IR loader.
FRIEDMAN EDITING SOFTWARE 4.0
The IR-J gives you amazing tonal control, but its included Friedman editing software takes it to a new level. With it, you can edit each channel's power amp simulation via Thump, Presence, and Low-Pass Filter controls, load your favorite IRs, enable the Boost Lock function, select loop ON/OFF, and save it all into 128 MIDI presets.
18 FRIEDMAN STOCK IRS INCLUDED:
The Friedman Editor software includes 18 free Friedman IRs to choose from. The first three listed below are those factory-set on the hardware.
OH BE-412 M6402
1989 16-ohm Celestion G12M-75 with 6402 cone captured in a Friedman BE-412 cabinet by Kevin Rowe of OwnHammer using Shure SM57 and Sennheiser MD421 microphones into mid-to-late 1970s API 312 preamps.
OH BE-412 M75BB
1975 16-ohm, 1777 Celestion "Black Back" G12M-75 cone captured in a Friedman BE-412 cabinet by Kevin Rowe of OwnHammer using Shure SM57 and Sennheiser MD421 microphones with mid-to-late 1970s API 312 preamps.
OH BE-412 EV12L
1989 8-ohm Electro Voice EVM-12L captured in a Friedman BE-412 cabinet by Kevin Rowe of OwnHammer using Shure SM57, Sennheiser MD421, and Royer 121 microphones with mid-to-late 1970s API 312 preamps.
EXTENDED MIDI CONTROL
The IR-J is MIDI-compatible. Whether you want to select presets with a foot controller or change channels with the laptop running your entire show, the IR-J is job-ready. It is truly the perfect marriage of modern control and classic tube tone.
FLEXIBLE RIG INTEGRATION
The IR-J’s transparent, programmable effects loop allows you to easily integrate your favorite effects with everything from the simplest setups to the most complex, digitally controlled rigs.
IR-J INTEGRATION
ALL-IN-ONE
The IR-J’s surprisingly compact size turns your pedalboard into your complete rig. Plug your favorite dirt pedals and filters directly into the IR-J’s input as you would any amplifier and place your favorite time-based effects in the effects loop. Now send that entire sound directly to the board with the stunning sonic benefits of IR technology.
STANDALONE PREAMP
Want all the benefits of the IR-J’s all-tube preamp section but prefer a live cabinet on stage? No problem. Simply connect the effects loop Send to your time-based effects, then to your amp's power section. You can still send the IR output to the console to avoid the hassle of live-miking the cabinet (see manual for details).
IR-LOADER
To use the IR-J’s IR technology independently of the preamp section, simply plug your favorite preamp or pedals into its effects loop Return. It is a great way to harness all of its power amp and speaker simulation power on stage or in the studio.
FEATURES
Jake E Lee Signature
HIGH-VOLTAGE all-tube preamp – DI
2 x 12AX7 preamp tubes
Two independent channels + TS-style boost per channel
Based on Friedman's legendary JEL-100 and JEL-20 designs
MIDI programmable features:
Channel / Boost selection
IR selection
Thump, Presence, and Low-Pass Filter – three-position switch per channel
Effects loop ON/OFF
Boost Lock
Power amp simulation with software-editable Presence, Thump, and Low-Pass Filter (per channel)
Low-latency impulse response speaker simulation (bypassable)
Three-position CAB/IR selector per channel (programmable via software)
18 free Friedman IRs or load your own
Boost volume (loud) – Vol. (gain amount) and tone controls (per channel) on side panel
Volume and gain controls (per channel)
Full EQ consisting of Bass, Middle, Treble (per channel)
3-way Bright switch (per channel)
2-way gain switch (channel 2)
Three multi-function footswitches
Ultra-transparent series effects loop (bypassable)
TRS balanced output
Headphone output
Standard 5-pin MIDI and USB MIDI
USB software editor - powered by SYNERGY
3-year limited warranty
12V universal power supply included
6ft USB 2.0 A male to B male cable included
Dimensions (including knobs): 5.5" (D) x 6.5" (W) x 2.3" (H)
Weight: 1.5 lbs.