X88-IR
The Soldano X88R is considered by many guitarists to be the Holy Grail of rack-mount tube preamps. From its inspiring Soldano tone to its distinctive purple anodized faceplate, the X88R is one of the most sought-after pieces of vintage gear in the world, used by countless professional musicians, including Peter Frampton, Warren DeMartini, Michael Landau, Steve Lukather, Lou Reed, and Lee Ritenour, to name just a few.
The new X88-IR continues this legacy by preserving every ounce of the legendary Soldano sound, with updated modern features tailored to the needs of today's professional players.
To fully appreciate the new X88-IR, we must first look back at its history.
HISTORY
The Original X88R
The initial idea for a three-channel rack-mount Soldano guitar preamp came from Bob Bradshaw, the rack builder to the stars. According to Mike Soldano, "Without Bradshaw's demand, the X88R would never have come to be. I thank Bob Bradshaw for his idea and for the trust he placed in me to bring it to life." Here is the story:
In 1987, Steve Lukather began using the new Soldano SLO-100 heads. Bob Bradshaw built Steve's rack system and toured with him to ensure it always performed perfectly.
During a visit to Bob's shop in North Hollywood, Bob discussed with Mike the difficulty of transporting three amps just so Steve could get his various sounds. Steve’s complicated wet-dry-wet system also required heavy dummy loads to get a low-level "slave" signal from the power amp output to run to the effects. This large rig generated extra wear and expense, as shipping and handling these heavy amps and load boxes required more truck space and labor.
Mike agreed that using his SLO-100 heads just to get a 0dB output signal suitable for the rack system was inefficient. This was especially true because the SLO's revolutionary cascading gain design already provided all of the iconic Soldano sound in the preamp section.
Bob asked Mike to build an all-tube preamp with three independent channels—clean, crunch, and overdrive—that could be integrated into his switching systems and replace all that heavy gear. Once finished, Bob connected it to Steve’s rack, there were big smiles all around, and history was written.
In the summer of 1988, Soldano developed a production version of this preamp, the first of which was purchased by Warren Cuccurullo. The X88R was the first of its kind and the first truly professional standalone guitar preamp.
X88-IR
The Channels:
Just like the X88R, the new X88-IR features three channels, each with a preamp level, a 3-band EQ, an output level, and a Bright switch. The original X88R featured independent channels for clean, crunch, and overdrive. The new X88-IR offers much more flexibility, including:
CLEAN
Channel 1
Channel 1 (the "clean" channel) now features a two-position Normal/Altered mode.
Normal mode is a Fender-inspired clean tone.
Altered mode offers a boosted clean tone for breakup sounds.
In Normal mode, the Channel 1 selection button lights up green.
In Altered mode, the Channel 1 selection button lights up yellow.
CUSTOM
Channels 2 and 3
Both channels are identical, both featuring a Fat switch, a Bright switch, and a selectable Crunch/Overdrive switch. This allows you to customize channels 2/3 to your liking. You can select one Crunch channel and one Overdrive channel, two Crunch channels, or two Overdrive channels.
In Crunch mode, the corresponding Channel 2/3 selection button lights up purple.
In Overdrive mode, the corresponding Channel 2/3 selection button lights up red.
CHANNEL PRESETS
MIDI Store Channel Selection
Each of the three channels features an illuminated channel selection switch. Press and hold any of the channel selection switches to save a MIDI preset.
The X88-IR preamp accepts external MIDI switches and controllers, giving you up to 128 user-created presets with real-time control changes. You can assign and organize your presets directly from the front panel or with the included Soldano Editor software.
UNIVERSAL
Voltage
Mike Soldano designed the X88-IR to operate seamlessly anywhere in the world using a voltage selector located on the rear panel. When you are traveling or moving to another country and want to take the X88-IR with you, simply select the correct voltage, replace the mains fuse with the correct rating (consult the manual for safety precautions), and you are ready to go!
Phantom Power
The X88-IR includes a phantom power jack on the rear panel that can be used to power MIDI controllers.
GLOBAL CONTROL
Master Section
The Master section includes a global Master level control, a headphone output jack, and a headphone level control.
The X88-IR offers stereo operation with:
1/4” Main Outputs
Balanced XLR outputs with a level and ground lift switch
Stereo loop with a mono send and stereo return as well as a loop level switch
CHANNEL / MODE ASSIGNABLE
Impulse Responses
Impulse Response speaker simulation is an essential tool for modern guitarists. The X88-IR offers six onboard IR slots to choose from. Each expertly recorded IR can be assigned to each channel/mode independently, ensuring you have the perfect speaker sound and response, whether you are playing direct on stage, recording, or using the amp's headphone output for silent home practice. You can bypass the IRs using the provided Bypass switch. Add and manage your own IRs using the provided Soldano Editor software, powered by Synergy.
POWER AMP
Modeling
As the power amp is a key factor for a truly dynamic and authentic tone, the X88-IR provides an AI-captured power amp model simulation based on a 120W 6L6 power amp.
This dynamic stereo power amp simulation, combined with the integrated ultra-low latency cabinet impulse responses, offers a studio-quality direct solution.