NAMM 2026: Friedman IR-LOAD – tube tone and machine learning

It’s virtually impossible to come across technology that isn’t powered by artificial intelligence and/or machine learning these days. The Friedman IR-LOAD changes that. And to this point it seemed like guitar amps were one of the last types of tech that wasn’t in AI’s grip.

But Synergy Amps, one of the most innovative and forward-thinking guitar manufacturers on the market, has always pushed the boundaries of what amplifier technology can do so it makes total sense that they announced a new product at NAMM 2026 that integrates machine learning with a new guitar power amp. 

Evolution of revolution

Synergy Amps calls the new IR-LOAD power amplifier – powered by their machine learning creation – “revolutionary”. They extol that it delivers a marriage of the efficacy and benefits of Class D amplifiers along with authentic tube amplifier tones.

One of the reasons tube guitar amps are still so beloved is the way the nonlinear operation of vacuum tubes functions with the intricate interaction that occurs between an amp and speaker cabinet.

The Class D topology is very efficient, but their biggest drawback is that they operate at low impedance. This makes achieving realistic vacuum tube tones difficult to recreate.

Let it learn

Designed in collaboration with boutique amp company Friedman and virtuoso guitar player Pete Thorn, the IR-LOAD is an all-in-one stereo power amp, attenuator (sometimes called a power soak), and impulse response loader.

Through the novel “Learn” switch the unit tracks the way cabinets routed through it behave and reacts like a tube amp would. It comes with plenty of impulse responses that sound amazing, and you don’t even need a cab to get absolutely killer sounds out of it.

The lines between the tone of tubes and the convenience of solid-state just got a lot blurrier.

Learn more at Friedman’s website.