Friedman IR-Dchat_bubble_outlineFrom real comments

Multiple users say the IR-D captures the real Dirty Shirley/Twin Sister character with tube feel and Marshall-derived voicing. One compared it favorably to a Kingsley Constable and another to a real head after tweaking presence.

@faustoferrara

I tried this preamp, and then immediately sold my Quad Cortex and I have to say that I think like you, I prefer a thousand times two perfect channels like these and a few pedals to any modern modeler, there is no comparison in terms of sound and simplicity and dynamics, it's like playing with a real head, because the tubes are really there and the Friedman taste is something not for everyone. Luckily someone didn't like it and I was able to buy it on sale from Thomann, whoever used the pedal before me had set the presence to maximum on the app and made everything sound strange, by turning the presence back to almost zero the sound came out so natural and tube-like that it put a smile on my face of those that last for hours and days... I love this pedal it has all the real Marshall inside, with an extra touch.launch

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January 9, 2026

@scottpeters4401

I don’t know,I ran one into the line in of a PS100…FX Return of a BE,and it sounds fantastic..it’s just a preamp,and since all high gain amps get the majority of their sound from the preamp,not the power amp,I could tell no difference between the IR-X and the “real”Friedman….I then ran it direct,using the IR’s..again,sounded absolutely amazing..I had zero noise,or congestion…it’s a real high voltage preamp…but everything is subjective,everyone likes what they like,but I think the IR-X and IR-D sound great…it sounded and felt as good as anything else I have played..is it for everyone?probably not,but it’s not a “fake”Friedman distortion pedal either..it’s the preamp section of a Friedman,running at the same voltages,no more,no less…launch

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May 22, 2024

@duaneadam

Came across your video about an hour before mine arrived so I've been more critical than I would have. I didn't notice the noise, in fact mine is nearly dead quiet, so much that I'm not sure why you would need a ground. I agree about the feel or lack there of, but it got me wondering if any device has great feel played through studio monitors/headphones vs a power amp and guitar speakers. Seems to sound better if you record without the IR's and add them later. Anyway, I'm keeping mine, my amp collection is mostly old Marshalls and this adds a nice new flavor.launch

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May 3, 2024

@j.aut.1275

Thought I'd weigh in as I bought this the day it came out and put it on my pedalboard for live use, direct to PA. I used it this past weekend. The points in this video are directionally accurate, but I think there's some antidotes to make it more useable:\n\n1. Feel - generally agree, but I'm using it as a slightly broken up pedal platform. Having a compressor, reverb, delay, etc., which I'm using anyway, mitigates some of the feel issue.\n2. Lowering the bass on the EQ, turning the thump/ resonance setting in the internal menu all the way to the lowest of 3 settings, bumping the highs up a little, and using the presence to taste can help. Also, the more gain you use, the more you need to cut bass (which cuts low mids too) to achieve/ maintain clarity. In fact, I think the thump/ resonance all the way down clears it up greatly.\n3. Ground noise: Using it with a grounded pedal board pedal supply solves this issue.\n\nI owned an IR-X and it definitely was a no-go for me.\n\nDoes this sound/ feel exactly like a \"real amp\"? No. But for me it's a lot better than the Strymon Iridium I've been using live. Would I really prefer to mic up my Tone King Imperial or my Friedman JEL-20 (plexi channel, mainly)? Yes. \n\nI'm keeping it for now because it has a lot of potential after playing with EQ, the external switches, and internal settings. It's a lot easier to deal with in a live, mostly silent stage situation than a real amp. Plus, sounds better than the digital solutions I've used.launch

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May 2, 2024

Several owners note that getting Twin Sister, Plexi, and BE-style tones in one pedal costs far less than buying multiple Friedman or Marshall heads, calling the pedal underpriced for what it offers.

@mattw36

I have a feeling those will eventually be considered underpriced. If you already have an amp with an effects loop and a cabinet size and speaker combo somewhat similar to a Marshall you basically just snagged a twin sister for $500. I run mine into a Roland Blues Cube with a loop switcher to be able to switch from the Roland Blues Cube with an ultimate blues tone capsule ie high headroom fender to this. Its fender cleans, Marshall cleans, and Marshall overdrive in one rig.launch

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December 7, 2024

@robertdrozdzewski3615

Get a Marshall Origin used for around $400 bucks. Then take the effect out on the IRD or IRX and plug that into the Origin effect return. Instant Friedman amp with the tube power amp of the Marshall. Master volume on the Marshall is your overall volume. I found this to be a $900 investment. You now have a 50 watt tube powered Dirty Shirley or BElaunch

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July 25, 2024

@fritzhieke7209

No offense, but this unit is biuld to go direct into PA or DAW. Your complainse doesn't make any sense. This unit sound INCREDIBLE and is so f***ing cheap. You get an instant worldclass sound with real amp feel into the DAW. Be thankful! Man people these days are spoiled af. (me too 😝) Sorry for my rant. Go get a Twin/Little Sister.launch

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July 15, 2024

@justmehere6094

Just got my IR-D today. It joins the IR-X I had. Are they pricey for a pedal? Sure, but I now have a Twin Sister amp, Plexi and BE100 for far less than any one of those amps. Sure, I need to use one of the several Power Amps, I already had. But even throwing that into the price it's still far less than any one of those Friedman Amps/Marshall amps.launch

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April 27, 2024

Users highlight the dual identical channels as ideal for a pedalboard-sized amp, letting players set separate base tones (e.g., clean/dirty or humbucker/single-coil) or dial in rhythm and lead sounds independently.

@fraenkiboii

I'm so glad I bought the IR-D instead of the IR-X. Love this pedal. The S-Switch is really mighty and basically gives you three different amp flavors. I prefer the medium gain (down position) with the gain cranked over the up position. Bonus info: if you bypass the IR section in the software, power amp simulation stays on! Which is implicitly clear, because the presence and deep toggles stay activated, too. But I wasn't sure about it and asked Friedman support.launch

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June 20, 2024

@charlesycoker

Been super happy with the IR-X since it came out..\r\nSeeing how much I love my Dirty Shirley 40 I had to at least try the IR-D\r\nGot it in and am very much digging it.\r\nRunning channel one on the mid gain structure switch gain at noon and playing lightly gets a nice clean/edge of breakup thing, engage boost at 1/2 level gets me a great crunch rhythm and channel two with max gain an the bright switch off gives a great solo sound.\r\nWorking exactly how I was hoping it would.\n\nSmall board with the IR-D, direct or via FX send through my rev/delay pedal into the return of another amp. At band rehearsal studio there is a Mesa 1/2 stack and I run into the FX return, I will take either my Dirty Shirley 40 1x12 or JJ Junior 1x12 depending on the situation. I like that I have a board that gives me all my tones. In the rare event I need to plug into the front of a clean amp I have another small boar built up with a Valbruch high voltage tube preamp. Need to try this into the front of a clean amp but I know that is not ideal \n\nI like to use my own IRs as well. I like the Ownhammer Classic rock, using the Greenback 57 most of the time live. Just sounds \"right\". At home I will sometime run through my FM3 direct using it for stereo IRs and more eloborate delay/verbs\n\nThis thing (like the IR-X sounds great and feels like the real amp. \nI love the concept of the Twin Sister as most muilt channel amps I find I like one channel but not the other(s)\n\nLike Rabea said, both channels sound and feel like the same amp but I can dial in different gain/eqs.\n\nMy main crunch sound is ch 1 with boost engaged and I have channel 2 as lead with more mids, etc. with the boost engaged.launch

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May 2, 2024

@gabrielledebourg2487

The two identical channels make so much sense in a pedalboard sized amp, and for pedal platforms it’s so much about “foundational” sounds. You can do a clean or dirty setting, but it would also allow for two different base sounds, for example one set for humbuckers and one for single coils.\n\nSounds really good and it’s cool to see Friedman do these!launch

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April 26, 2024

Multiple users report zero noise issues when using a properly grounded power supply, contradicting complaints of hum or squeal seen elsewhere.

@randomtrollguy_23

I have the IR X and this is after the power amp update. To me the feel was pretty amp like, how close to the BE I don't know since I don't own it.\n\nSome thing that I must add is that these are kinda picky about the power supply. I A/Bed my IR X with my Voodoo Labs Mondo and a Fender Engine Room. It sounded much girthier and fuller with the linear power mondo as do all overdrives do, but since this is the main source of distortion it seems to exaggerate it quite a bit.\n\nAnother thing is that engaging the effects loop rolls off the high wnd sizzle a bit. If you plug it into a power amp you are alwags losing some of that.\n\nNever liked how it sounded into a power amp as well. Unlike going into a DAW it felt very narrow and pedal like. No real amp harmonics and feel there..\n\nThe application for this unit is if you want a gig ready board going into PAs. If they have backline amps I too agree Friedman's dirt pedala would be better due to the price and size factor. I'm considering selling mine to fund a JCM800.launch

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August 7, 2025

@duaneadam

Came across your video about an hour before mine arrived so I've been more critical than I would have. I didn't notice the noise, in fact mine is nearly dead quiet, so much that I'm not sure why you would need a ground. I agree about the feel or lack there of, but it got me wondering if any device has great feel played through studio monitors/headphones vs a power amp and guitar speakers. Seems to sound better if you record without the IR's and add them later. Anyway, I'm keeping mine, my amp collection is mostly old Marshalls and this adds a nice new flavor.launch

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May 3, 2024

@j.aut.1275

Thought I'd weigh in as I bought this the day it came out and put it on my pedalboard for live use, direct to PA. I used it this past weekend. The points in this video are directionally accurate, but I think there's some antidotes to make it more useable:\n\n1. Feel - generally agree, but I'm using it as a slightly broken up pedal platform. Having a compressor, reverb, delay, etc., which I'm using anyway, mitigates some of the feel issue.\n2. Lowering the bass on the EQ, turning the thump/ resonance setting in the internal menu all the way to the lowest of 3 settings, bumping the highs up a little, and using the presence to taste can help. Also, the more gain you use, the more you need to cut bass (which cuts low mids too) to achieve/ maintain clarity. In fact, I think the thump/ resonance all the way down clears it up greatly.\n3. Ground noise: Using it with a grounded pedal board pedal supply solves this issue.\n\nI owned an IR-X and it definitely was a no-go for me.\n\nDoes this sound/ feel exactly like a \"real amp\"? No. But for me it's a lot better than the Strymon Iridium I've been using live. Would I really prefer to mic up my Tone King Imperial or my Friedman JEL-20 (plexi channel, mainly)? Yes. \n\nI'm keeping it for now because it has a lot of potential after playing with EQ, the external switches, and internal settings. It's a lot easier to deal with in a live, mostly silent stage situation than a real amp. Plus, sounds better than the digital solutions I've used.launch

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May 2, 2024

Users appreciate the effects loop with disable switch, MIDI capability, and headphone output, comparing it favorably to competitors like UA and Helix for live-gig practicality.

@AnthonyBrownHGM

Just got mine. Sad I had to buy a buffered splitter to use in the loop so I can send a non IR signal to my pedal baby and cab so I can use the loop for effects and send IR to foh. Why is the $200 NUX amp academy the only amp in a box with the right I/O? Still, way better than my NUX, just more to buy for simple features.launch

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June 27, 2024

@williammarthe4827

I don’t feel the IR-D is made to sound a 100 percent like a real tube amp , if that’s what you want then buy a real half stack . I really like this unit especially because it has an effects loop , I like it better than my Helix because it’s easier to get my sound fast , I also use it at low volume so I can work on my vocals without having to use my Twin Sister which is loud , will also use it for smaller venues or silent stages . I give this pre amp 100 percent for what I use it for .launch

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May 4, 2024

@jeremygorszczyk

I think UA should take notice that it is possible to get a great preamp with midi and a headphone output at equivalent price. Plus de fx loop disable switch is also a big plus. UA pedals sound awesome but are too studio oriented and not thought for live gig. \nAnyway good job Friedman on a great device.launch

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April 26, 2024

Users value the ability to get usable tones at low or silent volume for practice, vocal work, or venues where a loud amp isn't practical.

@Paul_Lenard_Ewing

I am 77 years old. I can still haul my Plexi but all that getting sore or the odd bruise from the lifting etc. does not heal in a day or two anymore. I only do a couple of gigs a month so I can manage. I tried a modeler but they are all anemic. They simply do not have any balz. This however could well be the answer. Apparently the just recent upgrade in the headroom has added that slightly missing dynamics which give the unit the right 'feel'.launch

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September 29, 2024

@williammarthe4827

I don’t feel the IR-D is made to sound a 100 percent like a real tube amp , if that’s what you want then buy a real half stack . I really like this unit especially because it has an effects loop , I like it better than my Helix because it’s easier to get my sound fast , I also use it at low volume so I can work on my vocals without having to use my Twin Sister which is loud , will also use it for smaller venues or silent stages . I give this pre amp 100 percent for what I use it for .launch

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May 4, 2024

Some users note a firmware/power amp update added missing headroom and dynamics, improving the 'feel' compared to earlier units or modelers.

@Paul_Lenard_Ewing

I am 77 years old. I can still haul my Plexi but all that getting sore or the odd bruise from the lifting etc. does not heal in a day or two anymore. I only do a couple of gigs a month so I can manage. I tried a modeler but they are all anemic. They simply do not have any balz. This however could well be the answer. Apparently the just recent upgrade in the headroom has added that slightly missing dynamics which give the unit the right 'feel'.launch

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September 29, 2024

@ccamacho9333

Sorry guys but from 2 of 100 people that didn’t like that friedman pedals doesn’t mean anything. I had the IRX and I order the IRD and I really love the response and dynamics of the pedallaunch

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May 1, 2024