Blue Cat Audio offers several ways to explore guitar and bass amp simulation, from a completely free and easy-to-use amp simulator to a powerful distortion modeling tool and a complete multi-effects solution.
Free Amp, Destructor, and Axiom share the same underlying amp-modeling technology, but they are designed for different purposes. So, which one should you choose?
Do you need to start with Free Amp, move to Destructor for more control, or go straight to Axiom for a complete virtual guitar rig? Let’s take a closer look!
Features Compared
| Feature | Free Amp | Destructor | Axiom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Paid | Paid |
| Guitar amp simulation | YES | YES | YES |
| Bass amp simulation | YES | YES | YES |
| Dynamic distortion modeling | Basic, powered by Destructor | Advanced and customizable | Advanced and customizable, powered by Destructor |
| Amp models | 4 | Infinite number, fully customizable | Infinite number, fully customizable |
| Pedal models | NONE | Infinite number, fully customizable | Infinite number, fully customizable |
| Built-in effects | Reverb | NONE | Over 100 built-in effects |
| Custom distortion design | NO | YES | YES |
| Dual parallel amp channels | NO | NO | YES |
| Cabinet and reverb impulse responses | YES | YES | YES |
| Amp Presets | YES | YES | YES |
| Tone Maps for quick custom models creation | NO | YES | YES |
| Third-party plug-ins hosting | NO | NO | YES |
| Standalone application | YES | NO | YES |
| MIDI control and automation | YES | YES | YES |
| Best suited for | Getting started quickly | Detailed tone shaping and distortion design | Complete guitar and bass rigs |
Free Amp: The Easy Way to Get Started
Blue Cat’s Free Amp is the simplest way to get started with our amp-modeling technology. It provides four carefully designed amp models: Classic Clean, Classic Drive, Modern Drive, and Classic Bass. It covers a wide range of tones, from clean vintage sounds to high-gain guitar and bass tones.
The interface is intentionally straightforward. Choose an amp, adjust the available tone and drive controls, and start playing. Each model also includes reverb, and you can load your own impulse responses (IRs) to customize the cabinet, microphone, and room character of your sound.
Free Amp 2.0 uses the next-generation Destructor V2 engine, bringing updated amp models and a dedicated bass model to the free plug-in. It can also run as a standalone application, so you don’t need to open a DAW to play.
And the best part? It’s completely free, with no registration required.
If you want great amp tones without getting lost in detailed modeling parameters, Free Amp is an excellent place to start.
Typical applications: Practicing guitar or bass, recording quick demos, finding a starting tone, and exploring amp simulation without spending a penny.
Destructor: Build Your Own Distortion and Amp Sounds
What if you want to go beyond choosing an amp model and start designing your own distortion? That’s where Blue Cat’s Destructor comes in.
Destructor is a flexible distortion and amp-modeling plug-in that lets you shape the entire character of the distortion process. Rather than limiting you to a small selection of predefined amplifiers, it gives you detailed control over the nonlinear processing that defines the sound.
You can create everything from transparent saturation and smooth compression to classic overdrive, aggressive fuzz, extreme digital distortion, and realistic amp tones. And you’re not limited to guitars by the way: Destructor can also be used on bass, drums, synthesizers, vocals, and even complete mixes. You are not limited to distortion/amp modeling either: Destructor lets you create custom compressors, EQs and more, and can be used as a full featured channel strip, as well.
Its sound-shaping tools include input gating and compression, pre and post-distortion filtering, dynamic response controls, and impulse response support. You can also explore and morph sounds using tone maps, or use reference curves to help match a target frequency response.
Destructor is therefore much more than a traditional guitar amp simulator. It’s a sound-design tool for anyone who wants precise control over saturation, distortion, and dynamics. Yet, despite its flexibility and depth, it’s easy to use, thanks to its extensive collection of presets and sub-presets, as well as multiple levels of detail that let you dive deeper into sound design only when you need to.
Typical applications: Custom guitar and bass tones, distortion design, analog-style saturation, fuzz, lo-fi processing, drum distortion, and creative sound shaping on almost any audio source.
Axiom: The Complete Guitar and Bass Rig
If Destructor gives you control over the distortion itself, Blue Cat’s Axiom takes the next step by bringing amp simulation, effects, third party plug-ins support and flexible routing together in one environment.
Axiom is a complete guitar and bass amp-simulation and multi-effects solution. It incorporates Destructor’s modeling technology and combines it with more than 100 built-in effects, including overdrive, wah, reverb, delay, EQ, compression, modulation, and much more.
You can build complete signal chains, combine two parallel amp-simulation channels, customize your effects routing, and create elaborate rigs without having to assemble everything from separate plug-ins.
Axiom also supports third-party VST, VST3, and Audio Unit plug-ins, allowing you to integrate your existing effects into your virtual rig. Its EZ mode offers a streamlined pedalboard-style experience, while the advanced editing options let you dig deeper when you need more control.
For live performance and practice, the standalone application lets you play over backing tracks and record your performance. A built-in tuner, MIDI-controllable looper, and configurable macro controls make it useful both on stage and in the studio.
In short, Axiom is designed for players who want an entire virtual rig rather than just an amp simulator or a distortion processor. But it’s not just for guitarists and bassists: for audio engineers and producers, Axiom can also serve as a powerful channel strip for guitar and bass tracks, bringing amp simulation, effects, and flexible signal processing together in a single plug-in.
Typical applications: Complete guitar and bass rigs, studio recording, live performance, complex effects chains, acoustic guitar processing, and creative sound design.
Summary
All three plug-ins share Blue Cat Audio’s amp-modeling technology, but each offers a different level of control and a different workflow.
If you simply want to plug in your guitar or bass and start playing, Free Amp is the natural choice. It delivers four versatile amp models, built-in reverb, impulse response support, and a straightforward interface—all for free.
If your priority is designing your own distortion and amp tones, Destructor offers the deeper control you need. It goes far beyond traditional amp simulation, making it a powerful tool for shaping the sound of almost any audio source.
If you want a complete virtual rig with amps, pedals, effects, flexible routing, and third-party plug-in hosting, Axiom brings everything together in one place.
And because the products serve different purposes, choosing one doesn’t mean the others are redundant. You might use Free Amp for a quick recording, Destructor to create a distinctive distortion sound, and Axiom when you need a complete performance-ready rig.
Find the Right Tool for Your Sound
