Reamp Box for Beginners: A Complete Guide

If you are new to reamping, the process is simpler than it might initially appear. A reamp box sits between your audio interface and an amplifier, allowing you to take a previously recorded dry signal and run it back through hardware to capture a new tone. The basic setup requires only a few connections, and once you have done it once, the workflow becomes second nature.

What You Need

You need an audio interface with at least one line output, a suitable cable from the interface to the reamp device (typically XLR or TRS balanced), and a standard instrument cable from the reamp device to the amplifier input. A microphone and an additional interface input are also required to capture the amplifier's output. If your interface does not have a spare input while the line output is in use, a separate recording interface or a second unit with multiple inputs is needed.

Setting Up the Signal Path

In your DAW, route the dry recorded track to a dedicated output on your interface — not the main monitor output. Connect that output to the input of the reamp box using a balanced cable. Connect the instrument output of the reamp device to the amplifier input. Set up your microphone in front of the amplifier cabinet and connect it to a spare interface input. Create a new recording track in the DAW and arm it to record the microphone. You are now ready to play back the dry track and record the reamped result.

Level Setting

Set the DAW track playback level to unity gain. If your reamp box includes a level attenuator, start with it set to its minimum position and increase gradually until the amplifier responds at its normal playing volume. Avoid driving the interface output or the attenuator too hard — the goal is a signal level equivalent to a guitar plugged in directly, not an overloaded input.

For more technical detail on how the hardware works, see our overview article. For choosing the right model, read our buyer's guide.

Frequently Asked Questions