If you've been hanging around metal production circles lately, you've probably heard of this mythical Neural Amp Modeler thing and are trying to wrap your head around NAM profiles.
So let's cut through the noise.
I'll explain what Neural Amp Modeler actually is, what NAM profiles are, what they do and don't do, where you can get them, and most importantly, how to avoid wasting time on low-quality captures.
What is Neural Amp Modeler?
Neural Amp Modeler (NAM) is a free, open-source amp modelling platform that uses neural networks to capture the behaviour of a real guitar amp.
Instead of relying on coding and algorithmic simulations, NAM works by:
- Sending test signals through a real amp
- Using these signals to train a profile that mimics the amp's response
- Producing a NAM profile that behaves like that amp with those specific settings
The result is an extremely realistic amp tone, often indistinguishable from the real amp. The most important thing to remember is that this is a tone that behaves and feels like a real amp.
That is why NAM profiles for metal guitar have exploded in popularity, especially amongst metal guitarists.
What Are NAM Profiles?
Simply, a NAM Profile is a trained neural capture of a guitar amp.
Depending on how it was captured, a NAM Profile might represent:
- A full amp, cabinet, and microphone chain. ("Full Rig")
- Just the guitar amp head itself ("Head Only")
- A specific channel or gain stage
- A very specific tone dialed in for a genre
Unlike traditional amp sims, NAM profiles are static snapshots of an amp at specific settings.
They are more similar to cabinet impulse responses in this manner.
That means there is not real ability to "change" the tone. NAM Profiles encapsulate the entire sound in a single file.
This is, of course, both a strength and a weakness.
The Problem with "Free" NAM Profiles
Naturally, once people learn Neural Amp Modeler is free, the next search is:
- free NAM profiles
- free NAM profiles download
- where to download NAM profiles free
And that usually leads people to the ToneHunt NAM profiles website.
And that's cool, but you need to understand that even though ToneHunt is useful: it's the Wild West.
More often than not, you'll find:
- Inconsistent capture quality
- Profiles made with questionable gain staging
- Captures trained incorrectly
- Profiles that sound okay in solo but disappear in a mix
- No documentation
- No genre-specific intent
That is why many people try NAM once, get frustrated, and assume it's overrated and go back to Neural DSP.
The issue obviously isn't Neural Amp Modeler.
It's bad NAM profiles.
What Makes the Best NAM Profiles?
I know you're searching for the best NAM profiles, so let's drill down to what actually matters.
1 - Capture Quality
High-quality NAM profiles take time to train, because they need to be carefully dialed in from the start. Not only that, you often need to train the tone multiple times with different methods and settings. This takes time.
2 - Genre Intent
A good NAM profile for guitar isn't just a "cool amp sound." It needs to be useful. It needs to be captured with a purpose. It's not enough to simply take generic captures of an ENGL Savage 120 mkII for example. But if you take that same amp and dial it in specifically for black metal guitar tone, or death metal, then suddenly the NAM profile has a lot more utility.
3 - Mix Awareness
Another component of a great NAM profile is the ability to use it in a real mix. What's the point of jamming on guitar tones you can't even use? It takes an experienced mixer to know exactly how to craft guitar tones that can be used to their full potential in a song.
4 - Multiple Variations
Professionally made NAM Profiles SHOULD include:
- Standard and high-fidelity captures
- Full Rig and Head Only versions
- Custom IRs and IR blends
This gives you the best of both words: high quality NAM profiles, as well as a Head Only which extends the flexibility of the NAM profile, letting people use their own IRs.
Where To Get NAM Profiles That Actually Work
So... where to get NAM profiles that don't waste your time?
Well, you've got two options:
Option 1: Experiment Endlessly with Free NAM Profiles
Download random profiles, test them, discard probably 90% of them, and keep doing that.
Option 2: Pay for Professionally Crafted NAM Profiles
Realize that your time is worth something, and seek out premium NAM profiles that were:
- Captured with proper gain staging
- Trained using extended methods
- Tested in real mixes
- Built for specific metal genres
This is exactly how I created my own NAM Profiles.
They are designed for people who want:
- To stop wasting their time searching for awesome NAM profiles
- Authentic amp tone
- Consistent results
- Less tweaking, more writing
Explore Professional Crafted NAM Profiles Here
Perfect for black metal, extreme metal, and real-world mixing workflows. Click here to check out my NAM Profiles!