Nux Optima Air (The best acoustic pedal for 2020)

I tricked my professional guitarist friends to believe that I was demonstrating various acoustic guitars because I wanted their honest opinions on this NUX Optima Air acoustic pedal. The result is as I predicted. None of them realized they were listening to an acoustic guitar that is recorded without a microphone!

⏱️TIMESTAMPS⏱️
00:00 Introduction
00:34 The limited options for acoustic pedals
01:47 The NUX Optima Air
02:33 Tricking my friends with the NUX Optima Air
02:56 Demo clip 1 (NUX Optima Air)
04:45 Demo clip 2 (NUX Optima Air)
05:57 Demo clip 3 (NUX Optima Air)
07:53 The big reveal
10:15 Demo clip 3 (LR Baggs Para DI)
10:55 Demo clip 3 (Line 6 HX Stomp)
12:50 All the capabilities of the NUX Optima Air
14:04 Closure

Before the existence of this pedal, acoustic guitarist resigned to the fact that it is impossible to get the acoustic guitar to sound natural when plugged into an amplification system. This is regardless if you have a good guitar, good DI, or good acoustic amp. As long as your acoustic guitar runs full piezo, you are doomed to the harsh and dreadful "acoustic tone". If your acoustic guitar has a microphone as part of its pickup system, you are subjected to the risk of feedback on an instrument that is already known for feedback issues. I would know best because I was left with no choice but to use such a tone to perform for my wedding. However, all these are now a thing of the past.

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[markdouglas]

Vinnie, I just received my Optima Air today in Texas. Thank you for the intelligent review. I was impressed by your expert friends’ cameo and hope to hear any of you perform next time I’m in Singapore. Also, man you looked sharp on your wedding day!

[jhngregor]

Great review, Pedal Rebel! Just heard about this pedal recently and have now ordered one thanks to you and your friends. Have been using the Fishman Aura Spectrum for several years, which I believe sounds better than most of what's out there. Looking forward to trying this NuX! Thanks again!

[ThomasRoscoeMusic]

Where is the follow up video? I’d love to see it!

[Soccernz]

Excellent video...love the banter and a good representation of the pedals capability. In your wedding video.... what a lovely guitar, but the well your playing hid the inadequacyof the pick up!!! Well done

[seragx]

Thank you! I was about to get a Para di but a lot of reviewers have made me question whether to actually pay for the Para di premium price, or get a newer choice, I was seriously considering the other nux acoustic di, and really hadn't paid attention to this one! So thanks for the shout out!

[michaelschnittker]

Very informative and well done, thank you to you and your friends.

[burnthisghost]

You had a pretty fly jacket for your wedding! ⚡️

[Dinga]

Did you ever do the in depth follow up that you mentioned at the end, I can’t find it 👍

[iup]

I guess you didn't have yours on too long. Then it heats up and the sound becomes all distorted.

[isaacdust]

I've been enjoying this pedal for about a month now. I liked your video. One small correction. You said that the IR knob "allows you to blend between your dry signal and your IR signal." According to the manufacturer, this is not the case. Here is what NuX told me about the IR knob: "The IR Level Knob cuts/boosts the IR file signal at 8dB. Middle position is 0dB. For example, if you find an imported IR file sounds too loud, you can use this knob to turn it down to avoid distortion. The editing software even offers bass-cut and treble-cut to fine tune the IR files. It doesn't give any dry signal, so it's not a balance/mix knob." I look forward to your full demo of the pedal!

[MindofYǒng]

I also thought you are using mic on that demo. sound so real

[SreekumarNair]

Thank you... I have a cort MR500E semi acoustic guitar but the tone is not sounding as shown in your video with the same settings. Are there any other additional settings to be done. Please let me know if possible.

[SreekumarNair]

Are there any additional settings we need to get the tone you shared. I have Cort 500E but not able to get the output to sound like your demo... Please advise

[LuhungSwantara]

halo, i need to ask, how to add our own IR files from laptop/pc into Optima Air? cz i cant find it on manual book.. thank youu

[amazingrass]

Heh nice! This was entertaining to watch!

[roneilken]

Just ordered one- thanks for your reviews. That girl in your first video looks like a girl that spoke to us at Harper College

[Philaygah]

You should compare the Nux with the fishman Aurea spectrum Di .

[bryancabanilla]

correction, Martin HD28 is a dreadnought guitar and Gibson J15 is a slope shoulder Dreadnought. For your future reference.

[ontherecord]

Can you do a video tutorial on how to make your own IRs with the Optima Air?

[Ioan]

What do you think about the zoom a1four?