The N-audio reputation for building world-class amp cabinet switchers didn't happen overnight. It has been a journey of constant refinement. Since 2020, there were several critical updates - some driven by the release of new gear from other brands, and others born from countless conversations with musicians looking for the perfect rig setup. In this post, I’ll cover the entire evolution of the 8x7 and 4x4 Amp Switchers so you can identify which version you own and see what features are available to you.
The First N-audio Amp Switcher
The N-audio switcher story began as a custom project I built for the well-known Bulgarian guitarist Pepi Glavanov from the band Akaga. That original design supported 8 amps and 6 cabinets and was based entirely on logic chips like flip-flops. It featured round buttons with built-in LEDs. About 10 of these units were sold. You can see Pepi’s YouTube presentation of that first unit here. Recognizing the project's potential, I decided to change the entire concept and apply what I had learned to something new. I redesigned the switcher using a microprocessor, which gave me more freedom to include MIDI support, proper relay switching sequences to prevent pops, better protection logic, and better buttons with LEDs above them. This led to the first commercial N-audio amp cabinet switchers on the market: the 8x7 and the 4x4.
Amp switcher revisions
Rev.1: Didn't support direct MIDI CC control of each individual amp, cabinet, or the power attenuator.
Rev.2: Shortly after, Rev.2 update was released, allowing the switchers to be controlled from individual MIDI CC messages.
Rev.3: This update adds custom SysEx commands via the MIDI Out to control the FX-Loop extension, along with a hardware modification that provides a 5V power supply through the MIDI connector.
Note: If you have an older switcher without the "FX-Loop Ready" mark, I offer a free upgrade. All you have to do is cover the shipping.
Rev.4: The current 4X4+ and 8X7+ models incorporate major hardware improvements specifically designed to handle the latest power attenuators on the market. With the 2025 release of the Two Notes Reload 2 and Boss TAE CORE - both featuring active bridged mono amplifiers - the power attenuator switching circuit was completely overhauled to ensure full compatibility with any bridged mono attenuator. Read more here.
Alongside these power handling upgrades, a dedicated ground lift switch was added to the tuner output to eliminate high-pitch noise issues and guarantee a clean signal path.
For maximum setup flexibility, the units now feature 90-degree rotatable rack ears and a redesigned 1U front panel for the 8X7+, allowing for much easier integration into various configurations.
Note: Unfortunately, it is impossible to upgrade to the Rev.4 bridged mono functionality on the older units due to the extent of the circuit redesign.
Which amp switcher do you have?
To identify your model, simply look at the back side of your unit:
If there is no "FX-Loop Ready" mark, your unit does not currently support the FX-Loop extension. As I mentioned above, the upgrade from Rev1 or Rev2 to Rev3 is free of charge.
If your amp switcher has a ground lift switch located next to the tuner output and the model written next to the FX-Loop Ready is 4X4+ or 8X7+, you have the latest model (Rev.4) with all current hardware improvements.
Niki Hristov