Positive Grid’s BIAS FX 2 is an amp and effects app for guitar and bass in which you combine more than 100 amps with pedals, cabinets and microphone positions. It has Dual Amp, which blends the features of two amps, Time Machine, which automatically records the last 10 minutes of your playing, and a looper, and it can be used both as a plug-in and as a standalone app.
A guitar amp simulator recreates the sound of real guitar amps and effects pedals inside your computer. Even without an amp, you can shape a guitar sound and record.
In this article we compare BIAS FX 2 with 18 guitar amp simulators and rate how well it serves its purpose on three criteria. The basis is official manufacturer information.
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Score 3.6 / 5 (average of the 18 products compared: 3.3)
- Specs last checked
- 2026/09/25
- Range of tones
- 100+ amps + pedals
- Recording and practice
- Looper, auto-recording, standalone
- Modeling technology
- DSP + tube emulation
- Price (store, date)
- Not listed
Summary
Among the 18 guitar amp simulators, BIAS FX 2 is rank A. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and A is second from the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5, with the one criterion that matters most for the purpose counted double) gives 3.6.
Strengths
- Recording and practice (4 points): it has features that are handy for practice and home recording.
- Also usable for bass (5 points): it also includes gear for bass.
Who it suits: people who want to combine amps and pedals freely to shape guitar and bass sound.
Main features of BIAS FX 2
More than 100 amps, freely combined
BIAS FX 2 includes more than 100 amps, and you can rearrange them freely with pedals and rack effects. You can adjust the front and back amp settings, the preamp and power amp, and even the cabinet and microphone positions.
Dual Amp blends two amps
Dual Amp takes features such as the impulse response (data recording the sound of a cabinet), cabinet, EQ and microphones from two amps and combines them into one new amp. You can use it to make a sound that merges the best of two amps you like.
Time Machine and Smart Looper
Time Machine is a feature that automatically records the last 10 minutes of your playing. You can pull out a phrase that came to you and export it. Smart Looper records a loop that you can play over and layer.
Gear for bass and acoustic
Besides electric guitar, it includes amps, cabinets and effects for acoustic guitar and bass. With a feature called Guitar Match, you can also bring the guitar you own closer to the sound of another guitar.
Video: “BIAS FX 2 – New Era Of Tone – Overview” (official Positive Grid YouTube channel; narration in English) Watch on YouTube
Where it is useful
- Blending two amps you like to make an amp of your own
- Capturing a phrase that comes to you with Time Machine
- Shaping bass and acoustic sounds on the same screen
Rating by criterion
Range of tones: 3 / 5
We look at the choices of amps, cabinets, microphones and so on.
You can combine more than 100 amps with many pedals, cabinets and microphone positions.
Recording and practice: 4 / 5
We look at features that help with home recording and practice.
It has a looper, Time Machine, which automatically records the last 10 minutes, and standalone use.
Modeling technology: 3 / 5
We look at the technology used to recreate real gear.
The manufacturer explains that amp models reproducing the behavior of tubes were rebuilt with a new DSP engine.
Also usable for bass: 5 / 5
We look at whether it includes bass amps and the like, so you can record bass with it too.
It is stated to include amps, cabinets and effects for electric guitar, acoustic guitar and bass.
How we score (Guitar amp simulators)
| Criterion | Basis | 5 pt | 4 pt | 3 pt | 2 pt | 1 pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range of tones | Choices of amps, cabinets, microphones and so on | 400 or more models, plus adjustment of microphone position, room and even your own IRs | Many amps and effects, plus loading your own IRs | Dozens of amps and effects can be combined | A small number of models (such as a free version) | — |
| Recording and practice | Features that help with home recording and practice | A recorder, a looper and a tuner are all included | Two or more, such as a looper and standalone use | Can be run as a standalone app | — | Not mentioned on the official page |
| Modeling technology | The technology used to recreate real gear | Has models made with machine learning or AI | Has its own IR (cabinet response) technology | Standard modeling | — | — |
| Also usable for bass | Whether it includes bass amps and the like, so you can record bass with it too | The official page states that it includes gear (amps and so on) for both guitar and bass | — | Stated to be usable for bass too (general-purpose processing) | — | No bass gear, or not mentioned |
Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on how well the product serves one goal: recording guitar and bass through a line at home and making them sound like an amp. Scores follow the conditions in the table above, and the rank is based on an average in which "Range of tones" counts double. The basis is official manufacturer information. Sound quality and CPU load are not measured, so they are not scored; reviews from trade magazines are introduced in the articles for reference. Price is not part of the score. Features that cannot be confirmed from the manufacturer's or a retailer's description are scored as if absent. "Also usable for bass" is a criterion that answers the common search for "bass amp simulator". The "OBS (streaming)" column in the table shows whether the official page lists the VST2 format that the streaming software OBS Studio can use (○). OBS does not support the VST3 format. It is not part of the score.
BIAS FX 2 system requirements and getting started
| Operating system | Windows / Mac (Apple Silicon supported) |
|---|---|
| Plug-in formats | AU, VST (plug-in) / standalone |
| Standalone | Yes |
| OBS (streaming) | Not checked |
Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on October 17, 2026.
Compared with other guitar amp simulators
Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.
| Product | RankAvg. score | Range of tones | Recording and practice | Modeling technology | Bass | Free | OBS (streaming) | Price (store, date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native InstrumentsGuitar Rig 7 Pro | S 4.4 | Many + IR loading | Looper + standalone | Machine learning (ICM) | Has bass amps | Free version available | × (VST3 only) | $189 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| Native InstrumentsGuitar Rig 7 Player | B 2.6 | 2 amps + 26 tools | Standalone | Machine learning (ICM) | No bass amps | Free | × (VST3 only) | Not listed |
| IK MultimediaAmpliTube 5 | S 5.0 | 400+ + mic positions | Recorder and more | AI (TONEX) | Guitar and bass gear | Free version available | × (VST3 only) | $29.99 (sale; regular $199) [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| IK MultimediaAmpliTube 5 CS | B 3.0 | 42 models | Standalone | Standard | Guitar and bass gear | Free | × (VST3 only) | Not listed |
| MeldaProductionMGuitarArchitect | B 2.6 | Dozens of models | No recording or practice features | Standard | Usable for bass too | — | ○ | $329 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| IK MultimediaTONEX CS | A 3.4 | 20 models | Standalone | AI | Guitar and bass tones | Free | × (VST3 only) | Not listed |
| IK MultimediaTONEX | S 4.2 | 400+ + IR | Standalone | AI | Guitar and bass tones | Free version available | × (VST3 only) | $199.99 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| IK MultimediaTONEX MAX | S 4.2 | 1,250+ + IR | Standalone | AI | Guitar and bass tones | Free version available | × (VST3 only) | $99.99 (sale; regular $299.99) [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| Neural DSPArchetype: Gojira X | B 3.0 | 3 amps + effects + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | Hundreds of IRs + 6 mics | For guitar | — | ○ | Not listed |
| Neural DSPArchetype: Nolly X | B 3.0 | 4 amps + effects + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | 640 IRs recorded by Nolly | For guitar | — | ○ | ≈$151.32 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Neural DSPArchetype: Cory Wong X | B 3.0 | Amps + effects + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | 6 mics + 324 IRs | For guitar | — | ○ | ≈$133.39 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Neural DSPArchetype: Tim Henson X | B 3.0 | 3 amps + Multivoicer + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | 6 mics + 324 IRs | For guitar | — | ○ | ≈$133.39 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Positive GridBIAS FX 2 | A 3.6 | 100+ amps + pedals | Looper, auto-recording, standalone | DSP + tube emulation | Bass amps and effects | — | Not checked | Not listed |
| OverloudTH-U | A 3.8 | 253 models + SuperCabinet | Tuner | Fluid Modeling + Fluid IR | 4 bass amps, 2 cabinets | — | Not checked | ≈$301.53 (sale; regular €299) [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Brainworxbx_rockrack V3 | C 2.2 | 8 amps + 40 chains | Not stated | Standard modeling | For guitar and bass | — | Not checked | $75 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Neural DSPArchetype: Petrucci X | B 3.0 | 4 amps + effects + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | 6 mics + IR | For guitar | — | ○ | ≈$167.02 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Neural DSPArchetype: Plini X | B 3.0 | 3 amps + effects + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | 6 mics + hundreds of IRs | For guitar | — | ○ | ≈$133.39 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Neural DSPArchetype: John Mayer X | B 3.0 | 3 amps + pedals + IR | Standalone, tuner, metronome | 11 mics + IR | For guitar | — | ○ | ≈$189.43 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
Features checked on each manufacturer's official website on September 25, 2026. Check the store page behind the buy button for the price.
Read next
- TH-U: features and rating (rank A)
- MGuitarArchitect: features and rating (rank B)
- Archetype: Gojira X: features and rating (rank B)
- Archetype: Nolly X: features and rating (rank B)
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