Soldano Amplifiers | Astro-20 Head

Back in 1987, Seattle-native Mike Soldano built one of the first high-gain amp heads, with searing harmonics and the perfect balance of gain, sustain and tight touch response, the SLO completely changed what players came to expect from amps. Favoured by artists as varied as Mick Mars, Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler, the SLO-100 was the blueprint for many of our favourite high gain amps! 

Fast forward to 2023, Mike Soldano is still hard at work trying to perfect the high-gain amp formula, and his latest creation may just tick all the boxes! Introducing the Soldano Astro-20 amplifer! Bridging the gap between traditional valve amps and new digital amp technology, the Astro 20 gives you user friendly digital control and IR utilisation, but with old school balls-to-the-wall Soldano tube growl.

With 3 channels, and 20 watts of power, the Astro 20 is loaded with 4 12AX7 preamp tubes and 2 6V6 power amp tubes. Don’t be fooled by the 20watt rating, this amp is certainly loud enough for any live or studio setting you may find yourself in! The Astro-20’s clean channel is incredible, offering a crystal clear tone it benefits from an independent volume, tone and a 3-way brightness switch. Gain 1 and 2 have separate gain and volume controls whilst sharing a 3-way bass, middle and treble EQ section. The master output section boasts a global master volume, presence control and a 3-way depth switch that adds texture and definition to your sound.

The defining feature of the Astro 20 though is the inclusion of the 4 tonal galaxies, which are essentially 4 different gain stages, each of which feature their own unique tonal voicing, allowing you to hold your own in any genre. Green is dedicated to the clean channel while Blue, Purple and Red can be assigned to either of the gain channels and sculpted to your requirements. Orbiting the Galaxy you’ll find 6 planet lights, they correspond to the selected impulse response. The Astro 20 features a great range of pre-loaded IR’s but you can also customise and upload your own via the Soldano editor software, which can be accessed via usb. For even greater ease of use, the Galaxies, channels and IR’s can all be selected and assigned via the front panel too.

The back panel is loaded with player focused features. With multiple speaker outputs, an effects loop, headphones out, balanced IR output, USB and a midi port for the included 4 button footswitch, the Astro has covered every base and offers the perfect solution for players who require versatility but don’t want to compromise on tone.

The Soldano Astro 20 is a glimpse into the future of amp design. A no compromise blend of vintage valve attitude and modern functionality, it’s the perfect partner for players across a huge range of situations. Whether you’re on the road, in the studio, or just playing in your bedroom, the Astro 20 delivers flexible, A grade tone at a comfortable volume, direct to your computer, front of house or into your cab.