The NUX Mighty Plug is a versatile tool for guitarists and bassists, offering a range of features including compatibility with both guitar and bass, 52 types of effects/modeling amps, Bluetooth app compatibility, a USB audio interface, and a rhythm machine function. Despite its compact size, it provides a high-quality sound and is ideal for home practice. However, it has a short battery life of about 3 hours and the sound quality depends on the earphones or headphones used.
If you:
・Can’t practice with sound from a speaker
・Find it cumbersome to have separate amps for guitar/bass
・Want to get an effect unit, USB audio interface, and rhythm machine at an low price as possible
Then the Mighty Plug is a recommended and convenient item for all guitarists and bassists.
Pros
- Compatible with Guitar & Bass
- 52 Types of Effects/Modeling Amps
- Bluetooth App Compatible
- USB Audio Interface
- Rhythm Machine Function
- Packed with Features for Home Practice at a Low Price
Compatible with Guitar & Bass
Just plug the Mighty Plug into your guitar jack, and you can enjoy a realistic sound from your earphones. Unlike the VOX amplug, which has different products for guitar and bass, the Mighty Plug can be used for both guitar and bass, as well as for electric acoustic guitars and ukuleles.
52 Types of Effects/Modeling Amps
It has a total of 13 types of amp modeling, 20 types of IR (cabinet simulators), and 19 types of effects for guitar, bass, and acoustic simulator. The sound quality is good.
Bluetooth App Compatible
This is a great feature for jamming with tracks and practicing improvisation. You can play songs on your smart device, or play along with YouTube tracks. By connecting to your smart device via Bluetooth and using the dedicated app “MIGHTYAMP”, which is compatible with both iOS and Android, you can set up your amp and effects, and operate the rhythm machine.
USB Audio Interface
Equipped with a micro USB port, it can be connected to a PC for recording. It seems to be a good first audio interface for trying out DAW, or for taking notes of phrases that come to mind. Note that if you don’t use a USB cable that’s at least 1m long, it might be difficult to play. Your phone’s charging cable might be too short.
Rhythm Machine Function
The dedicated app includes a metronome and 10 built-in rhythm patterns of various genres. Personally, I think I wouldn’t use anything other than the metronome since you can use YouTube.
Packed with Features for Home Practice at a Low Price
Despite being the smallest size of a guitar amp without even a speaker, it has many modeling tones, Bluetooth connection, and USB audio interface functions, and the market price is $74. It might be more convenient and longer-lasting than buying a cheap guitar amp, not only for those who already own a guitar amp as a practice tool but also for those who don’t own an amp yet.
Cons
- Short Battery Operating Time
- Sound Quality Depends on the Earphones/Headphones Used
Short Battery Operating Time
The power source is a rechargeable battery, which is convenient, but the operating time is about 3 hours according to the specifications. This seems a bit short for a guitar product, so you might need to charge it frequently after use.
Sound Quality Depends on the Headphones
This is not limited to the Mighty Plug, but it’s a point that is often overlooked. If anything, headphones are recommended over earphones. Especially if you’re using a bass guitar, where the low-frequency range is important, you must use headphones. To put it very roughly, headphones are bigger than earphones, which means they can reproduce the low-frequency range more easily. The sound quality of the Mighty Plug itself is good, but if you use it with cheap earphones, the sound will be disappointing. By the way, the earphones that come with the iPhone are surprisingly not bad.
Comparison with BOSS Pocket GT
| NUX Mighty Plug | BOSS Pocket GT | |
|---|---|---|
| Market Price | $74 | $129.99 |
| Effects | 52 | Over 100 |
| Bass Compatible | Yes | No |
| Tuner Function | No | Yes |
| Automatic Patch (Tone) Switching | No | Yes |
| Center Cancel | No | Yes |
| USB Audio Interface | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth App | Yes | Yes |
Both are speakerless, headphone-only practice tools, but in terms of functionality, the Pocket GT is superior. However, the Pocket GT does not have a dedicated modeling amp for bass, and Roland officially recommends using it in full range mode, which significantly reduces its appeal compared to the guitar. Moreover, the Mighty Plug is less than a third of the price of the Pocket GT!
If you:
- Don’t need fancy effects
- Don’t need automatic patch switching or center cancel
- Want to use it with a bass
- Want to keep costs down
Then the Mighty Plug is recommended for you.
The Mighty Plug Pro, which has increased the number of effects and added features useful for streaming, was released in early October 2022. It’s highly recommended.
