Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Drunk Beaver's V2 Iteration of the Disambiguation Muff-Rat sees a massive upgrade with 2 more controls, and additional and enhanced circuit components
The Drunk Beaver Rat-into-Muff Disambiguation first materialised as a 3-knob type back in 2021 - simply with Distortion, Level, and Tone controls - and an intriguing cool militaristic army green enclosure with black pistol graphic.
I always liked that version - but at times it could be a little muddy, and I sometime felt it could have done with a bit more volume. Which is a large part of what is new in the V2!
We now get 5 Controls - with the same core 3 controls - here named Tone, Gain, and Volume. We also have an additional Voice / Mids-Shift dial here - like the one on the XR SF-1, and we get a separate gain control for the Rat - which is labelled ’Boost’!
Those extra controls give you more articulation and refinement - where overall there is a lot more volume (and headroom) and gain onboard - and you can really use that extra headroom - for me the V2 is every way improved over the original - and you can dial it in far more precisely. While I still like the artwork on both!
Controls - Voice (Shift - Mid-Sweep / Contour), Master Tone, Muff Gain, Master Volume, Boost (Rat Gain).
For the V2 - Vitalli has also added in 2 Red LEDs to the circuit - so yes - the Rat Input Stage - is now a Turbo Rat - probably my favourite original variety.
Here follow Vitalii’s various release notes - with further annotations from me. The original Disambiguation delivered Sustain for Days - but this new one easily doubles down on that - improves on the distortion texture - and overall brings a lot of refinement - and extension to that circuit!
From Vitalii :
"The original Disambiguation merged the best of both Rat and Muff : we swapped the Big Muff’s input stage for a roaring Rat circuit. This gave you the mid-hump and character of a Rat driving a Big Muff, powered by unique NOS Soviet components."
"The Disambiguation 2 builds on the original's concept and introduces specific upgrades : improved tone control for greater shaping options, enhanced switching for smoother operation, and increased versatility - while retaining the signature hybrid character. Here’s what we’ve upgraded :"
"Separate Rat Gain : We've added a 'Boost' pot to independently control the Rat side's gain. This is a massive upgrade, allowing you to dial in everything from a cleanish boost to full-on Rat distortion to slam the Muff stage."
"Tweaked Rat Circuit : The Rat side now features a fixed filter and LED clipping (Red LEDs) for a punchy and consistent character."
"New Muff Heart : The Muff side now uses Toshiba 2SC2712-GR transistors for a refined distortion texture. There is Unique Muff Clipping : We're using NOS Soviet Si KD503A diodes (manufactured at the Dnipro factory in Kherson!) for the Muff's clipping, giving it a truly distinct voice."
"Powerful EQ Shift : The Muff's tone stack now features a new 'Voice' (Shift / Mids-Sweep pot. This control makes the classic mid-scoop more or less pronounced, giving you a huge new range of EQ possibilities."
"What does this all mean? The Disambiguation 2 is more flexible than ever. It can now do nuanced low-gain tones just as well as it delivers apocalyptic walls of sound."
Obviously for my purpose I'm always going to go for a somewhat more full-on flavour. My preferred controls are Voice (Mids) @ 2 o'c, Tone @ Max, Gain @ 3 o'c, and both Volume and Boost (Rat Gain) - at 4 o'c. That gives me ultimate texture with a full complement of harmonic artefacts - alongside that endless sustain. It is warm and articulate - and a really significant improvement over the original. I kind of liked the V1 - but I really love the V2 - this one sounds really excellent on my settings!
This is a mainline Drunkn Beaver release - so there will be plenty of these to go around - starting with 25 candidates in the first batch - @ $150 from the Drunk Beaver Rocks Webstore.
I have had mine for a couple of weeks now - and it was an instant success for me - I pretty much dialled it in brilliantly right from the start!
Demos
