Cornerstone replaces its Gladio Double Preamp with the even better Imperivm Daje Drive - which combines the Compact Gladio SC with the V2 Antique Classic Drive
We’ve known about this for a while, so the recent retirement of the much-loved Gladio Double Preamp wasn’t really a surprise. The plan has been for a while to combine the Antique Classic Drive with the Compact Single Channel variant of Gladio.
Controls - ANTIQUE (TS808) } Tone, Presence, Mids : TS808 / Cut, Comp : More / Less, Volume, Gain, Antique Footswitch, UNIVERSAL } Order : G > A / G < A, GLADIO (Dumble) } Tone, Clean, Comp : More / Less, Volume, Gain, Gladio Footswitch.
The end result is that you get an even better combination of Channels than on the former Gladio Double Preamp - with the Tube Screamer + Dumble Combination yielding an even mpre potent and versatile output.
I feel the new combination is very aptly named as Imperivm - it kind of harks back to the grandiosity and classicism of the Roman Empire at its prime. The striking scarlet enclosure is particularly arresting and further symbolises the connection with the peak of Empire.
The ’Daje’ in Daje Drive is Roman / Italian for ’C’mon’ which rather stands as an exclamation here - sort of more as a ’Heck Yeah!’ sort of emphasis. In any case you can look at the Imperivm as the improved version of the Gladio Double Preamp with even more range and flavour combinations than its predecessor.
Price is the same as for the outgoing unit - at €359 - where the individual V2 Antique and Gladio SC are priced at €196 and €229 respectively. You get the full set of controls for each, with the added benefit and flexibility of the Order Switch - saving €66 on the cost and getting a much improved form factor for deploying both together.
I noted a few days ago that it was interesting to get this Imperivm and the CTC Unobtanium at the same time - where both share that celebrated Dumble + Mid Hump Overdrive pairing - which on the Imperivm is Tube Screamer derived, while on the Unobanium the second channel is Klon derived. So both are kind of playing to the same sort of formula while both are distinct - I guess it depends really on where your preferences lie on Tube Screamer vs Klon - they each have quite a distinct character and there are distinct differences in timbre and overall frequency profile - also of course he core classic difference in Soft vs Hard Clipping.
I for sure welcome the change up here - as the individual Antique and Gladio SC pedals are pretty exceptional and very finely calibrated - it really makes sense having both of those together.
You have to say that the Imperivm is somewhat more arresting in appearance than its predecessor and extremely relevant at this time of year in those festive colours!
It's of course available right now - for €359 as mentioned, from the Cornerstone Webstore, and imminently at leading dealers. I feel a lot of people are really going to like this!
The Gladio Double Preamp literally sold bucket-loads - so it will be interesting to see how many owners of that pedal - and they are legion - will switch up to the new and improved variety.
I know that a lot of you are staunch Gladio advocates - will you be upgrading to this essentially new version of that - or are you sticking with the Dual Dumble Channels?
Demos
12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition
