Sinvertek's N5+ 3D Gold Edition Preamp / Distortion is Incredibly Even More Amp-Like, Dynamic and Lively than the already Superb N5 Plus
I’m a huge fan of Sinvertek’s output - one Mr Wu Nan, who’s other brand is the formidable CKK Electronics. In fact one of my big regrets of the year was missing out on the superb CKK Scream Honey SH-1N Overdrive for which only 170 units were made - several of my readers / friends managed to snag one and berated me for not having had my eye on the ball - but it has been a crazy hectic year for me, and with so many priorities and obligations to juggle there is always bound to be something that slips through the net. I was sort of peripherally aware of the Scream Honey but was distracted on other matters at the time - and before I knew it all 170 units were gone, and Wu declared that project having come to an end. Just like Boss’s TB-2W the limiting factor was some super rare NOS components that were only available in sufficient numbers to make those 170 units - so definitely one that got away from me this year.
In terms of the No.5 / N5 Preamp / Distortion - that is a project I’ve been onto and into right from the the start - indeed since the original No.5 Distortion came out back in 2015. I have all 4 models featured in the visual below and now spanning 6 years.
N5 Series
- 2015 : No.5 Distortion - $199 when new
- 2018 : N5 Drive - $199 when new
- 2019 : N5+ - $199 when new
- 2021 : N5+ 3D Gold Limited Edition of 99 ($299) & N5+ Titanium Limited Edition of 99 ($209)
For me these are the ultimate in versatile Tube-Amp-Like Lead Tone Preamp / Distortion pedals - and each version incredibly outperforms and improves on its predecessor - while each of these is amazing in its own right - which sequence I felt had surely peaked with 2019's N5+ Edition. While the newest N5+ 3D variants take things further up a notch as Sinvertek details below :
Titanium Version (Limited 99pcs) - $209
"Our chief designer - Wu will do the electronic test and final sound-check himself to ensure you get a top standard Sinvertek product. Compared to the Drive N5+ - this version as a 20% improvement in tone detail and quality."
Gold Version (Limited 99pcs) - $299
"This is not a normal product. It is an artwork and weapon that Wu created to make his dream come true. Its competitor is an amp, and it has enough power to start a war against top amps. All work will be hand-modified by Wu, mainly including selecting gain components, matching each gain stage and using rare-find NOS FET, which come from his own private collection, in the first gain stage. Wu will also do all electronic tests, sound-check and final assembly. Compared to the Titanium version, the Gold version stands at a new level, the tone is extremely transparent and 3D in feel. If you're used to playing with top amps, and don't trust other devices to work as well, please try this version."
First Hand Impressions
12 Controls - Volume, Gain Structure : Vintage / Modern / Ultra, Low End EQ : Medium / Tight / Heavy, Gain, Bass, Top End Attack : Mid & High Freq / Off / + High Freq, Mids, Treble, Mid Range Freq : Mid / Low / High Mid, Resonance, Profile Switch Toggle Up : High Saturation / Low Saturation, Profile Switch Toggle Down : High End Freq Focus / Low End Freq Focus, Presence.
I of course had to get the GOLD version - and mine is numbered #9. It is pretty much exactly as Wu describes - incredibly transparent / non-colouring if you want it to be - but with a huge range of tone-sculpting besides. I often use it with barely there gain in the Vintage Gain Mode - where I can ramp up in any direction I want to take it. The N5+ was already probably my favourite all-rounder distortion of all-time - while this Gold Version is bizarrely significantly better than that. It has excellent guitar volume clean-up and superb feel and playing dynamics. If there was ever a pedal described as amp-like - then this surely has to be that.
I am very much a pedal-platform guy as you should well know by now - and this is just the kind of pedal that wholly justifies and underlines that approach. The fact that you get so much in that relatively tiny enclosure is just a wonder of modern engineering. This can pretty much be near enough every distortion pedal you ever wanted - Marshall, Mesa, Soldano - few to none alternatives are this versatile or shapeable.
The one proviso here is the lack of legends on the pedal - the N5+ was fully marked up - while this has very minimalist labels - so you really need to know your way around the pedal - meaning it's probably more suitable for those who're already acclimatised to the N5+. I can vouch that however incredible the N5+ is - and it surely is - the 3D Gold Version is quite a bit more spectacular.
This is essentially like the ultimate Hod-Rodded / Modded Amp in pedal format - a really fantastic technical achievement!
I'm not sure what the status on stock is right this minute - but I would very much recommend that distortion fans get their hands on one of these quick snap before they all go - this really is something very special indeed!
Demo
12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition
