Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Becos FX's CompIQ Pro Mini is a Mighty Blacmer VCA Studio Grade Compressor with Hard and Soft Knee Compression, Dynamic Fast and Slow Attack and Release, WET>DRY Mix, and Feed-Forward and Feed-Back Modes
So I finally complete my Becos FX CompIQ Pro Compressor Trifecta, which started with the Stella, was followed up by the Yuna, and is now fully rounded out by the most diminutive Mini Pro Edition in the range, there is an even simpler CompIQ Mini One - which is default Hard Knee, has just 4 controls - RATIO, Make-up GAIN, SENSE : Hi/Lo (THRESH), and WET > DRY Mix - alongside a number of auto/dynamic built-in functions - like Attack and Release Timings. As I prefer my compression super soft and ...
JHS's NOTADÜMBLË V2 Dumble Drive + Box Later Boost is twice the fun!
I thought I should do a quick update on the recent V2 NOTADÜMBLË which landed a little over a week or two ago - I had other priority reviews to post first - but I though just a few notes on this one would be a worthy exercise.
I passed up on the NOTAKLÖN - as I tend to favour more full-featured and expanded variants, while I did plump for the original NOTADÜMBLË. I loved the build process, and it’s a decent Dumble Drive, but really only B-Tier overall - compared to all my other favourites....
Keeley offers up limited 100 run high fidelity 12AT7WA pre-release Edition of its Tube Drive Twin Triode Dual Overdrive
This pedal has been long teased now - we’ve seen excerpts and snap shots of it for quite a few months, and Keeley have finally decided that the time is ripe for release, or at least a pre-release!
It goes without saying that the limited 100 pre-release run sold out very quickly on the day of release - this past Friday the 7th of August. The actual general release takes place on September 1st - where there will be at least 2 editions, a Gold Dealer Edition sporting a 12AT7WC Tube, and a ...
JHS Pedals Collaborates with Coppersound DIY to realise its Boost-A-Drive-A-Fuzz EHX LPB-1 Evolution - Now available in Pedal CIR-KIT
So this project goes back to May of 2024 - where Josh Scott used Coppersound’s DIY Breadboardins platform to deconstruct and evolve Electro-Harmonix’s LPB-1 Linear Power Boost circuit. Josh continued tweaking it way beyond its initial replication / reproduction - adding various elements - towards creating a seemingly monster 3 x Gain Stage combination Boost / Overdrive / Fuzz. Which is a pretty cool and especially versatile pedal by any measure.
That original Coppersound DIY LPB-1 ...
Rainger FX upcycles 80 x Break Box enclosures to unleash the brilliantly dynamic Recycle Box Triple-Tap Distortion-Delay
Most will recall that in November of 2022 Rainger FX released the fantastic Break Box Distortion with Active Sustaining Chorus, and Vinyl Scratch Effect. For me it had elements reminiscent of the band Portishead, and the pedal was very well received at the time.
Obviously there has been less promotion of that pedal of late, besides really the few articles I’ve included it in. As a result, sales have petered off somewhat. So as is often the case - after a brisk start, things calmed down ...
Empty Head Effects unleashes killer Seafarer Suboceanic Ambient Atmospheric Modulated Reverb - which swells with lapping, swirling and crashing watery waves
Empty Head Effect’s Nic is a fantastic sound designer - and his latest Seafarer Reverb is surely his most ambitious pedal to date. A proper elemental Oceanic Reverb which goes from gently lapping modulated shore waves to Stormy Swirling and Crashing breakers. This monophonic reverb positively drips with ambience and atmosphere!
It is so incredibly evocative of the marine environment in all its states, with no less than 10 controls to harness its elemental nature.
As mentioned - you can ...
Zak Martin's second batch of the entirely custom Martian Sound Cydonia Germanium Harmonic Multiplier is up for preorders at 11am Pacific Time - just 30 more units
I meant to feature this pedal sooner - which was first launched back on May 21st. While the images available then alas weren’t at all suitable for my usual website visual / editorial style - so I had to wait until the second batch - which luckily has more suitable pictures that I could finally use!
This Germanium Preamp / Overdrive is an entirely custom build - with super high fidelity components onboard, including 2 x AC128 Germanium Transistors, 9 x Germanium Diodes, Custom Knobs, and ...
Spruce Effects' Americana States Series Germanium Transistor + JFETs Distortion makes for a very compelling proposition with high aesthetic and sonic appeal
For whatever reason - this is only the second time I cover a Spruce Effects pedal, and much like my earliest 80’s record buying forays - this one had much to do with its cover art! I somewhat got the wrong handle on the recent Spruce Blow-out Sale - which I presumed was a going out of business sale. But no - it was more of a pivot really - selling off remaining stock to put funds into a re-launch of the brand in some V2 rejuvenated guise - to happen as early as this Autumn / Fall. In any case ...
Leyland Pedals revives Ibanez's somewhat criminally underrated Soundtank PL5 Powerlead Distortion in vibrant etched enclosure Peace Lily Edition
Ibanez’s Soundtank PL5 Powerlead Distortion was manufactured over a 10 year period from 1989 to 1999. For the first 2 years in a metal enclosure, before then being rolled out in plastic - which is what the Soundtank series is now mostly associated with. Most people forget that the very early editions were in metal enclosures!
In any case this 6 x Transistor + Opamp Distortion has been discontinued for over a quarter of a century, and it’s fitting that Leyland’s Caleb saw fit to hone and ...
Talisman Audio's glorious point-to-point Deluxe Face Blender delivers exceptional full-fat vibrant Germanium and Silicon Fuzz Tones, one of the very best of its kind
As I mentioned in my recent GP7 Fuzz review, this Deluxe Face Blender was a little more immediate and full-on for me, and somewhat surprisingly - where I typically favour the Dual Germanium combination for these kinds of devices. Here my favourite combination is the Ge OC140 on Q1, combined with the Silicon BFY50 on Q2 - those two Transistors deliver my favourite textures and harmonics!
The pedal comes in a handsome deep blue enclosure, and the facia looks fantastic, but somewhat pales when...
