Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Great Eastern FX's second Obsolete Devices pedal - is the beautifully textured and expansive Distortion Filter - which features 3 rare Soviet D312A Germanium Diodes
David’s Obsolete Devices feature rare NOS vintage components - which are the centre point of that circuit design typically - made to get the most our of those components.
For the inaugural Obsolete Devices OC201 Preamp it was a rare Mullard Silicon Transistor, and for this Distortion Filter it’s 3 long discontinued D312A Soviet Germanium Diodes - in Asymmetrical Arrangement - for maximum harmonics and texture.
The Germanium Clipping results is some degree of volume-drop - while that is offset by the slightly louder and more aggressive and amp-like Asymmetrical Clipping (2 Diodes on one side, and 1 Diode on the other side).
In terms of the core pedal operation - it typically involves setting your desired Gain and Volume levels first - and then shaping the Output via the Filter and Depth Controls.
The Filter is largely Mids-leaning and takes you from 300Hz to 900Hz. The Depth control allows you to fine-tune that boost ±. Furthermore the impact of the Dept Control increases - the higher up the Frequency scale you are.
Beyond he mid-way point of the Filter Sweep - you’re largely in sort of cocked wah territory.
While I’m all about seeking the best balance and the best texture.
For those purposes - I often found myself adding in my Strymon Sunset Treble Booster - after the Distoriton Filter - to raise the level a touch more!
Texturally is sounds glorious on its own - but occasionally needs a little augmentation on the output side. While overall the effect is very much at unity levels at its peak!
As the colouring of the pedal indicates - this pedal is somewhat adjacent to the DOD250 and MXR Distortion+ - while the Filter and that Asymmetrical Germanium Clipping put it in a category all of its own!
You can consider it as a massively enhanced and evolved DOD250 - with a texturally richer output - but similar gain and volume levels.
As a core reference for overall Gain and Volume - the two aforementioned referenced distortions are very valid benchmarks - while the other facets of this pedal can deliver a vastly differentiated output versus those 2 classic distortions - but there is some degree of overlap.
Controls - Gain, Level, Frequency (300Hz > 900Hz), Frequency Depth ± - impact increases with rising Frequency!
My preferred settings have Gain @ 3 o'c, Level @ Max, and both Frequency and Depth @ 10 o'c near enough.
I quite like the Frequency wound all the way back too - for a very bassy / vintage style output. And then you can ride the Frequency beound the mid-way point of its sweep for various degrees of cocked-wah - and then onto more higher frequency mids verging on Treble - and getting increasingly more focused.
The highlight is of course that Asymmetrical Germanium Clipping - which sound gorgeous in that rich amp-like style. You get some pretty complex textural output profiles - while working the Frequency and Depth in tandem isn't always the easiest of tasks - but as a tone-shaping element it really works well - very satisfactory!
The Obsolete Devices D312A Distortion Filter is yours for £249 from the Great Eastern FX Co. Webstore.
It was one of two pedals I picked up at the recent Witney Pedal Party 4 - you can of course read all about that show - from my show report.
The Distortion Filter kind of starts off as a DOD250 - while with that clipping arrangement and Notch Filter - it really goes its own way - while Gain and Volume levels are similar!
I collect extended range DOD250 types - and this one definitely qualifies within that ballpark!
Another magnificent Obsolete Components Device!
Demos
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