Maxon OD820 Overdrive Pro Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this pedal about three months ago, i'm loving it more and more. Its probably the best overdrive Ive heard because its really transparent. You can crank it up to have a nice warm, crunchy, bassy drive but you can still hear the presence and clarity of the clean channel. Its wonderful. It is a tiny bit on the large side if you have a cramped board but you gotta love the vintage look.

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OD820 OVERDRIVE PROThe OD-820 was designed to provide a wide range of tube-amp overdrive tones as well as a transparent, hi-gain clean boost. As the name implies, the OD-820 was intended for use by professional guitarists with advanced playing techniques. The OD-820's expressive tone reproduces fingering and picking nuances with haunting precision, making the best use of any guitar or amplifier's character. With a full-frequency response, minimal compression and zero tonal coloration, the OD-820 won't mask a player's performance weaknesses like other overdrives can.One of the key ingredients to the OD-820's amazing sound lies in its power section. While the OD-820 accepts 9 volts coming in, it then uses a DC-DC voltage converter (#MAX1044) to bump this up to 18 volts. This higher voltage allows for a more accurate, full-frequency reproduction of the input signal than other units can provide. This higher voltage also allows for more balanced powering of the circuit, providing stabilized positive and negative DC voltage to the overdrive, blend, and tone sections of the circuit.Overdrive and Blend? That's right -- the other secret weapon of the OD-820 lies in it's blending of distorted and non-distorted signal to create its massive tone. The OD-820's Drive knob does double duty, controlling both the amount of gain and the balance between distorted and non-distorted signal. Note that said non-distorted signal rather than dry signal -- because this signal is still processed through the tone section of the OD-820's circuit before reaching the output. So, at the lowest Drive settings only non-distorted signal is sent to the output, providing the OD-820's stunning clean boost tone.Like the OD808, the OD-820 distorts signal in the amplifier section of the circuit rather than having a separate clipping stage, which provides a smoother, more realistic tube-like overdrive than other methods. The higher voltage supplied to the amplifier section provides slightly more clipping th

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Source Audio Soundblox Pro Multiwave Bass Distortion Effects Pedal Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm giving this 5-stars YET I ended up returning it. In the final analysis, an amazing pedal but it just wasn't a fit for me and my style. That said, many players will find this a welcome addition to their pedalboard for home, gigs and the studio.
Source has given us bass players a truly novel pedal. Well thought out and executed. Quite honestly, it is unlike every other distortion pedal for bass. Really. It has the ability to produce an incredibly wide range of sounds and tones like no other single pedal. Here is my bottom-line...
- Most importantly, know upfront that if you are looking for "traditional" OD, boost and/or fuzz capabilities this pedal doesn't go there. It doesn't replace those pedals.
- It's real strength - and what it excels at - is in producing a very wide-array of synth-like tones. I've NEVER heard anything like it. Truly amazing range. You won't believe what you will hear. Sounds you've never imagined in your wildest dreams. And I might add...Very, VERY funky! Could potentially replace envelope filters and the like that you may be using.
- The ability to seamlessly morph from one sound setting to another (pro model only via an expression pedal) is incredible.
- Pick playing just doesn't do the pedal justice. This is a big one...Sounds much, much better if you are primarily a finger-style or slap player rather than a pick player like me. The pedal really shines and is at its best when you play finger/slap style. Pick playing seems to mute and alter the intended sound dynamics - for me, in a negative way. Not sure why this occurs.
- I've never seen a pedal with so many ways to adjust and fine-tune every setting - especially on the pro model. The settings are very sensitive and you can really tailor every setting to suit you, your bass, your amp and your style - and then save it to one of 6 locations.
- Made just for bass. Their proprietary technology really works as promised. It does an amazing job of handling and not losing any bass tone. You can readily hear each string (individually and in chords) even when highly distorted. Far from the usual undifferentiated, muddy mess of sound that most distortion pedal produce.
All in all, Source offers the bass player a pedal like no other. In a world of me-too products they have broken the mold and the rules. But, you need to determine if the sounds it produces are a fit with your style and musical tastes. Only you can do that. I suggest you go to their site - sourceaudio - and check out their sound sample videos and audios, which are very well-done incidentally.
As always.....YMMV.........

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The Soundblox Multiwave Bass Distortion Pro inherits the power and clarity of the original Soundblox Multiwave Distortion and adapts it to the unique frequency range of the bass guitar. Bassists can effectively combine complex chords and intervals with distorted tones - multi band processing eliminates the mush and allows each note to ring clear and true. The pedal also features single band processing for more traditional distortion sounds. It's the perfect pedal for both the studio and stage.

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Suhr Riot Distortion Review

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(More customer reviews)Styles I play: progressive rock, blues-rock, hard rock.
I have never been a fan of distortion pedals. Still not, but this is totally usable. This does NOT sound like a buzz-saw or a can-of-bees. It has a fairly warm tube distortion type of sound: it's tone is much better than the worst tube distortion but not as good as the best tube distortion. At the control settings I use it has a tight low-end and just the right amount of crunch without being crunchy like a bag of chips. Seems to have about the right selection of harmonics (that which is distortion). However you can adjust the controls to get a lot of crunch and a little softer of a low-end. It has a fairly wide range of EQ tone adjustment AND distortion range, but always retains the unique signature distortion tone that is specific to the Riot pedal. I don't see getting rid of this, though I can see looking for something with a different distortion signature.
It has a good range of responsiveness that I love from tube-amps: play soft or turn guitar volume control down for light to no distortion and play hard or turn guitar volume up
for full distortion. That said, it does not have that soft compression distortion: still sounds like the guitar signal hits a wall when the distortion starts. It has an OK range from clean to moderately distorted, but there really isn't a distortion range from moderately distorted to really distorted (it's just more of the same).
I am using this into a Mesaboogie Express 5:25. That amp has the worst tube distortion I've ever heard -- very mushy lows and just the wrong series of harmonics for most any style. It has a great clean sound and lots of other features I like -- the Riot pedal totally makes up my dirty sound.
For those looking for true-bypass, I believe this qualifies in a round-a-bout way. I appears to uses a relay or something similar. Pull the power and it stays in the mode it was in: on or off (on without power means no sound passes through the pedal). The bonus is that it can be switched from a remote source through it's FxLink jack. It can also be set to power up in the on or off state.
Check the Suhr website and search you-tube for Suhr Riot videos to hear what it sounds like on different rigs.

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The Riot, as its name playfully hints, is a high-gain distortion box that will make a small clean tube combo sound like a raging stack. We have heard many distortion boxes and were never quite satisfied with how they sounded or felt with a clean amp. We wanted the sonic characteristics of the distortion and the way the pedal reacted to your touch like a high-gain 100w tube head. After much testing, re-working, and re-builds of the Riot over a period of a year, we are finally satisfied with how it performs and sounds in real world music applications with pro musicians performing live or in the studio. The Riot will make you forget that you're playing through a pedal.It works with the amp to deliver a big full sound that never sounds artificial or overly electronic. There are no bees-in-the-jar buzziness, harsh high-end or tubby lows that are often what you hear in high-gain distortion pedals. Again, a pedal is highly dependent on the amp it's connected to and how the amp is set, but the Riot will perform exceedingly well with virtually any decent tube amp out there - even with old vintage-style Blackface type of amps. Get musical distortion and an amp-like feel from the Riot. If you need alternative high-gain sounds without adding another amp, the Riot is the ticket to high-gain heaven in a small package.

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Source Audio Soundblox Pro Classic Distortion Effects Pedal Review

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(More customer reviews)Being a pedal junkie I have relied on a variety of stompboxes over the years to get "my' tone. Thou my sound and style have changed over the years there are a couple of boxes that have been under my feet for decades.
My MXR Distortion+ has been on my board since the early eighties. Many pedals have sat next to it, my Chandler Tube Driver, DOD 250 Overdrive, a BBE Freq Boost, a BOSS Mega Distortion and most recently a Systech Harmonic Energizer clone.
It has been a headache switching and swapping out those pedals on my board depending on the application, until now.
Source Audio's Soundblox Pro Classic Distortion is the answer for most of my tonal demands and frees up valuble pedal board real estate.
At first I thought this was yet another amp modeler. Most DSP modelers have a thin and sterile sound to my ear. My other concern was if the Classic Distortion could capture my modern and nu metal distortion tones, usually delivered via my BOSS Mega Distortion.
Five minutes with Source Audio's Soundblox Pro Classic Distortion and all of my concerns were put to rest. The Fuzz settings are natural, warm and gritty. I can dial in Jack White, Blue Cheer or Hendrix with ease. Names like Big Pi and Fuzz Facade are clear indications of my tonal starting point. There is also a midrange control on the box for quick live tweaks and the ability to adjust the distortion pre and post midrange boost/cut.
The built in EQ is a dream come true allowing me to add a little bottom to my Tony Iommi Laney Amp tones or add midrange scoops to create Scholz SR&D Rockman like tones.
The Metal setting on this pedal is no joke. It is a paint peeling aural assault. I can easily punch up a bit of Dimebag or Kerry King with ease. The built in noise gate allows me to push the distortion to the limit with absolutely no line noise. This box delivers warm, powerful Marshall/Mesa Boogie like heat.
This guitar pedal is a must buy for any tweaker. Studio musicians and cover band guitars will find this to be indispensable. Those of you guitar players that tend to stick to one distortion tone will also get a lot of use out of the box. The EQ and Midrange controls will help any guitarist cut through the mix.


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The Soundblox Pro Classic Distortion packs 4 tube amp and 8 fuzz box overdrive tones, plus a Clean Boost/EQ mode into one highly tweakable and programmable pedal. The onboard 7-band graphic equalizer and dual drive controls provide virtually endless tone manipulation possibilities. Save your customized tones in 6 programmable user preset stations, available for speedy recall via three footswitches. An expression pedal input allows for seamless morphing from one user preset to another.The Pro Classic also includes a MIDI input allowing external access to presets and parameters, and is Hot Hand® ready for even more expressive capabilities.

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Xotic BB Plus Distortion Overdrive Pedal Review

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(More customer reviews)i had heard of xotic effects from a couple of friends who play guitar and i really liked the tone and sound they had so i went on to proguitarshop.com to look at some of their pedals and listen to demos of them after listening to all of them i decided that from the demos i liked the sound of this pedal the most so i bought it with out looking at the price turned out to be one of the best decisions of my guitar playing carrier if you are looking for a really solid overdrive that will give you some great tone this is the overdrive for you yeah it is a little expensive but it is worth every penny that i spent on it.

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The Xotic Effects BB Plus + Pedal is fashioned with Xotic's widely acclaimed circuitry and very versatile preamp, both channels offer shimmering smooth tone with tons of sustain. Based on the circuitry of the acclaimed BB Preamp, the BB + Plus is a dual mode pedal and has two independent channels that can be cascaded into each other. The order in which they can drive each other is selectable on the BB+, so you can actually drive channel A into channel B, or B into A with the push of a button. Cool huh?

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Keeley Fuzz Head Guitar Effects Pedal Review

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(More customer reviews)i bought the fuzz head purely for enlightenment... was going to study it and work at making something similar. who needs to? this thing is bad ass! robert is the master. this thing hits the fuzz world with vengence and much much more. roll off the volume and it cleans up beautifully. super simple layout makes it real easy to work with. just as the manual says... set it higher than you would really expect to use it and let your guitar volume do the rest. my diode switch is very subtle... almost to the point that i'm not sure it's doing anything, but the way it sounds is superb. i've been meaning to place a call to keeley to ask about that, just haven't done it yet... not too pressing as it rocks!

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The Fuzz Head is designed to work like Fuzz Face pedals many players use as a lead boost, but a Fuzz Face can be muddy, lack note definition, be too bassy and lack sustain. The Keeley design is transparent, has better frequency response, and gives you that cutting edge for lead breaks. The GE mode is raw and open. Silicon/Germanium toggle switch. This is like a gain/style switch. The "SI" mode inserts two diodes (one silicon and one germanium in parallel) in the distortion circuit so you can have a modern twist on a vintage sound. It increases the gain and compression a bit for more sustain and more of an overdrive mode. Very transparent and dynamic. Takes the best qualities of the germainum designs and overdrives. Roll back the volume on your guitar for clean sounds, a variety of tones, textures, and natural fuzz/overdrive! Internal drive-range control. Allows you to set up the range of the external drive control. Perfect for fine tuning light overdrive tones to raging fuzz. Simple to setup and use as a lead boost. Combine with Keeley TS9, BD-2, DS-1 mods for a great dual pedal setups. If you have a Class A amplifier, the Fuzz Head is the perfect addition to your setup!

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Plush Noxious Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal Review

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(More customer reviews)over the top distortion. musical with gorgeous harmonic overtones. versatile. incredibly fat full sounds. easy to get pick squeals, etc. I think Zach may use this pedal instead of his signature pedal which is a pooch compared w/ this one. Highly recommend you pick this one up because you won't be disappointed.

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Designed as a signature pedal for Nick Catanese (Black Label Society, SpeedX), The Noxious pedal brings a whole new definition to the term high gain. Where most pedals end, Noxious is just getting started. The Noxious pedal includes a fully-adjustable input gain control, amp-like fully interactive bass, middle and treble tone controls and a master volume that doesn't suck tone. With a low-noise input circuit based on the Plush Pure Gain pedal, and an output section that is like a miniature power amplifier, the Noxious can go from a mild overdrive, to the sound of an amp on the verge of blowing itself to bits. The Noxious features Nick's custom "Evil Twin" logo, true-bypass, an ultra bright LED, premium jacks and a solid cast-aluminum shell. Like all Plush Pedals, it's built in the USA from premium parts and has a 5-year warranty.

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Line 6 M13 Stompbox Modeler Review

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(More customer reviews)The M13 is an outstanding piece of gear. I've never really loved Line 6's amp/cab modeling stuff. I had the HD147 and liked it for a couple years. But I could never get the tone I wanted. Then I bought a tube amp. A Crate Palomino V32. But lost all the versatility with effects. So then I bought the POD X3L. It had no depth and took all the character out of the amp. So I went the all pedal route. Boss DD-20, L6 Verbzilla, Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Classic overdrive pedal. Blackstar HT-Dual OD/Dist, etc. I was really happy!!
Then I saw the M13. I was totally floored by how many different effects that were in there and the versatility of routing the "pedals" in order of one another. ITS SO VERSATILE!! The effect quality is right up there with their 4 button stomps (DL4, MM4, DM4, and FM4) after all it was designed to encompass all of those pedals into one package that has a footprint that is just a couple inches bigger than 2 of the 4 button stomps.
The tone of my amp stays the same, and I have all of the delays, reverbs, mods that I could ever use!! You can still use any of your analog pedals (I still have my Blackstar) because there is an onboard effects loop and you can route your existing effects before, after, or anywhere in the middle of the M13. Its incredible!!
I'm so happy I bought this pedal, and it was worth every single penny!! Try one out for yourself and you'll be pleasantly surprised with it!! If you don't like Line 6 gear because you're a tube junkie, forget all of what you thought you knew about Line 6 and try this pedal as soon as you can. I think Line 6 may have taken a new turn with their products and this is definitely an awesome new direction for the company. This pedal rocks!!!

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The Essential all-in-one pedal board experience, Line 6 M13 Stompbox Modeler! Featuring a comprehensive collection of the most sought-after stompbox sounds, a full-featured looper and super-heavy-duty all-metal construction, without complicated menus or presets. Line 6 M13 Stompbox Modeler channels the soul and ease of a stompbox. Free Version 2.0 Update from Line6.com! Providing Additional Models, Presets and Features! Version 2.0 The M13 Stompbox modeler with Version 2.0 Update has extra models and features to make your M13 rock even harder. Over 20 new FX Models, including Smart Harmony, Pitch Glide, 6 Mod FX, Bass Octaver, 5 EQs and 8 Wah Models 4 folders of 12 scenes each (total of 48 scenes) Also accessible via Midi Copy from Scene to Scene M13 only. Control the Looper via midi without the M13 going into looper mode Dim OFF Models added with Version 2.0 Bass Octaver 5 EQs and 8 Wahs Smart Harmony Pitch Glide Particle Verb - Line 6 original Pattern Tremolo Script Phaser AC Flanger Bucket Brigade chip modeled 80A Flanger same Frequency Shifter Line 6 original Important Information: Version 2.0 update can be downloaded at line6.com Boasting over 75 immortal stompbox effect

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