Post by benttop (Steve) on Mar 31, 2006 15:40:54 GMT -7
Dang, I picked up a Speedster Analog Chorus the other day. I've been jonesing for "the right" chorus forever - used to use rack stuff, but since I'm not hauling that thing out any more, I wanted something on the floor. The first one I heard that I liked, I bought. Too bad - it was the Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere II. GREAT Leslie type device that has really authentic sounding Leslie swirl. Too bad it is so, SO noisy you can't possibly use it anywhere you want. Yeah, you can't hear the noise if the band is blaring and you've got all kinds of distortion on and blazing too. But I like that sound on the quiet parts, and that thing is just WAY too noisy for that. <sigh>...
So I've been shopping a bit. I knew about this Speedster product but hadn't tried it. I have their Turbo Charger distortion and it's a pretty good unit, but it's not on my pedal board (that tells enough of the story). So I asked the sales guy where I shop and he swore the Speedster unit was the real deal. He had a long hype about a certain analog delay chip that can't be bought any more, blah blah blah. So I said set that one up, and set up all the others too, let's do a test drive.
Well I walked out of there with the Speedster product. They also had the Voodoo Labs Analog Chorus (nice unit for the price) and some others I wouldn't test because they were made by TC Electronic and THAT company won't get another thin dime of mine (another whole thread).
Anyway, I put the Velcro on and laid it on to my pedal board. Had to yank some stuff to get it on there... always seems that way.. plus I'm still doing other tests of compressors and distortion boxes, so I'm still not at the final configuration. Anyway, I ran the signal through the compressor into the chorus and out, and HOLY COW! It was good in the store, but with a bit of compression in front of it, this thing comes alive! This is the sound I've been looking for - subtle, yet really effective.
The Speedster Analog Chorus isn't a cheap box - $249 out the door. But I paid almost twice that for the noisy H&K Rotosphere II that I can't even use! And I think you'll agree once you look at this thing, it should last a bazillion years (www.asharpmusicco.com/effects/effectpages/speedsterpedals.html). The ONLY thing I can b-i-t-c-h (pregnant dog?) about is that I would like one more jack so that I could plug in my Ernie Ball pedal and control the speed. That's an unauthorized mod that is very shortly going to happen here...
Have a listen - I noodled two clips out this afternoon so that it isn't all text - you can hear it for yourself. (NOTE: I changed my speakers back to the V30's that came with the Mazerati - lots more sparkle now). For these clips, I was driving the Grosh Tele.
Little Wing Intro is here: www.gear.strayca.com/audio/Mazerati_SpChorus01.mp3
Just Noodling is here: www.gear.strayca.com/audio/Mazerati_SpChorus02.mp3
Gotta play tomorrow and I'm already excited to finally get to try some of this junk I've been fiddling with here...
So I've been shopping a bit. I knew about this Speedster product but hadn't tried it. I have their Turbo Charger distortion and it's a pretty good unit, but it's not on my pedal board (that tells enough of the story). So I asked the sales guy where I shop and he swore the Speedster unit was the real deal. He had a long hype about a certain analog delay chip that can't be bought any more, blah blah blah. So I said set that one up, and set up all the others too, let's do a test drive.
Well I walked out of there with the Speedster product. They also had the Voodoo Labs Analog Chorus (nice unit for the price) and some others I wouldn't test because they were made by TC Electronic and THAT company won't get another thin dime of mine (another whole thread).
Anyway, I put the Velcro on and laid it on to my pedal board. Had to yank some stuff to get it on there... always seems that way.. plus I'm still doing other tests of compressors and distortion boxes, so I'm still not at the final configuration. Anyway, I ran the signal through the compressor into the chorus and out, and HOLY COW! It was good in the store, but with a bit of compression in front of it, this thing comes alive! This is the sound I've been looking for - subtle, yet really effective.
The Speedster Analog Chorus isn't a cheap box - $249 out the door. But I paid almost twice that for the noisy H&K Rotosphere II that I can't even use! And I think you'll agree once you look at this thing, it should last a bazillion years (www.asharpmusicco.com/effects/effectpages/speedsterpedals.html). The ONLY thing I can b-i-t-c-h (pregnant dog?) about is that I would like one more jack so that I could plug in my Ernie Ball pedal and control the speed. That's an unauthorized mod that is very shortly going to happen here...
Have a listen - I noodled two clips out this afternoon so that it isn't all text - you can hear it for yourself. (NOTE: I changed my speakers back to the V30's that came with the Mazerati - lots more sparkle now). For these clips, I was driving the Grosh Tele.
Little Wing Intro is here: www.gear.strayca.com/audio/Mazerati_SpChorus01.mp3
Just Noodling is here: www.gear.strayca.com/audio/Mazerati_SpChorus02.mp3
Gotta play tomorrow and I'm already excited to finally get to try some of this junk I've been fiddling with here...