Isp Technologies Decimator user reviews ( 8/10) - 49 user reviews

• 08/04/12

  tonmazz's review "ISP Decimator just plain works"

  Characteristics

  It doesn't get much simpler that the ISP Decimator. One knob to control your threshold and on or off with a press of the pedal. Whatever time vector processing is, I don't care. It equals no latency in lighter or quick notes and the response of the ISP. This unit also does not eat tone like so many noise supression units do. Built extremely well and instruction manual is sufficient.

  Utilization

  I bought this for one simple reason, I play a nuclear powered hot rodded Marshall for gigs. When I am not actively hitting a note, the hum from the amp was annoying. The sound guy finally came up to me one night and asked me what the problem was and asked if I ever tried the ISP Decimator. Picked one up for the next gig and never looked back. So easy to use and adjust on the fly depending on volume levels. The big middle knob makes it easy to adjust with your foot to find your threshold setting. This is also built like a tank with the metal shell, perfect for gigging.

  Sound Quality

  Because this is a noise reduction device, the only question on sound I have is does it affect my core tone? The answer is no. It does not suck bass or tone in any way and is transparent as any noise suppressor I have ever used. I played several older Boss noise gates and they were not as transparent as this one.

  Overall Opinion

  I love the simplicity and the fact that it is totally transparent allowing my tone to flow through but be kept under control. It is obviously top notch construction and built well. No complaints on the sensativity of the threshold once you set it properly to your volume. It just plain works and does the job it says it does. Do I wish it was a bit cheaper, sure. Is it worth the money...yes. Just ask my sound guy, made is job much easier. I would suggest this to any musician looking to tame a wild Marshall or any other amplifier.
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• 07/24/12

  crankyrayhanky's review "Shhh....here comes the tone!"

  Characteristics

  Noise gate with one knob: sensitivity

  Utilization

  Super easy to use; no manual needed. Plug in before amp, set threshold just to the point of activation and rock out.

  Sound Quality

  the quality of this unit is extremely impressive. I would venture to say that ISP is now the leader in noise reduction. I had several units in the past including a 2 channel rocktron hush and several multifx with built in gates. This ISP is clearly at the top of the heap.

  Overall Opinion

  I love having this on my pedalboard. I'm a guy that typically avoids using nosie reduction these days...if possible. I usually go with minimal effects and wire it guitar>wah>overdrive>phaser>isp>amp. I could toss everything, but not the isp. Too many times it has saved the day. Example,, rig sounds great at home,even at high levels...go to practice, the drums are wailing and the room is smaller than ideal.. In order to compete, you turn up the volume, but then any lapse in playing results in abrasive squealing feedback. This results in either quieter guitar volume(never gonna happen, lol) or doing a pedal dance to silence your squeals, or knob turning acrobatics on your guitar. The ISP changes all of that; it will sense your stoppages and kill the noise. This allows for much greater perfomances, as you can just rely on this pedal as your rock, allowing you free to express yourself, play with dramatic Gilmore-ish breathes, execute deadly hi gain riffage countered with the needed chainsaw silence.
  
  
  
  This pedal rules in live applications; the last thing you want at an important gig is uncontrollable noise. There were many shows I played where I never engaged the pedal(and the bypass does not seem to suck too much tone like other pedals), but there were plenty of shows where this thing was engaged all the time. Make no mistake, all noise reduction units will reduce quality of tone, but this unit seems to be the best at achieving transparency. It can give you that cool singing feedback while detecting the bad feedback and killing it. It has a very natural reaction time to the point where I haven't hesitated to use it in recording session as well. I would buy this again in a second, or explore some of their other pricier options. Great company and no need to look elsewhere ISP has this technology on an unparalleled level.
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• 07/14/11

  wwhhhaatt's review "silence"

  Characteristics

  There is not much to describe in terms of features. This is a straight forward noise suppressor with one knob. It has standard 1/4" input and output jacks and a 9 volt dc power input jack. Rock solid casing similar to boss enclosures.

  Utilization

  The simplicity of this pedal is what I love so much about it. It's just a simple pedal that hooks up like any other and only has one knob to control the noise. Other suppressors have multiple knobs to adjust but it seems like ISP has taken all the guess work out and make it just work. If you hear noise you turn it up til their is complete silence and then back it off just a bit so your notes do not get cut off. No manual needed and I do not recall if it even came with one.

  Sound Quality

  I run a rather large pedal board into a high gain Framus cobra 100 watt tube amp. I generally play at a high volume level and this pedal simply works. I keep the pedal at the end of my signal chain just before hitting the amp. I tried running it in the amp's effects loop but the framus has too hot of a signal with the channel volumes cranked and it clips the input of the decimator. I had previously used the Boss NS-2 and it worked well but sometimes I did not like the cut off point. The boss also had more things to mess with which sometimes is good but I think a noise suppressor should be simple. The decimator is just that, simple and effective. I can easily get controlled feedback when needed and as soon as I mute with my hands I am awarded with silence.

  Overall Opinion

  If you nave any noise issues that are not related to grounding problems then you should pick one of these up. It is absolutely essential to my rig at this point. I have never had a noise suppressor that worked as well as this does without sacrificing sustain or tone. They make a higher end model now that has more options but I will stick with what I know works.
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• 05/01/11

  King Loudness's review "Best noise gate I've used!"

  Characteristics

  This pedal from ISP Technologies is meant to be a serious improvement on the typical stompbox noise gate such as the Boss NS-2, Rocktron HUSH, or MXR Smart Gate. It is laid out very similarly to a Boss stompbox with the same casing design and switcher. There is only one control on the pedal, which is labelled "Threshold." This basically controls the level at which the pedal is working and acting as a noise gate. It has single 1/4 inch input and output jacks, and is powered by a 9 volt battery or a PSA adapter.
  
  
  
  It's also a mirrored pedal, how cool is that?

  Utilization

  Setting up this pedal is one of the simplest things in the world to do. You plug it in and use the Threshold control to adjust how much of the gate you want. If you're playing with a moderate gain sound and only want to remove some minor hum from your tone, you would set the Threshold control lower. Conversely, if you were playing high gain staccato palm muted riffs, you would turn the Threshold control up higher to combat the extra noise.
  
  
  
  Very simple, yet very effective. This pedal uses a different technology than say, the Boss NS-2. If you're using the Boss unit and turn the controls up to combat noise, it actually can start to deaden your tone or suck it up because the gate itself is cutting into the actual sound. The ISP is wonderful in that it's very transparent and all it really does is remove noise. It doesn't cut into your amplifier's gain or take away any nuances from your tone like some other noise gates do, which is great.

  Sound Quality

  I've used this pedal with various different amps, from clean to extremely high gain. Like I stated above, it seems to be very transparent and it does what it says, it is a seriously good noise gate. Using it with clean amps worked well to kill some minor unwanted hum without cutting into my tone, and using it with extremely high gain (and often very noisy) amps was great too, because it simply took the noise out of the equation, leaving all the gain/saturation and sustain so that the amp's tone still sounded almost exactly as it did before I put the gate into the equation.

  Overall Opinion

  All in all, I'm convinced the ISP Decimator is the best noise gate on the market, bar none. Compared to other stomp boxes in its price range like the Boss NS-2 or Rocktron Hush, there's no comparison. The other units just are left in the dust. At $150 new, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg either, and your ears will thank you when you have great tone without any noise or tone suckage.
  
  
  
  Definitely worth the 10/10 rating!
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• 04/28/11

  denied's review "The very best noise gate in pedal form"

  Characteristics

  - Control for threshold
  
  
  
  - Solid reliable construction
  
  
  
  - High quality buffered bypass
  
  
  
  - Powered by battery of Boss style 9v (-) adapter

  Utilization

  Possibly the easiest pedal to set up and use. One knob which controls the gate threshold. Start it at zero, move it up until your noise is gone, and you are set. Its really that simple. Other gates will have multiple knobs, but threshold is really all you need.
  
  
  
  If you are having trouble with feedback, place it in front of the amp. If you are getting amp hum even with guitar volume rolled off, place it in the effects loop (if you have one), but keep it in front of any time based effects(reverb, delay) as it will cut those off prematurely.
  
  
  
  I also like that the battery compartment is very easy to access, Boss style, no screws needed.
  
  
  
  
  
  All in all, very straightforward and easy to use.

  Sound Quality

  The value of a noise gate is judged not by the quality of sound (obviously), but by its transparency. and here, the decimator excels. Similar gates like the Boss NS-2 or MXR smartgate will have a noticable impact on your sustain, while the Boss severely affects your bypass tone.
  
  
  
  The Decimator can be set up and left on in any setup, unaltered through transitions between cleans and high gain.
  
  
  
  It is not true bypass, but the buffer is of a very high quality, with minimal tone coloration while the pedal is off.
  
  
  
  It does what a good gate should do, gating noise while preserving your tone and sustain.

  Overall Opinion

  Lets put it this way. I sold mine a while back thinking I didn't play high gain any more and wouldn't need it. I had picked up another one inside a week. You never know when your amp isn't going to mesh with some venues shoddy power source, and a solid, transparent noise gate is good to have in those situations. While mine isn't on a whole lot anymore, it has a permanent place on my board.
  
  
  
  In my opinion, this is the best noise gate that can be found, short of going with a rack setup. Yes there is a "G-string" version that can be run in front of the amp and in the loop simultaneously, but it lacks separate threshold controls. So if your gate needs are actually that bad (not just a case of too much gain, or amp proximity), I'd pick up two of these or a rack Decimator.
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• 03/21/11

  Hatsubai's review "The new standard"

  Characteristics

  ISP Technologies was founded by the creator of the original HUSH. The HUSH was used throughout the 80s and 90s and thought to be THE standard of noise gate technology. However, the device was starting to be a bit dated with Rocktron not really updating it. The original creator of the HUSH took everything he knew regarding noise gate technology and created this pedal. The ISP Decimator features only one knob and an LED on/off indicator. Despite its simplistic exterior, this pedal truly succeeds in creating a new standard for noise gate technology.

  Utilization

  ISP Technologies really couldn't have done a better job. There's really no manual needed for this pedal. All you do is plug it in and turn the knob until you don't hear noise anymore. This pedal works best out front when it's at the very end of your chain. It's housed in a typical BOSS style enclosure, so you'll never have to worry about it ever failing. ISP also has amazing customer support that'll assist you in any way possible.

  Sound Quality

  The sound of this gate is awesome. It's nearly transparent. I say nearly because there is still a little bit of tone suckage, despite what some try to say. However, it's so minute that it's not really worth worrying about. Those in a live environment should have no real issues with it dulling your tone. One thing that needs to be mentioned is that you should always use an adapter. This thing eats batteries like crazy. Be sure to use a good adapter, too. Using things like the One Spot can cause some hum.

  Overall Opinion

  Anybody looking for a pedal based noise gate should definitely check this out. It's small and simple enough to where it'll fit in any rig. The simplistic design allows anybody to quickly figure out the optimal setting for his or her rig. The one complaint I do have is that it always defaults to "off." This means you have to engage it every time you want to use it the first time you fire it up. Aside from that, it's nearly perfect.
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• 04/02/08

  TheStratGuy's review

  Characteristics

  This is a noise reduction stompbox for guitars. I never really thought about it but I assume it's all analog... Anyway the box is very sturdy, Boss-shaped and sized but WAY heavier.

  Utilization

  Well, VERY basic setup with one mere single knob... But does it need anything more?
  
  It doesn't provide the effects loop that its Boss counterpart does, though.

  Sound Quality

  Well, all you expect from this noise reduction box is to... reduce noise, don't you? If such is the case, you can expect to be 100% satisfied. Whether it is a single-coil pickup noise or the typical hiss of a huge distortion box that annoys you, just find the right setting and you'll get your guitar sound -- your WHOLE guitar sound, NOTHING BUT your guitar sound. Hard to find a setting that will suit both your clean and saturated sounds though, so try to get a setting that is relatively hiss-free when distortion is off. It proved efficient in taming successively a SansAmp GT2 in Mesa simulation mode, a Zoom Tri-Metal (not too difficult though, this one has an integrated noise gate but the Decimator still removed whatever was left of noise), an EHX Metal Muff and a Big Muff boosted by an overdrive.
  
  Since I don't use a proper amp I couldn't test it within an fx loop.

  Overall Opinion

  I've used this one for approximately one year now. A good addition to my home-studio-oriented rig, as it finally made exploitable some of the sounds that I'd been carving carefully for years (anyone who's played a GT2 in high gain settings or boosted a Big Muff will know what I'm talking about). A bit overpriced maybe (it did cost 169€ new if I remember well, but I got it used with the knob a bit messed up - but still usable- for 110 or 120 I think).
  
  
  
  This is the first noise reducer I've used since the (very basic, sustain-killing) one that was included in my old multi-effects unit, and I'm really satisfied with it. Set it up carefully and it will respect carefully your guitar tones. Seems like a new evolution of it is about to be released, I can't wait to see what more it could bring (although I will most likely stick with this one which already perfectly suits my needs).
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• 03/12/13

  Sludge02's review ( translated ) Improve this translation " A must!"

  Characteristics

  Pedal Noise reductor
  
  By jack connector
  
  In / out

  Utilization

  No need for manual!
  
  A single button.
  
  Turning up the noise suppression and there .... nothing!

  Sound Quality

  What is beautiful is that this pedal does not interfere with the sound of the amp and do not deteriorate!

  Overall Opinion

  I use it for 3 years now and I do not never part except for the rack version can be!
  
  Pedal more than formidable and effective.
  
  I plug in, I turned the knob and nothing more.
  
  Live is just wonderful, nothing not a sound!
  
  Nevertheless, it remains a micro breath when you push his amp inaudible but if you do not stick his ear to the speaker.
  
  Close to perfection.
  
  I thought it was expensive for a pedal noise but when I see the problem among some "colleagues" with another great brand half the price I think I finally made an excellent choice!
  
  I would do it with your eyes closed and sometimes twice a day.
  
  I play on the gear that grows stronger with 8 strings in a musical style and brutal ..... just a must!
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• 02/10/13

  Sangor's review ( translated ) Improve this translation " Perfect"

  Characteristics

  Noise suppression, signal suppression knob turned fully.

  Utilization

  Using simple: a single knob adjusts the amount of noise to remove.
  
  The manual is not very clear, but we did not really need.
  
  To adjust the pedal as standard must play a note and find the maximum level where it is required without loss of sustain. Nothing complicated.

  Sound Quality

  The decimator is stunning transparency. At first, the silence is deafening obtained when we had grown accustomed to its sound, but it quickly becomes essential comfort.
  
  It is not a magic pedal: when the noise is really loud, you can hear the notes played over even a dead silence settled when stops.
  
  I going to play arpeggios clean. I could adjust the pedal accordingly but I have no sound in this configuration so it is more convenient to cut.

  Overall Opinion

  I bought new full price € 130. If it again I would take a chance because it is a great value and extremely robust pedal.
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• 12/08/12

  BenjaminBacon's review ( translated ) Improve this translation " effective overdriven sounds"

  Characteristics

  What are the effects or types of effects available?
  
  
  
  Noise reduction, noise, buzz, larsens ..
  
  
  
  Analog technology

  Utilization

  Very simple, just turn the single knob.
  
  
  
  no help on the placement of the pedal in the pedal board

  Sound Quality

  It is a good value in its saturated, he made his taf great and I find it very transparent, simply turn the knob to the threshold or your sound will not be degraded by the pedal, basically you try eliminate as much noise while trying to maintain a max and sustain your initial volume.
  
  
  
  on the other hand in clean, I do not use it, the sustain is immediately altered if I want to adjust the pedal efficiently.
  
  
  
  Not to tap on stage since my isp decimator is in a loop with a hand pedals too noisy and a line selector allows me to juggle between the clean and the loop or is the isp

  Overall Opinion

  I've had 4 months and I do not regret for the absence of noise or repeated on stage is essential for me, it is a comfortable game and it's more fun for colleagues and the public;
  
  This is more pro but it obviously depends on the style of music, if you play punk, grunge or something like that, I guess the noise generated by saturation pedals are pretty essential ...
  
  
  
  I have not tried other models of noise gate, this is my first, I wanted a good value, something effective.
  
  This is the kind of pedal or is not to say they're going after expensive and you end up with a product approximate, not transparent and the turns of the pedal board quickly.
  
  
  
  It is a bit pricey, environmental cracking was on a lot of things instead of the isp but in the end we regret it.
  
  
  
  If you really have a problem with the sounds generated by your pedals, if you are sure the noise comes right pedals ok then invest in a noise gate.
  
  
  
  Attention on the use of clear sound
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