View other reviews for this product:
miconmac
Published on 05/08/06 at 09:57
It's an optical compressor (analog) and a direct box (DI) in a "pedal".
Input by Jack. Output jack in and / or XLR.
2 knobs: Drive 1 (the amount of compression) and Volume 1
A switch that allows the pedal of activity on the output jack. So the switch does not affect the XLR output (DI) but only on the output jack. (To disable the effect on the DI is a small switch on the back).
Level body, this pedal does not really feel like a rock-solid but nothing says it more fragile than others.
User manual (and "explanations" on the compression technology implementation) is clear. RAS.
The main Characteristics of this pedal is to provide a compression very, very, very clean and so .... very discreet. So it's definitely not a pedal to get a "bull effect" and produce sounds with harmonics overinflated (and noise!) Dripping from everywhere
The fact that this pedal is also a case of DI is no accident: in the extreme one could say that it is primarily a DI with a good compressor integrated sound. The icing on the cake: you can pedal through the power of the 48v table mix!
UTILIZATION
The setting is very simple: it regulates the amount of desired effect (Drive) and then adjusts the output volume (Volume).
In fact, it is simply the Drive almost to the bottom and adjust the volume based on the use we want to do the pedal. Usually we try to obtain an output volume the same as the effect is enabled. But if you want to use it as a booster (for solo electric guitar for example), then adjusted the volume louder.
In my opinion, it's a good thing the switch does not act on the DI output: it can send a compressed audio to the mixer while maintaining the ability to enable / disable the effect ( + a possible boost in volume) to an amplifier stage. This is what I do with the sound of my guitar electro: send the sound "core" to the table and I can switch to activate or not a second more its medium boosted and that goes to an amp tube.
The swtich ineffective on DI can be awkward for a bass player, for example, which plays directly into the sound system and wanted to use the pedal as an effect used only on certain parts. But we must believe that this pedal has simply not been thought to such use.
SOUND QUALITY
It's very difficult to estimate an effect for which the essential quality lies in its discretion (if it refers to what a good compressor sound). A first use was afraid of not having enough money: we would like the Drive knob does not stop at 10 but 20! We would like to get more sustain and still hear more harmonics, just to have the feeling to have a little under foot.
But this pedal has definitely nothing to do with a compressor pedal "classic" which is screaming electric guitars and humming bass. Here the goal is to meet the initial sound (including the piezo quack, unfortunately) BUT maximizing intelligibility and musicality of the instrument. So really the moment when we play with other musicians that takes the measure of the essential qualities of this pedal: as if by magic, without being stronger and without a sound completely tampered means the instrument exactly as he would always ring! The sound of my folk, for example, is exactly the same as before except with the Aphex I can finally hear me play without being too strong compared to other musicians. Unlike other compression schemes that accentuate the phenomenon of feedback, I Aphex with fewer problems than before hanging loop since I last played almost softer.
In practice, we realize a setting of 8 is quite enough to "pass into the mix" so there is actually no need to worry about the limits of this pedal.
From the subjective point of view, I find this pedal also embellishes the sound of my guitar: the treble seem to be more air, softer, more singing. It is as if APHEX absorbs excess peaks of attack to improve brightness, sustain and eventually my musical instrument.
OVERALL OPINION
I tried some other compressors before choosing the Aphex. I feel that the Aphex is the one that matched exactly what I wanted: a natural compression, effective and efficient for a acoustic electric guitar. The fact that it offers more functions of steering definitely convinced me to make that choice.
It should now be able to compare with other compression solutions that would rather rack compressors sound, style or 160 Dbx Drawmer.
So finally, the Aphex to 170 euros ($ 80 and only the United States Ooch!) Would it not ultimately a good thing knowing that a good compression unit cost over 300 euros?
2 days later:
I just tested this pedal as an insert effect on a mixer with a microphone singing source. I confirm it really is very clean: Can not detect an alteration of the original sound. I also noted that the effect is much more audible on a song on the guitar. Indeed, this pedal is not at all adapted for singing: means fast enough "Pumping" and above, we get the feedback from the highs when you stop sending sound into the microphone. This confirms that the Aphex was actually optimized for string instruments as they do tend to lose brightness when it is played pianissimo.
So it would probably a very good compressor PA rack to reach the same quality of results
So I recommend this pedal for musicians looking to improve intelligibility and musicality of the sound of their instrument included in a sound system!
Input by Jack. Output jack in and / or XLR.
2 knobs: Drive 1 (the amount of compression) and Volume 1
A switch that allows the pedal of activity on the output jack. So the switch does not affect the XLR output (DI) but only on the output jack. (To disable the effect on the DI is a small switch on the back).
Level body, this pedal does not really feel like a rock-solid but nothing says it more fragile than others.
User manual (and "explanations" on the compression technology implementation) is clear. RAS.
The main Characteristics of this pedal is to provide a compression very, very, very clean and so .... very discreet. So it's definitely not a pedal to get a "bull effect" and produce sounds with harmonics overinflated (and noise!) Dripping from everywhere
The fact that this pedal is also a case of DI is no accident: in the extreme one could say that it is primarily a DI with a good compressor integrated sound. The icing on the cake: you can pedal through the power of the 48v table mix!
UTILIZATION
The setting is very simple: it regulates the amount of desired effect (Drive) and then adjusts the output volume (Volume).
In fact, it is simply the Drive almost to the bottom and adjust the volume based on the use we want to do the pedal. Usually we try to obtain an output volume the same as the effect is enabled. But if you want to use it as a booster (for solo electric guitar for example), then adjusted the volume louder.
In my opinion, it's a good thing the switch does not act on the DI output: it can send a compressed audio to the mixer while maintaining the ability to enable / disable the effect ( + a possible boost in volume) to an amplifier stage. This is what I do with the sound of my guitar electro: send the sound "core" to the table and I can switch to activate or not a second more its medium boosted and that goes to an amp tube.
The swtich ineffective on DI can be awkward for a bass player, for example, which plays directly into the sound system and wanted to use the pedal as an effect used only on certain parts. But we must believe that this pedal has simply not been thought to such use.
SOUND QUALITY
It's very difficult to estimate an effect for which the essential quality lies in its discretion (if it refers to what a good compressor sound). A first use was afraid of not having enough money: we would like the Drive knob does not stop at 10 but 20! We would like to get more sustain and still hear more harmonics, just to have the feeling to have a little under foot.
But this pedal has definitely nothing to do with a compressor pedal "classic" which is screaming electric guitars and humming bass. Here the goal is to meet the initial sound (including the piezo quack, unfortunately) BUT maximizing intelligibility and musicality of the instrument. So really the moment when we play with other musicians that takes the measure of the essential qualities of this pedal: as if by magic, without being stronger and without a sound completely tampered means the instrument exactly as he would always ring! The sound of my folk, for example, is exactly the same as before except with the Aphex I can finally hear me play without being too strong compared to other musicians. Unlike other compression schemes that accentuate the phenomenon of feedback, I Aphex with fewer problems than before hanging loop since I last played almost softer.
In practice, we realize a setting of 8 is quite enough to "pass into the mix" so there is actually no need to worry about the limits of this pedal.
From the subjective point of view, I find this pedal also embellishes the sound of my guitar: the treble seem to be more air, softer, more singing. It is as if APHEX absorbs excess peaks of attack to improve brightness, sustain and eventually my musical instrument.
OVERALL OPINION
I tried some other compressors before choosing the Aphex. I feel that the Aphex is the one that matched exactly what I wanted: a natural compression, effective and efficient for a acoustic electric guitar. The fact that it offers more functions of steering definitely convinced me to make that choice.
It should now be able to compare with other compression solutions that would rather rack compressors sound, style or 160 Dbx Drawmer.
So finally, the Aphex to 170 euros ($ 80 and only the United States Ooch!) Would it not ultimately a good thing knowing that a good compression unit cost over 300 euros?
2 days later:
I just tested this pedal as an insert effect on a mixer with a microphone singing source. I confirm it really is very clean: Can not detect an alteration of the original sound. I also noted that the effect is much more audible on a song on the guitar. Indeed, this pedal is not at all adapted for singing: means fast enough "Pumping" and above, we get the feedback from the highs when you stop sending sound into the microphone. This confirms that the Aphex was actually optimized for string instruments as they do tend to lose brightness when it is played pianissimo.
So it would probably a very good compressor PA rack to reach the same quality of results
So I recommend this pedal for musicians looking to improve intelligibility and musicality of the sound of their instrument included in a sound system!