Hey everyone, I’m a bit out of the loop with these pedals, and I’m trying to understand the ways people are using them.
I understand what they do, I’m just wondering why someone would use a pedal instead of just setting on an amp that has the gain or tone shaping characteristics that they’re looking for.
In particular, because the pedal then (presumably) gets plugged into the amps preamp section anyway, which is going to colour the sound again. So then, would the optimum use be to plug into a really transparent, clean amp?
To be clear, I’m talking about pedals like the UA Ruby, Zvex box of rock, Benson Preamp. Not so much about Helix, ToneX, etc. I know the latter are more like an all-in-one recording solution, so you can DI and still get great sounds at home, but the former? I’m not so sure what they’re best used for!
The major factors are price, size/weight, a flexibility. You would only need to plug them into a poweramp and CAB if the pedal doesn’t have CAB sim internally. You could plug in headphones (you’re in an apartment and/or it’s late and/or there are infants sleeping), or FRFR/PA speakers/monitors (I have plugged my Mustang Micro into my computer speakers and it sounds fine). A lot of them have different cab simulations or support loading custom IRs, so you can essentially change out speakers on the fly. So both cheaper and easier than lugging an equivalent set of real amps and cabs to a gig, or even recording at home. You mention DI as a differentiator between AIAB pedals and Helix/ToneX. But pedals like Strymon Iridium, Walrus ACS-1, and the new TC Electronic Ampworx lines all do DI too.
In fact, the Strymon Iridium is ONLY for DI, there’s no output suitable for plugging into an amp - it’s a line-level signal. The manual specifically says not to connect it to a guitar amp.
This to me is its strength! I already have amps, but if I can avoid hauling an amp to a gig or micing an amp if I’m recording, it’s a win for me. My tone is more consistent than with a miced amp and sound engineers always seem happier when I just ask for a place to plug in rather than needing a mic.
I’ve been very happy with the tones I’ve gotten from the Iridium, to the point where I barely miss an amp, and that’s mostly because I don’t have a nice spring reverb. Once I get a reverb pedal I’m happy with, I’ll likely sell two of my 4 amps.
Ah, TIL, thanks! Yeah going back to when I rekindled my hobby with what I know now, I probably would have gone with an Iridium first. I’m quite happy with my Orange Crush 35rt, having 9 amp+cab combinations in the Iridium would have given me more options to see why styles I like best.