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Quick Hit: Source Audio Aftershock Bass Distortion Review

This unassuming-looking stomp tickles the senses with an absolute cornucopia of low-frequency dirt.


Source Audio’s new Aftershock may look like a pretty standard stompbox, but it remains true to the company’s long-standing MO of putting a ton of options at your fingertips.

A 3-way toggle rests in the middle of the drive, level, tone, and clean dials to select between tube, heavy, or fuzz voicings and access a wide grit landscape. On top of that, SA’s free (and user-friendly) Neuro Mobile App provides access to extended EQ functionality and a library of sound algorithms that can be called up and downloaded to the pedal from your device via the included cable.

I got to a buttery, warm break-up that emulated a pushed tube amp quite well with the toggle in the tube position, drive at 2 o’clock, clean at 9 o’clock, and tone at noon. Content as I was, I toggled far right to check out the fuzz engine, which delivered thick and spongy dirt that was spot-on for upbeat synth lines when I inched the drive close to max. Favorite presets dialed up through my phone included “Crunch Bass,” for its in-your-face, power-punk personality, and “Phat Lines,” for its tight-but-nasty synth tone.

I haven’t even touched on the heavy engine, the preset mode for on-the-fly switching, stereo-routing possibilities, and more. The Aftershock is packed, to be sure, and when you consider it can be had for $150, this could be the whole package you’re after.

Test gear: Orange O Bass, Gallien-Krueger 800RB head, TC Electronic RS410 cab.

Recorded direct using Orange O Bass into Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 interface into GarageBand.
Clip 1: Level 4 o’clock, drive 3 o’clock, tone 2 o’clock, toggle in fuzz position.
Clip 2: Phat Lines bass octave setting on iPhone Neuro app.

Ratings

Pros:
Impressive variety of usable tones and grit inside (and outside) this pedal. Priced nice.

Cons:
Quite easy to go tweak geek, so don’t forget to put away the devices and play.

Street:
$149

Source Audio Aftershock
sourceaudio.net

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