Selenium, an alternative to silicon and germanium, helps make an overdrive of great nuance and delectable boost and low-gain overdrive tones.
Clever application of alternative materials that results in a simple, make-everything-sound-better boost and low-gain overdrive.
Might not have enough overdrive for some tastes (although that’s kind of the idea).
$240 street
Cusack Project 34 Selenium Rectifier Pre/Drive Pedal
cusackmusic.com
The term “selenium rectifier” might be Greek to most guitarists, but if it rings a bell with any vintage-amp enthusiasts that’s likely because you pulled one of these green, sugar-cube-sized components out of your amp’s tube-biasing network to replace it with a silicon diode.
That’s a long-winded way of saying that, just like silicon or germanium diodes—aka “rectifiers”—the lesser-seen selenium can also be used for gain stages in a preamp or drive pedal. Enter the new Project 34 Selenium Rectifier Pre/Drive from Michigan-based boutique maker Cusack, named after the element’s atomic number, of course.
An Ounce of Pre-Vention
As quirky as the Project 34 might seem, it’s not the first time that company founder Jon Cusack indulged his long-standing interest in the element. In 2021, he tested the waters with a small 20-unit run of the Screamer Fuzz Selenium pedal and has now tamed the stuff further to tap levels of gain running from pre-boost to light overdrive. Having used up his supply of selenium rectifiers on the fuzz run, however, Cusack had to search far and wide to find more before the Project 34 could launch.
“Today they are usually relegated to just a few larger industrial and military applications,” Cusack reports, “but after over a year of searching we finally located what we needed to make another pedal. While they are a very expensive component, they certainly do have a sound of their own.”
The control interface comprises gain, level, and a traditional bright-to-bassy tone knob, the range of which is increased exponentially by the 3-position contour switch: Up summons medium bass response, middle is flat response with no bass boost, and down is maximum bass boost. The soft-touch, non-latching footswitch taps a true-bypass on/off state, and power requires a standard center-negative 9V supply rated at for least 5 mA of current draw, but you can run the Project 34 on up to 18V DC.
Going Nuclear
Tested with a Telecaster and an ES-355 into a tweed Deluxe-style 1x12 combo and a 65 Amps London head and 2x12 cab, the Project 34 is a very natural-sounding low-gain overdrive with a dynamic response and just enough compression that it doesn’t flatten the touchy-feely pick attack. The key adjectives here are juicy, sweet, rich, and full. It’s never harsh or grating.
“The gain knob is pretty subtle from 10 o’clock up, which actually helps keep the Project 34 in character.”
There’s plenty of output available via the level control, but the gain knob is pretty subtle from 10 o’clock up, which actually helps keep the Project 34 in character. Settings below there remain relatively clean—amp-setting dependent, of course—and from that point on up the overdrive ramps up very gradually, which, in amp-like fashion, is heard as a slight increase in saturation and compression. The pedal was especially fantastic with the Telecaster and the tweed-style combo, but also interacted really well with humbuckers into EL84s, which certainly can’t be said for all overdrives.
The Verdict
Although I almost hate to use the term, the Project 34 is a very organic gain stage that just makes everything sound better, and does so with a selenium-driven voice that’s an interesting twist on the standard preamp/drive. For all the variations on boost and low/medium-gain overdrive out there it’s still a very welcome addition to the market, and definitely worth checking out—particularly if you’re looking for subtler shades of overdrive.
Mooer's Ocean Machine II is designed to bring superior delay and reverb algorithms, nine distinct delay types, nine hi-fidelity reverb types, tap tempo functionality, a new and improved looper, customizable effect chains, MIDI connectivity, expression pedal support, and durable construction.
Similarly to the original, the Ocean Machine II offers two independent delay modules, each with nine different delay types of up to two seconds, including household names such as digital, tape, and echo delays, as well as more abstract options, such as galaxy, crystal, and rainbow. A high-fidelity reverb module complements these delays with nine reverb types, as well as a shimmer effect. Each delay and reverb effect can also be ‘frozen,’ creating static ambient drones, an effect that sounds particularly impressive considering the pedal’s DSP upgrades.
While the original Ocean Machine’s looping capabilities provided just 44 seconds of loop storage, the new addition features an impressive 120 seconds. To experiment with this feature, along with OceanMachine II’s other sonic capabilities, users can use an intuitive LCD screen along with 12 knobs (four for each delay and reverb module) to easily adjust parameters within the device’s ‘Play Mode.’ Three footswitches are also provided to facilitate independent effect toggling, tap tempo control, looper interfacing, and a preset selector.
Once the guitarist has crafted an interesting effect chain, they can save their work as a preset and enter ‘Patch Mode,’ in which they can toggle between saved settings with each of the three footswitches. In total, the Ocean Machine II provides eight preset storage banks, each of which supports up to threepresets, resulting in a total of 24 save slots.
The pedal’s versatility is further enhanced by its programmable parallel and serial effect chain hybrid, a signature element of Devin Townsend’s tone creation. This feature allows users to customize the order of effects, providing endless creative possibilities. Further programming options can be accessed through the LED screen, which impressively includes synchronizable MIDI connectivity, a feature that was absent in the original Ocean Machine.
In addition to MIDI, the pedal supports various external control systems, including expression pedal input through a TRS cable. Furthermore, the pedal is compatible with MOOER's F4 wireless footswitch, allowing for extended capabilities for mapping presets and other features. A USB-C port is also available for firmware updates, ensuring that the pedal remains up-to-date with the latest features and improvements.
Considering the experimental nature of Devin Townsend’s performances, MOOER has also gone above and beyond to facilitate the seamless integration of Ocean Machine II into any audio setup. The device features full stereo inputs and outputs, as well as adjustable global EQ settings, letting users tailor their sound to suit different environments. Guitarists can also customize their effect chains to be used with true bypass or DSP (buffered) bypass, depending on their preferences and specific use cases.
Overall, Ocean Machine II brings higher-quality delay and reverb algorithms, augmented looping support, and various updated connections to Devin Townsend’s original device. As per MOOER’s typical standard, the pedal is engineered to withstand the rigors of touring and frequent use, allowing guitars to bring their special creations and atmospheric drones to the stage.
Key Features
- Improved DSP algorithms for superior delay and reverb quality
- Nine distinct delay types that support up to 2 seconds of delay time: digital, analog, tape, echo,liquid, rainbow, crystal, low-bit, and fuzzy delays
- Nine hi-fidelity reverb types: room, hall, plate, distorted reverb, flanger reverb, filter reverb,reverse, spring, and modulated reverb
- Freeze feedback feature, supported for both delay and reverb effects
- Tap tempo footswitch functionality
- New and improved looper supporting up to 120 seconds of recording time, along withoverdubbing capabilities, half-speed, and reverse effects.
- Customizable order of effects in parallel or series chains
- Flexible bypass options supporting both true bypass and DSP bypass
- Large LCD screen, controllable through twelve easy-to-use physical knobs for real-time parameter adjustments.
- Adjustable Global EQ Settings
- Full stereo inputs and outputs
- Synchronizable and mappable MIDI In and Thru support
- USB-C port for firmware updates
- External expression pedal support via TRS cable
- Support for the MOOER F4 wireless footswitch (sold separately)
- Designed for durability and reliability in both studio and live environments.
The Ocean Machine will be available from official MOOER dealers and distributors worldwide on September 10, 2024.
For more information, please visit mooeraudio.com.
MOOER Ocean Machine II Official Demo Video - YouTube
Another week, another 6 chances to win! You could grab pedals from Eventide, Xotic Effects, Walrus Audio, J. Rockett Audio, Neon Egg, or Maxon in this week's Pedalmania giveaway! Enter before September 30 for your chance to WIN!
Enter here:
Pedalmania 2024 Week #3Eventide Ultratap Delay/Reverb Multi-Tap Effects Pedal Silver
UltraTap is a unique multi-tap delay effects pedal offering rhythmic delays, reverb and modulation. It's perfect for staccato leads, swelling chords, and other evolving effects — everything from reversed reverbs to the sound of ripping it up in the Grand Canyon! UltraTap features the ability to add as many virtual tape heads as desired along with the ability to expressively control head position and output level enabling new and unprecedented effects.
Xotic XW-2 Wah Pedal - Limited-edition Blue
The wah tone and EQ are dialed in to perfection making accessing the perfect wah sound easier than ever. With plug-and-play simplicity, you can achieve the finest wah sound that will truly elevate your creative ingenuity. The pedal features custom wound inductor, pot and circuit which not only captures the pure essence of vintage Clyde McCoy (as XW1 did), but also breathes an evolved essence (of wah) that goes beyond vintage. As with the XW-1, the pedal has a relay-based true bypass switch and adjustable rocker tension to optimize your rocker pedal to your liking.
Walrus Audio Sloer Stereo Ambient Reverb Effects Pedal Blue
The Slöer Stereo Ambient Reverb builds on our popular Slö lineup but adds two additional reverb algorithms, stereo width control, two additional modulation wave shapes, and the ability to control the sample rate. Now you can create immersive, lush, modulated, sleepy, and ambient soundscapes with more width and depth than ever before.
J. Rockett Audio Designs Blue Note Select Boost/Overdrive Pedal
Transparent, organic, dynamic — J. Rockett’s Blue Note Select all but embodies these sought-after overdrive qualities, improving upon J. Rockett’s self-admitted “favorite circuit” with a fresh look and tone. Like previous Blue Note series pedals, it skillfully skirts the lines between dirty boost and overdrive to deliver the same lively feel of a hot tube amp. And just like a traditional amplifier, this pedal’s 4-knob setup — consisting of Volume, Gain, Tone, and Fat controls — provides a straightforward and intuitive tone-shaping experience. However, Sweetwater’s Blue Note aficionados find that this V2 variation’s most significant change is found in its harder-hitting low-end response, which impacts both standard mode and the screaming sound of Hot mode when you engage the middle switch. The Blue Note Select fits the bill for the guitarist who requires an uncompromisingly amp-like response from their gain pedal.
Neon Egg Planetarium 3
The Planetarium 3 is a stereo reverb and/or chorus, running into a delay with stereo modulation, running into a compressor with an external sidechain input. It lets you turn any sound into a sea of modulated ambience, then make it pump in time with the music (without the need for a computer or click track).
Maxon Od-9 Overdrive Effects Pedal
The Maxon OD-9 Overdrive Effects Pedal may look like your old favorite but that's where the similarity ends. Improved circuitry with a new chip yields the ultra-smooth dynamic overdrive guitarists crave. Drive and Level controls tweak the intensity and volume while the Hi-Boost/Hi-Cut tone controls adjust brightness. Features true bypass switching, a die-cast zinc case, and 3-year warranty. From subtle cries to shattering screams, the Maxon OD-9 delivers a huge range of tones.
Features
Improved circuitry with a new chip yields ultra-smooth dynamic overdrive
Drive and Level controls tweak the intensity and volume
Hi Boost/Hi Cut tone controls adjust brightness
True bypass switching
Die-cast zinc case
AC/DC operation (order optional Maxon AC210N adapter)
Product Specs
Input: 1/4" mono jack
Output: 1/4" mono jack
Power: 9V DC, 6 mA, center pin minus (not included)
Dimensions: (WxDxH) 74 mm x 124 mm x 54 mm
Weight: 580g