Let down

Some things are just unreliable. The input jack of the amp you see above gave way after I unplugged the cable. The entire unit just caved in. A closer look revealed a worn thread, the washer & nut simply couldn't stay put to keep things in place. Granted the amp was still functional, using it was bothersome.

Nux's Drive Force- it's supposed to be one of my most reliable pedal for a no nonsense performance but yesterday, it decided to quit. The pedal kept re-booting itself after a few minutes or so, despite a fresh replacement battery in use. When I brought it home, it manifested the same issue while running on PSU. Like the saying goes- all good things must come to an end. 

Putting things in perspective, the Epi amp you see here is my cheap office gear. It was in 5/10 condition when I bought it for $30 😁 We shouldn't put too much trust into stuff that are on the verge of expiry, yes? The Drive Force is also an office standby. The thing with digital products- there is a tendency to implode & it's all about the software. 

Cerberus

The NUX camp has released this multi-effects unit called the Cerberus as seen above (List: USD299). This will give the Valeton Dapper unit quite a competition in terms of value-for-money. We have local distributors for both Valeton & NUX here so it's a matter of time; whichever brand name gets to us first, the impression would be quite marked. 

I'm saying this because both the ZOOM & BOSS camps are not fishing for a substantial share in the multi-fx market in light of recent developments. Perhaps they have other focus in their respective catalogs pertaining to gear. Both Fractal & LINE 6 are offering costly floor-based units which are aimed at the pro players looking to re-create top notch tones. The hobbyists among us are sticking to individual pedals & clunky pedal boards in the mean time & as it seems, nobody's quite complaining. 

Pushing the driver

These two go well together. In fact, I tried them both together at the store prior to purchase. They are complementary in this exact arrangement.

The NUX OD-3 is a surprisingly polished mild driver. By virtue of its colour alone, you know what the OD-3 is offering tone-wise. There isn't any pronounced midrange hump heard so if you wish for that reproduction on a budget, this might be a let-down. I view the OD-3 as a very shrewd follower of Fuch's Plush without sounding too familir. Artec's gainer boost on the other hand, is a smooth operator, not by default though, but by engaging its 2-band EQ. The gain on tap here is rather intense but in a good boost kind of way, not as a definite drive source.

Now, cascading the OD-3 into the GB is a polished affair. The OD-3 requires a booster unit that complements its silky voicing & the GB does just that if you turn the treble control down & start with the bass control at noon position. Turning the gain control Eastwards wasn't as impressive as bringing the volume up, mind the additional treble while you're at it but there's always the treble control to keep things in check. The overall voicing is one of smoothness- think Alan Holdsworth & Tom Quayle- without sacrificing saturation & harmonics richness. All for less than $160- now isn't that a steal?

Excess

There's obviously too much gain here:

• Source 1: BB9- the gain level is almost MAXed out
• Source 2: NUX DF- It has a metal distortion module in operation
• Source 3: NUX DF- It has the overdrive module engaged as well (both distortion & module were set to stun)
• Source 4: NUX DF- as if lacking in aggression, the BOOST function is engaged

Remember, too much gain sucks tone. But if you can't achieve your preferences, you suck.

It's core time!

This is new @ SV Guitars; it's a Nux CORE series pedal, the orange darling you see here is the delay unit.

What the Time Core offers is 7 delay modules ranging from vintage to a very contemporary voicing with tap tempo editing. Plus point? It has a locking switch so that your delay's decay won't be truncated upon deactivation. You won't need a pilot's manual for this so it leaves ample opportunity for experimentation. Tones? There is a good spread of warmth & contemporary ear candy to be heard but nothing too polished. The tape-echo emulation for instance sounds lo-fi & warm, a very convincing take of that vintage accent. I certainly enjoyed hearing the slap-back voicing in action, Nux didn't forsake the reverb  quality here so thumbs up to that.

I only wish it has a looping capacity because if that happens, the Time Core would be a rather comprehensive delay unit for a modest asking price: $89

May the force be with you

These are new arrivals @ SV Guitars- NUX's modelling pedals. They have what I consider to be mindful features in making a device player-centered & tone worthy: 1) Noise gate 2) Bulit-in Boost. I will be checking them out soon, very soon I think :-) To top it all off, it's very affordable: $120 each; thumbs up to that.