EarthQuaker Devices Plumes Small Signal Shredder Overdrive Effects Pedal
The EarthQuaker Devices Plumes is an overdrive pedal that’s based on a circuit we all know and love – with something different to offer players! The sacred 4558 IC and BJT transistor buffers were replaced with JFET operational amplifiers and raised the input impedance to nearly 10 megaohms! This offers lower noise, better signal integrity and more chime in the high end. The Op Amp is powered by taking the 9v input and internally converting it to +/- 9v to give it more headroom. What this pedal offers is a more 3D tone with added clarity to push your tube amp over the edge. Always getting drowned out by the frequencies of your drummers cymbals? No more!
The Plumes has three different clipping options for your consideration. Mode 1 is symmetrical clipping utilizing a pair of light emitting diodes. This is the crunchiest setting the Plumes has to offer. When played through a clean amp, it’ll deliver a reasonable facsimile of that classic black and gold British valve amp tone. If you already set your amp dirty, using this mode will make it filthy. Mode 2 is clean boost mode. This eliminates the soft clipping diodes altogether and leaves you with straight OpAmp drive. This is perfect for pushing your clean tone out in front or driving the preamp of an already overdriven amp into tasteful breakup territory. Mode 3 is an asymmetrical silicon diode arrangement similar to the stock screamer but with more output and clean clarity; the tone some people describe as “transparent”.
