Fans of the brand have been waiting for it, hoping for it... when will the first drive pedal be made by the Californian brand??!! Well here it is! In the greatest secrecy in this month of October 2016. For a very long time, Strymon geeks have stayed away from Overdrives and other Distortions, waiting to be able to bring something really "new", as they have always done with their splendid Reverbs and other Delays that have become real references. The Riverside is not an "overdrive pedal", but a pre-amp or even a real miniature amp with multiple gain stages.
So what is Riverside? Above all, it is a totally different design from other overdrives / distortions available on the market. Classic OD pedals typically use an all-analog design. The Riverside is in fact a hybrid which bases its architecture on an analogue JFET Class A input stage (and not only) whose signal will be managed by a SHARC DSP (the most powerful at present). This will allow you to control "on the fly" additional gain stages, dynamics, harmonics and many other parameters to sculpt your sound. This specific integration provides the best of both worlds. The analog part is able to deliver an optimal signal and an extremely fine interaction with your guitar, while maximizing its dynamic range and offering a unique character to the drive delivered. The digital part will then allow access to possibilities that are usually impossible to obtain unless you use several pedals. This is one of the specificities of the Riverside. The scope of the Riverside is vast: it is possible to obtain the lightest and most subtle clean boost with absolute transparency, or the heaviest and most complex high gain distortion, by simply turning a few knobs. Generally, pedals trying to do everything end up doing nothing good. This is not the case with the Riverside which covers absolutely all the needs of a current guitarist in terms of drive.
Please note that the Riverside is an Analog-Digital pedal, but it does not use any modeling technology and does not base its signature on any existing amp / model as 90% of manufacturers on the market do. The Riverside is a 100% original circuit, with its own "cascading gain" architecture which is ideal for delivering rich and extremely complex drives.
Let's take a quick tour of the owner. The RS uses the same lines as the other brand pedals. Namely a configuration with 5 buttons and two mini switches on the front. We therefore find,
- The DRIVE button: This allows you to adjust the amount of Gain delivered by the pedal. Are you going to tell us, "nothing original"? Well yes! Because the Riverside's DRIVE button works completely uniquely. Indeed, when you adjust it, the RS modifies on the fly, the response, the dynamics and the equalization for an optimal rendering. This is to avoid any loss of dynamics and to maintain a perfectly intelligible drive, even within a complex formation. DRIVE also adjusts the intensity of the built-in Noise Gate (secondary function).
- The LEVEL knob: It allows to adjust the output volume and the intensity of the Boost (secondary function).
- The BASS, MIDDLE, TREBLE buttons: The RS benefits from active and parametric equalization. Each button is thoroughly controlled by the DSP. You will be impressed by the efficiency of the EQ which is of extraordinary power. The EQ is post-gain and offers a huge range of action.
- The GAIN mini-switch: This allows you to switch from a low-gain setting allowing subtle Clean Boosts and Overdrive, to a High-Gain mode that will deliver everything you need, from Rock to the most extreme distortions .
- The PUSH mini-switch: This activates a Midrange boost located just after the first analog gain stage. It affects a frequency range between 300Hz and 1KHz and helps thicken the sound, add gain and tighten the low end to gain precision.
Front,
- The Presence switch: This mini 3-position switch allows you to adjust the high end of the spectrum, especially when using the Riverside as a pre-amp, plugged into a power section or other. Extremely effective for using the pedal on a very large number of amps.
- In & Out: Enough to connect your pedal to an amp, a power amp, a mixer, an audio interface and more...
- Boost output: Allows you to activate a post gain Boost of +6db or to trigger another Strymon pedal remotely.
- Expression: Allows you to control any parameter or group of knobs with an expression pedal. Can also act as a volume pedal.
Now let's talk about sound. It's simple, the Strymon Riverside is... perfect clean boost, perfect mid boost, low-gain, mid-gain, high-gain overdrive, rock distortion, metal and basically everything you need from the slightest boost, to the most colossal distortion... After a few hours of play, several things strike you. At no time do we feel the usual "digital" side. Namely, stiffness and over-compression. Here, we have transparency, dynamics, an excellent response, a very musical natural compression, ultra-efficient settings and ultra-wide possibilities of integration in a configuration of any type... The goal being to recreate saturation of an amp and all that makes its qualities. The Riverside is not a simple Drive pedal, it's a real pre-amp that can perfectly replace the pre-amplification stage of your favorite amp. You can plug it into just about anything and everything, even live console or via an audio interface for recording. The headroom and the "airy" side are impressive, unique for a pedal of this kind.
The icing on the cake, the Riverside is equipped with a kind of intelligent Noise Killer. Indeed, here, no question of "gate, threshold" and others. This is not an ordinary noise gate, it works a bit like an "envelop filter", with very advanced dynamics management, so as never to degrade the signal. Formidably effective and natural.
As always, Strymon redistributes the cards on a market that is nevertheless rich in alternatives and competitors. The Strymon Riverside is an ultra-high-end, ultra-complete pedal / pre-amp. The possibility of saving an additional preset via its Favorite function further increases the possibilities offered. It could almost be the only drive pedal on your pedalboard as it does so many things perfectly. An absolute must have! GR award!
Specifications:
- Custom cascading multistage distortion topology provides a wide range of tube-inspired drive tones
- Digitally controlled analog class A JFET input gain stage maximizes headroom while adding up to 20dB of pure analog gain
- Precision crafted DSP gain stages provide detailed complexity and responsiveness
- Low gain channel for smooth classic overdrive
- High gain channel for modern saturated distortion
- 3-band EQ with independent Bass, Middle and Treble controls
- Selectable post-analog gain mid-band EQ push
- Presence switch to tailor the sound for use with all amplifiers from dark to bright
- Optional variable-threshold noise reduction helps tame noisy guitar pickups
- High impedance mono input, Mono output
- Favorite footswitch to save a favorite setting
- Expression pedal input allows the connection an expression pedal for simultaneous morphing control over multiple parameters (Expression mode), or logarithmic taper for smooth volume control (Volume mode)
- Boost pedal input allows connection of an external footswitch for up to +6dB of analog boost, or to toggle the Favorite preset on other Strymon pedals (Favorite Out mode)
- Ultra low noise, high performance 24-bit 96kHz A/D and D/A converters provide uncompromising audio quality
- Premium analog front end and output section
- Super high performance SHARC DSP in a compact form factor
- 32-bit floating point processing
- True Bypass (electromechanical relay switching)
- Strong and lightweight anodized gold aluminum chassis
- 9V DC power supply included
- Power requirements: maximum 9 volts DC center-negative, with a minimum of 250mA of current
- Designed and built in the USA
So what is Riverside? Above all, it is a totally different design from other overdrives / distortions available on the market. Classic OD pedals typically use an all-analog design. The Riverside is in fact a hybrid which bases its architecture on an analogue JFET Class A input stage (and not only) whose signal will be managed by a SHARC DSP (the most powerful at present). This will allow you to control "on the fly" additional gain stages, dynamics, harmonics and many other parameters to sculpt your sound. This specific integration provides the best of both worlds. The analog part is able to deliver an optimal signal and an extremely fine interaction with your guitar, while maximizing its dynamic range and offering a unique character to the drive delivered. The digital part will then allow access to possibilities that are usually impossible to obtain unless you use several pedals. This is one of the specificities of the Riverside. The scope of the Riverside is vast: it is possible to obtain the lightest and most subtle clean boost with absolute transparency, or the heaviest and most complex high gain distortion, by simply turning a few knobs. Generally, pedals trying to do everything end up doing nothing good. This is not the case with the Riverside which covers absolutely all the needs of a current guitarist in terms of drive.
Please note that the Riverside is an Analog-Digital pedal, but it does not use any modeling technology and does not base its signature on any existing amp / model as 90% of manufacturers on the market do. The Riverside is a 100% original circuit, with its own "cascading gain" architecture which is ideal for delivering rich and extremely complex drives.
Let's take a quick tour of the owner. The RS uses the same lines as the other brand pedals. Namely a configuration with 5 buttons and two mini switches on the front. We therefore find,
- The DRIVE button: This allows you to adjust the amount of Gain delivered by the pedal. Are you going to tell us, "nothing original"? Well yes! Because the Riverside's DRIVE button works completely uniquely. Indeed, when you adjust it, the RS modifies on the fly, the response, the dynamics and the equalization for an optimal rendering. This is to avoid any loss of dynamics and to maintain a perfectly intelligible drive, even within a complex formation. DRIVE also adjusts the intensity of the built-in Noise Gate (secondary function).
- The LEVEL knob: It allows to adjust the output volume and the intensity of the Boost (secondary function).
- The BASS, MIDDLE, TREBLE buttons: The RS benefits from active and parametric equalization. Each button is thoroughly controlled by the DSP. You will be impressed by the efficiency of the EQ which is of extraordinary power. The EQ is post-gain and offers a huge range of action.
- The GAIN mini-switch: This allows you to switch from a low-gain setting allowing subtle Clean Boosts and Overdrive, to a High-Gain mode that will deliver everything you need, from Rock to the most extreme distortions .
- The PUSH mini-switch: This activates a Midrange boost located just after the first analog gain stage. It affects a frequency range between 300Hz and 1KHz and helps thicken the sound, add gain and tighten the low end to gain precision.
Front,
- The Presence switch: This mini 3-position switch allows you to adjust the high end of the spectrum, especially when using the Riverside as a pre-amp, plugged into a power section or other. Extremely effective for using the pedal on a very large number of amps.
- In & Out: Enough to connect your pedal to an amp, a power amp, a mixer, an audio interface and more...
- Boost output: Allows you to activate a post gain Boost of +6db or to trigger another Strymon pedal remotely.
- Expression: Allows you to control any parameter or group of knobs with an expression pedal. Can also act as a volume pedal.
Now let's talk about sound. It's simple, the Strymon Riverside is... perfect clean boost, perfect mid boost, low-gain, mid-gain, high-gain overdrive, rock distortion, metal and basically everything you need from the slightest boost, to the most colossal distortion... After a few hours of play, several things strike you. At no time do we feel the usual "digital" side. Namely, stiffness and over-compression. Here, we have transparency, dynamics, an excellent response, a very musical natural compression, ultra-efficient settings and ultra-wide possibilities of integration in a configuration of any type... The goal being to recreate saturation of an amp and all that makes its qualities. The Riverside is not a simple Drive pedal, it's a real pre-amp that can perfectly replace the pre-amplification stage of your favorite amp. You can plug it into just about anything and everything, even live console or via an audio interface for recording. The headroom and the "airy" side are impressive, unique for a pedal of this kind.
The icing on the cake, the Riverside is equipped with a kind of intelligent Noise Killer. Indeed, here, no question of "gate, threshold" and others. This is not an ordinary noise gate, it works a bit like an "envelop filter", with very advanced dynamics management, so as never to degrade the signal. Formidably effective and natural.
As always, Strymon redistributes the cards on a market that is nevertheless rich in alternatives and competitors. The Strymon Riverside is an ultra-high-end, ultra-complete pedal / pre-amp. The possibility of saving an additional preset via its Favorite function further increases the possibilities offered. It could almost be the only drive pedal on your pedalboard as it does so many things perfectly. An absolute must have! GR award!
Specifications:
- Custom cascading multistage distortion topology provides a wide range of tube-inspired drive tones
- Digitally controlled analog class A JFET input gain stage maximizes headroom while adding up to 20dB of pure analog gain
- Precision crafted DSP gain stages provide detailed complexity and responsiveness
- Low gain channel for smooth classic overdrive
- High gain channel for modern saturated distortion
- 3-band EQ with independent Bass, Middle and Treble controls
- Selectable post-analog gain mid-band EQ push
- Presence switch to tailor the sound for use with all amplifiers from dark to bright
- Optional variable-threshold noise reduction helps tame noisy guitar pickups
- High impedance mono input, Mono output
- Favorite footswitch to save a favorite setting
- Expression pedal input allows the connection an expression pedal for simultaneous morphing control over multiple parameters (Expression mode), or logarithmic taper for smooth volume control (Volume mode)
- Boost pedal input allows connection of an external footswitch for up to +6dB of analog boost, or to toggle the Favorite preset on other Strymon pedals (Favorite Out mode)
- Ultra low noise, high performance 24-bit 96kHz A/D and D/A converters provide uncompromising audio quality
- Premium analog front end and output section
- Super high performance SHARC DSP in a compact form factor
- 32-bit floating point processing
- True Bypass (electromechanical relay switching)
- Strong and lightweight anodized gold aluminum chassis
- 9V DC power supply included
- Power requirements: maximum 9 volts DC center-negative, with a minimum of 250mA of current
- Designed and built in the USA
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