Yearn of analog sounds? You're not alone. Lot's of guitarists suffer the yearn of warm vintage analog sound in the realm of digital dominated amp modeling. BugJet Editors have sorted bang for the buck of metal distortion pedal under $90.

Analog Survival in The Realms of Digital Modeling

In the world of guitar sound, analog pedal still catches the ear of many guitarists, stands out the crowd of digital modeling. What's make analog pedal survives? Simply what's digital couldn't, the warm and dynamic response of analog, closer to the tube sounds which digital trying to emulate.

Digital modeling uses chips, and chips are made from huge arrays of transistors-which analog pedal built upon too, so what's make them differs?

Distortion pedal process signal input in analog domain by transistor-based circuits to produce analog processed outputs. Digital modeling, in the other hand, process/emulates distorted amplifier in digital domain by algorithm programming, after analog input converted into digital signal. The processed signal then re-converted into analog to output. Although the digital modeling is trying to respond and process signal by non-linear algorithm, they couldn't surpass the dynamic and warmth of analog sound. The input is buffered before converted into digital mode; make your guitar volume knob useless. in the other words, analog pedal interacts/responds guitar volume/picking style variations better. Digital modeling also suffers lack of smoothness due to analog to digital and digital to analog conversion process. Still, the digital modeling is the cost-effective way for those demands lots of sound character since the chip can be programmed for broad arrays of vintage or modern amp model sound signature and usually added extra features such as noise gate, effects and cabinet simulation.

Analog Pedal is Not The-Cure-All for Tone Quest

You can count on analog pedal without tearing off your tight budget if:

-You already have guitar amp and want to discover other distortion than your amp itself. Most of digital modeling is best sounded through flat PA sound system or direct thru console/mixer/multitrack recorder while guitar amp doesn't behave flat frequency response. It adds color to the sound to make guitar sounds pleasing. Hence multieffect digital modeling devices (mostly) will sounds worse through guitar amp rather than PA speakers. Some of pedals outlined below have analog cabinet simulation also so you can plug it directly thru PA/console while standard output feeds guitar amp.

-You don't need broad variation of tone. If you demands lots of tonal character you might need huge arrays of pedal which rob your cash easily, not including power supply and patch board for pedal switching (live usage). Go for digital modeling is the wiser solution.

If you depend on analog pedal:

-Invest a noise suppressor. Almost all of analog pedals produce significant noise floor which might disturbed your playing comfort. BOSS NS2 is one good example of noise reduction pedal.

-Don't count on battery. Pedal consumes battery so greedy, and changes in tonality are unavoidable when battery starts to loosing juice. Not to mention your live gig will ruin if battery's dead during performance. Invest a good rectified flat DC power supply/adaptor. If you run one or two pedals, choose DC power adaptor recommended by pedal manufacturer. If you have several pedals to boot, Digital Music Corp has nice product of power board to feed several pedals in one box, but it costs more than 4 distortion pedals!