The Old Blood Noise Dark Star Stereo takes one of the most successful circuits of the Oklahoma City-based brand to its logical next level.
The original Dark Star, released in the early ’20s, is a 3-algorithm reverb. It became a go-to pedal for many ambient guitarists for its ability to create a wide range of original reverb sounds full of character and interesting textures.
This Stereo version greatly expands the original’s sonic palette by allowing the three original algorithms (Pitch, Delay and Crush) to interact with each other, therefore removing the 3-way “mode” toggle and adding dedicated controls for Pitch (two of them), Lag and Crush, and also an extra Filter knob. The Multiply control adds feedback to the entire system, enhancing effects like rising and falling pitch shifts.
The Dark Star Stereo also adds three things every modern, ambient guitarist wants in a reverb pedal: stereo, presets and Midi integration.
A left-positioned row of smaller knobs deals with Mix, Volume and Stereo Spread, while a second “Aux” footswitch triggers a momentary effect of choice, including prolonging to infinite trails, closing the low pass filter, or setting the pitches to +1 octave.
Although an evolution of that popular circuit, the Dark Star Stereo features a much-expanded set of controls that make it look like an entirely new product – and one that should excite any creative musicians with ambient leanings.
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