Maxon has been cranking out guitar effects for nearly as long as the idea has been around. With all of the years designing quality stompboxes it should come as no surprise that their new compact series effects, the AD10 Analog Delay and ASC10 Ambient Stereo Chorus, jam incredible sonics into small format boxes that are built to last.
The AD10 provides repeats 600 milliseconds of delay that doesn’t get in the way of your original guitar tone. As with all great analog delays, its classic bucket brigade repeats are accompanied with a mild distortion and can be easily coaxed into self-oscillation for noise rock anthems or otherworldly sonic exploits. With only three knobs, it’s easy to dial in a variety of ambient delays and fake reverbs, as well as more traditional slap echos, or longer delays for solos without an engineering degree. The AD10 is a buffered bypass effect, meaning that while your signal is always running through the electronics within in some form, you do not run the risk of pickup loading from impedance issues or long cable runs. In other words put it wherever and it works as you expect without issue weather place it in the front of your amp or in the FX loop.
The ASC10 Ambient Stereo Chorusis a classic analog chorus circuit. Super simple rate and depth controls as well as a rate indicating LED provide access to slight warble-y shimmer to a super convincing Leslie style speaker rotary simulation and anywhere in between. Don’t let its compact enclosure and simple control interface fool you, this pedal is incredibly versatile. Equipped with stereo outputs which are out of phase from one another the ASC10 can supply its effect to two amps for a huge stereo spread. Additionally, running a mono signal from output B will provide a chorus effect with more low end response which bassists will find a very welcome addition. The ASC10 works great on a whole array of sources and is equally at home on clean sounds as well was with overdrive and distorted tones. Like the AD10 delay this pedal also features a low-impedance buffered bypass making pickup impedance issues non existent.
In use, both of these pedals are excellent. The AD10 is wonderful and all of the settings produced a warm, enveloping echo effect that was free of any unwanted noise or ticks. There is no annoying clock noise to be found anywhere through the spectrum of settings. Likewise the ASC10 is a joy to use with a deep and involved chorusing that doesn’t obscure your dynamics or articulation. Both pedals’ small footprint and super simple controls are a treat in a world of increasingly huge and complicated effects. If you are in the market for delay or chorus, both of these pedals should be on your radar. – Arthur Fleischmann.
