High-end Californian effects pedal builder Strymon has released new versions of their popular blueSky, Flint, El Capistan, Deco, Lex and DIG pedals.
Testament to the success of these dual-footswitch units the firm has opted for evolution over revolution while keeping the familiar line intact with a series of improvements aimed at providing new features and increased flexibility.
All V2 pedals have been bestowed with 6 knobs and 2 toggle switches, aside from the Flint which retains the same interface.
All six pedals now feature bi-directional MIDI control (for program and CC changes) via a TRS jack located on the rear. Many music makers will be pleased to know an oft-overlooked MIDI clock sync function has also been included.
Other enhancements comprise a JFET input for improved tone and feel, a mono/stereo input switch and an up-to-date USB-C jack.
Here's a quick rundown of the new updates...
Deco (opens in new tab) Tape Saturation & Doubletracker
The Deco has been fitted with a tone knob in the saturation section and a new algorithm called Cassette has been added alongside the original (labelled Classic).
El Capistan (opens in new tab) dTape Echo
As part of Strymon’s aim of enhancing parameter control, a spring reverb knob has been added (rather than digging into the secondary function).
Flint (opens in new tab) Tremolo & Reverb
Although the Flint retains the same interface, Strymon has made pre-delay adjustable while extending the range of the tremolo speed to enable slower settings (down to nearly 1Hz).
DIG (opens in new tab) Dual Digital Delay
The DIG has received a tone knob that allows better placement of the delay in the overall sound mix.
Lex (opens in new tab) Rotary
The Lex has been thoughtfully redesigned to include a switch for mic position (labelled front and rear) and ramp (labelled slow, medium and fast). Volume and dry knobs have been added for extra control.
blueSky (opens in new tab) Reverberator
Featuring new reverb algorithms, the blueSky has received the most significant changes of all. In addition to a new shimmer level knob, the old mode switch (norm/mod/shimmer) has been replaced by a modulation switch labelled mod (off/light/deep).
Visit Strymon (opens in new tab) for more information.
