EHX Sovtek Deluxe Big Muff

[EOengineer]

I went on another pedal impulse buying spree and scooped one of these up with some others. It’s effectively the current green Russian reissue circuit with mids, blend, and a gate.

Anyone using it? It should land later this week, would love to hear impressions of it.

 

[la szum]

I love Muffs, but that one didn't do it for me. In theory it should have been perfect. In practice
I found it lacking. Almost like there is too much going on for that circuit to shine.

My fave modern-day Muff is the Mojo FX Iron Bell. Preferably in pink.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I really loved the Tone Wicker when I had it? I like the idea of having mids

 

[EOengineer]

I really loved the Tone Wicker when I had it? I like the idea of having mids

Big same. My current gen Big Muff Pi is basically a large mute switch live. Turn it on, disappear. But I dig the saturation and texture. The tone wicker, adjustable mids, and blend should give me what I’m looking for.

I’ve also heard some KILLER bass clips with that blend rolled back.

 

[dronerstone]

How's the gate in this one, will it help with crazy videogame sounds, or is it more like a "common" noise gate?

The only Big Muff that I have is a half-broken 2000's NYC BMP rotting away in its wooden casket.

If I ever got back that circuit, I'd definitely grab the Deluxe Russian...

 

[Sascha Franck]

I/O on the sides - as if it wasn't wide enough already...

 

[dronerstone]

I/O on the sides - as if it wasn't wide enough already...

Some prefer that, some prefer top jacks.

I'm still not 100% certain on my preferences, but I find top jacks can sometimes cause a hot mess.

*shrugs*

 

[Sascha Franck]

I'm still not 100% certain on my preferences, but I find top jacks can sometimes cause a hot mess.

I think once you build a board with all cables routed below the pedal level, top jacks are almost objectively better as it's so much easier to do the routing and fixing. For an oldfashioned (= all things on top) board, it might not be as relevant.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I think EHX has zero care about their end user's desire for form factor and functionality. Aka Laughs in synth pedals without midi or presets.

 

[dronerstone]

I think once you build a board with all cables routed below the pedal level, top jacks are almost objectively better as it's so much easier to do the routing and fixing. For an oldfashioned (= all things on top) board, it might not be as relevant.

I do route cables underneath the board also with side jacks, except when stuff gets in the way, like a PSU for example.

Top jacks can sometimes be a hassle if you're building a two-row board and have to route cables that aren't going from one pedal to its neighbour.

Anyhow, all a matter of taste, imho.

 

[EOengineer]

If it sounds awesome the I/O could be on the back for all I care. I don’t get all the hand-wringing over jack placement. Boss pedals are exclusively side mounted and those things are on tens of thousands of boards.

At least it’s not a fuzz face.

 

[JiveTurkey]

If it sounds awesome the I/O could be on the back for all I care. I don’t get all the hand-wringing over jack placement. Boss pedals are exclusively side mounted and those things are on tens of thousands of boards.

At least it’s not a fuzz face.

I have a Boss pedal coming and I am NOT looking forward to that Boss switch

 

[EOengineer]

I have a Boss pedal coming and I am NOT looking forward to that Boss switch

Man I know they take a beating, but I’ve never had a single issue with the 4 boss pedals I’ve scooped up over the years. I use fuzz sometimes so I have to be careful where I place the boss stuff because of the buffers, but on their own I even like their buffers.

To each their own though. Sometimes I prefer the boss switch over other types.

What did you order? Anything cool?

 

[JiveTurkey]

Man I know they take a beating, but I’ve never had a single issue with the 4 boss pedals I’ve scooped up over the years. I use fuzz sometimes so I have to be careful where I place the boss stuff because of the buffers, but on their own I even like their buffers.

To each their own though. Sometimes I prefer the boss switch over other types.

What did you order? Anything cool?

Boss OC-5. I'm looking forward to it. Whether it ends up sticking around will be the question.

 

[la szum]

How's the gate in this one, will it help with crazy videogame sounds, or is it more like a "common" noise gate?

The only Big Muff that I have is a half-broken 2000's NYC BMP rotting away in its wooden casket.

If I ever got back that circuit, I'd definitely grab the Deluxe Russian...

Basic Audio Scarab Deluxe has one of the coolest and most touch-sensitive gates on it, but it is more
of a Tonebender style circuit. That's one rad pedal. A pedal that plays like an instrument. So cool.

Retro Mechanical Labs Electron Fuzz is another beast when it comes to that kind of gated glitchy-ness.

I just couldn't find the sweet spot with the Deluxe. I tried both the OG Deluxe and the Civil War/Russian
Reissue Deluxe. It was almost like they had too much going on, and you had to set everything just right,
and then even for me that was not quite enough. I much preferred the 3 knob Deluxe Pi that is their OP
Amp Muff Reissue.

The cool thing about Muffs is if you don't like one, there are an hundred dozen more out there that may
be just right for what you are aiming for. Or not.

Stomp Under Foot/SUF, Basic Audio, Mojo Hand FX, and Wren & Cuff all make great Muff variants. A 4th
knob for "Mids" is about all I would personally add to that circuit. You can easily stack a 3 knob Muff with
something else (ala Gilmour, or Corgan) to get it to bump up the Mids a bit.

 

[dronerstone]

Basic Audio Scarab Deluxe has one of the coolest and most touch-sensitive gates on it, but it is more
of a Tonebender style circuit. That's one rad pedal. A pedal that plays like an instrument. So cool.

Retro Mechanical Labs Electron Fuzz is another beast when it comes to that kind of gated glitchy-ness.

I just couldn't find the sweet spot with the Deluxe. I tried both the OG Deluxe and the Civil War/Russian
Reissue Deluxe. It was almost like they had too much going on, and you had to set everything just right,
and then even for me that was not quite enough. I much preferred the 3 knob Deluxe Pi that is their OP
Amp Muff Reissue.

The cool thing about Muffs is if you don't like one, there are an hundred dozen more out there that may
be just right for what you are aiming for. Or not.

Stomp Under Foot/SUF, Basic Audio, Mojo Hand FX, and Wren & Cuff all make great Muff variants. A 4th
knob for "Mids" is about all I would personally add to that circuit. You can easily stack a 3 knob Muff with
something else (ala Gilmour, or Corgan) to get it to bump up the Mids a bit.

Thanks for that! :) I know, my history with Big Muff circuits isn't exactly a happy one, so what I said is 100% a "what if" that might very well never be necessary.

I found my favorite fuzz flavor in the mkII Bender and seem to be drawn to Tone Bender style fuzzes most of the time (Twin Bender, Bone Tender, Fuzz Bender, for instance). I love that grainy/raunchy sound they're capable of. In parallel with a transparent overdrive set to a bass-heavy tone, they rule!!! Which is actually one of my tone "secrets".

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Basic Audio Scarab Deluxe has one of the coolest and most touch-sensitive gates on it, but it is more
of a Tonebender style circuit. That's one rad pedal. A pedal that plays like an instrument. So cool.

Retro Mechanical Labs Electron Fuzz is another beast when it comes to that kind of gated glitchy-ness.

I just couldn't find the sweet spot with the Deluxe. I tried both the OG Deluxe and the Civil War/Russian
Reissue Deluxe. It was almost like they had too much going on, and you had to set everything just right,
and then even for me that was not quite enough. I much preferred the 3 knob Deluxe Pi that is their OP
Amp Muff Reissue.

The cool thing about Muffs is if you don't like one, there are an hundred dozen more out there that may
be just right for what you are aiming for. Or not.

Stomp Under Foot/SUF, Basic Audio, Mojo Hand FX, and Wren & Cuff all make great Muff variants. A 4th
knob for "Mids" is about all I would personally add to that circuit. You can easily stack a 3 knob Muff with
something else (ala Gilmour, or Corgan) to get it to bump up the Mids a bit.

I'm thinking about getting a JHS Charlie Brown to pair it with a triangle or ram's head Muff reissue similar to this.