NPD x3 - This week in faux-verdrives...

eggpl@nt

Roadie
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This was a fun week for me. I built two Aion FX kits - the Theseus based on the King of Tone and the Andromeda based on the ODR - and the NOTAKLON kit. Now, I don't have any experience with the legit versions of any of these pedals. The closest I can claim to get, aside from virtual versions, is a Nobles ODR Mini. However, I really like all of these.

The NOTAKLON kit is an awesome concept. It was dead easy to assemble, and it worked perfectly after boxing it up. As you'd expect, it's a smooth, mid-focused-but-not-honky overdrive. The -/+ switch lets you add more gain (shocker), adding to the overall versatility of the pedal. I have an MXR Fat Sugar, which is supposed to be Klon-ish, but the NOTAKLON sounds better (IMHO) and more like the virtual Klons I've used in FAS and L6 gear.

The Aion FX kits are so well done, and I can easily recommend them to anyone who wants to dabble in building FX pedals. The documentation is clear, the enclosure is clean, the PCB is nicely designed and accounts for component size and spacing, and the use of JST connectors to jump the three internal boards is super handy. I started my DIY pedal adventures with strip board builds, and the absolute worst part was always wiring the board to the pots and footswitch (I have fat, clumsy fingers). The JST connectors make this part trivial.

The Andromeda (ODR) is the most transparent of the three ODs here. Having the Low Cut control external the pedal is nice. The range on the Spectrum control is good, and you can coax both very lightly driven and crunchy tones from this guy. I've got the Theseus (KoT) configured for soft-clipping on the Blue side and soft-clipping with the high gain option on the Red side. I like this pedal for the one thing I can get it to do. Both the Theseus and the virtual KoTs I've used seem to not really do much when the Drive and Level controls are set lower than 12 o' clock. Once you get both of those controls to 1 o' clock or so, it does the thing, and it does it well. It's smooth and relatively transparent crunch.

1705858634150.png
 
This was a fun week for me. I built two Aion FX kits - the Theseus based on the King of Tone and the Andromeda based on the ODR - and the NOTAKLON kit. Now, I don't have any experience with the legit versions of any of these pedals. The closest I can claim to get, aside from virtual versions, is a Nobles ODR Mini. However, I really like all of these.

The NOTAKLON kit is an awesome concept. It was dead easy to assemble, and it worked perfectly after boxing it up. As you'd expect, it's a smooth, mid-focused-but-not-honky overdrive. The -/+ switch lets you add more gain (shocker), adding to the overall versatility of the pedal. I have an MXR Fat Sugar, which is supposed to be Klon-ish, but the NOTAKLON sounds better (IMHO) and more like the virtual Klons I've used in FAS and L6 gear.

The Aion FX kits are so well done, and I can easily recommend them to anyone who wants to dabble in building FX pedals. The documentation is clear, the enclosure is clean, the PCB is nicely designed and accounts for component size and spacing, and the use of JST connectors to jump the three internal boards is super handy. I started my DIY pedal adventures with strip board builds, and the absolute worst part was always wiring the board to the pots and footswitch (I have fat, clumsy fingers). The JST connectors make this part trivial.

The Andromeda (ODR) is the most transparent of the three ODs here. Having the Low Cut control external the pedal is nice. The range on the Spectrum control is good, and you can coax both very lightly driven and crunchy tones from this guy. I've got the Theseus (KoT) configured for soft-clipping on the Blue side and soft-clipping with the high gain option on the Red side. I like this pedal for the one thing I can get it to do. Both the Theseus and the virtual KoTs I've used seem to not really do much when the Drive and Level controls are set lower than 12 o' clock. Once you get both of those controls to 1 o' clock or so, it does the thing, and it does it well. It's smooth and relatively transparent crunch.

View attachment 17625
Yea, the NotaKlon was a great idea. Just a bit of assembly at home and it would be hard to put that pedal out for $100. Its a great place for builders and customers to meet in the middle.
 
Finally got around to building the Gladiator (Dualist). Another well-done kit by Aion, but let me tell you - lining up the 6 pots and 2 switches to get the main board mounted in the enclosure was an excruciating and frustrating process. It was probably just a Skill Issue™️, but I don't remember the Theseus being that difficult (another 6 pot pedal, but no switches).

Everything worked on first go, which is a testament to how well done these kits are. I'm still toying with the DIP switches, but so far everything sounds good. The TS side makes for a good boost and standalone drive. The BB side can really roar. Then you can goose the BB side with the TS side for some heavier drive tones.

A couple days after I ordered the Gladiator kit, Aion began a sale. I think it was like 10% off or something. I grabbed another 10 PCBs. I'll have to source parts for these, so they probably won't look as nice, but it'll be a fun time nonetheless. I grabbed:
  • Blaze (Amptweaker Tight Drive)
  • Cinder (Amptweaker Tight Fuzz)
  • Ember (Amptweaker Tight Metal)
  • Hadron (Lovepedal Eternity)
  • Procyon (BJFe Honey Bee)
  • Viridian (BJFe Little Green Wonder)
  • Aurora Deluxe (Keeley Compressor Plus)
  • Hypercube (Boss FZ-2 Hyper Fuzz)
  • Tesseract (TC Integrated Pre)

IMG_3229.jpeg

IMG_3228.jpeg
 
Finally got around to building the Gladiator (Dualist). Another well-done kit by Aion, but let me tell you - lining up the 6 pots and 2 switches to get the main board mounted in the enclosure was an excruciating and frustrating process. It was probably just a Skill Issue™️, but I don't remember the Theseus being that difficult (another 6 pot pedal, but no switches).

Everything worked on first go, which is a testament to how well done these kits are. I'm still toying with the DIP switches, but so far everything sounds good. The TS side makes for a good boost and standalone drive. The BB side can really roar. Then you can goose the BB side with the TS side for some heavier drive tones.

A couple days after I ordered the Gladiator kit, Aion began a sale. I think it was like 10% off or something. I grabbed another 10 PCBs. I'll have to source parts for these, so they probably won't look as nice, but it'll be a fun time nonetheless. I grabbed:
  • Blaze (Amptweaker Tight Drive)
  • Cinder (Amptweaker Tight Fuzz)
  • Ember (Amptweaker Tight Metal)
  • Hadron (Lovepedal Eternity)
  • Procyon (BJFe Honey Bee)
  • Viridian (BJFe Little Green Wonder)
  • Aurora Deluxe (Keeley Compressor Plus)
  • Hypercube (Boss FZ-2 Hyper Fuzz)
  • Tesseract (TC Integrated Pre)

View attachment 31909
View attachment 31910

Did you mount them on the outside of the enclosure before soldering?
 
Did you mount them on the outside of the enclosure before soldering?
Yeah, I mounted the pots and switches snugly (little movement, but could be rotated as needed) before setting the board in the enclosure and soldering everything in place. This is what the kit documentation recommends. I did the same process with the Theseus and Andromeda - this one just gave me more or a run for my money.
 
These sort of things are fun to build. I made a Browne Protein and a Hudson Broadcast a few years ago from PedalPCB kits.

I hate the breakout boards for the footswitches though. If the switch fails it's a real bitch to try to remove the switch from the board. I ended up handwiring them instead.
 
These sort of things are fun to build. I made a Browne Protein and a Hudson Broadcast a few years ago from PedalPCB kits.

I hate the breakout boards for the footswitches though. If the switch fails it's a real bitch to try to remove the switch from the board. I ended up handwiring them instead.

I'm the same. I handwire all mine too.
 
Yeah, I mounted the pots and switches snugly (little movement, but could be rotated as needed) before setting the board in the enclosure and soldering everything in place. This is what the kit documentation recommends. I did the same process with the Theseus and Andromeda - this one just gave me more or a run for my money.

Did you mount them in the enclosure or on the enclosure like this.

1000073179.jpg


The last time I saw one of Kevin's kit build instructions he had you mount everything in the enclosure and then solder the board in place. I like to mount the pots and switches on the outside where you have tons of room to check if everything is level and then solder one pin from each component to the board. It's really easy to reflow a joint then and move a pot if it's not straight. Once everythings straight then solder the other pins and drop it in the enclosure.

This only works with symmetrical control layouts though.
 
Did you mount them in the enclosure or on the enclosure like this.

View attachment 31913

The last time I saw one of Kevin's kit build instructions he had you mount everything in the enclosure and then solder the board in place. I like to mount the pots and switches on the outside where you have tons of room to check if everything is level and then solder one pin from each component to the board. It's really easy to reflow a joint then and move a pot if it's not straight. Once everythings straight then solder the other pins and drop it in the enclosure.

This only works with symmetrical control layouts though.
Well hot damn. I mounted in the enclosure (per the instructions, as you mentioned), but mounting on the enclosure would have probably been smarter and probably easier. Ya learn something new every day. Thanks for that idea! Noted for the 10 other pedals I intend to build at some point...
 
Well hot damn. I mounted in the enclosure (per the instructions, as you mentioned), but mounting on the enclosure would have probably been smarter and probably easier. Ya learn something new every day. Thanks for that idea! Noted for the 10 other pedals I intend to build at some point...

The only thing to look out for is being careful with your soldering in case any splashes on the top of the finished enclosure.

It's how I do all mine though and I never have a problem.
 
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