Red Rooster: Initial Impressions

[5digits6strings]

So, my Red Rooster arrived today (thanks RC2!), and I've had a chance to test it through a variety of gear so far: '62 Historic SG-->Red Rooster-->Marshall 1974X (at work). Navigator N-LP-380 "Les Paul" / Cole Clark Mistress-->Rooster-->Vox AC4TV (1/4 and 1 watt modes) at home, and also on my board with a variety of pedals, before the ones that are buffered (TU-2, NS-2). Now, both the Marshall and AC4TV are relatively dark, so I felt the treble boosting effect would be best here. Interestingly, it wasn't as bright as I recall on the Rooster I initially tested (same transistor). A KILLER boost, but not as bright as I'd like. So, I was just about done for the night (2:00 am now!), and I did one last test after the buffered pedals. Whoa! Plenty bright fully counterclockwise, and super fat and a bit fuzzy all the way clockwise...and balanced in the middle. Any thoughts on this? I've had my fair share of boutique clean boosters and overdrives, (Klon, original Way Huge, you name it), and I'm just not sure what to make of the pre/post buffer interaction on the Rooster. (I also have a Beano Boost and Cornish Treble Boost on the way for comparison.) Any thoughs? Thanks!

[Coolhand78]

So, my Red Rooster arrived today (thanks RC2!), and I've had a chance to test it through a variety of gear so far: '62 Historic SG-->Red Rooster-->Marshall 1974X (at work). Navigator N-LP-380 "Les Paul" / Cole Clark Mistress-->Rooster-->Vox AC4TV (1/4 and 1 watt modes) at home, and also on my board with a variety of pedals, before the ones that are buffered (TU-2, NS-2). Now, both the Marshall and AC4TV are relatively dark, so I felt the treble boosting effect would be best here. Interestingly, it wasn't as bright as I recall on the Rooster I initially tested (same transistor). A KILLER boost, but not as bright as I'd like. So, I was just about done for the night (2:00 am now!), and I did one last test after the buffered pedals. Whoa! Plenty bright fully counterclockwise, and super fat and a bit fuzzy all the way clockwise...and balanced in the middle. Any thoughts on this? I've had my fair share of boutique clean boosters and overdrives, (Klon, original Way Huge, you name it), and I'm just not sure what to make of the pre/post buffer interaction on the Rooster. (I also have a Beano Boost and Cornish Treble Boost on the way for comparison.) Any thoughs? Thanks!

Sounds like those boss pedals are choking your rooster... Ditch the boss pedals and see what you think...

[tatter]

Did you try the Rooster on it's own? I never thought it lacked treble personally and thought it had too much when placed after a buffer.

[5digits6strings]

Well, I tried it straight in before using it on my pedalboard...with a battery, with AC power, before/after the buffered pedals, only with true bypass pedals, into a clean amp, dirty amp, tube amps, solid state amp, different cables, etc. I haven't tried it at full band volume yet, but with the little 4 watt AC4TV, I can usually get it singing at lower volumes. (Great little *cheap* tube amp, BTW.) Again, the Rooster did add a touch of treble and bite at full CCW, but not as much as I'd expect, or recalled from the one I tested previously. Different transistor response, perhaps? Not full band volume, perhaps? Again, I'm new to the world of treble boosters, so please enlighten me.

[5digits6strings]

Well, I got the Beano Boost today, had a bit of time to compare and contrast it with the Rooster, and made a couple YouTube videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhzBoLbNWAk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I857Hc-T264

Output Level: The Rooster has a bit more output than the Beano...the Beano dimed is about what the Rooster puts out at ~4:00 with the range totally CCW.

Noise Floor: Beano Boost is notably quieter at idle. But still, the Rooster isn't particularly noisy for a boosting/OD effect...it's just that the Beano is SUPER quiet.

Construction: Gotta give it to the DAM! The stripboard construction and components are super pretty...the wiring looks great, jacks solid, switch feels good, candy "Red Baron" finish with black silkscreening is nice 'n' bold, lightweight, but not too light. The turret board PTP construction on the Beano is awfully cool too, though.

Tone (for the most part tested with the level up all the way or at 3:00:
Treble boost mode/full CCW on the Rooster - the Rooster sounds notably fatter than the Beano, pumping more bass, while the overall tone of the Beano is a bit more vowel like.

Mid boost mode/around 12:00 on the Rooster - the Rooster adds a bit of fatness, but mainly seems to become a flatter boost... The Beano adds a bit of honk and fatness in this position.

Bass boost mode/full CW on the Rooster - the Rooster gains a notable amount of volume from 9:00 onward, and gets a bit fuzzy. The Beano gains a notable bass boost, but not much additional output, and would probably fatten up a bright single coil equipped guitar nicely for leads/slamming an amp.

Interesting note: The difference in tonal fatness with the Rooster's level at 3:00 (first video) vs. 4:00 (second video) is notable. It almost seems like the fatness and gain doubles through the little camera mic, but it's really just a notch up to match the level of the Beano Boost.

Well, that's the latest. I'm anxiously awaiting the Cornish TB-83 for the tie breaker...and the Sonic Titan as my next DAM for the collection! The lack of switch on the TB-83 may make a shootout tough, but I'll try to make another video or post back at that point.

[Bobby DEE]

welcome to the DAM forums Mike!

glad to hear you found some DAM pedals

Mike works at one of the best independent music stores in ALL of south florida, the lovely MAE Music in Ft Lauderdale.

and he's a pretty cool guy too

[5digits6strings]

Using the Rooster with a buffer is a mistake, the treble booster IS the buffer. Not many realize this now, which surprises me a little with the surge in (re)popularity of the treble booster in general, but they were made to brighten up dark sounding amps, accelerate tube overdrive, AND make up for treble loss due to long guitar cables in concert level performances, so when you use one in tandem with a buffer, which is just another word for boost(usually jfet) that preserves high end, you're getting two units performing the same duty, so....

If you want to experience the original intention of the treble booster, remove your buffers, place the Rooster last in line, just before your amp, and have at it. To hear the Rooster at the original 'Rangemaster' setting, turn the range all the way counter clockwise. There are a dozen uses for the Rooster, and its easily my favorite RM derivative.

Yeah, I mean the Rooster does sound a bit...off, after a buffer. But at the same time, it really does a good job of boosting up the high end with a dark guitar and amp. Either way, it'll probably be first in the path, unless I'm running all true bypass pedals. Oh, the Beano is out of the contest, as I have ruled the D*A*M *winner* of the two! The "vintage" nature of the Beano doesn't do it for me like the raw fatness of the D*A*M. Now, let's see what happens when I get that TB-83!

Here's a nice little comparison somebody did between the two: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showth ... p?t=544225

[5digits6strings]

welcome to the DAM forums Mike!

glad to hear you found some DAM pedals

Mike works at one of the best independent music stores in ALL of south florida, the lovely MAE Music in Ft Lauderdale.

and he's a pretty cool guy too

Bobby D! South Florida's most rockinest, fluorescent guitar playin' pedal addict! Hey, guess what? I've got a Sonic Titan on its way to me!

[molokaio]

sickle.. I don't think a treble booster does the same job as a buffer... a good buffer changes impedence, doesnt boost... That said... yes, red rooster before any buffered pedal!

[5digits6strings]

sickle.. I don't think a treble booster does the same job as a buffer... a good buffer changes impedence, doesnt boost...

A good buffer preserves high end frequencies over an extended signal path. For a perfect example of this, listen to the new Malekko 616 delay where they toggle the buffer on and off.

A treble booster by the nature of its voicing and boosted db output does the same thing. It does not change impedance, but it has the same audible results.

Two different routes to the same destination. Combine em and they sound like shit.

What's even more interesting is how you can use multiple buffered pedals together with less adverse effects than one treble boost after one buffer. Hmm.