[Guitarist’s Perspective] Equipment that is Thought to Improve Sound Just by Passing it Through Part 2 - Clean Boosters

Among effect pedals for electric guitars, I think those that increase only the volume without changing the sound quality are generally called clean boosters.
A clean booster can be used in a variety of ways, such as increasing the volume when soloing or increasing the input to the amp to distort the sound.

It may seem simple to increase the volume without changing the sound quality, but it actually can be difficult. This is because most clean boosters change the sound quality considerably.
Some of them sell the change in sound quality in the first place, while others claim to be faithful to the original sound but aren’t at all.

As it turns out, most clean boosters shave off a lot of high frequencies (audibly).

However, if you connect the clean booster directly to a mixer via DI and monitor the sound with headphones, you will be surprised at the change.

By the way, I don't know why all pedals have this characteristic…
(If anyone knows, please tell me.)

The high frequencies are reduced and the volume is increased, so the mid to low frequencies are relatively emphasized. It’s interesting to note that the emphasis differs from product to product, with some pedals being praised for making the sound thicker just by passing it through and bringing out the flavor component, while others are kicked to the curb for making the sound muddy and losing clarity.

At the beginning of PART 1, I wrote something like, "Sound quality change is merely a spectral change, and the amount of information is rather decreasing.” If we consider that the information in the high frequency range is lost instead of changing the balance of the mid to low frequency range, I think this example is also applicable.

It depends on the purpose, but if the original use of a clean booster is to boost volume without changing sound quality, the less information loss, the better. If you find the high frequencies of the guitar grating on your ears, then it would be easier to listen to if the high frequencies were shaved off. But then, I feel you would be happier if you just changed guitars.

BOOROCKS/RISE Clean-Booster CB-1

I have used only a few of the many clean boosters available, but this model was one of the benchmarks I arrived at after spending my limited time and allowance at Sound House during my student days.

I was surprised that the BOOROCKS / RISE had less attenuation in the high frequencies and a much flatter frequency response than other clean boosters (again, this is audible).
Of course, this does not mean that the sound doesn’t change at all, but the degree of change is quite different compared to other clean boosters.

Although it is a little worrisome that the volume is set slightly lower with the level knob at its lowest setting, when the knob is turned up a little and stepped on, the volume is naturally raised without changing the texture of the original sound. No matter how far you turn the knob, the balance is not greatly affected, and it boosts within a practical range without strain.

With this pedal, for example, when you want to increase the volume of a guitar solo, you can boost it without changing the sound quality, just as if you had turned up the fader on a mixer. I recommend this pedal for those who are looking for a clean booster with little change in sound quality.

After PART 1 and PART 2, it looks like there might be a PART 3, but to be honest, I haven't come up with a third one yet, so I am undecided.

What I am trying to say is, "People often say that just passing the sound through the system improves the sound, but is that really true?" When you buy new equipment, it is tempting to expect great things from it, but if you evaluate the sound calmly and objectively, you will find a whole new world.

Thank you for reading to the end!
Please keep buying lots of effect pedals at Sound House.