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Broughton Audio Super Thread

#113,401
WG Plum said:
Yeah, that's the Mesa thing, at least with the 400/B800D. That low end whump. Sounds like Josh may have really translated it to a pedal!
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If that’s what it is and it goes over as well as I think it will, @Azure Skies should capitalize on whatever makes that circuit tick. If the eq can be changed without messing things up, versions with an Ampeg and a Hiwatt tone stack could really work well for those wanting more mid range (Ampeg) or a more modern/aggressive (Hiwatt) tone.
 
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#113,403
jbybj said:
Wow. Had to go verify for myself. Because, history would indicate this as an unlikely scenario. And here we are.
I think this is pretty cool, and a MAJOR shift in the Broughton universe. All the petulant rage quitters, who whined about not being able to do just this, (guarantee with a pre-order) Well they can just eat their words........
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I think you are being way too judgy to anyone who has expressed frustration with the inability to preorder or with the large amount of out-of-stock and archived product. The Broughton batch model, with its unspecific release time, limited inventory, and product being unavailable for years (if it even does receive a second or third batch), is not ideal. It is frustrating. The lack of knowing if something will be re-released and when that will be exasperates the very real scarcity that already exists, driving up prices, making folks less inclined to release what they aren't using, and overall making Broughton gear harder to acquire. And the mystery drop time just wastes customers' time and sleep. (Though I admit it does add "hype" which probably boosts sales.)

I think it's great that Josh has so many ideas he is always releasing new stuff and therefore doesn't have time to revisit old product; no doubt this also facilitates nearly every batch selling out with alacrity. (Plus not all early Broughton circuits are worth revisiting.) It would be silly to expect a five-year future release schedule--that would limit Josh's flexibility and agency--but more transparency around production and release would be welcome. I do not think it is petulant or whiny to desire this or to be frustrated by its absence. Indeed, these business practices are perfectly normal; no other pedal company operates this way: not EAE, Chase Bliss, Iron Ether, 3 Leaf Audio, Damnation Audio, Meris, Fuzzrocious, etc. In recent years transparency has improved, with newsletters hinting at and even outright stating upcoming releases. But the mystery drop time--even though it benefits me personally because my F5 skills are well honed by this point--really should change.
CH Design said:
If that’s what it is and it goes over as well as I think it will, @Azure Skies should capitalize on whatever makes that circuit tick. If the eq can be changed without messing things up, versions with an Ampeg and a Hiwatt tone stack could really work well for those wanting more mid range (Ampeg) or a more modern/aggressive (Hiwatt) tone.
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I agree this should be iterated on: at the very least, a version with DI out (and cab sim switch) like the Scorpion Deluxe would be appreciated. And if it could be reworked into a portrait (rather than landscape) orientation like the Studio One, even better.
 
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#113,407
CH Design said:
I’ll start by saying that I have no experience with a 400+ or the new Bass 800D. I have no idea how closely, or not, the Sonoran gets to those tones.

With that disclaimer out of the way, this thing sounds glorious. I hear/feel some tube compression, unlike anything I’ve experienced with other tube preamp pedals (various Sushi Box and Super Watt).
The breakup is superb. You can dime the master and use the gain to control the volume and your tone stays clean. Or, do the opposite and get rewarded with some almost crunchy (in a good way!) tube breakup. Or, dial in any level of added harmonic content you want just by playing with the gain and volume. There are no farty tube-like tones here. This IS the sound of Chewbes.
The eq works as you would expect. There is an ever present mid scoop, but oddly it didn’t sound like anything was missing. The switches are definitely a nice touch. They expand the range of tones available with a relatively simple eq. The bass shift is kind of subtle, but the other two (treble shift and bright) are very noticeable and totally usable (yes, I’m looking at you Silver Deluxe).
All that being said, the real star of the show (for me) is the low end. It’s thick. It’s chewy. It has an authoritative presence that fills up a lot of sonic space, yet stays clearly in its own lane.
View attachment 7535989

It also plays really nicely with the Scorpion Deluxe cab sim. I’ll have to try it with the Mini Fridge DI tonight.
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Exactly what I wanted to hear! Sounds great!

I like the added tube retainer as well, hopefully it cuts down microphonics/broken tubes
 
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#113,408
CH Design said:
I’ll start by saying that I have no experience with a 400+ or the new Bass 800D. I have no idea how closely, or not, the Sonoran gets to those tones.

With that disclaimer out of the way, this thing sounds glorious. I hear/feel some tube compression, unlike anything I’ve experienced with other tube preamp pedals (various Sushi Box and Super Watt).
The breakup is superb. You can dime the master and use the gain to control the volume and your tone stays clean. Or, do the opposite and get rewarded with some almost crunchy (in a good way!) tube breakup. Or, dial in any level of added harmonic content you want just by playing with the gain and volume. There are no farty tube-like tones here. This IS the sound of Chewbes.
The eq works as you would expect. There is an ever present mid scoop, but oddly it didn’t sound like anything was missing. The switches are definitely a nice touch. They expand the range of tones available with a relatively simple eq. The bass shift is kind of subtle, but the other two (treble shift and bright) are very noticeable and totally usable (yes, I’m looking at you Silver Deluxe).
All that being said, the real star of the show (for me) is the low end. It’s thick. It’s chewy. It has an authoritative presence that fills up a lot of sonic space, yet stays clearly in its own lane.
View attachment 7535989

It also plays really nicely with the Scorpion Deluxe cab sim. I’ll have to try it with the Mini Fridge DI tonight.
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Thanks for sharing this! That is exciting!

Was all this running at the recommended 12v, or 9v?
 
#113,412
Erithon said:
I think you are being way too judgy to anyone who has expressed frustration with the inability to preorder or with the large amount of out-of-stock and archived product.
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Many people have failed to acquire pedals on many Broughton drops. Somehow we survived, and often, with time, ended up acquiring said pedal. I found it fascinating how a small percentage of disgruntled potential customers took it personally. As if Josh Broughton was somehow plotting to make their lives miserable. People are weird.
 
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#113,415
jbybj said:
Many people have failed to acquire pedals on many Broughton drops. Somehow we survived, and often, with time, ended up acquiring said pedal. I found it fascinating how a small percentage of disgruntled potential customers took it personally. As if Josh Broughton was somehow plotting to make their lives miserable. People are weird.
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You are correct, of course: these are luxury goods and it's hardly the end of the world if one fails to purchase a particular pedal. That said, I also think the Broughton model introduces unnecessary frustrations and is disrespectful of customers' time and sleep. I concur it is silly to be personally affronted or to intimate one is being targeted for misery, but there are some concrete ways that the Broughton business model could be reworked to improve transparency.
 
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#113,416
There is almost always the opportunity to buy second hand after a drop sells out. Only a small few don't come up or if they do are for ridiculous prices, Sunray for example. Most pedals trickle into the classifieds a week or so after people receive them, Lowtec took a while to appear, but was at a normal price. Of course Reverb is a good source as well, but prices are a little higher due to the tax/shipping/Reverb fees aspect.

I was on the fence about the Scorpion Deluxe, didn't buy it new, but picked it up in the classifieds not too long after release. This sales model seems to be working. Sure their could be fewer pedals always in stock, but I like the variety of pedals that come out, even if you don't get them new, there still is a good chance to buy from other sources, so long as you're paying attention to the classifieds.
 
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#113,419
warptheory said:
There is almost always the opportunity to buy second hand after a drop sells out. Only a small few don't come up or if they do are for ridiculous prices, Sunray for example. Most pedals trickle into the classifieds a week or so after people receive them, Lowtec took a while to appear, but was at a normal price. Of course Reverb is a good source as well, but prices are a little higher due to the tax/shipping/Reverb fees aspect.

I was on the fence about the Scorpion Deluxe, didn't buy it new, but picked it up in the classifieds not too long after release. This sales model seems to be working. Sure their could be fewer pedals always in stock, but I like the variety of pedals that come out, even if you don't get them new, there still is a good chance to buy from other sources, so long as you're paying attention to the classifieds.
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I agree with nearly all of this. Things have definitely improved on this front in recent years as the drops have become more frequent.* My primary point is the lack of transparency around the time of release, the number of product available,** if the product in question will return in the future, and when that may be.

*I disagree that "only a small few" are difficult to obtain. Sunray, yes, but also Quicksilver, Mastering Equalizer, Bass Drop, big box PLL, Dream Crusher, Signal Cypher, Valve Champ, Modulation Station, Studio Boost, etc. Plus the Archive page does not list all past products. Not even close. You want a Sub Designer, Lazer Phazer, Archetype Valve Preamp pedal, Power Stage, or Amplitude? Good luck. But I don't have a problem with this because I know many of these designs were early or super-small batches and will not return, and that is fine. I get the Square Cheese and Tentacle II and ATD 12AX7 were one-offs and will not return. And I understand that the Signal Cypher and Broughctave are involved builds and also unlikely to return. Products are discontinued; this is the way of things. Again, my primary point concerns transparency around current and future releases (and re-releases).

**I am aware that one can check the number of units left if a batch has not sold out and, from that, derive an estimate of the batch size. I am also aware that no standard batch is smaller than 25 units and most are either 50 or 100 (though in practice they are smaller because early supporters and friends get first crack). I'm saying it would be helpful to have this information ahead of time.
Zbysek said:
I respectfully disagree. It is fun (to me). I take it as a game. I prefer it over the pre-order business model.
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Yay, disagreement! My favorite :) So much more interesting than talking to an echo chamber.
Alright, so I think it's a healthy to think of it as a game, though I will point out no other effects pedal company or product in my life operates this way. You can find it fun, but surely you can also admit it is nonstandard approach to business? I am not advocating for the pre-order model (though I do think that is superior) so much as more transparency around the current model. Consider how Doc Lloyd operates with batches of the DLA-2A:
1784130003952.png

Customers know when the item will be released, how many units will be available, and roughly when the next batch will arrive. Ditto for 3 Leaf Audio. For all of Spencer's shenanigans, in recent years he has done a decent job of letting customers know the time and size of a release and roughly when future releases will happen (aka if you miss this one there will be more chances). This allows customers to save up and plan. It also means they do not need to spam F5 for in indeterminate time; if a release happens in the middle of the night for someone, they can set an alarm and minimize the amount of lost sleep. Like, I'm already giving Josh my money. It would be nice if his model did not also require me to give him my time as well. This is why I think the move to built-to-order S300s is wonderful.
 
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#113,420
WG Plum said:
As a west-coaster, I will say the drop times have always ++++ing sucked. It's pretty unpleasant to have to get up before four a.m. to try, and most often fail, to buy a pedal. I'd much rather fail on a full night's sleep.
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I would agree. 7am is a different animal than 4am. Im sure it comes down to the best time for Josh in the end. There has been the rare 12:01 drop, but its been a while. You could do regional drops, but with spoofing local and the added complexity - just thinking about that sounds annoying
 

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