Gate-Talk

[Smashedguitaris⸸]

There really isn't anything new in almost 20 years. There is the digital units. But the ones I tried I liked less than the analog.

Santiago at Marshall designed the Kerry King signature amp, the 2203KK JCM800 has been around since 2007. It only took a decade for people to start cloning the noise gate.


This noise gate was cloned in the Zuul, Cock Blocker, Phalanx, Endless Blockade, Tannhauser, Revv G8 etc....


"Marshall’s engineers developed a special noise gate circuit with a threshold control.

Most noise gates completely kill the sound once it drops below a certain threshold,” Bowcott says. “This noise gate has an ultrafast expander circuit that’s similar to what you’ll find in a studio-quality noise reduction unit. It will work extremely fast during tight, precise staccato rhythms, giving you those desired ‘holes of silence.’

When it comes to sustained notes, though, the expander gradually attenuates the signal by following the dynamics of the note, giving you a much more natural-sounding gating that won’t prematurely cut off the end of a note or chord that you want to ring.”


This is considered by many to be the best noise gate for guitar.


Personally I use a BOSS NS-2. It adds a bit of midrange. But the only time I use it is when using a OD / boost....and they all pretty much add midrange. I have a Zuul + also. It changes the sound less than the NS-2. But does change the sound like the rest.

You probably noticed there is individuals that love or hate all of them. All you can do is try them and see what works best for your application.

A lot of it is your rig and the way you play. There really is no perfect one solution that fits everything.

I highly recommend using the "key" method. If in the loop or out front. I pretty much do this 95% of the time when using a gate.

It is very fucking rig dependant. You are correct. I have had very different setups depending on which amp i had.

To further confound the situation, depending on your goals and how/what you play, a gate perfect for metal could be terrible for slow tempo rock chords

 

[paulyc]

I use an NS 2 out front and a Rockman SmartGate (old half rack space unit) in the loop. The SmartGate is what EVH used. Good enough for him, good enough for me.

 

[Smashedguitaris⸸]

Anyone tried this?

 

[bubucci]

Noise gates in Fractal devices. They are quick, precise, works in 4cm and You have 4 settings in one presets...hard to beat. And in case of FX8, You have absolutely zero signal alternation.

 

[BeZo]

Noise gates in Fractal devices. They are quick, precise, works in 4cm and You have 4 settings in one presets...hard to beat. And in case of FX8, You have absolutely zero signal alternation.

I do like that one too.

 

[OldGtrGuy]

Anyone tried this?
View attachment 299094

Tbh I forgot that was a thing. I couldn't find any info online but it is essentially a pro rack in pedal format?

 

[Smashedguitaris⸸]

Tbh I forgot that was a thing. I couldn't find any info online but it is essentially a pro rack in pedal format?

I think so.. i flirt with the idea of ordering

 

[OldGtrGuy]

I think so.. i flirt with the idea of ordering

Dude I have no doubt it would be incredible. I also think it's about time they did this. I know it's been out for a minute but for a while that Pro Rack was unbeatable (maybe still is? idk these days) but I'm not a rack user at all and could never bring myself to getting a rack set up just for that. Would add power conditioning as well but you know what I mean.

 

[Akira]

Anyone tried this?
View attachment 299094

I've been curious about this one as well. There doesn't seem to be a ton of info/reviews online.

Noise gates in Fractal devices. They are quick, precise, works in 4cm and You have 4 settings in one presets...hard to beat. And in case of FX8, You have absolutely zero signal alternation.

I kinda wish Fractal would release a dedicated gate pedal haha. I have the FM3 and I agree... the gate works really well. It's the only gate that doesn't seem to need any adjustment when I move from med-high output bridge humbuckers to low output single coils.

 

[tpruitt]

Zuul here. I use the key input also.
Best gate I’ve tried. I’ve built a clone also that’s just as good. I bet “griff10672” could make a batch of these if enough guys wanted one.

 

[stratjacket]

But how do you even "key" the pedal?

I do it this way

• Run my guitar into a buffer that has at least 2 outputs
• 1 output runs into my tuner, from the tuner it runs into the key input on my Zuul
• 1 output runs into my pedals with the Gate last in the path before the amp.

So when I hit my tuner, it mutes the Gate so there’s no sound while I tune.
The idea is the key input allows the gate to see the raw guitar signal as well as the boosted guitar signal after the pedals so it can react quicker to incoming noise. I keep the Zuul very low, dial set about 8 - 9 O’clock, just enough to cut noise.

 

[harddriver]

There really isn't anything new in almost 20 years. There is the digital units. But the ones I tried I liked less than the analog.

Santiago at Marshall designed the Kerry King signature amp, the 2203KK JCM800 has been around since 2007. It only took a decade for people to start cloning the noise gate.


This noise gate was cloned in the Zuul, Cock Blocker, Phalanx, Endless Blockade, Tannhauser, Revv G8 etc....


"Marshall’s engineers developed a special noise gate circuit with a threshold control.

Most noise gates completely kill the sound once it drops below a certain threshold,” Bowcott says. “This noise gate has an ultrafast expander circuit that’s similar to what you’ll find in a studio-quality noise reduction unit. It will work extremely fast during tight, precise staccato rhythms, giving you those desired ‘holes of silence.’

When it comes to sustained notes, though, the expander gradually attenuates the signal by following the dynamics of the note, giving you a much more natural-sounding gating that won’t prematurely cut off the end of a note or chord that you want to ring.”


This is considered by many to be the best noise gate for guitar.


Personally I use a BOSS NS-2. It adds a bit of midrange. But the only time I use it is when using a OD / boost....and they all pretty much add midrange. I have a Zuul + also. It changes the sound less than the NS-2. But does change the sound like the rest.

You probably noticed there is individuals that love or hate all of them. All you can do is try them and see what works best for your application.

A lot of it is your rig and the way you play. There really is no perfect one solution that fits everything.

I highly recommend using the "key" method. If in the loop or out front. I pretty much do this 95% of the time when using a gate.

I didn't know all these were derivatives from the KK Marshall amp...............very cool, great info Mr. Sawall, Thanks! I just know the Revv G8 works better than my old ISP. Maybe the Zuul+ and others are better I dunno........

 

[Smashedguitaris⸸]

I didn't know all these were derivatives from the KK Marshall amp...............very cool, great info Mr. Sawall, Thanks! I just know the Revv G8 works better than my old ISP. Maybe the Zuul+ and others are better I dunno........

I was shocked when i found out. Cool technology, though. I was happy it was in pedal form. And the zuul is damned good. But i always want better. I mean all of us do, otherwise we would be playing guitar rather than talking about it

 

[Shask]

I didn't know all these were derivatives from the KK Marshall amp...............very cool, great info Mr. Sawall, Thanks! I just know the Revv G8 works better than my old ISP. Maybe the Zuul+ and others are better I dunno........

All of these gates used the THAT 4301 Dynamics Processor chip. Now they generally use the THAT 4305 because the through hole 4301 was discontinued.

I have built 3 clones of these.

 

[stephen sawall]

I didn't know all these were derivatives from the KK Marshall amp...............very cool, great info Mr. Sawall, Thanks! I just know the Revv G8 works better than my old ISP. Maybe the Zuul+ and others are better I dunno........

I doubt there is much difference. They all change the sound. It's just going to be preferable change for the individual.

 

[Smashedguitaris⸸]

Phalanx no question. I got the ZUUL+ for Xmas from my wife and was very disappointed. I still have it only because I feel bad and she said she would be pissed if I sold it. I’ll sneak a sale if you’re interested but if I’m being nice and honest, it’s not that great. Sucks tone big time and the decay is a joke. Donner Sophgate smokes it and that’s not saying much.

The best thing to do is send it to @griff10672 and get him to put a better circuit in that enclosure. Your wife will never know