Source Audio ZIO pedal

Bash_Man

Bash_Man

Well-known member
So I recently got the Source Audio ZIO to try as a boost infront of my amp, which is a Splawn Nitro. This was a pedal I was really excited to use and try, especially the Low-Cut mode with a highgain sound to see how it can tighten it up.

So here's MY thoughts on the pedal and what I heard when I put it in my setup. This is NOT reflective of the quality of the pedal or determines how it'll sound in your setup.

Here goes:
- Build Quality: Compact pedal and build quality is great. Really nice brushed metal type enclosure. its a bit smaller than your standard Boss Pedal, so it doesnt take as much pedal space. The Switches feel good and the dials are very smooth.

- Sound Quality.. so this is where it gets exciting a bit and (for me) got a little dissapointing unfortunetly.
  • JFET: When using this with a clean sound, it kinda gave it this slight dirt. Turn up the output and use a neck pickup and you've got a nice crunchy bluesy type tone. When using this with an overdrive or highgain sound, it gave it dirt. really cool for the "Doom Metal" type sounds where its just thick.

  • Low-Cut: This is the mode I was REALLY looking forward to trying. Honestly, it was THE reason why I bought this pedal. Using this mode with a clean sound was neat. Killed the Lows a bit but gave it this nice shimmer. Using the Neck pickup it kinda balanced the Clean Tone so when you hit the chord, you didnt get a wash of low end. Using this mode with a Dirty highgain sound gave it this nasaly sound. I couldnt bond with the sound. it did what it said it would do, but I didnt realize or think it was gonna sound as it did. Palm mutes sounded meh. Speed picking sounded great and tight, but still had that nasaly almost mid honk type tone.

  • Studio: This mode was really cool. I really enjoyed this mode with a clean sound. Gave it this nice and fat sound. sounded really good with highgain sounds as well. gave it this fattness for Chords and single notes. However, because of the added Bass/Low-End (that's atleast what I heard and observed), it didnt let the guitar sound cut through the mix or come across as clear.

  • E-Plex: One of the best features about this pedal. The E-Plex delivered exactly what the E-plex pedal does (i am refering to the Dunlop Echoplex Preamp). I've got one and Had both hooked up and I was able to get pretty much the same type of tones/sounds out of both of them without an issue. Gave the overdrive a nice warm fatness. Great for leads and solos

  • Tone switch: Very neat feature. does exactly what it says
    • bright: gives the tone a bit more brightness.
    • Med: sorta a neutral tone. couldnt really hear a difference between pedal ON and OFF
    • Dark: definitly notice the touch of darkness added to the tone. Very cool for lead work.
Hope that helps.

Thanks and cheers
 
Maybe I'm thinking of a different pedal... doesn't this one allow you to customize it, so that it would have different functions, depending on how you wired it (or made the connections)?
 
CoolGuitarGear said:
Maybe I'm thinking of a different pedal... doesn't this one allow you to customize it, so that it would have different functions, depending on how you wired it (or made the connections)?
Click to expand...
its basiclly has an input and output. No other ways of wiring this I dont believe.
 
Bash_Man said:
its basiclly has an input and output. No other ways of wiring this I dont believe.
Click to expand...
Thanks... wiring may not have been the right term, but I thought there were dip switches or 'things' that allow you to create different effects with some customization.
 
CoolGuitarGear said:
Thanks... wiring may not have been the right term, but I thought there were dip switches or 'things' that allow you to create different effects with some customization.
Click to expand...
Didnt think there was dip switches. It has swithces on the top of the pedal along with the dials.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top