Belated New pedal day DAE Golem Noise gate

C

ClintN667

Well-known member
I finally replaced my zuul. I ended up selling my zuul after getting the Deadweald Duality dx. I pretty much begged for Daniel at Deadweald to build a standalone gate and after a few weeks he sent me some pics of PCB's and tentative artwork. I was supposed to get the prototype but it never made it to me during its tour. But that actually worked out cause there were some tweaks made and I got the final product- Deadweald Golem

Any way it's a two channel gate with the green channel being a single control like a zuul and the blue channel having a threshold and decay setting. No need for a splitter for a 4cm. Also has an isolated key out and a control out. Not sure about how to use the control out honestly.

I'm not sure these are going to be standard offering but if you are in the market for a gate I would definitely try to grab one of these. It corrects a lot of issues I had with the Zuul like needing a splitter and the window of usefulness on the zuul being so narrow. Like when you turn the zuul up 30% it starts choking the note. The Golem in my application is then most effective at 3-4 but I could go all the way up to 9 before it starts choking. No tone suck and like the zuul you only notice that it's engaged when it's off and your noise returns.
 

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ClintN667 said:
I finally replaced my zuul. I ended up selling my zuul after getting the Deadweald Duality dx. I pretty much begged for Daniel at Deadweald to build a standalone gate and after a few weeks he sent me some pics of PCB's and tentative artwork. I was supposed to get the prototype but it never made it to me during its tour. But that actually worked out cause there were some tweaks made and I got the final product- Deadweald Golem

Any way it's a two channel gate with the green channel being a single control like a zuul and the blue channel having a threshold and decay setting. No need for a splitter for a 4cm. Also has an isolated key out and a control out. Not sure about how to use the control out honestly.

I'm not sure these are going to be standard offering but if you are in the market for a gate I would definitely try to grab one of these. It corrects a lot of issues I had with the Zuul like needing a splitter and the window of usefulness on the zuul being so narrow. Like when you turn the zuul up 30% it starts choking the note. The Golem in my application is then most effective at 3-4 but I could go all the way up to 9 before it starts choking. No tone suck and like the zuul you only notice that it's engaged when it's off and your noise returns.
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Sounds interesting.

Ive owned just about every current noise gate offering and they ALL suck some tone. I’d love to check out this new DAE pedal.
 
diezelduder said:
wait they're already shipping these? i was on "waiting list" and haven't received word to pay up and get one, email away!!
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They should be shipping over the next week or two for the first 2 batches. I know me Kyle Bull and a couple others have gotten theirs
 
I am having issues with sustain and noise gates. Both for getting cut off too soon, and the way they cut off. Both for ISP DeciMate G string mini and Zuul mini, but the ISP cut off was the least smooth.
Also low volume on guitar (3-ish)/softer picking or fingerpicking is erratic if working at all.
Have you tested this on Golem?
As you can guess I don't really play Metal, but I'd like my distortions and a Muff to be silent.
 
Matopotato said:
I am having issues with sustain and noise gates. Both for getting cut off too soon, and the way they cut off. Both for ISP DeciMate G string mini and Zuul mini, but the ISP cut off was the least smooth.
Also low volume on guitar (3-ish)/softer picking or fingerpicking is erratic if working at all.
Have you tested this on Golem?
As you can guess I don't really play Metal, but I'd like my distortions and a Muff to be silent.
Click to expand...
I have not but the Golem doesnt clamp as hard and as quick as the zuul does. For example once you turn up the zuul past 25% it starts cutting off notes. The Golem has a wider sweep thats less extreme. My opitmal setting was around 4 but I could turn it almost all the way up before I noticed it cutting off notes.

Ive mainly used the green channel which is one control like the Zuul the blue channel has the ability to tweek the hold, decay, and threshold. I can try to play around with some cleaner stuff later and report back. Gates imho opinion are as personal preference as any other pedals but I feel like this one is more realistic in applications than some of the competitors that I have tried. Like Im not sure why the Zuul has a full sweep when only less than 40% is useful. This is also the first gate that I could use at any settings and find it useful.
 
Here is the list of features from Deadweald which give the details better than I can.

-2-channel noise gate with one smart channel and one studio channel
-usable in 2cm or 4cm
-low-noise buffered key through (no splitter required)
-non-isolated key out on opposed side and alternative isolated key-out on the same side as the key-in to prevent ground loops and save board space
-control-mode with standard stereo input jack that let's you control channel or enable the pedal remotely
-led color-switching between channels and as gate indicator
-internal charge-pump for increased headroom
-indicated noise-suppression and gate mode in smart-channel depending on threshold setting
-soft-switches
 
ClintN667 said:
I have not but the Golem doesnt clamp as hard and as quick as the zuul does. For example once you turn up the zuul past 25% it starts cutting off notes. The Golem has a wider sweep thats less extreme. My opitmal setting was around 4 but I could turn it almost all the way up before I noticed it cutting off notes.

Ive mainly used the green channel which is one control like the Zuul the blue channel has the ability to tweek the hold, decay, and threshold. I can try to play around with some cleaner stuff later and report back. Gates imho opinion are as personal preference as any other pedals but I feel like this one is more realistic in applications than some of the competitors that I have tried. Like Im not sure why the Zuul has a full sweep when only less than 40% is useful. This is also the first gate that I could use at any settings and find it useful.
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Thanks, very helpful. Appreciate if you do test further and report back.
 
Slightly off topic but I just got the Duality DX in today and its a pedal killer.

4CM works very well. No, it isn't 100% perfect but no gate is (science) it's really damn good though so I can imagine a standalone from these guys would be nice.
 
Faded Abyss said:
Are you guys putting them directly after your pickups/first in line?
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I tried first, last in chain, with pedal own loop from right after guitar until before first time effect like delay or reverb. Zuul has no loop so key to split signal from guitar and the pedal between mod and time effects in the FX loop of amp.
I find they do better last in chain and best with own loop or FX of amp. But my amp is not very noisy...
2 and 4 cable method are quite well described here:
https://en.customboards.fi/pages/get-rid-of-that-noise-the-different-uses-for-a-noise-suppressorAnd if you google for boss ns-2 how to use noise suppressor they also explain it well, and it works for other brands as well imho. Hope it helps
 
I was just gonna say because it’ll function better directly after the pickups 100% of the time because that’s where your signal is most dynamic. Try running a boost into a DI vs your pickups into a DI and look closely at the wav and you can see. You can also experiment with the noisegate your DAW has too and see which one responds better.

Having a built in gate into a boost like on the precision drive, after your noise gate is nice because it’s killing the noise downstream. Much easier than 4CM imo
 
ClintN667 said:
I have not but the Golem doesnt clamp as hard and as quick as the zuul does. For example once you turn up the zuul past 25% it starts cutting off notes. The Golem has a wider sweep thats less extreme. My opitmal setting was around 4 but I could turn it almost all the way up before I noticed it cutting off notes.
Click to expand...

ClintN667 said:
Like Im not sure why the Zuul has a full sweep when only less than 40% is useful. This is also the first gate that I could use at any settings and find it useful.
Click to expand...

The original ZUUL has a tiny switch on the right side of the enclosure that I believe changes the sensitivity or sweep of the knob (threshold) a bit.

The knob's drastic sweep can help if you want supper tight start/stop for staccato stuff, but also if you want to use it after a drive/distortion/fuzz without using the key, as using a solitter/buffer before a distortion or fuzz (especially a fuzz) can negatively impact the sound.

To me a noisegate that uses 4cm or a key with a splitter before your first od/distortion always negatively impacts the tone because of the tonal effects of the buffer. I have yet to find a Noisegate that doesn't tone suck, but the ZUUL was better than the Decimator IMHO.

I just ordered a second hand Golem and I hope it fares better.

Typically, it seems that noise gates built into overdrives or whatever are probably best, because they probably don't add extra buffers or whatever to get the job done, and they're part of the integral design of the pedal. You either like the sound of the whole pedal or you don't.

With standalone gates, they always seem to change the sound/feel... So if you love your whatever that you're gating, splitting a signal and then gating it adds a bunch of stuff into the audio path, including buffers. Transparent buffer? Haven't found one anywhere near it. 😂

I suppose if you already have active pickups or something, the difference might be less.. Because the pickups are already buffered inside the pickup and your pickups react with that built in buffer first.
 
@Christian Noir The Zuul was my main pedal for several years. Everything else would change but it stayed until I got the Deadweald Duality then the Golem. I use the Duality DX with the built in noise gate in front of my Mesa Mark IV but I just use the Golem in the loop of my Monomyth Skeleton Key.

The Duality DX is a damn good pedal and the noise gate works well enough for my Mark IV that I just have it upfront. I have a KSR Ares showing up in the next week or so which based on the other KSR gear Ive owned Im expecting a low noise floor so it may just get the Golem in the loop.

Daniel at Deadweald is toying with the idea of shutting down his production after the first of the year. I really hope he doesn't as Ive seen a few more of his designs and I would like to try them. I'm sure if he does shutdown it wont be permanent just until he gets settled in at with his new company(he is going to work for a pretty big amp company at the first of the year.)

Ive seen a few people complain about how many noise gates that are out there but I for one welcome the market being almost flooded for different gates or any pedal from different companies. I just hate to see a company flat out copy something with the intent of just poaching sales. Like Ive heard good things about the Guul but come on.. I've heard that guy can build some unique and good sounding pedals so he could have done better there.

Deadweald actually designed the Golem from the ground up which I appreciate(different chip, a small transformer, etc) and I was able to give a few thoughts on what I ran into that I didnt like from previous gates. The Golem does way more than I need and I hope you enjoy it. I am not longer shopping for gates but if I was and the Golem didnt do it for me I would be looking to try the Rev and the possible Gate from KSR
 
ClintN667 said:
@Christian Noir The Zuul was my main pedal for several years. Everything else would change but it stayed until I got the Deadweald Duality then the Golem. I use the Duality DX with the built in noise gate in front of my Mesa Mark IV but I just use the Golem in the loop of my Monomyth Skeleton Key.

The Duality DX is a damn good pedal and the noise gate works well enough for my Mark IV that I just have it upfront. I have a KSR Ares showing up in the next week or so which based on the other KSR gear Ive owned Im expecting a low noise floor so it may just get the Golem in the loop.

Daniel at Deadweald is toying with the idea of shutting down his production after the first of the year. I really hope he doesn't as Ive seen a few more of his designs and I would like to try them. I'm sure if he does shutdown it wont be permanent just until he gets settled in at with his new company(he is going to work for a pretty big amp company at the first of the year.)

Ive seen a few people complain about how many noise gates that are out there but I for one welcome the market being almost flooded for different gates or any pedal from different companies. I just hate to see a company flat out copy something with the intent of just poaching sales. Like Ive heard good things about the Guul but come on.. I've heard that guy can build some unique and good sounding pedals so he could have done better there.

Deadweald actually designed the Golem from the ground up which I appreciate(different chip, a small transformer, etc) and I was able to give a few thoughts on what I ran into that I didnt like from previous gates. The Golem does way more than I need and I hope you enjoy it. I am not longer shopping for gates but if I was and the Golem didnt do it for me I would be looking to try the Rev and the possible Gate from KSR
Click to expand...
I haven't checked myself, but more than one person has said that the ZUUL is simply based on the design that the chip manufacturer of the chip put out as a schematic.

The GUUL is actually now out of production and is essentially the same thing, but yes, based on the ZULL, which is in turn based in something else. I own both and they actually don't sound identical, but pretty much do the same thing. GUP did one up the game though by adding 4-cable-method to the pedal, which is also nothing new because BOSS and ISP have been doing that for ages. People made a big deal about the ZUUL having a key input, but that's funny because it waa just missing a splitter inside the pedal really.

As I understand it, the chips ran out and then GUP designed its new Sun Noise Gate using the a new THAT replacement chip, in partnership with the chip manufacturer, and it's a brand new design.
Here is the link to the product:
https://guptech.ca/products/copy-of-guul-noise-gate
A gazillion other gates seem to be designed around pretty much the same chip's architecture and pedals are being discontinued left and right because of the chip change. At least GUP has moved forward and made its own design.

A lot of smaller builders start out as cloners and eventually find their own way (although some never do). It's kind of difficult for people to come up with new designs, so it's cool that Deadweald is doing it, which is also probably a reason he's getting the job with a well-known manufacturer. (y) At the same time, the Duality does include somewhat clones of other pedals, although they probably have their own flavors. The Duality is a pedal I've been waiting for an email in for months, but my still hasn't come! I guess I know why now! :ROFLMAO:

Anyhow, I'll be trying the Golem and the Endless Blockade coming up soon. The EB is also based on the same design of the ZUUL, but with some changes apparently.
 
Christian Noir said:
I haven't checked myself, but more than one person has said that the ZUUL is simply based on the design that the chip manufacturer of the chip put out as a schematic.

The GUUL is actually now out of production and is essentially the same thing, but yes, based on the ZULL, which is in turn based in something else. I own both and they actually don't sound identical, but pretty much do the same thing. GUP did one up the game though by adding 4-cable-method to the pedal, which is also nothing new because BOSS and ISP have been doing that for ages. People made a big deal about the ZUUL having a key input, but that's funny because it waa just missing a splitter inside the pedal really.

As I understand it, the chips ran out and then GUP designed its new Sun Noise Gate using the a new THAT replacement chip, in partnership with the chip manufacturer, and it's a brand new design.
Here is the link to the product:
https://guptech.ca/products/copy-of-guul-noise-gate
A gazillion other gates seem to be designed around pretty much the same chip's architecture and pedals are being discontinued left and right because of the chip change. At least GUP has moved forward and made its own design.

A lot of smaller builders start out as cloners and eventually find their own way (although some never do). It's kind of difficult for people to come up with new designs, so it's cool that Deadweald is doing it, which is also probably a reason he's getting the job with a well-known manufacturer. (y) At the same time, the Duality does include somewhat clones of other pedals, although they probably have their own flavors. The Duality is a pedal I've been waiting for an email in for months, but my still hasn't come! I guess I know why now! :ROFLMAO:

Anyhow, I'll be trying the Golem and the Endless Blockade coming up soon. The EB is also based on the same design of the ZUUL, but with some changes apparently.
Click to expand...
Yeah I remember talking about the Duality before it was an actual thing and we were talking about wishing we had a pedal that could do x, y, and z. Kind of blew me away a few weeks later seeing the design and that he was going for it. I've tried to talk him into some other builds but they have all been stuff that he feels he doesn't have anything of value to add to what's already on the market. Hopefully they will reach out to you soon. I know once Kyle started putting out demos and using the Duality the wait list grew a ton even more than when Ola used it.
 
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