Product: Carl Martin Hydra Boost
Price Paid: 150 (CAD)
Submitted
05/08/2004
at
06:42am
by
James Rae
Email: chimma at pathcom<dot>com
Ease of Use
:
8
One Knob. One Button. I pity the fool who can't use it. My only beef is the position of the LED. While it's a nice bright blue, when you hit the footswitch it's covered by your toes, so you can't tell if it is really on. The footswitch really needs to be hit hard, so sometime's I'll think I turned it on, but won't know until I've taken my foot away from the pedal...which is critical seconds when ripping into a solo...
The chicken head knob is a tad too easy to turn...which means you can easily knock the setting with your foot. But that also means you can easily change the setting on purpose with your foot.
AC adapter can be used with this...a boss adapter will fit the hole.
Sound Quality
:
9
I've only used this with a Digital Modelling Amp (Line6 FlextoneII). So please bear that in mind. I'll post again after trying with a tube amp (which I believe the pedal was designed for).
I'm using an ESP Viper (EMG humbuckers).
While not "dead silent" on higher-gain channels, I'll give this thing credit. The worst noise you get is a "tape hiss" type sound. You can tell when it's on, but it's not brutal noise like other boosters. TONE IS NOT ALTERD!
The functionality of the pedal seems a bit off, though I'm guessing it's the amp and not the pedal. On a clean / low gain channel, the volume jumps noticably louder, and the signal is noticably hotter. But with higher gain channels, there is no change in volume at all, though you get killer sustain. Again, could be the modelling amp maxing out.... I hope so, because I would like the volume to jump when playing hi-gain solos.
Reliability
:
8
Steel case seems sturdy enough. My only concern is the position of the LED. I'm certain that I will crack it with my foot.
Also the input jack was a little tight, hope it wont be a problem.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
N/A. Though I plan to write them about what types of 12 or 18 volt adapters can be used (the manual wasn't very clear on that).
Overall Rating
:
8
I play Loud Rock / Metal. I went through alot of poop to get this pedal (side note: UPS eats the hogleg), and am a tad disapointed with the lack of volume boost on high-gain (hoping it's the amp). Otherwise this is exactly what I was looking for. Nothing fancy, tone is left alone, just gives you a little more bite.
Product: Carl Martin Hydra Boost
Price Paid: 95 (Euro)
Submitted
01/29/2004
at
03:18am
by
Martin Kildemose
Ease of Use
:
10
Very very easy to use - it has one boost level knob and one on/off switch. The manual is small but good. It gives you some examples off how to use it in you setup. Just plug it in...
Sound Quality
:
10
Some of my former boost-pedals has changed my tone, which they shouldn't - and also been quite noisy. So this time I was looking fore a simple and natrual sounding boost pedal that didn't affect my tone. I tried out a lot of different pedals and in the process I more or less stumbled over the Hydra Boost.
The Hydra Boost is dead silent, natural sounding and it don't affect your tone. Great!!!
Reliability
:
10
Carl Martin handbuilds all their pedals, which you can see if you open them up. You can see that the soldering has been done by hand and not by machine. I like that!
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
I haven't dealt with them.
Overall Rating
:
10
I mainly plays blues/rock and my setup is very simple. Various guitars -> Delay (also Carl Martin) -> Hydra Boost -> Fender Twin Reverb
If it was stolen i would buy another one immediately. It's simple, dead quiet, natural sounding and produced in a very good quality.
I'm still rather suprised how much a difference this small pedal meant for my tone compared to the other boost pedals I have owned and tried. And it looks nice too :-)
