Reviewer: Nick
Testing Gear:
Gibson SG
Fender '79 Stratocaster
Line 6 Flextone 3+/ Laney 30w valve combo
Owen Electronics: Space Charge Distortion
Packaging is top class and the tough nylon protective bag is a very nice addition, along with the power supply and manual.
The Space Charge Distortion is very well constructed and housed in a sturdy casing that is similar to the new Guayatone FLIP SERIES effects. This pedal would I'm sure survive the toughest of foot stomping.
From a totally visual point of view, it would be great to see the glowing valve and also for the text on the case to be florescent as the colour is almost right anyway. Although I do expect there is a very good reason why the valve is not visible.
I'm always quite wary of pedals or rack fx with valves because it is a great way for manufactures to charge a lot of money for what might essentially be a purely cosmetic glowing valve. With the Space Charge Distortion though, I could immediately hear the warmth and character that can only come from a tube. Although valve equipment can be notoriously noise, I did not find that this pedal provided any more unwanted noise than its solid state counterparts.
Sounds:
The distortion produced by this pedal is very smooth with a lot of mid-range boost. This is a pedal where you need to spend time playing with the tone controls because they really do play a large part in this pedal and small tweaks can make a world of difference in the tone. This is by no mean a 'metal' pedal but I found with the SG plugged in I could get some great Sabbath sounds. The drive boost does what it says but subtly with a massive yank in volume that upsets the soundman. Although the pedal loved the SG I did find that it was not as happy with the Strat. This might be down to the Lace Sensors but I did not have a stock Strat to compare, my theory is that the single coils simply did not kick the pedal's input hard enough.
Summary:
I found the sounds produced by the Space Charge Distortion very hard to compare with any other pedal. The 12AX7 Vacuum Tube certainly adds a layer of warmth and tone to this uniqueness. I did find the mid-range 'hump' impossible to totally remove but maybe it should'nt be as it is part of the character of this pedals tone.
If you are looking to sound like your favourite axe-wielding hero then this pedal is not for you but if you are prepared to take time and create your own unique sound then this pedal is certainly worth a look. With a 14-day money back guarantee, I strongly suggest that you give the pedals a test-drive at home!
Owen Electronics offer customizing options for this pedal at extra cost.
