Electronic Audio Experiments LTD Halberd + Benson Germanium Boost 2-in-1 Combo Pedal

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Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd Overdrive + Germanium Boost 2-In-1 Pedal

They have been longtime mutual admirers of the fine folks at Benson Amps. To commemorate both Benson Fest 2024 and their camaraderie, they cooked up this 2-in-1 combo pedal featuring the Germanium Boost and the Halberd.

The Halberd is a staple of their lineup, delivering transistor-flavored overdrive with a distinctive weight and clarity that make it hard to turn off. The Germanium Boost is a master class in elegant electronic design, containing an automatic biasing circuit that elevates even the lowliest old stock transistor into a colorful gain stage. As soon as they got their hands on a Germanium Boost for the first time, they knew these circuits were made for each other.

Both sides are individually switchable. By default, the Boost is fed into the Halberd—it’s the perfect way to kick the drive sound into high gear. To add further versatility, they broke out separate inputs and outputs for each pedal. The output of the Boost is normalled to the input of the Halberd by default, but you are free to route them any way you like. Put other pedals between them, swap the order, even run them in parallel in a dual mono configuration.

The artwork, by their good friend Bryan Aiken, features a medieval spin on the iconic Benson amps floral tolex pattern, serving as a visual expression of the mutual mind meld.


Features:

• Boost (unlabeled, but you can’t miss it): Sets the output level of the Germanium Boost. More is better.
• Pre: This sets the overall signal gain of the Halberd. Lower settings impart light compression, then increasing amounts of clipping up to a fuzzy overdrive, depending on the Voice and Depth settings.
• Depth: This is an adjustable low frequency shelving filter at the Halberd’s input, and is very interactive with the setting of the Pre control. It can be thought of as a second gain control affecting low frequencies only.
• Tone: This is an adjustable high shelf cut at the Halberd’s output, helpful for taming harsher frequencies especially at high gain settings.
• Post: This sets the Halberd’s overall output level, and is buffered for full transparency at all signal levels.
• Voice: 3 position switch to set the Halberd’s overall drive character
• Clang (up): increases gain in the upper midrange, for an aggressive sound and a sharp attack
• Standard (middle): moderate gain with a gentle mid push; identical to Halberd V1
• Deep (down): a full range gain boost with woolly saturation and a fuzzy note attack

• Bypass: Relay switching with true bypass
• Input impedance at 1 Khz: 500k ohm with the Boost active, 1M ohm otherwise
• Output impedance at 1 Khz: <1k ohm
• Power: 9V DC, 2.1 mm center negative barrel. The current draw is 85 mA.
• Dimensions: 5.7” x 4.77” x 1.55” (145mm x 121mm x 39mm)

• EAC recommends a regulated, isolated power supply rated for 100 mA minimum. Their pedals do not accept batteries. Use of an incorrect power supply may cause permanent damage.
• Note: the Germanium Boost takes about 10-20 seconds to stabilize when first powered on.