strymon iridium owners - what are you doing for lead/solo boosts?

John_P

Just got an iridium this week and very impressed with it.   
Currently set as an edge of breakup clean fender tone and mid gain marshall or vox sound - haven't decided which I prefer yet.   
Running some drive pedals into - bb preamp, jan ray sound great and add gain to the iridium nicely, but I need to add a volume lift for solos as well so wondered what people are using?   
 I'm using a keeley compressor at the moment with low ratio and adding output gain but I'd prefer to put that back at the start of the chain so I'll probably add a clean boost.    I'm tempted to try a gladio or unit67 as I could use them when I'm running into a regular amp and bypassing the iridium.

kennedydream1980

I just used the favourite switch on the unit and had it programmed with the level slightly higher than my rhythm tone. The only downside to this is there is a slight gap when engaging the favourite switch. So you have to be a bit stealth like with your timing.

John_P

kennedydream1980 said:

I just used the favourite switch on the unit and had it programmed with the level slightly higher than my rhythm tone. The only downside to this is there is a slight gap when engaging the favourite switch. So you have to be a bit stealth like with your timing.

Thanks for that - I'm guessing you're using the iridium with fairly low gain and relying on another pedal in front for drive.  That's an obvious solution I should have tried. 

MrTee

I use a TC spark (full size). Works great on its various modes into the full range of Iridium models. Round mode, you can use it as a TS or single coil fattener, chime and punch mode tend to get a clean boost, but with ability to dial in a slight treble boost too. Really versatile. Besides a fuzz and delay, it's my only pedal into Iridium

kennedydream1980

John_P said:

kennedydream1980 said:

I just used the favourite switch on the unit and had it programmed with the level slightly higher than my rhythm tone. The only downside to this is there is a slight gap when engaging the favourite switch. So you have to be a bit stealth like with your timing.

Thanks for that - I'm guessing you're using the iridium with fairly low gain and relying on another pedal in front for drive.  That's an obvious solution I should have tried. 

No actually I had the Iridium running on the punch amp (Marshall plexi) with the gain at 3 o’clock. So fairly heavy crunch. I did have a Suhr Koko boost running in front for a mid boost. But for an actual level volume lift I used the favourite switch on the Iridium.

susbemol

I agree that just boosting the input when the amp is already driven pretty much only adds gain, not much volume. Just like it would happen with an actual amp.

I'm using both a Klon clone and A Way Huge Green Rhino (tube screamer) for boost and a little more drive. They work great with it.

John_P

kennedydream1980 said:

John_P said:

kennedydream1980 said:

I just used the favourite switch on the unit and had it programmed with the level slightly higher than my rhythm tone. The only downside to this is there is a slight gap when engaging the favourite switch. So you have to be a bit stealth like with your timing.

Thanks for that - I'm guessing you're using the iridium with fairly low gain and relying on another pedal in front for drive.  That's an obvious solution I should have tried. 

No actually I had the Iridium running on the punch amp (Marshall plexi) with the gain at 3 o’clock. So fairly heavy crunch. I did have a Suhr Koko boost running in front for a mid boost. But for an actual level volume lift I used the favourite switch on the Iridium.

I can that sounding great - iirc you play a lot of function gigs - what did you do for a clean sound?   roll back the guitar volume or bypass with iridium?

kennedydream1980

John_P said:

kennedydream1980 said:

John_P said:

kennedydream1980 said:

I just used the favourite switch on the unit and had it programmed with the level slightly higher than my rhythm tone. The only downside to this is there is a slight gap when engaging the favourite switch. So you have to be a bit stealth like with your timing.

Thanks for that - I'm guessing you're using the iridium with fairly low gain and relying on another pedal in front for drive.  That's an obvious solution I should have tried. 

No actually I had the Iridium running on the punch amp (Marshall plexi) with the gain at 3 o’clock. So fairly heavy crunch. I did have a Suhr Koko boost running in front for a mid boost. But for an actual level volume lift I used the favourite switch on the Iridium.

I can that sounding great - iirc you play a lot of function gigs - what did you do for a clean sound?   roll back the guitar volume or bypass with iridium?

No longer gigging but at home I’m just rolling back the guitar volume for clean. It’s how I approach any amp or modeller. Get a nice heavy crunch sound set up then roll back for cleans, then hit the front end with a mid boost for more gain and sustain. 

rayttk

My favourite Iridium amp is the Marshall, gain at half way, I bought the iridium hoping to get rid of my HX stomp but alas it sounds awesome in the stomp loop.
Helix boost/drive - iridium loop-delay-reverb, then I went tinkering and tried pedals into the iridium Jhs @+ , Raff of tone and my favourite a boss SD1, just fabulous stacking gives you everything.
 for my money the strymon is way more amp like than the Helix, just wish it had a loop. 
 I have pre ordered a Quad cortex but won’t be selling the above set up until I have had a few days with the QC

susbemol

rayttk said:

My favourite Iridium amp is the Marshall, gain at half way, I bought the iridium hoping to get rid of my HX stomp but alas it sounds awesome in the stomp loop.
Helix boost/drive - iridium loop-delay-reverb, then I went tinkering and tried pedals into the iridium Jhs @+ , Raff of tone and my favourite a boss SD1, just fabulous stacking gives you everything.
 for my money the strymon is way more amp like than the Helix, just wish it had a loop. 
 I have pre ordered a Quad cortex but won’t be selling the above set up until I have had a few days with the QC

Same here, I'm using the Iridium in the loop of the HX Stomp but the HX does mod/delay/reverb only, I still use real drives in front of the Iridium (also in the loop).

rayttk

susbemol said

Same here, I'm using the Iridium in the loop of the HX Stomp but the HX does mod/delay/reverb only, I still use real drives in front of the Iridium (also in the loop).

Do you find the Iridium amps feel more realistic than the Stomp/Helix?
I can only play through headphones at home so I have spent a lot of time and money trying to get a set up I’m happy with.
 I have a Friedman 3 channel Small Box for live work,
Do you use a PA or FRFR for your rig?

susbemol

It's not so much about how it sounds as you can get them to sounds pretty close but, to me, how much better the Iridium reacts to dynamics including changes from the instruments controls, different guitars.

Live these days I'm pretty much always going straight into the PA with in-ear monitoring. Sometimes with a valve amp instead but still in ears.