As much fun as it is to inspect, decipher and enjoy effects pedals that make all different kinds of noises, sometimes it’s nice to sit back and marvel at one that doesn’t really alter your sound all that much. Not that today’s pedal, the Iconoclast Stereo Parametric Speaker Emulator from Neunaber Audio Effects, isn’t super useful and important – no sir (or ma’am), it is quite the opposite. Opening the door up for easier-to-load gig rigs and powerful but small studio tools, this speaker simulator is just that, and a whole lot more as well.
The Iconoclast shapes your tone like a speaker cabinet would, but it can output directly to headphones, a mixer, and audio interface, powered speakers and more, with minimal controls and super-simple setup. Boasting only a couple of control knobs, this little gem is a key component to a sure-fire, pain-free back, unless your pedalboard consists of 20 or more pedals. While the tone controls look like they’re relatively straightforward, there are some hidden meanings inside of each: Low actually adjusts the virtual cabinet size and type; Mid captures the speaker’s dynamic interaction with the amp, and High shifts the frequency cutoff, resulting in a wide range of simulated speaker types. These controls allow you to dial in a great sound in minutes, even seconds if you know what you’re looking for.
The Headphone Out, which features a built-in headphone amp, is the perfect compliment for indoor/late night practicing, while the Stereo Inputs and Outputs (balanced or unbalanced) give you a wide range of connectivity options to choose from. You can connect multiple instruments, run stereo effects to two amps, run your line signal straight into a mixer and more, the options are seemingly endless. What’s more, there’s a studio quality Noise Gate built right in, allowing you to run a big, fat, loaded pedalboard before it, and have it be as silent as you want when you’re not playing – just another no-brainer feature that should be included on more pedals of this type.
If all this wasn’t enough, you can use the Iconoclast Software, for Windows or Mac, to dig even deeper into the inner workings of this device, further shaping your tone and changing the response to your heart’s content. A welcome delivery to our doorstep to say the least, the Iconoclast Stereo Parametric Speaker Emulator is a true sonic marvel, one that boasts many possibilities, and just may change the way that gigging musicians choose what they travel with, and how they can (almost effortlessly) setup their rigs. Thanks again to the crew at Neunaber Audio Effects for giving us the sneak peek, we really dig th Iconoclast and all it is capable of doing. Check out the demo video below to hear how crisp and clean it sounds, as well as how well it handles any kind of effects you throw at it, too.
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