EXTREME GAS!! Womanizer, from damage control!

Re: EXTREME GAS!! Womanizer, from damage control!

i am curious as to how that compares to the new SD SFX-03
 
Re: EXTREME GAS!! Womanizer, from damage control!

I have been using a Womanizer for almost 2 months now. Although I initially balked at the price, I'm convinced that it's a good deal. It is a superlative stompbox in front of an amp -- sounds great with my Bad Cat Cub and '54 tweed Deluxe among others. You can set the EQ flat and use it as a great clean boost or truly uncolored OD, or you can change the character of your amp by altering the pre-EQ mid response and the post-EQ bass and treble ---- all are active for cut or boost.

The opto compressor is absolutely the BEST I've tried. It does not totally squash the dynamics or suck out the low end until you get it past 2:00 o'clock, giving it a much greater useable range than any other stomp comp I've tried, including the Keeley Compressor and the HBE CPR. In other words, it puts a studio-grade opto-compressor at your feet. With the comp at 12 to 2 o'clock, I retain good dynamics and balanced tonal response while increasing sustain -- and it's significantly quieter than any other stomp comp I've heard to boot.

I haven't tried using it as a preamp for a PA or power amp, but the direct out provides a great tool for direct recording. It has a more dynamic, tube amp feel than my POD XT, and it sounds significantly warmer and more dynamic when recorded than the couple of digital modelers I've tried (POD, Digitech).

So, when you figure the cost of a dual vacuum tube preamp/OD unit ($200 and up), plus the cost of a studio quality opto compressor ($200 and up), plus the direct recording capability ($200 and up), I think it's actually a bargain. If you don't need all of that, then I guess you should look elsewhere, but as a total package it delivers the goods.

BTW, although I haven't tried it yet, I think the option of running the amp out to a good tube amp and the direct out to a PA or recording board will provide a great way to bump up your live sound or double your recorded tracks. I'll be trying the latter approach for recording in the near future.
 
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