SWELL 101
What Makes a Pedal SWELL? Read on to find out.
Star Ground (SG)
Star Ground is a term that describes the circuit layout technique that is found in all SWELL Pedal products.
Star Ground simply put is when the circuit components individually connect to ground at a single point.
These traces emanating from the central ground point make what is called a Star pattern.
The purpose of star grounding is to keep circuit signals with NO common mode noise rejection (tube gain stages, etc.) from picking up current-induced noise through the more commonly used shared ground.
Incorporating a Star Ground enables SWELL products to deliver all of the tone with none of the noise that is commonly found in other pedal designs.
***Star Grounding is an industry standard found in studio gear of the highest quality.
SWELL Voltage Multiplier (SVM)
The SWELL Voltage Multiplier (SVM) is the heart of SWELL Pedal products.
Simply put the SVM converts low voltage AC electrical power to high voltage DC electrical power.
This high voltage DC power is required by the vacuum tube designs found in all SWELL products.
In comparison the SVM is a fraction of the weight and takes up much less physical space than a transformer (NO Transformers).
The SVM allows SWELL products to remain small in size and deliver BIG Tube Tone!
Vacuum Tube (VT)
The Vacuum Tube is the life blood of all SWELL Pedal products.
Simply put a Vacuum Tube, is a voltage controlled device used to amplify, switch or modify a signal by controlling the movement of electrons in an evacuated space.
The characteristic sound produced by these glowing bottles of tone has defined the sound of modern music.
It is by no surprise that tube based products are preferred by musicians for the warmth and natural compression that ONLY Tubes can deliver!
100% Vacuum Tube Overdrive in ALL SWELL Drive Pedals
***Vacuum Tubes are the industry standard for the audiophile, professional audio, and musician communities due to their superior audio characteristics over transistor (solid state) electronics and are the basis for all SWELL products.
SWELL Tone Circuit (STC)
The SWELL Tone Circuit (STC) is the soul of SWELL Pedal products.
Years of real world playing, recording and designing have given birth to the STC.
What does that mean? Blood, sweat and sacrifice in no short supply have fueled our quest for TONE!
That TONE is now available for both live and studio use at any volume level thanks to SWELL.
Scream To Clean (S2C)
Scream to Clean with just a simple twist of your guitar’s volume knob.
That’s right, roll-down your volume knob and your guitar or bass signal cleans right up.
SWELL drive designs allow our products to behave more like your favorite amplifier rather than the typical effect pedal.
Finger-tip control available from SWELL Drive pedals…the way it ought to be.
Size Does Matter (SDM)
Size does matter and SWELL has it where it counts…TONE!
SWELL Pedals have BIG TONE but are small in size compared to other vacuum tube design pedals ensuring your valuable pedal-board real estate will always be put to good use.
Top Mount Jacks (TMJ)
Top Mount input, output and power jacks on all SWELL Pedal models ensure that your valuable pedal board real estate will always be put to good use.
Audiophile Quality (AQ)
The Best of the Best—SWELL Pedal products produce Audiophile Quality sound.
Audiophile Quality can be described as when top quality audio components and superior design are brought together to produce audio signal with accurate frequency response without adding any unwanted noise, distortion or coloration.
Made In USA
SWELL products are designed and built in Nashville, TN—’nuff said.
There’s no low end loss or harsh mids, and it doesn’t change the tonal qualities of my instruments. It’s also dead quiet even on high gain settings. My search for the perfect Bass crunch is over.
Rick Taylor, Artist
