Published 22/4/04
Electro-Harmonix NY2A, Pulsar and Double Muff
While Electro-Harmonix might be synonymous with high-quality retro pedal effects, for their latest offering, the NY2A (pictured above), they’ve applied the same high standards, and all of their expertise in valve electronics, in designing a stereo rackmount valve compressor, based around optical attenuators and six Electro-Harmonix vacuum tubes.
Users can switch between three combinations of photocell and light source to radically change the NY2A’s compression characteristics. The LED opto-coupler circuit provides the fastest attack and flattest frequency response, while the incandescent lamp opto-coupler circuit has the slowest attack and responds more slowly to higher-frequency signals, producing a brighter signal as a result. Finally, the electro-luminescent panel opto-coupler circuit compresses high frequencies more heavily than low frequencies, introducing compression and gentle de-essing simultaneously.
The Squash switch increases high-frequency compression in the electro-luminescent panel opto-coupler circuit, while the Attack switch further lengthens the attack of the incandescent lamp opto-coupler circuit. The NY2A’s three other main controls — Pre-gain, Post-gain and Compress knobs — are refreshingly straightforward and self-explanatory: they control the amount of pre-gain, post-gain and compression, respectively!
The controls are duplicated for each channel, and the two channels can be linked for stereo compression from a single set of controls. Each channel also has its own VU meter, switchable to show gain reduction or output level, and an additional output level meter in the form of an old-fashioned ‘magic-eye’ indicator tube — the kind once used to indicate signal strength on valve radios — which responds to changes in level much more quickly than a VU meter, revealing brief peaks and overloads that would otherwise be missed.
There are XLR balanced inputs and outputs for each channel on the rear panel of the 2U device, along with individual -20dB input pad switches. The NY2A costs $2995.
Meanwhile, if you thought Electro-Harmonix have had a complete change of heart, think again: they’ve also produced two new effects pedals! The Pulsar pedal (pictured below) is a variable-waveform tremolo effect with two tremolo modes: saw wave and square wave. Wave shape, rate and depth controls provide further variation. The second new pedal resurrects the ’60s-vintage Electro-Harmonix Big Muff fuzz pedal, and goes one louder! The Double Muff pedal cascades two Big Muff circuits, each controlled by a single knob, and can operate in single or dual modes.
