Digitech

TOTAL GUITAR JUNE 2017
104
F
eedback is the telltale sign
of a guitar running at full
tilt into a real, raging amp.
Yet it’s not something that
can be easily replicated
– until DigiTech dropped the
FreqOut, which utilises a
combination of pitch-shifting and
reversed feedback suppression
tech to capture the wails beloved
by the likes of Hendrix, Cobain
and Satriani.
There are two modes of
operation: momentary, which
adds feedback when the
footswitch is held; and latching,
which uses your pick attack to
automatically trigger the feedback.
These sounds are controlled via
Gain (feedback level) and Onset
– the time it takes to reach max
’back, as indicated by the
left-hand row of LEDs.
A type control adjusts the
harmonic frequency of the sound,
going from a cab-rumbling sub to
a two-octave-plus 5th harmonic
squeal. The natural hi/lo settings,
meanwhile, off er the full range of
frequencies, making the feedback
more likely to transition between
them. It can be unpredictable, but
that only adds to the realism.
What’s more, a dry switch kills
your guitar signal, leaving only the
feedback: slide between notes and
you’ve got a thoroughly usable
theremin/EBow impersonation.
It’s hard to believe the sounds
you can coax from the FreqOut
aren’t real feedback, until you
remember you’re playing a clean
tone through headphones – this
pedal makes the impossible
possible, especially for anyone
seeking live-in-the-room sounds
from plug-ins. The FreqOut isn’t
the fi rst pedal to attempt feedback
emulation, but it is the only one to
nail it, and that makes it a
must-buy in our book.
Michael Astley-Brown
DIGITECH FREQOUT
Get nothing but good feedback
OVERALL RATING
SUMMARY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
SOUND QUALITY
USABILITY
TYPE: Feedback pedal
CONTROLS: Momentary
on/off, dry on/off, gain,
onset, type
SOCKETS: Input,
output, power
BYPASS: True bypass
(latching), buffered
(momentary)
POWER: 9V power supply
only (not included)
CONTAC T: Sound
Technology
01462 480000
www.digitech.com
AT A GLANCE
£149
IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THE SOUNDS
YOU CAN GET AREN’T REAL FEEDBACK
TH
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BEST BUY
AWARD
TGR293.gear_quick.indd 104 4/26/17 7:38 PM