KLON / SOUL FOOD Blind test on YTube...

monquixote

Interesting it's enough difference that I'd either get Soul Food modded or more likely buy a Golden Eagle if I was going to get one.

Dave_Mc

Huh, I think I liked the soul food better ) I was totally expecting to like the KTR better, but go with the soul food because it's like 20% of the price.

YAY

hubobulous

If I bought the Klon and then it was swapped out for the Soul Food whilst my back was turned and I carried on playing, I'm not sure I'd care.

By this I mean that the more time I have to listen and analyse, the more the difference is clear. But it's so minimal, the price battle sorts it out for me.

....another take......which would make my tone better?

20% improvement in playing and the Soul Food

10% improvement in playing and the Klon

Arbitrary figures, but the point is that I'd be much happier improving my ability than buying the Klon. This argument doesn't apply to all kit, since there are pedals/amps etc where differences are huge. In this case though, not enough IMO to justify the Klon cost.

juansolo

In reality there's f**k all in it with most Klons/Klones. Most are either based on the original trace of a gold Klon that has two resistors backwards, which only alters the extremes of the tone pot, everything in-between is where it was. Also most people compensated for this with a slightly bigger tone cap before the mistake was noticed.

The second trace was done of a silver Klon that has some other changes also. Again, everything is in the same sort of area, changes are going to be subtle at best. Making a klone from either of these and sticking with Ge diodes with forward voltages that are known to be in the right area will get you something that sounds like a Klon.

The diodes actually seem to vary quite a bit in KTRs at least, so the idea of him actually hand picking and measuring the magic diodes is highly unlikely. As is the thought that he has the only stash of them as this would have meant him buying over 10,000 of the things 20 years ago... Again highly unlikely. Saying that the clippers are only used on the dirty side of the circuit, so if you run the gain below 1/2, you're hardly getting any of it.

What I'm saying is that they're all much of a muchness and stand alone, just about any of them will get you that sound. They will all vary a small amount, even different Klons. This is the nature of analogue electronics and the tolerances of parts. This is what most of these demo's show more than anything else.

Over on Madbean they went even further and took some fully socketed up Klone boards and transferred all the components between them and compared using an scope. Science-like. The results were as expected, ie, there was no difference. They also did the resistor and cap changes to one and mapped the differences that caused. Which were about the biggest differences in the whole test, but again, they're still fairly small and with an isolated pedal, you'd really not care.

Please don't let this place turn into TGP UK.

monquixote

I think in general people on here are fairly sensible about pedals and understand that something that's a circuit clone is going to sound the same. 

There are very few things that have any kind of genuine component mojo. The really expensive Panasonic chips used in the Memory Man are the obvious ones that spring to mind.

57Deluxe

In all honesty,turning up to a pub gig or wedding doo with a Klon just makes you look a right knob'ed,,,,

Same as would you wear you REAL £10k Rolex when doing DIY? Well if you did everyone just think was a clone and then still think you are a right knob'ead...