Mythos Pedals - "Embrace the pop"?

LionAquaLooper · July 20

Wondering what people make of Mythos pedals in general. I've seen them featured on big YouTube channels so must be doing alright. So I'm checking out their website and stumbled on the FAQ section and there's a dedicated section about their pedals popping (screenshot below). Seems to me like if there's a dedicated section for it on their FAQ, it must be a well known and widespread problem.

Doesn't really fill me with confidence that they recommend users should just "embrace the pop". I'm not a pedal builder, so I don't know if there's a better way to improve these pedals so they don't pop at all. I've never seen this type of message from other boutique builders before and seems like a bit of a cop out.

Is their honesty about this supposed to be appreciated, or is it not good enough from a builder whose pedals are in the higher price range?

LionAquaLooper · July 20

Here is the section in question

Yorkie · July 20

Reminds me of ZVEX’s ‘crackle ok’ labels. I don’t think the pop is unavoidable with ‘old school’ 3PDT switches, and I believe even within that category there are cheaper and more expensive switches, which might minimise switching noise too. I don’t do PCB stuff myself but I guess no one wants to change a working PCB design because there’s a little pop?

soma1975 · July 20

My Mythos pedal doesn't pop.

Kittyfrisk · July 20

Definitely thought this one was going to be about Greek beer... dammit.

LionAquaLooper · July 20

soma1975 said:

My Mythos pedal doesn't pop.

Which one do you have?

digitalkettle · July 20

Pedal etiquette: stomp on a downbeat

soma1975 · July 20

LionAquaLooper said:

soma1975 said:

My Mythos pedal doesn't pop.

Which one do you have?

Argonaut

english_bob · July 20

digitalkettle said:

Pedal etiquette: stomp on a downbeat

Have a close listen to "Satisfaction".

If it's good enough for Keef, it's good enough for you.

LionAquaLooper · July 21

english_bob said:

digitalkettle said:

Pedal etiquette: stomp on a downbeat

Have a close listen to "Satisfaction".

If it's good enough for Keef, it's good enough for you.

Ha fair enough. I just thought that since those days this thing would've been improved on by now.

BillDL · July 21

"I have been hesitant to switch to a soft touch system ..."

Why? He makes no attempt to explain his "hesitancy". Did he think it might have been too technical an explanation for customers and prospective customers to get their heads around?

stickyfiddle · July 21

BillDL said:

"I have been hesitant to switch to a soft touch system ..."
Why? He makes no attempt to explain his "hesitancy". Did he think it might have been too technical an explanation for customers and prospective customers to get their heads around?

It might genuinely be that he's worried half the customer base thinks you can only have true bypass with a click switch and only true bypass is good enough. It might be that he just doesn't want to make changes that add cost for no upfront benefit to (most) customers.

I don't think I have strong enough feelings on this.

The one Mythos I've had was a BB-type (Daedalus?) and it was good, and he also offers useful little mod circuits like a variable treble bleed kit and mini Blaster preamp which is great.

ICBM · July 21

Well that's another pedal brand I can never buy, which saves me time and money, so it's all good.

gatheredinsong · July 21

My Oracle delay has never popped.

earwighoney · July 21

ICBM said:

Well that's another pedal brand I can never buy, which saves me time and money, so it's all good.

Sorry to ask but why is this? I bought a cheap reverb pedal off AliExpress and it actually sounds fantastic but it has the loudest click and it's almost unusable.

ICBM · July 22

earwighoney said:

Sorry to ask but why is this?

Because Boss-type silent electronic switching exists. There is now no reason to ever buy a pedal* with a mechanical footswitch in the signal path. If you want cheap, Behringer and others make good pedals with that type of switching.

(*Other than vintage ones, if you like those.)

earwighoney · July 22

ICBM said:

earwighoney said:

Sorry to ask but why is this?

Because Boss-type silent electronic switching exists. There is now no reason to ever buy a pedal* with a mechanical footswitch in the signal path. If you want cheap, Behringer and others make good pedals with that type of switching.

(*Other than vintage ones, if you like those.)

Thanks for the info @ICBM

I wish the Boss style switches were used more often, but even Boss have started using mechanical switches now for their higher priced units.

LionAquaLooper · July 22

earwighoney said:

ICBM said:

earwighoney said:

Sorry to ask but why is this?

Because Boss-type silent electronic switching exists. There is now no reason to ever buy a pedal* with a mechanical footswitch in the signal path. If you want cheap, Behringer and others make good pedals with that type of switching.

(*Other than vintage ones, if you like those.)

Thanks for the info @ICBM

I wish the Boss style switches were used more often, but even Boss have started using mechanical switches now for their higher priced units.

This is true on their 200, 300, 500 and 1000 series pedals but they are not the same old-school switches that other pedal builders use. They more like soft-switches. And also Boss only use these on their digital pedals, which won't have that popping phenomenon that analog pedals can have. Happy to be corrected on that.

nonesuch · July 22

Is it worth pointing out that I think Mythos are talking about the amplified 'pop/explosion' sound, not the actual mechanical click of the switch?

I've had a couple of pedals that have done that (popped), and I've eventually moved them on. I've also got pedals that have extremely clunky switches that have a loud click (but not a 'pop' sound through the amp). Here's looking at you Deluxe Memory Man, and DOD Looking Glass!

LionAquaLooper · July 22

nonesuch said:

Is it worth pointing out that I think Mythos are talking about the amplified 'pop/explosion' sound, not the actual mechanical click of the switch?

I've had a couple of pedals that have done that (popped), and I've eventually moved them on. I've also got pedals that have extremely clunky switches that have a loud click (but not a 'pop' sound through the amp). Here's looking at you Deluxe Memory Man, and DOD Looking Glass!

Good point. I just assumed earwighoney was referring to the pop sound but just referred to them as "clicks". Didn't occur to me that he might have been referring to the actual mechanical sound a switch makes.

I'm with you on your 2nd paragraph. I can live with them or maybe wouldn't even notice them at bedroom level. But at gig volume level they'd render the pedal useless to me. Would hurt even more if that pedal cost me £250!

ICBM · July 22

LionAquaLooper said:

earwighoney said:

I wish the Boss style switches were used more often, but even Boss have started using mechanical switches now for their higher priced units.

This is true on their 200, 300, 500 and 1000 series pedals but they are not the same old-school switches that other pedal builders use. They more like soft-switches. And also Boss only use these on their digital pedals, which won't have that popping phenomenon that analog pedals can have. Happy to be corrected on that.

That’s true, but it still pisses me off that they’ve decided to ape the inferior mechanical switches rather than stick to their own large treadle type. I don’t like the way the metal switches feel in use either.

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Mythos Pedals - "Embrace the pop"?

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