Analog Man Silicon Beano Boost

The Silicon Beano Boost is Analog Man's take on the treble boost circuit using silicon transistors rather than germanium. It sits alongside the original Analog Man Beano Boost in the maker's range, which also includes the Analog Man Sun Lion, a pedal that combines a Beano Boost style circuit with a fuzz.¹

Silicon instead of germanium

The change in transistor type is the whole point of this version. According to Analog Man's product page, the pedal uses Silicon PNP Motorola transistors from 1980, which the maker describes as sounding great, with low noise, and, most importantly, not changing tone when it gets hot or cold.¹ Analog Man also describes the tonal difference from the original: "The sound of the silicon Beano Boost is a bit more open, and clearer, with a bit less of the 'cocked wah' sounds."¹

Silicon parts behave differently from the germanium transistors used in classic treble boosters. Analog Man describes the practical benefit this way: "They sound great, have low noise, and most importantly, don't change tone when it gets hot or cold." For a player, that means the pedal should sound the same at an outdoor summer gig as it does in a cold rehearsal room, something germanium-based boosters are known to struggle with.¹

How it sounds

Analog Man describes the character of the silicon version against the original: "The sound of the silicon Beano Boost is a bit more open, and clearer, with a bit less of the 'cocked wah' sounds." The "cocked wah" effect is the hollow, filtered quality a treble booster can give a guitar, as if a wah pedal were parked in one position. Players who find that quality too strong in a germanium treble booster may prefer the silicon take on the circuit.¹

As with any treble booster, the pedal sits in the boost pedals family, where it can push an amp's input harder and lift the top end of the signal.¹

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