The Celestial Effects Aries Beast Distortion is a multi-function distortion pedal released on March 23, 2015 from Hudson, Massachusetts1. Its circuit stacks two gain stages in cascade, or series: a first stage with no clipping diodes and a second stage with asymmetrical MOSFET clipping diodes, followed by a three-band EQ and an FET output stage2. Because the two gain stages can be set independently, the pedal covers ground from a clean boost through overdrive to full distortion2.
Celestial Effects described the design goal in their release: the Aries Beast is "extremely touch sensitive and responds beautifully to every nuance of your guitar playing"2. Premier Guitar's reviewer summed up the pedal in 2021 as "Muscular, touch-responsive distortion. Wide-ranging, interactive controls. Built like a rock."3
How the circuit works
The Aries Beast's character comes from how its two gain stages differ. The first op-amp gain stage, controlled by the Gain knob, does not use clipping diodes, which Celestial Effects says makes it "fuller and more open sounding"2. The second op-amp gain stage, controlled by the Drive knob, incorporates asymmetrical MOSFET clipping diodes for a tighter, more compressed clipped tone2. Premier Guitar's reviewer heard the same split: the first stage "sounds open and wide," while the clipping-diode stage has "a tighter, more compressed sound"3.
After the gain stages, the signal passes through a three-band EQ, and then a FET gain stage that corrects the volume loss the EQ circuit introduces and, in Celestial Effects' words, "adds a tube like warmth to the effect"2.
The controls: Gain, Drive and a three-band EQ
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the first gain stage, which has no clipping diodes and sounds open and wide3 |
| Drive | Sets the second stage, the tighter, more compressed MOSFET clipping-diode stage3 |
| Bass | Bass band of the three-band EQ, shaping the low end of the frequency response2 |
| Mids | Midrange band of the three-band EQ2 |
| Treble | Blends the signal from the treble capacitor with the signal feeding the bass and mids controls; turning it up reduces overall volume slightly, turning it down adds bass and midrange3 |
The Treble control is the unusual one. Rather than a simple high-cut, it blends the treble capacitor's signal against the path feeding the bass and mid controls, so its position affects overall level and low-mid content as well as brightness3. Premier Guitar's reviewer called the controls wide-ranging and interactive, which points to the same behavior: the knobs influence each other rather than working in isolation3.
With Gain low and Drive low, the pedal works as a boost; raising Gain alone adds open overdrive; adding Drive stacks the compressed MOSFET clipping on top for full distortion23.
Power and connectivity
The Aries Beast can be powered three ways: a 9V battery, a center-negative 9V adapter, or an 18V center-negative adapter, the last of which Premier Guitar noted for its higher headroom3. The power connector is the standard Boss-style center-negative barrel4. Current draw is approximately 20 mA at full on4.
The 18V option is for players who want more headroom before clipping in the clean sections of the circuit. If you run it on a shared supply, remember the barrel is center-negative, the same polarity as most modern pedals, so it daisy-chains with Boss-style chains without an adapter34.
The pedal is true bypass with no buffers in the signal path when off2. Input impedance is 1 Meg Ohm and output impedance is 1K Ohm4.
Build quality
Celestial Effects built the Aries Beast into an all-metal, durable coated enclosure with CTS pots and Switchcraft jacks2. Premier Guitar's 2021 review echoed the construction assessment with its "Built like a rock" verdict3. At 5.00" deep by 4.00" wide by 2.40" high including switches and knobs, and 13.0 oz. without a battery, it is a full-size pedal rather than a micro-format one4.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar reviewed the Aries Beast in August 2021 and gave it a favorable verdict3:
"Muscular, touch-responsive distortion. Wide-ranging, interactive controls. Built like a rock."
The review's positives centered on the touch response and the range of the interactive controls3. Pedal of the Day's Mike B covered the pedal in March 2016, documenting the two-stage design, the true bypass and the full specification set, including the 1 Meg Ohm input impedance and the Boss-type center-negative power connector4.
Where it sits in the Celestial Effects range
Celestial Effects also makes the Capricorn Rock Distortion, a two-gain-stage distortion with clipping toggle options and true bypass, and the Virgo Rock Overdrive for players after overdrive rather than full distortion. The Aries Beast is the company's take on a do-everything gain pedal, covering boost, overdrive and distortion in one box2.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Aries Beast true bypass?
Yes. The Aries Beast Distortion is a true bypass pedal and uses no buffers anywhere in its design, so it leaves your dry signal path alone when switched off. That makes it a good fit for players who like to keep their core tone uncolored by bypassed pedals.
What clipping diodes does the Aries Beast use?
The second gain stage, controlled by the Drive knob, uses asymmetrical MOSFET clipping diodes for a tighter, more compressed sound. The first gain stage, controlled by the Gain knob, uses no clipping diodes at all, which gives it a fuller, more open character.
Does the Aries Beast take a battery?
Yes. It runs on a 9V battery, a center-negative 9V adapter, or an 18V center-negative adapter. The 18V option is there for higher headroom. Current draw is approximately 20 mA at full on, so a battery is workable but an adapter suits regular use.
When was the Celestial Effects Aries Beast released?
Celestial Effects announced the Aries Beast Distortion on March 23, 2015, from Hudson, Massachusetts. It launched as a multi-function distortion pedal priced at $179.00 USD, and it was still listed at a $179 street price in Premier Guitar's 2021 review.
Sources (4)
- Celestial Effects Releases the Aries Beast Distortion, Premier Guitar, 2015-03-23
- Celestial Effects Releases the Aries Beast Distortion Pedal, Guitar.com, 2015-03-26
- Celestial Effects Aries Beast Distortion Review, Premier Guitar, 2015-10-02
- Celestial Effects Aries Beast Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2016-03-25
