The Daring Audio Edge Activator is an effect pedal for bass guitar, made by Daring Audio. Balancing the output and blending the effect into the signal is handled by the Volume and Mix controls1. Premier Guitar listed the street price at $2491. A higher-powered version, the Edge Activator HD, was also on the way: the company said it was taking pre-orders, with shipping set for March 20122.
What it does to a bass sound
The Edge Activator sits in the exciter corner of a bass pedal board: rather than distorting or delaying the signal, it selects a band of frequencies and boosts them, so the attack and top end of each note come forward. Daring Audio pitched it at players who want new-string definition without changing strings, and the press release claimed it works across the range from upright acoustic to solidbody electric bass43.
Premier Guitar's reviewer found it delivered on that pitch: "the Edge Activator succeeded in adding brightness and presence to my electric basses," giving a P-bass-style Nash bass extra bite and adding modern zing to the overall tone of a '70s J bass reissue1. Operation is easy to follow on stage: "The blue LED that indicates operation is super bright, so there was no question that the pedal was engaged"1.
The controls
The pedal's front panel is five knobs and two switches, laid out so the effect can be dialed into a mix rather than stomped on wholesale1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Edge knob | Determines the frequencies that will be enhanced |
| Gain pot | Controls the level of boost to the selected frequencies |
| EQ knob | Cuts high mids, or boosts those frequencies to add presence |
| Volume | Balances the output |
| Mix | Blends the effect into the signal |
| Pad switch | Engages a -9 dB cut for active pickups or hotter signals; its LED doubles as a battery life indicator |
| Full switch | Selects full or half rectification of the signal |
The Full switch is the pedal's character control. When the LED is green, the signal is fully rectified, which provides a sharper-sounding edge. For a smoother tone using a half-rectified signal, the LED indicator displays red1. Rectification here reshapes the waveform to add harmonic edge, so the choice is between a harder, more aggressive top end and a gentler one.
The Pad switch matters if you play an active bass: without the -9 dB cut, hot pickups can push the circuit harder than passive signals would1.
The HD version
In January 2012, Daring Audio announced the Edge Activator HD, an updated take on the original. No Treble described the predecessor as "a popular pedal for bassists, used to accentuate slapping, tapping and harmonics techniques," and reported that the HD version is 100% analog circuitry with a high-headroom preamp, constant volume for wet/dry blending between two internal channels, and true bypass switching2.
The HD version expanded several controls compared with the original2:
- The Gain control was expanded to enable line level signals for re-amping and more boost, previously requiring the Pad switch.
- The Range control was expanded to allow differing amounts of excited or overdrive frequencies to be added in, covering some of the range of the Particle Beam overdrive.
- A two-position EQ midrange toggle switch offers "EQ-Hi" for high midrange cut or boost and "EQ-Lo" for low midrange cut or boost, with frequency centers for slap, pop, tapping and harmonics.
- A new Crisp/Smooth toggle switch: Crisp allows a full range signal for active bright sounds, while Smooth provides a high-end roll-off for vintage or classic rock overdrive settings, particularly useful on guitar signals.
In summary
The Edge Activator is a focused tool: an analog, true bypass pedal that lifts a chosen band of frequencies to restore the snap of fresh strings, with a Mix control to keep it subtle and a Pad for hot pickups. Reviewers found it added brightness and presence on electric basses, and the HD revision broadened the concept with more gain range, a two-band midrange toggle and a Crisp/Smooth voicing switch12.
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Questions
Is the Daring Audio Edge Activator true bypass?
Yes. Premier Guitar's reviewer described plugging the true bypass Edge Activator into a signal chain, and No Treble's report on the later HD version likewise lists true bypass switching. Either way, when the pedal is off your bass signal passes through without the circuit in the way.
Is the Edge Activator analog or digital?
It is analog. Daring Audio's launch press release described the Edge Activator as one of four pure analog sound processing pedals for bass, and No Treble's report on the Edge Activator HD states the pedal is 100% analog circuitry with a high-headroom preamp.
What does the Pad switch do on the Edge Activator?
The Pad switch engages a -9 dB cut intended for active pickups or hotter signals, so a hot bass does not overload the circuit. Its LED also doubles as a battery life indicator, according to Premier Guitar's review.
What is the difference between full and half rectification on the Edge Activator?
The Full switch selects between two rectification modes. With the LED green, the signal is fully rectified, which gives a sharper-sounding edge. With the LED red, the signal is half rectified for a smoother tone. You pick the character that suits the part.
Can the Edge Activator be used with active basses?
Yes. The Pad switch engages a -9 dB cut specifically for active pickups or hotter signals, so an active bass can be padded down before the circuit. The HD version's Crisp/Smooth toggle also includes a Crisp setting with a full 20 Hz to 20 kHz range aimed at active, bright sounds.
Sources (4)
- Daring Audio Edge Activator Bass Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2011-10-20
- Daring Audio Introduces New HD Bass Pedal, No Treble, 2012-01-23
- Daring Audio Launches With Line of Bass Effect Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2011-01-06
- Daring Audio Debuts with Bass Effects Pedal Line, No Treble, 2011-02-17
