The Decibelics Golden Royale is a dual Klon Centaur-style overdrive pedal from the Barcelona, Spain builder Decibelics. It puts two complete Decibelics Golden Horse circuits, labeled Channel A and Channel B, in one enclosure, each with its own footswitch so the two channels can be used individually or stacked. Delicious Audio describes it as a part-for-part replica of the Klon Centaur Professional Overdrive in dual form, with circuit and component values described as an exact sonic reproduction of an original gold Klon Centaur, horsie close-tail, serial number 2505 from 20011.
The point of doubling up is a practical one for Klon-style pedals. A single Klon or Golden Horse has to be set either as a clean boost or as an overdrive, and the Golden Royale solves that dilemma by giving you one of each, or two overdrives, in one box1.
Two Klon-style overdrives in one pedal
The Golden Horse, on which the Royale is based, is a Klon-style overdrive pedal from Decibelics, a maker based in Barcelona, Spain, and the result of the builder's experience studying and building Klon Centaur clones3. The Golden Royale is a dual version of that circuit, a part-for-part replica of the Klon Centaur Professional Overdrive in a dual format, with two separate channels that can be used either independently or together1. Its circuit and component values are an exact sonic reproduction of an original gold Klon Centaur, horsie close-tail, serial number 2505 from 20011.
Where a single Golden Horse carries the familiar Gain, Level and Tone controls2, the Royale duplicates that control set across two channels and adds switching options to each side. Both channels can run at once, which is what makes the pedal work as a boost into an overdrive, or as two stacked drives.
The controls: bass and clipping switches on each side
Each channel has its own Gain, Level and Tone knobs, a Bass switch, a Clipping switch and a channel footswitch2. With all switches to the left, in what the builder calls the Default OR mode, the Golden Horse core tone remains unaltered, giving the original sound1.
The two switches per side change the character of each channel:
| Control | Switch left | Switch right |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | Original Golden Horse low end | Bass Boost, adding significant low-end content while staying tight and articulate1 |
| Clipping, Channel A | Original germanium clipping | Combination of Schottky silicon diodes1 |
| Clipping, Channel B | Original germanium clipping | Combination of Schottky diodes and low forward voltage LEDs1 |
Guitar Pedal X characterizes the pedal as a dual-channel Golden Horse further enhanced by two mods: a useful Bass Boost, described as "a la Tumnus", and a different clipping option mixing Schottky diodes with LEDs2.
What is inside
The default clipping comes from N.O.S. 1N34A germanium diodes, clear crystal with a black band as in the original, made in the USA, the type commonly known as the magic diodes of the Klon circuit1. The opamps are TL072s from Texas Instruments1. The circuit and component values are described as an exact sonic reproduction of an original gold Klon Centaur, horsie close-tail, serial number 2505 from 20011.
Power: 9V, 45mA, with an internal 18V charge pump
The Golden Royale runs on 9V DC only, with a standard negative tip and a 45mA current draw1. Inside, the same charge pump used in the Golden Horse raises the internal voltage from 9V to 18V for bigger headroom1, which is also how the original Klon Centaur operated internally.
The pedal takes 9V only. The 18V figure is the internal rail produced by the charge pump, not the input voltage, so do not feed it 18V from your power supply.
Buying one
The Golden Royale is built to order and sold through a waiting list only, so there is no stock sitting on shelves1. It is offered in Standard Black or in Special Colors: Crystal White, Hammered Green, Hammered Blue and Hammered Copper1.
On price, two figures exist. At the January 2024 release, Delicious Audio reported it as built to order at over $5001. A September 2025 listing from Guitar Pedal X gives €338 / $3722. Both figures are given here as stated; the newer listing is the more recent dated price.
Videos
Decibelics
Alberto Barrero
Tone Chase Basement
Questions
Is the Decibelics Golden Royale true bypass or buffered?
It uses buffered bypass, the same approach as the original Klon Centaur, with what the builder describes as correct values. That means a buffer is always in the signal path even when the pedal is off, which is how the original Centaur behaved.
What diodes does the Golden Royale use?
In its default mode it uses N.O.S. 1N34A germanium diodes, clear crystal with a black band, made in the USA, the same type as the original Klon Centaur. Each channel also has a clipping switch: Channel A moves to Schottky silicon diodes, while Channel B moves to a combination of Schottky diodes and low forward voltage LEDs.
How much does the Decibelics Golden Royale cost?
At its January 2024 release it was reported as built to order at over $500. A September 2025 listing from Guitar Pedal X gives the price as €338 / $372, so the two sources disagree on the current figure.
Can you buy a Golden Royale off the shelf or is there a waiting list?
There is no off-the-shelf stock. The Golden Royale is built to order and sold through a waiting list only, so you join the list and wait for your unit to be made. It is offered in Standard Black or Special Colors: Crystal White, Hammered Green, Hammered Blue and Hammered Copper.
How big is the Decibelics Golden Royale?
It measures 120mm x 98mm, or 5.72 by 3.85 inches, in a 1590BB enclosure built with vintage and through-hole components. That is roughly the footprint of a standard double-size pedal, large enough for two footswitches and two sets of knobs.
Sources (3)
- Decibelics Golden Royale Double Klone, Delicious Audio, 2024-01-08
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-09-03
- Decibelics Golden Horse Klon-Style Drive, Delicious Audio, 2024-02-14
