The Frost Giant Osiris is an analog overdrive pedal from Frost Giant built with one specific goal: turning small amps into huge-sounding tone monsters. It is aimed at Lunchbox-style and smaller amps, delivering overdriven and distorted tones. Inside, an 8dB fixed boost sits before the Volume control for a more reactive feel, and the pedal runs on 18V internally while presenting 9V at the power tap, so no special power source is needed1.
How it works
The Osiris runs internally at 18V, which gives the circuit more headroom to work with, but it presents 9V at the power tap, so it runs from a standard pedal power supply without any special source1. Before the Volume control there is an internal fixed 8dB boost, which Frost Giant says gives the pedal a more reactive feel under the fingers1.
The clipping comes from a single Germanium D9B diode working asymmetrically. For players who follow diode lore, the D9B sits between the fabled Klon D9E and the original true 1N34n Germanium diode used in countless vintage builds1.
The controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | At zero with the Volume maxed, a responsive note-jumping tone; pushed up with Volume, it becomes a full-on distortion pedal1 |
| Blend | Blends the amount of OD into your signal; not a clean blend. With Blend in the middle, the Volume's unity gain is at 2 o'clock1 |
| Depth | A 906hz slider-type control designed by Nick at Dunwhich; starts at noon as the amp's natural tone1 |
| Volume | Hit with 8dB of boost for a hot, reactive feeling; rolled back with Blend, it creates a clean channel on a single channel amp like a JCM8001 |
The Depth knob is the unusual one. Pushing it adds low end and heft, while rolling it back cuts mids and adds tightness and aggression, which Frost Giant points toward for Thrash and Death Metal riffs1. The control was designed by Dunwhich Effects1.
Is it a Klon clone?
No. The Osiris is a ground-up original design, not a clone and not a transparent overdrive1. The connection to the Klon is limited to the clipping diode family: the Germanium D9B sits between the Klon's D9E and the 1N34n in that lineage of diodes1. Players comparing it with other drives can see how it sits against the wider field in Overdrive Pedals, and its higher-gain territory overlaps with Distortion Pedals.
With the Gain at zero and the Volume maxed, the Osiris works as a responsive, almost clean boost-style drive; pushed harder, Frost Giant describes it as turning into a full-on distortion pedal1.
Videos
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collector//emitter
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Questions
What diode does the Frost Giant Osiris use for clipping?
The Osiris gets its overdriven and distorted tones from asymmetrical clipping delivered by a single Germanium D9B diode. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio notes that the D9B sits in between the fabled Klon D9E and the original true 1N34n Germanium diode used in countless vintage builds, placing it in a family of clipping choices players already know.
What does the Blend knob do on the Osiris?
The Blend knob sets how much overdrive is mixed into your signal. Frost Giant is explicit that it is not a clean blend of unaffected and affected signal, but a way to dial in the right amount of OD. With the Blend in the middle, the Volume control's unity gain sits at 2 o'clock.
Is the Frost Giant Osiris a Klon clone?
No. Delicious Audio describes the Osiris as an original overdrive circuit and a ground-up design, not a clone and not a transparent overdrive. Its clipping diode, a Germanium D9B, is related to the diode used in the Klon, but the circuit itself is Frost Giant's own.
Who designed the Depth control on the Osiris?
The Depth control was designed by Nick at Dunwhich, of Dunwhich Effects. It is a 906hz slider-type control that starts at noon as the amp's natural tone, adds low end and heft when pushed, and cuts mids for tightness and aggression when rolled back.
Can the Osiris make a clean channel?
Yes, according to Frost Giant. Rolling the Volume back with the Blend lets the Osiris act as a clean channel on a single channel amp such as a JCM800, while maxing the Volume with the Gain at zero gives a responsive, note-jumping tone.
Sources (1)
- Frost Giant Osiris Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2023-03-08