The Hungry Robot Midnight Sun is a boost pedal with a parametric mid-notch, a design the maker says goes beyond a simple volume boost. Hungry Robot describes it as "a dynamic tone-shaping boost with a parametric mid-notch," built with two gain stages and a specially designed tonestack that creates a significant mid-notch in the signal. The maker's own description of the sound is "Chimey and raw," which it says suits a mid-notch guitar tone and works well for blues.1
What It Does
As a boost, the Midnight Sun sits in the same family as other boost pedals, raising your level without changing the core character of the amp. What sets it apart, in Hungry Robot's description, is the mid-notch: a dip in the midrange that can be tuned and shaped rather than a fixed tone curve. Players who cut mids for a jangly rhythm sound or fatten up a single-coil guitar will use it differently, and the controls below are what make that possible.1
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| TONE | Changes the frequency the mid-notch is centered around, acting more as a parametric EQ than a traditional tone knob |
| MIDS toggle | Sets the depth of the notch as well as the frequency range |
The MIDS toggle works in two directions. In its left position, Hungry Robot says it gives a strong high-mid presence and a deeper notch, for a more jangly tone. In its right position, it gives a strong low-mid presence and a subtler notch, for a more woody quality.1
Availability and the Classics Reissue
The Midnight Sun was one of Hungry Robot's discontinued models, brought back under the maker's Classics line. These reissues are direct-only and built one-by-one as orders come in. The maker stated: "These offerings are to be \"DIRECT-ONLY\" and built one-by-one as orders come in."1
Classics pedals are sold "DIRECT-ONLY" and are built one by one as orders come in, according to Hungry Robot, rather than stocked in quantity.1
Questions
Is the Hungry Robot Midnight Sun still available?
The original Midnight Sun was discontinued, but Hungry Robot brought it back under its Classics line in 2022 as part of the maker's 10 year anniversary. Classics pedals are sold direct-only and are built one by one as orders come in, rather than kept in stock or sold through dealers.
How is the Midnight Sun different from a clean boost?
Hungry Robot describes it as more than a simple volume boost: it is a dynamic tone-shaping boost with a parametric mid-notch. The TONE knob changes the frequency the notch is centered on, and the MIDS toggle sets the notch depth and frequency range, so it shapes the midrange as well as raising level.
Sources (2)
- The Midnight Sun, Hungry Robot
- The Doppler, Hungry Robot