The Inspira FX Tube Killer is a fuzz and high gain overdrive pedal made in Uruguay, described by Delicious Audio as a "Broken" amp in a box/fuzz pedal. Its stated inspiration is the sound of pre-'70s tube amplifiers pushed to nasty saturation, and it puts two gain stages, Fuzz and Gain, plus Tone and Voice knobs in front of the player1. It sits in the territory of Fuzz Pedals and Overdrive Pedals at the same time.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fuzz | The first gain stage, a BJT transistor stage adding saturation for a roaring, warm sound with greater sustain1 |
| Gain | A stage resembling an overdrive that reaches heavily saturated levels; like a tube amp's volume, raising it increases both saturation and presence1 |
| Tone | Treble-side tone shaping1 |
| Voice | An extra control on the mid-range1 |
The two gain stages can be thought of as two different flavors of dirt. The Fuzz knob drives the BJT stage, while the Gain knob works the way the maker's description suggests a tube amp does: as Delicious Audio puts it, "The gain control works like the volume in a tube amp, the more it increases, not only increases saturation but also the" presence1.
Circuit and sound
Much of the Tube Killer's character comes from its transistors. Delicious Audio reports that the pedal relies on JFET transistors, with a BJT transistor handling the first, Fuzz gain stage1. The overall design is described as inspired by the sound produced in some pre-'70s tube amplifiers while being pushed, or rather punished, to achieve saturation1.
What reviewers said
Delicious Audio covered the pedal in February 2021 and noted a positive demo from a video channel1:
"Eirik from The Living Room Gear Demos had good things to say about it in the demo below."
Videos
INSPIRA FX
INSPIRA FX
Eirik Stordrange
Questions
Is the Inspira FX Tube Killer a fuzz or an overdrive?
Both. Delicious Audio categorises it as an amp in a box, fuzz and high gain overdrive pedal. It has two separate gain stages: a Fuzz stage built on a BJT transistor, and a Gain stage that behaves more like an overdrive, increasing saturation and presence as it is turned up, the way the volume control on a tube amp does.
What does the Voice knob do on the Tube Killer?
Voice is an extra control on the mid-range, sitting alongside the Tone knob. Together with the two gain stages it shapes how the pedal sits in a mix, letting a player add or cut mids beyond what the Tone control alone offers.
Where is the Inspira FX Tube Killer made?
The Tube Killer is made in Uruguay. Delicious Audio, which covered the pedal in February 2021, describes it as an amp in a box and fuzz pedal hailing from that country.
What transistors does the Tube Killer use?
Much of the pedal's character comes from JFET transistors, with a BJT transistor in the first gain stage, the Fuzz stage. According to Delicious Audio, the JFET design is central to the pedal's sound.
Sources (1)
- Inspira FX Tube Killer Fuzz/Drive, Delicious Audio, 2021-02-17