The Nanolog Audio Nanolog C4 Distortion is a distortion pedal built around the company's carbon-based Nanolog Device, a clipping element made of a layer of pure carbon molecules 8 nanometers thick. Nanolog says the pedal "unlocks the power of carbon and quantum tunneling technology in an ultimate distorted setting," and describes the C4 as entering "a new realm of crunch and drive."1
Three clipping modes
The pedal's defining feature is a three-way clipping selector that lets the player swap the character of the distortion stage. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio wrote that the pedal "features three different clipping options to allow the user to experiment with traditional distortion circuits."1
| Mode | Clipping element | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Silicon | Silicon diodes | "Highly compressed and saturated tones, which can be useful in a variety of settings"1 |
| Open | No clipping component | "A massive volume boost and staggering in-your-face distortion"1 |
| N2 | Carbon Nanolog Device | "A fat, thick, and rich distortion that is full of detail and clarity"1 |
The N2 position is the one that sets the C4 apart from conventional distortion pedals. It engages the Nanolog Device, which "uses carbon to create new robust tones that have not been possible to create" with standard clipping parts, according to Delicious Audio.1
The Nanolog Device
The clipping element itself is unusual. Where most distortion pedals clip with silicon or germanium diodes, the Nanolog Device is "comprised of a layer of pure carbon molecules that is 8 nanometers thick," and the pedal's distortion tones come from current passing through that carbon junction. Nanolog frames this as carbon and quantum tunneling technology applied to a distortion circuit.1
"The carbon molecular junction housed in the C4 Distortion produces a fat, thick, and rich distortion that is full of detail and clarity."
EQ and bypass
The C4 carries a two-way passive EQ band, which Nanolog says is there "to ensure tonal flexibility and accuracy," giving players bass and treble shaping over the distortion voice.1
The pedal is true bypass, which Delicious Audio notes is intended "to avoid any unnecessary coloring of tone" when the effect is off.1
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Questions
What is N2 clipping on the Nanolog C4?
N2 is the pedal's Nanolog Device clipping mode, which uses carbon rather than a conventional diode. According to Delicious Audio, the carbon molecular junction produces a fat, thick, and rich distortion that is full of detail and clarity, creating robust tones that had not been possible with traditional clipping components.
Is the Nanolog C4 Distortion true bypass?
Yes. The pedal is true bypass, which Delicious Audio notes is there to avoid any unnecessary coloring of tone when the effect is switched off.
What does the open clipping mode do?
The open setting uses no clipping component at all. Delicious Audio describes it as producing a massive volume boost and staggering, in-your-face distortion, sitting between the compressed silicon mode and the carbon-based N2 mode.
What is the Nanolog Device made of?
The Nanolog Device at the heart of the C4 is comprised of a layer of pure carbon molecules that is 8 nanometers thick. Nanolog Audio says the pedal unlocks the power of carbon and quantum tunneling technology in a distorted setting.
What does the two-way passive EQ do on the C4?
The C4 features a two-way passive EQ band, which Nanolog describes as ensuring tonal flexibility and accuracy, letting players shape the distortion's bass and treble content to sit right in a rig.
Sources (1)
- Nanolog C4 Distortion, Delicious Audio, 2018-11-20