The Paradox Effects Terran Re-Voicing Overdrive is a mid/high gain overdrive built around a parametric equalizer, a design that Pedal of the Day says was inspired by the legendary Ampeg V4 amplifier1. Where a conventional overdrive adds gain and a fixed tone curve, the Terran is aimed at changing the resonant qualities of a player's tone, emulating different types of guitar pickups and tube amp voices1. Pedal of the Day called the result "one of the more unique overdrives we've come across, as of late"1.
What the Terran does to a tone
The heart of the pedal is an active Midrange filter with Gain, Resonance (Q) and selectable bandwidth, with the three bandwidth positions set at 700Hz, 1kHz and 1.5kHz1. In practical terms, the player picks which part of the midrange the filter acts on, then uses the Gain control to set how much that band is emphasized and the Resonance control to set how sharp or broad the effect is. Pedal of the Day describes the pedal as a mid/high gain overdrive, so the filter sits on top of a drive circuit rather than replacing one1.
The re-voicing idea is what the maker's reviewers kept coming back to. Pedal of the Day writes that the Terran "can change the resonant qualities of your tone, emulating different types of guitar pick-ups and tube amp voices"1.
Ways to use it
Pedal of the Day lists several roles for the Terran, and where it sits in a signal chain changes what it does1:
- As a preamp, to re-voice your tone or accentuate a specific frequency spectrum to emphasize the instrument.
- At the beginning of the pedal chain, to re-voice the guitar's pickups, including making humbuckers sound like single coils.
- After a fuzz or distortion pedal, for better articulated equalization.
- As a preamp for a tube amplifier.
That flexibility is why the pedal fits alongside other tone-shaping tools: players who want pure frequency control without drive might look at equalization pedals, while those after the preamp role can compare it with dedicated preamp pedals. Players mainly after dirt in the classic mold can see how it sits among other overdrive pedals, and the placement-after-fuzz option puts it in company with fuzz pedals and distortion pedals.
Where it came from
The Terran Overdrive received coverage from Delicious Audio3, and Pedal of the Day later reviewed the Terran Re-Voicing Overdrive2.
Videos
Paradox Effects
Paradox Effects
Paradox Effects
Questions
What is the Paradox Effects Terran based on?
Pedal of the Day describes the Terran as an overdrive that was inspired by the legendary Ampeg V4 amplifier. The pedal takes that inspiration and pairs it with a parametric equalizer, letting players shape the resonant qualities of their tone rather than simply adding gain. The Terran Overdrive was shown at the NAMM Stompbox Booth in February 2018, according to Delicious Audio.
What bandwidth settings does the Terran midrange filter have?
The Terran has an active Midrange filter with Gain, Resonance (Q) and selectable bandwidth. Pedal of the Day lists the three bandwidth settings as 700Hz, 1kHz and 1.5kHz, so a player can choose which part of the midrange the filter acts on and then dial in how much gain and how sharp the resonance is.
Can the Terran make humbuckers sound like single coils?
According to Pedal of the Day, yes. The publication says the Terran can change the resonant qualities of your tone, emulating different types of guitar pickups and tube amp voices, and specifically lists making humbuckers sound like single coils among the things the pedal can do when used as a preamp to re-voice your tone.
Does the Terran work as a preamp?
Pedal of the Day describes several ways to use the Terran, including as a preamp to re-voice your tone or to accentuate a specific frequency spectrum. The publication also suggests running it as a preamp for a tube amplifier, or placing it after a fuzz or distortion pedal for better articulated equalization.
Is the Terran a low-gain or high-gain overdrive?
Pedal of the Day characterizes the Terran as a mid/high gain overdrive. That places it above a low-gain, transparent style of drive, and the parametric midrange filter on top means the gain character can be shaped around whichever frequency band the player selects.
Sources (3)
- Paradox Effects Terran Re-Voicing Overdrive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2021-02-06
- Paradox Effects Futura Envelope Chorus, Pedal of the Day, 2021-03-17
- Paradox Effects Terran Overdrive With Parametric EQ, Delicious Audio, 2018-02-05