The RedSeven Amplification NGR-1 is a noise gate pedal with a split personality that works in the player's favor: the audio path is fully analog, while the control side is digital, handling presets and MIDI. RedSeven describes it as "the first in a long series of fully analog, digitally controlled pedals," and the point of that arrangement is practical. Because the signal never goes through an AD/DA conversion stage, RockBoard's PedalPedia says it delivers zero tone loss, with what they call superior sound quality and nearly infinite headroom1.
How it works: analog audio, digital brains
The gate itself is built around a high-voltage 30 VDC VCA chip that runs from the pedal's 9V source. RockBoard's PedalPedia notes this is "the same technology found in many studio-grade rack compression and gate units"1. A VCA, or voltage-controlled amplifier, is the component that actually ducks or silences the signal when the gate closes, and running one at a higher internal voltage than the supply is a common way to preserve headroom in an analog design.
The digital side does everything else. It stores up to sixteen presets, communicates over MIDI, and manages the pedal's settings without the audio ever leaving the analog domain1.
Gate and Reduction modes
The NGR-1 offers two ways of dealing with noise, and you can choose between them on a per-preset basis2.
| Mode | Behavior | Suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Gate | Hard clamping, instant cut-off | Modern high gain, djent, chugging2 |
| Reduction | Softer filtering, more subtle and elegant excess noise filtering | Gentler noise trimming2 |
In practice that means one pedal can serve both a tight high gain rhythm sound, where you want the gate to slam shut the instant you stop playing, and a cleaner or more dynamic setting where a hard clamp would sound abrupt. Stefan Karlsson, writing at Guitar Pedal X, framed it as "Use Gate for Modern High Gain - Djent / Chug etc. instant cut-off" and "Use Reduction for more subtle and elegant excess noise filtering"2.
Controls, routing and MIDI
The pedal's single rotary encoder doubles as a push button: turning it adjusts the threshold as a percentage, and the controls are organized around preset and shift modes, with the shift mode switching between Gate and Reduction23.
Where the NGR-1 differs from a simple in-line gate is its routing. It has a 1/4" TS Input, a 1/4" TS Send, a 1/4" TS Return and a 1/4" Thru/Out, and those ports support a separate "Noisy Pedals Loop" via the 4 Cable Method2. That means you can place the pedal so it gates only the noisy part of your chain, such as a high gain distortion section, rather than the whole board.
For MIDI, the pedal offers 1/8" MIDI In and 1/8" MIDI Thru jacks and includes a Mini MIDI to 5-Pin DIN cable. RedSeven says you can "save and recall multiple settings via MIDI, giving you the ability to control the pedal remote[ly]" while the audio stays analog12. The MIDI channel is set from 1 to 163.
The NGR-1 draws 100mA at 9V DC center negative12. Check that your power supply output can supply that current, and avoid daisy-chaining it from a shared low-current output.
Where it sits among compact noise gates
The RedSeven NGR-1 is a noise/reduction pedal that can store up to sixteen presets while keeping the audio signal in the loop, and it lists at $2493. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes the result as "superior sound quality and nearly infinite headroom"1. Compared with simpler single-knob gates such as the MXR Smart Gate or the Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor, the preset system is what sets it apart, and players who want loop-based gating in a similar spirit may also look at the ISP Technologies ISP Decimator II G-String or the Fortin Amplification Zuul.
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Questions
Is the Redseven NGR-1 analog or digital?
The NGR-1 is a fully analog, digitally controlled pedal. The audio signal never passes through an AD/DA conversion stage, which the maker says ensures zero tone loss. The digital side handles the control functions only: storing and recalling presets, MIDI communication, and managing the gate's behavior while the sound itself stays in the analog domain.
How many presets does the Redseven NGR-1 store?
The NGR-1 stores up to sixteen presets. Each preset can be set to use either Gate or Reduction mode, so you can keep, for example, a hard-clamping setting for a high gain rhythm channel and a gentler filtering setting for cleaner passages, and switch between them from the pedal or over MIDI.
Can the NGR-1 be controlled over MIDI?
Yes. The pedal has 1/8-inch MIDI In and 1/8-inch MIDI Thru jacks, and it ships with a Mini MIDI to 5-Pin DIN cable. You can save and recall multiple settings via MIDI, which lets you control the pedal remotely from a MIDI controller or switcher while the audio itself remains in the analog domain. The MIDI channel is set from 1 to 16.
Does the NGR-1 take a battery?
The pedal runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 100mA. The published specifications describe only this external DC power arrangement, so plan your pedalboard power supply around a 100mA output rather than relying on a battery or a low-current daisy chain output.
Does the NGR-1 color my tone?
The maker's position is that the NGR-1 does not, because the signal never goes through an AD/DA conversion stage, ensuring zero tone loss. The gate and reduction system is built around a high-voltage 30 VDC VCA chip powered from the 9V source, the same technology the maker says is found in many studio-grade rack compression and gate units, with what RedSeven describes as superior sound quality and nearly infinite headroom.
What is the difference between Gate and Reduction mode on the NGR-1?
Gate mode provides hard clamping for instant cut-off, which reviewer Stefan Karlsson of Guitar Pedal X suggests for modern high gain styles such as djent and chugging. Reduction mode offers softer filtering, described as a more subtle and elegant way to trim excess noise. You can select Gate or Reduction per preset, so both behaviors can live on the same pedal.
Sources (3)
- NGR 1 by Redseven Amplification, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-03-17
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-05-26
