The Levana EQ Booster is a boost pedal from Studio Blue that works as a preamp built into a compact pedal. Rather than lifting the whole signal the way a conventional clean boost does, it can selectively boost a specific band of high-end frequencies to tailor your tone, alongside a conventional control for volume1. It sits in the wider field of equalization pedals and boost pedals, doing a job that overlaps both.
What it does to your sound
The pedal's core function is a selective lift in the high end. Premier Guitar's reviewer described the effect directly1:
"The pedal’s ability to boost the most pleasing frequencies in the guitar’s signal is utterly astounding and it can give you an otherworldly amount of sustain, clarity and note separation where you need it."1
Premier Guitar's June 2023 review found the Levana EQ Booster's ability to boost the most pleasing frequencies in the guitar's signal utterly astounding, giving otherworldly sustain, clarity and note separation1. The same reviewer described the enclosure as "housed in what looks like a wooden casing, which is really a silk-screened piece of sturdy, weighty bent metal"1.
That verdict covers overall boost and clarity, with the reviewer crediting the pedal with sustain and note separation as well as the frequency lift itself1.
Beyond electric guitar
Although it is aimed at guitar players, the review notes that it will actually work well with any instrument with a 1/4-inch output. The reviewer names acoustic guitars, basses, vocals and brass instruments as uses, with the pedal adding clarity to each1. Players of acoustic pedals or bass pedals boards may find that relevant, since the same high-end lift applies to any line-level instrument signal fed into it.
Build and power
The casing is a talking point in its own right. The true-bypass circuit is housed in what looks like a wooden casing, which is really a silk-screened piece of sturdy, weighty bent metal1. In other words, the wood appearance is a printed finish on metal, not actual timber, so the enclosure carries the durability you would expect from a pedal built for the road.
The pedal requires the included 9V wall wart for power. Premier Guitar's reviewer states that you have to use the included adapter, so factor that into your pedalboard's power planning1.
Where it comes from
Studio Blue's Levana Audio hand-builds the pedals in Las Vegas with Israeli technology, according to Premier Guitar's review1. The company's pedals carry the studiobluellc.com web address1.
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Premier Guitar
Questions
Does the Levana EQ Booster come with a power supply?
Yes. The pedal requires power from a 9V wall wart, and Premier Guitar's review notes that the supply is included with the pedal. The reviewer adds that you have to use the included adapter to power the EQ Booster, so plan your board's power arrangements around it rather than expecting it to run from a standard daisy chain or battery.
Is the Levana EQ Booster true bypass?
Yes. Premier Guitar's review describes the pedal as having a true-bypass circuit, housed in a casing that looks like wood but is actually a silk-screened piece of sturdy, weighty bent metal. When the pedal is switched off, your guitar's signal passes through without the boost circuit in the way.
Can the Levana EQ Booster be used with acoustic guitar or bass?
Yes. According to Premier Guitar, the pedal works well with any instrument that has a 1/4-inch output. The reviewer names acoustic guitars, basses, vocals and brass instruments as uses beyond electric guitar, with the pedal adding clarity to each of them.
Where is the Studio Blue Levana made?
Studio Blue's Levana Audio hand-builds the pedals in Las Vegas, using Israeli technology, according to Premier Guitar's review. The company is based in the United States, and the pedals carry the studiobluellc.com web address.
Sources (1)
- Levana EQ Booster Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2011-09-27
