Way Huge Smalls Conspiracy Theory Professional Overdrive

The Way Huge Smalls Conspiracy Theory Professional Overdrive is a compact overdrive pedal from Way Huge, first shown in April 2019¹. It is built as a take on the Klon Centaur circuit: Guitar World's reviewer Paul Riario described it as "yet another type of 'Klones' overdrive"², and GuitarPlayer's buying guide called it "an on-the-nose take on the Klon clone"³. Way Huge's own description of what it does is that it "infuses your guitar signal with rich harmonics for smooth, transparent overdrive"⁴.

It sits in Way Huge's Smalls series, the reduced-size enclosure line the brand uses for its compact pedals. Guitar World noted that "its reduced size is small enough to be concealed on your person," and it ships in a copper-orange housing with red control knobs². Delicious Audio reported it as a brand new Klone with increased headroom for a dynamic, wide open sound⁵.

A smooth, transparent overdrive in the Klon tradition

The Klon Centaur is the circuit this pedal is measured against, and the press has been consistent about the family resemblance. Guitar World's review placed it squarely among the Klones², GuitarPlayer's best-Klon-clones guide listed it alongside the pedals of that type³, and Guitar Pedal X's roundup of Klon-style pedals noted it comes "in the recent Smalls compact enclosure"⁷. Delicious Audio introduced it in July 2019 as a brand new Klone⁵.

What Way Huge says the circuit does is bond rich harmonics with the guitar signal for a smooth, transparent overdrive⁴. Delicious Audio's launch coverage added that the pedal has increased headroom, which points to the same quality players look for in this circuit family: a drive that pushes an amp without smothering the guitar's own character⁵.

Guitar World's Paul Riario, reviewing it in November 2019, went further than most reviewers do with a Klon-style pedal²:

Paul Riario, Guitar World²

His review described it as a full-bodied and rich overdrive pedal, and his verdict on closeness to the original Klon is the strongest published judgment the pedal has received².

The controls: Gain, Output and Treble

The Conspiracy Theory keeps to three knobs, the same control set as the circuit it draws from. Guitar World listed them as Output, Treble and Gain², and GuitarPlayer's buying guide summarized the pedal as three controls³.

In Sweetwater's demo video, the presenter found that even with the simple three-knob setup the pedal has a great range, with all three knobs usable across their full range and no dead spots⁸.

Using it as a clean boost

The Gain and Output controls also cover boost duties. In the Sweetwater demo, the presenter's advice was direct⁸:

Sweetwater demo video⁸

Combined with the increased headroom Delicious Audio reported⁵, that makes the pedal usable as a level boost into an already-driven amp, the way many players use Klon-style circuits.

Power: 9V battery or adapter

Way Huge gives the pedal several power options. It can run on a 9-volt battery, a Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter, or the DC Brick, Iso-Brick and Mini Iso-Brick power supplies, which are not included⁴. GuitarPlayer's buying guide lists it as 9V DC only³, so a player building a powered board will be on adapter supply rather than a battery long term. The Sweetwater demo also noted a very low current draw, though no milliamp figure was given⁸.

The Deep State Conspiracy Theory variant

Way Huge also makes a modified version, the Smalls Deep State Conspiracy Theory Diodes Overdrive. Way Huge describes it as a modified version of the Conspiracy Theory Overdrive in which special diodes with a particular voltage drop were implanted into the circuit, producing "smooth, velvety clipping that responds to playing dynamics like you wouldn't believe"⁶. RockBoard's listing for the pedal gives its power as 9V DC, center negative⁹.

The Deep State was designed in collaboration with Joe Bonamassa, and Way Huge says it can only be found exclusively at Joe's Reverb store⁶. Where the standard Conspiracy Theory is a general-release Klon-style overdrive, the Deep State is a limited-channel variant with a different clipping character.

Where it sits among Way Huge overdrives

The Smalls line holds several other Way Huge drives, including the Smalls Red Llama Overdrive, the Smalls Green Rhino Overdrive MKV, the Smalls Supa-Lead and the Smalls Pork & Pickle. Pedal of the Day, reviewing the Smalls Supa-Lead in 2020, described it as "one of a different flavor from the Klon-based Conspiracy Theory," which is a useful marker: within the Smalls range, the Conspiracy Theory is the Klon-style entry, and the other drives take different approaches¹⁰.

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