The ZT Extortion Expressive Distortion is a distortion pedal from ZT Amps, a company better known for amps that was, as Premier Guitar put it, extending its reach into the stompbox game1. Its name comes from the words "expressive" and "distortion," and the idea shows in the circuit: Guitar World's Billy Voight described it as acting like two pedals in one, with a classic analog circuit distortion on the right side and a Spectral DSP section on the left2.
Controls
The pedal carries the three knobs of a conventional distortion pedal, Tone, Level and Drive, plus the Spectral DSP knob that sets it apart2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drive | Functions with the same general range you'd expect in any distortion gain control1 |
| Level | Controls the overall output1 |
| Tone | Built around seven famous EQ settings that can be blended between adjacent presets2 |
| Spectral DSP | Blends analog and DSP distortion flavors to significantly alter the distortion tone1 |
On the Spectral DSP knob, Premier Guitar's reviewer found that below noon it gives a sludgier, heavier distortion, while turning clockwise produces more compression and a biting, fiery top end1. Voight described it as an accent knob that supercharges certain frequencies, and heard it sweep through everything from a murky bass boost, a warm overdrive to a compressed mid-scoop2.
On the Tone knob, Voight argued that the shortcoming with most other pedals is that the Tone knob is just about useless outside the 10-to-2 o'clock range, while the Extortion's is built around those seven EQ presets2.
Expression control and jacks
The side jacks are Input, Output and Control2. The Control jack accepts an external expression pedal to adjust the Spectral DSP knob hands-free2, and Premier Guitar described it as a 1/4-inch jack next to the input that allows you to hook up an expression pedal to control the sweep of spectral DSP1. For players who want to move the distortion voice mid-phrase, that makes the expression pedal part of the effect rather than an accessory.
Power
The pedal can be powered by a 9V, 250mA, negative-tip power supply or any 9V battery2. Premier Guitar noted that a 9V barrel adaptor can be plugged into the crown, and that a 9V battery can be installed via the undercarriage trapdoor1.
The 250mA current draw means this pedal needs its own supply output on a shared brick or a dedicated adaptor; it is not a low-draw pedal to hang off a daisy chain.
What reviewers heard
Premier Guitar's reviewer, writing with both analog- and DSP-driven distortion voices in the box, found the DSP distortion also makes it capable of fuzzy sustain or high-gain growl that still sits well with the analog distortion, calling the result varied, transparent, and huge-sounding1. On price, the same review held that the $199 street price isn't terrible, considering that two distortions of comparable quality could run significantly more1.
"You'll hear it sweep through everything from a murky bass boost, a warm overdrive to a compressed mid-scoop."
For context on where the Extortion sits among distortion pedals, its DSP voice reaches toward fuzz territory with its fuzzy sustain, while the analog side and the overdriven settings Voight described sit closer to what players look for in overdrive pedals12.
Videos
Guitar Compass
Kern Ramsdell
Chuck's Guitar Geekery
Questions
Does the ZT Amps Extortion run on a battery?
Yes. A 9V battery can be installed through a trapdoor in the pedal's undercarriage, a detail Premier Guitar's reviewer noted, and Guitar World's reviewer applauded ZT for providing a battery compartment rather than requiring the entire back plate to be removed. The pedal can also be powered by a 9V, 250mA, negative-tip power supply.
Can you use an expression pedal with the ZT Extortion?
Yes. The pedal has a Control jack, a 1/4-inch jack next to the input, that accepts an external expression pedal. Plugging in lets you adjust the Spectral DSP knob hands-free, sweeping the blend of analog and DSP distortion voices while you play.
What power supply does the ZT Extortion need?
Guitar World's review lists a 9V, 250mA, negative-tip power supply, plugged into a barrel connector on the crown of the pedal. Any 9V battery also works, installed through the undercarriage trapdoor.
How big is the ZT Amps Extortion?
Guitar World described the white enclosure as sizing up at 3.75 by 4.75 inches.
What does the Spectral DSP knob do?
It blends the analog and DSP distortion flavors and can significantly alter the tone of the distortion. Premier Guitar found that settings below noon give a sludgier, heavier distortion, while turning clockwise produces more compression and a biting, fiery top end. Guitar World described it as an accent knob that supercharges certain frequencies.
Is the ZT Extortion analog or digital?
Both. The pedal is built as two distortions in one: a classic analog circuit distortion on the right side and a Spectral DSP section on the left, with the Spectral DSP knob blending between the two voices.
Sources (2)
- ZT Extortion Expressive Distortion Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2013-06-10
- Review: ZT Amps Extortion Pedal -Expressive Distortion, Guitar World, 2013-07-25
