“The articulation is sensational even with the overdrive knob cranked, and each level to rings right regardless of what you’re taking half in”: Universal Audio UAFX Enigmatic ‘82 Overdrive Particular pedal review
Dumble tone veneration aside, the UA Enigmatic is an extraordinarily perfect amp simulator that delivers creamy overdriven tones alongside a absolute most practical tidy channel that takes pedals neatly. It’s a lot extra than correct a automobile for blues licks too, giving hundreds of versatility for a differ of taking half in styles.
Pros
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Deliciously tender overdrive sounds
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Surprisingly lawful tidy channel
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Versatile tone shaping
+
Easy to dial in a differ of sounds
Cons
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UAFX Regulate app wouldn’t work on my Android cell phone
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Limited prolong when channel switching
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Can be too specialist for some
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Essentially primarily based fully upon arguably potentially the most renowned of Alexander ‘Howard’ Dumble’s designs, the Universal UAFX Enigmatic ‘82 Overdrive is potentially the most modern in a line of iconic amps made minute by the California firm. Noteworthy extra than correct every other Dumble-type overdrive pedal, this fudge-coloured amp emulator seems to offer us guitarists get entry to to a pair of potentially the most fabled tones of guitar historic previous.
Unless you these days won the lottery or you’re the spawn of some renowned musician, probabilities are you won’t hang done a Dumble. I surely haven’t, nevertheless I’m neatly responsive to the sweet tones they offer, as neatly as the avid gamers esteem John Mayer, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Carlos Santana who’ve all had one hand constructed for them. Harmonically prosperous on the force channel with a like a flash and responsive tidy tone, the Dumble is surely some of the holy grails of guitar tone.
(Image credit ranking: Future)
The Dumble Overdrive Particular is now not like most different amps as all of these in existence were manufactured by one individual, normally for renowned guitar avid gamers. The OS is potentially the most renowned of all of Dumble’s amps, and even within the event that they attain vary from decade to decade, every of them aspects the same two-channel impart, where the tidy channel ‘cascades’ into the force channel.
It surely makes for a involving – and a few could doubtless well whine blasphemous – proposition, digitizing the sort of renowned amplifier all of the formula down to a chain of 1s and 0s, nevertheless if this pedal amp will get me closer to those legend Dumble tones I’m focused on it.
Universal Audio UAFX Enigmatic ‘82 Overdrive Particular: Make quality
(Image credit ranking: Olly Curtis / Future)
Make quality ranking: ★★★★½
Curiously the color has proven fairly divisive amongst the on-line neighborhood – nevertheless I fancy it. The chassis affords me salted caramel fudge vibes and amongst different pedals on my pedalboard, it surely stands out. Even my accomplice – a drummer who couldn’t care much less about guitar pedals – gave it some appreciative coos as soon as I showed her potentially the most modern offer to land on my review desk.
It feels rock stable on your fingers, and I’d manufacture now not hang any qualms about gigging it. The entire UA gear I’ve encountered is mostly magnificent indispensable so it’s now not a lot of a shock. Six sturdy knobs on the front panel present you with many of tone administration, with every of the knobs doubling up if you happen to use the alt switch within the center.
It methodology as neatly as getting administration over your long-established quantity, overdrive, and three-band EQ, you’ll want to doubtless be ready to moreover administration the room sound and get finer EQ controls with deep, presence, and intellectual controls. On both aspect of the utilitarian center switch, you’ve got alternatives for additonal tonal administration, permitting you to make a preference four different cab models, as neatly as a dedicated mode administration for rock, jazz, or custom.
Dialing in sounds is magnificent straightforward from the off. All the pieces is labeled clearly so you shouldn’t hang to dive into the manual to originate up getting usable sounds from the UAFX Enigmatic.
From the off, I became ready to get a fulfilling tidy tone dialed in, put it as a preset, then switch to the 2nd channel to originate up honing in my overdrive sounds. The 2-channel operation makes it immense versatile whether you’re utilizing it on its hang or as segment of a higher pedalboard setup.
I encountered components connecting the Enigmatic pedal to my Android smartphone by Bluetooth, a scenario that denied me get entry to to a pair aspects (Image credit ranking: Olly Curtis / Future)
The Enigmatic offers full stereo with both ins and outs so you’ll want to doubtless be ready to hook it up to extra advanced rigs. The inputs and outputs are carefully gathered all around the energy socket though which is a exiguous bit awkward if you happen to’re on an everyday basis unplugging stuff. It’s a minor qualm though, and I’d request most of us will hang it permanently bother up somewhere.
The insert of the sphere guarantees extra tones, nevertheless unfortunately, the app wouldn’t work for me on my Android cell phone. A transient Google search showed that here’s a wider predicament with the app, which is an genuine shame as I became fairly having a see forward to messing with the tone stack and designing my hang Dumble.
The clarity is astonishingly lawful all all around the spectrum and done by an FRFR speaker it’s arduous to think that the tones are popping out of a pedal
If here’s what a Dumble sounds esteem, then I’m able to see why every person charges them so highly. The articulation is sensational even with the overdrive knob cranked, and each level to rings right regardless of what you’re taking half in. Paired with my Telecaster I became ready to get an mountainous differ of sounds, nevertheless I started with a tidy tone on the ‘Jazz’ bid to originate up with, turning the overdrive knob into the off divulge.
Here you get a in actuality Fender-eque tidy tone with that signature dip within the mids. It’s hefty within the lows and exuberant within the high reside. The clarity is astonishingly lawful all all around the spectrum and done by an FRFR speaker it’s arduous to think that the tones are popping out of a pedal. It responds dynamically too, you’ll want to doubtless be ready to dig in and get a exiguous bit additional breakup which sounds in actuality pure.
Cranking the overdrive knob and switching to the ‘Rock’ bid, I’m at as soon as greeted with that silky tender-pushed sound with hundreds of midrange that Dumbles are neatly known for. All yet again I couldn’t attend nevertheless wonder on the clarity all around the strings even at elevated win settings – delivery notes ring out fantastically with out ever feeling esteem they’re overpowering all the pieces else if you happen to play arpeggiated chords, and it by no methodology sounds esteem it’s getting overwhelmed.
I examined the Enigmatic into a Expert Instruments for recording as neatly as my pedalboard into an FRFR cab (Image credit ranking: Matt McCracken / Future)
Bluesy licks are the unsalted butter and brown sugar of the Enigmatic, handing over very perfect contact dynamics which could doubtless well very neatly be every bit as tasty as its colorway implied to me earlier on. The tone correct begs for pentatonic licks, groovy riffs, and bends aplenty. Here, the ‘room’ knob in actuality comes into its hang, giving an genuine 3D sense of dwelling to your taking half in with an enticing slapback reverb enact. It kept me taking half in for a lengthy, very lengthy time.
Even though a vary of blues fans could doubtless well very neatly be having a see at this stompbox, don’t be put off if you happen to’re now not an SRV or John Mayer fan
Despite the indisputable fact that you just happen to’re unlikely to be buying surely one of these for the tidy channel, switching aid to integrate it with my pedalboard, I chanced on it takes stompboxes in actuality neatly too. Smashing the front reside with my gnarly fuzz pedal delivered some grin-inducing moments, and it replied equally neatly to overdrive and distortion boxes. Combining the overdriven amp sound and pushing it over the threshold with a stompbox moreover worked in actuality neatly, handing over some immense-saturated tones excellent for searing lead licks. Annoyingly though, there’s a exiguous prolong when channel switching that will doubtless well put you off utilizing it esteem a two-channel amp.
One of potentially the most involving things relating to the Enigmatic is how neatly your total controls acknowledge to your enter. It makes it a lot extra versatile than you’d request, so even supposing a vary of blues fans could doubtless well very neatly be having a see at this stompbox, don’t be put off if you happen to’re now not an SRV or John Mayer fan. It would quilt a lot extra sonic ground than you’ll want to doubtless well request, and I discovered it correct as lawful for arduous rock riffs and uncommon-time prog rock as it’s for blues schmooze.
No topic being regarded as surely some of the extra esoteric amps accessible, UA’s version delivers an incredibly versatile offering with the Enigmatic. It doesn’t sound esteem every of your standard amp models and it’s a special offering in a day and age where iconic amp models are the norm somewhat than something unusual.
It’s immense straightforward to make use of, even though I became a exiguous upset by the app now not working with my Pixel smartphone. It will in all probability doubtless well’ve been good to be ready to test out the custom tone stack alternatives and tag what different cab models were accessible. I’m hoping UA can get this fixed at some level one day, as a like a flash search revealed that a vary of more than just a few guitarists hang the same roar.
(Image credit ranking: Olly Curtis / Future)
Final verdict: In case you’re bored of classic Fender and Marshall amp emulations, the Universal Audio UAFX Enigmatic 82 Overdrive Particular delivers an incredibly versatile platform on your amp tones. Far much less inscrutable than you’ll want to doubtless well mediate from the name by myself, that signature silky tender distortion and surprisingly immense tidy channel win it a absolute most practical preference for a differ of guitarists.
$279 / £229 A immense possibility for Dumble tone seekers, even though technically it’s extra of an overdrive pedal than an amp simulator. It’s most involving accessible contemporary within the one format, nevertheless we make a selection the twin version which you’ll want to doubtless be ready to silent make a selection up secondhand. Delight in the UA Enigmatic, it moreover has a jazz/rock switch for twin voices.
Wampler Euphoria Overdrive
$199 / £159 Every other Dumble-type overdrive pedal – sorry, there correct aren’t that many Dumble amp simulators accessible – the Wampler Euphoria Overdrive offers appealing contact sensitivity with many of tone administration. It pairs neatly with different stompboxes too, supplying you with hundreds of speak overdriven tones.
$699 / £519 In case you in actuality desire a full-on Dumble amp simulator that isn’t the pedal we’ve correct reviewed, the Line 6 HX sequence has a Grammatico GSG100 mannequin, which is an amp consistent with Dumble designs from the 80s. It’s a absolute most practical-sounding amp mannequin amongst many within the HX stable, doubtless overkill if you happen to correct desire one sound though.
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Matt is a Junior Offers Writer here at Guitar World. He on an everyday basis assessments and opinions song gear with a focal level on guitars, amps, pedals, modelers, and magnificent a lot something guitar-related. Matt worked in song retail for five years at Dawsons Track and Northwest Guitars and has written for a vary of song web sites including MusicRadar, Guitar Participant, Guitar.com, Final Guitar, and Thomann’s t.blog. A on an everyday basis gigging guitarist with over 20 years of skills taking half in reside and writing and recording in bands, he’s done all the pieces from jazz to djent, gigging in each put the nation in extra dingy venues than you’ll want to doubtless be ready to shake a drop-tuned guitar at.
