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Pros:
- True bypass
- Sweet analog tones
- Modes give you a great deal of versatility
Cons:
- Basic controls
- Might drop your volume a little
As many of you know, the 1970s were blooming with new and exciting creations that turned the world upside down and changed everything we knew about music. They let us believe that innovations open up countless doors for us and enable us to travel through the sounds that we never knew existed. One of those amazing developments was Electric Mistress from Electro-Harmonix. It quickly caught on with its captivating sounds and occupied the rigs of countless musicians. It was huge in size and pretty awkward to place in small settings.
Two years later it was followed by the Deluxe version and these vintage pedals turned into the essential tools for creating a flange effect. Nowadays musicians have higher standards when it comes to their electronic equipment so it was clear that Electro-Harmonix had to come up with a more contemporary upgrade. That is how Deluxe Electric Mistress XO – one of the best flanger pedals – was born. It has a smaller body than the original and has some additions that make it compatible with the modern market. It captures the same feel as its predecessors but it does so more conveniently. If you want to experiment with the sounds that laid the foundation for the popularization of the flange effect, then you have to stay with me till the end.
Features
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress XO has certain updates that turn a vintage, a bit outdated unit into a modern device. These upgrades include mainly technical properties that were absolutely necessary. The newer model is shrunken in size, which is a huge virtue considering how awkward it was to fit the vintage original on any pedalboard (not to mention the crowded ones we have today). Its compact shell can be suited anywhere so that you can perform whenever your heart dictates so.
What is more, Deluxe Electric Mistress XO has standard powering options compared to the 24V weird one in the past. Now you can simply insert 9V batteries or utilize a 9V adapter without having to worry about getting additional stuff to make this thing work. It does also have LEDs that make it possible to see what is going on in the unit even on darker venues. More importantly, this bad boy has true bypass switching that keeps your tone intact when it bypasses the deactivated pedal.
This way your sound will be in perfect shape whether you choose to flange it up or not. Deluxe Electric Mistress XO offers different shades and tastes of the effect, including the Filter Matrix that cuts off the waveform from the circuitry, freezes the flanger, and delivers unique and interesting results. We shall not forget that this baby has a mono input and two outputs. With the help of Dry Out, you can route your dry signal anywhere your heart desires, or steep your sound with flange and transfer it via Flanged Out. Though Deluxe Electric Mistress XO is not as versatile as some of its modern rivals, it succeeds at replicating the sounds of the original and bringing back that warm vintage feel.
Controls
Deluxe Electric Mistress XO features the same package of controls as the original version. By providing a similar set, you get the ability to experiment with legendary sounds more easily and conveniently. These encoders are straightforward and flexible to adjust to make sure that you perform without a hitch. Just plug this fella in, nail in desired settings and you will be ready to unveil all the amazing sounds hidden in its compact body. This unit is definitely something you shall plugin immediately and start performing, as its intriguing properties will not let you leave it untouched.
Let’s start with Rate. It goes without saying that it determines the rate of the effect and lets you transform its character the way you want. Range lets you set lower and higher limits and shift between them throughout your performance. As you turn it clockwise, you take the effect to the lower frequencies and allow those basses to show themselves off. Color is in charge of the intensity of the flanger, enabling you to create that admired whooshing effect whenever needed.
Finally, we have a Filter Matrix toggle that (when activated) freezes the flange and places the matrix of filters right at your fingertips. Rate will not have any effect in this mode and you will have to modify the settings of Color and Range to create chimes that complement your instrument. Of course, we have a footswitch that activates or turns off the pedal.
Deluxe Electric Mistress Sound
There is so much to say about the sound of Deluxe Electric Mistress XO that I don’t even know where to start. At lower settings, you have access to slow sweeps and mild swooshing sounds that saturate your pieces with dimension. As you crank everything up and max out the Rate, you can create a vibrato that will remind you of that Leslie character. The flange itself easily goes from subtle swirls to extreme whoosh and can even self-oscillate, entering a territory that not everyone can handle.
The Filter Matrix is the most interesting thing about this pedal – it creates a number of filters that can move in different places depending on the settings of Color and Range. This way you can step out of the flange realm and access the sounds you would not even expect initially from this one. Deluxe Electric Mistress XO gives you full control over your effect and enables you to achieve any degree of intensity, and then create the sounds that turn your performance into an ethereal experience.
Conclusion
All in all, Deluxe Electric Mistress XO from Electro-Harmonix will be a real treat for those who want a simple, powerful, and capable tool. Those who are used to sophisticated controls and tweakable options might not be content with available properties, but its sonic possibilities will overpower the need to tweak some more. This fella is a real king of flange and replicates the exact feel and sound of the original. Don’t you want to try it out and experience all this goodness yourself? Good luck!
