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Pros:
- Very compact
- Reasonable price
- Does what it is supposed to
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Does not have a battery compartment (not surprising due to its size)
Even though a good noise gate pedal can easily be a magic wand that will solve all your noise-related problems, it’s not almighty. I wish it were, but things are not that easy. This effect can successfully cut off buzz, hum, hiss or feedback coming out of your loud pedals or amplifiers. It will do so without interfering with the dynamics of your sound or ruining its sonic palette. Yet noise gate pedals don’t have the capability to take down the noises that are emitted due to the cables that have poor quality or if they have some issues. They cannot fix the unwanted sounds coming out of faulty units, such as broken amps or stompboxes either.
That is why you should always scrutinize the source of that noise before deciding to splurge on a noise gate pedal. After all, it might not be the pedal you need to solve your problems. But regardless, I still think that it is a tool everybody should have on hand – who knows what is going to happen. For that reason, today I will suggest an affordable device to you, namely the Joyo JF-324 Gate of Kahn. It is a simple but capable unit that is perfect for having in your rig just in case you need it. Let’s dive into details and figure out what the scope of its capabilities is!
Features
If you go through the reviews of different noise gate pedals, the chances are you will get tired in the end, because they have many similarities. The reason is that this effect tends to reproduce itself in the same ways, regardless of the brand and price range. That is why some features have turned into a recurrent theme and that is perfectly normal. Joyo Gate of Kahn shares its simplicity with its rivals and offers straight-to-the-point operation. It is not steeped with versatile properties, though the things it offers make up a package that is really hard to say no to. It is housed in a tiny enclosure that will take up hardly any space on your pedalboard.
Its size will be especially pleasing for those who don’t employ this effect that much but want some sort of insurance just in case noise starts crawling from the darkness. Joyo has added an amazing feature to the design of this one. This red stompbox has a sort of a cap on top. This means that you can set the controls the way you like it, close the cap and keep everything secure to prevent sudden changes from hitting the pedal accidentally. Though it is a minor addition, it will be really useful in practice.
The build quality is decent as well and you don’t have to worry about that either. Gate of Kahn operates with the help of the VCA technology enhancing the response of the unit and, thus, improving its performance. It can be powered by an adapter only, since its tiny body doesn’t have enough space for a battery. Plus, it has true bypass that doesn’t suck your tone when the pedal is disengaged. As you can see, you can rely on this pedal from the very first day of your encounter with it and keep it in your rig for those days when noise decided to show up and ruin everything. After all, this bad boy is affordable and you don’t have anything to risk. Great stuff, fella, trust me!
Controls
I am beginning to sound like a broken record but the control section features a single knob that is responsible for reducing the noise and cleaning up your sound. The label of this encoder is Threshold and it changes the amount of noise reduction. As you turn it clockwise, you slowly start to hear those annoying buzzes fading away into the abyss. Make sure that you listen carefully to each setting to figure out what works best for you and avoid adding too much effect as well. You don’t want to end up destroying your sound completely, am I right? Be precise and take slower steps and you will achieve noiseless performance in no time. Gate of Kahn will assist you in that process with its simplicity and precision. For something that is so tiny, this baby can fit surprisingly huge potential. Joyo just keeps surprising us each and every day!
Joyo Noise Gate Sound
The thing with these affordable brands is that they have started to keep up their game so well that nowadays they have the ability to compete with higher-end manufacturers. They still have a long way to go, but trust me, they are getting closer with every release. Joyo has done it a couple of times before, but with Gate of Kahn they have simply taken things up in high gear. This pedal will cut off any undesirable noise without messing your sound, interfering with the dynamics or coloring anything in a weird way.
It will make sure you don’t have any problems with your sound anymore. This baby has many options with its Threshold, so be careful and do not crank it up immediately. Listen to different settings and find the perfect amount of the effect. Gate of Kahn is a beautiful option for many applications – it just depends on your needs, preferences and requirements. Experiment with this one and let it make subtle adjustments while maintaining all the qualities of your signal.
Conclusion
To sum up everything said above, Joyo Gate of Kahn is an amazing affordable pedal for all those noise emergencies. It is something that will make your playing more professional and enable you to refine everything with ease. The convenience of a cape is really appreciated during daily utilization since I happen to mess up the settings quite a lot. It is a unit that will turn the process of noise reduction into an enjoyable journey. Get your hands on it, fella!
Click here to view more from 7 Best Noise Gate Pedals.
