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Pros:
- Very precise and accurate
- Great build quality
- Does not color your sound
Cons:
- Not for everyone (you will either love it or loathe it)
Noise Gate is an effect that doesn’t require too much hassle. You simply plug it in, mess around with the settings and you are good to go. But at the same time, they can be a real pain in the neck. If you misplace them or utilize them improperly, they can completely destroy your sound and deprive it of all the life it has. Knowing how to treat this effect is crucially important for achieving results. The order of the setup, the type of the devices in front and your guitar itself play determine the results you will get from noise gate pedals. They work the best towards the end of the chain before delays and reverbs, after distortions, and so on. Some models out there don’t get on with the direct signal from your guitar so you have to employ them after certain effects. The pedal we are going to talk about today is just like that. Rocktron Hush is a really capable beast if utilized properly, but if you make some mistakes, it can ruin the whole thing. That quality in its character is probably why so many people either love it or hate it, but as I am writing this article you can easily guess to which category I belong. Let’s go deep and discuss all the details about this puppy!
Features
Rocktron Hush is similar to the competition as it is a simple noise gate pedal just like the majority of them out there. However, its technical details set it apart from the crowd and make you reconsider your attitude towards simple-looking units. It utilizes a voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA) that is the main constituent of threshold circuitry. When the signal drops below the threshold, it expands downwards. Depending on the circumstances, it can be really expansive or remain somewhat stable. The result is that your noise gets reduced with up to 60dB gradually. Its circuitry also includes Variable Integrated Release (V.I.R.) technology that responds to the dynamics of your playing and decays accordingly. If the input signal disrupts suddenly, it will decay quickly. But if it fades away slowly, the decay will be gradual as well. This means that the technology behind Hush was designed with great attention and intelligence, resulting in something that makes perfect sense. This pedal can be powered with a single 9V battery or an adapter. Battery compartment is situated on the side of the pedal and the top plate is secured with two screws. You will be able to remove them easily and change the batteries whenever needed. I cannot help but mention that the chassis is slightly too big for the things this fella offers. But I guess that internal hardwire would not fit in a smaller body, but that is just my assumption. Anyway, it cannot be doubted that many of you won’t be that pleased to sacrifice so much pedalboard space, but I think you will reconsider such attitude once you hear the sound. The quality of the chassis is stunning as this fella is definitely built to last. The design is configured with classic approaches: we have a blue enclosure with merely the name of the device and the logo of the brand. On the whole, Hush is something that will do the job with ease and won’t overcomplicate anything.
Controls
If you have played with a noise gate before, you will not be surprised by anything you see in the control section of Rocktron Hush. In fact, you will only see a single knob and that’s it. And at this point, we are already used to this effect coming with minimal controls. Since you will not necessarily need anything else, that is perfectly fine. After all, we are talking about noise gate – not some sophisticated flanger or distortion. Anyway, here we have a Threshold that modifies the amount of noise reduction that interferes with your sound. This way you can set a gate that will start operating as soon as your signal hits the chosen level. Such simplicity turns this one into a unit that could even be altered by a toddler – would not be that funny to watch? But really, you will need just a couple of seconds to figure out how each setting works for your setup and you will be ready to go on playing without that badgering noise. Life is so much better with clear sounds!
Rocktron Hush Sound
I don’t think I have emphasized this enough so let me say it again: you have to choose the proper setup to make Hush work. This fella will not give you desired results if you set it right after your guitar. It needs a wet signal in order to make out what is happening and eliminate anything that you don’t necessarily like. Do not even dare and shove it after delays and reverbs unless you want your sound to get ruined completely. But if you follow the rules, this pedal will deliver clear performance and will eliminate all the noise without coloring your tone. It has a bit queer character which means its customers are split in two: they either love it or hate it. If you ask me, that is the matter of your gear and rig. Not all the units are compatible with each other and that is not something a brand can fix. All in all, Hush is a really simple noise gate that will do the job nicely and will make your life much easier.
Conclusion
If you are in the market for a quality noise gate that doesn’t color your tone and happens to be reliable as well, then Rocktron Hush might be the perfect choice for you. It has sophisticated circuit that makes sure everything is as beautiful as it should be. It will clean up your sound nicely and will respond to your playing and techniques. Just give it a try, experiment with various ways of employing it and I am sure you will be the category who loves this one. Good luck!
Click here to view more from 7 Best Noise Gate Pedals.
