GEAR REVIEW
UAFX ENIGMATIC ‘ 82 OVERDRIVE SPECIAL | Michael Hodge
KEY FEATURES
• Dumble Overdrive Amp Modeling
• Stereo In & Out
• 9 Classic Mic / Cabinet Combos
• UAFX App for iOS & Android
• Artist Presets
Bill Putnam Sr . was the legendary engineer who started Universal Audio . He built a company that has continuously operated at the cutting edge of technology since its inception . He developed revered studio mic pres and compressors , which are still found in the premier recording studios worldwide . As the winds of technological changes shifted towards digital , Universal Audio , now owned and run by Bill Putnam Jr ., was again at the forefront with the Apollo recording interfaces . These had onboard memory to take the load off of the DAW computer . They ’ ve been used on countless hit records . Their proprietary software not only modeled classic universal audio gear but spread out into all areas in the recording and creative space .
Eventually , UA allowed their proprietary plugins to be ported to be used natively while maintaining sonic integrity . Next came the UA-OX box , a very special reactive load box for guitar amps , which included CAB / MIC modeling software and built-in effects . Also , UA developed a series of Microphones . Lastly , UA put that technology into their UAFX Guitar Pedals series . These are model-specific amplifiers and Cab / Mic simulations .
At this writing , there are eight different models to choose from . I purchased the Ruby ( Vox AC30 vibe ) and have been very impressed with it . At long last , UA came out with the Enigmatic . This is modeled after the highly coveted , and almost impossible to buy , Dumble ‘ 82 Overdrive Special Amp .
You ’ ll want to read on if you like the tones of guys like Stevie Ray Vaughan , John Mayer , Robben Ford , Joe Bonamassa , and Carlos Santana .
OUT OF THE BOX : Enigmatic comes in what I call an Apple-inspired box . The box slides out of a sleeve , revealing a pedal encased in a soft plastic bag . There ’ s also a folded quick-start guide with a QR code for registration . On Top are six knobs , and five are dual-purpose . You have : Volume / Amp gain ( Room : Adds Ambience & Air ), Overdrive ( Ratio : adjusts overdrive output level ), Bass ( Deep / Mid : kicks on past noon setting ), Middle ( Presence : High-end-Sparkle ), Treble ( Bright : Up to three bright cap values ) and Output .
There are three mini-switches : Cab cycles
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