Electronic Audio Experiments – Dude Incredible
The Dude Incredible is a pairing of two cult classics: the IVP “Tube Voice” preamp and a percolator-style fuzz. Together, these two circuits have produced some of the most iconic guitar sounds in noise rock: jangly rhythm tones, ear-piercing treble chords, and endless walls of howling feedback. Originally released in 2017, the Dude Incredible was the first adaptation of the IVP into a pedal format. Now, it returns with some extra features and modern reliability improvements.
The Tube Voice channel is our streamlined version of the Intersound IVP (aka Instrument Voicing Preamp), a nearly-forgotten rackmount preamp from the 1970s. The transformer-loaded overdrive circuit is driven by a pre-gain shelving EQ for a distinctive palette of frequency-selective distorted sounds. Far from just a clang machine, this channel is fantastic for medium gain tones or as an always-on base layer. (This channel can also be found as a standalone unit in our Surveyor pedal.)
The Percolate channel needs no introduction. Our take on this beloved two-transistor fuzz features a painstakingly selected germanium transistor based on measurements of an original unit. We also added a diode switch to select between our custom configuration found in the Dude Incredible V1 and a more traditional highly compressed mode. Combining the Percolate side with the Tube Voice side produces a devastatingly destroyed fuzz.
Even if you aren’t a metal-pick-wielding treble fiend, the Dude Incredible is a source of unique distortion sounds that can’t be found anywhere else.
Controls:
- Harm – Input gain for the Percolate channel.
- Balance – Output level for the Percolate channel.
- Gain – Tube Voice gain control; highly interactive with the Bass and Treble settings.
- Level – Output level control, turn clockwise for more volume.
- Treble – Tube Voice high shelf boost/cut, +/-12dB @ 3kHz located pre-Gain.
- Bass – Tube Voice low shelf boost/cut, +/-12dB @ 100Hz located pre-Gain.
- Diode (toggle) – changes the clipping configuration of the Percolate channel. Up for less compression, down for more.
- Hi/Lo (toggle) – changes the gain range of the Tube Voice channel. In the Lo setting the gain range is -15dB to +12dB, in the Hi setting the gain range is +9dB to +36dB.
- Left footswitch – Engages the Tube Voice circuit.
- Right footswitch – Engages the Percolate circuit.
Additional specs:
- Bypass Switching: Independent fuzz and preamp circuits with relay-based true bypass switching which defaults to bypass in the event of power loss.
- Input impedance @ 1kHz: 100kΩ (perc) / 500kΩ (tube voice)
- Output impedance @ 1kHz: <25kΩ (perc), <5kΩ (tube voice)
- Power: 9VDC, 2.1mm center negative barrel. The current draw is 90mA with both channels engaged.