2 Cool Recent Filter Fuzzes - AC Noises Urla and Dreadbox Disorder
I had initially intended to cover these two individually, but there are so many parallels here that it made more sense to tackle them together. There is of course a significant price differential, with one of these nearly twice as expensive as the other. It does have more controls and more granularity to its functions.
The other is more suited for use with synthesisers as it has 2 CV inputs to further manipulate the signal. And while for the Disorder the filter is an either-way Low Pass > High Pass Filter, on the Urla we get two separate sets of controls.
Both of these sound pretty great - and I guess there are advantages in both directions. I’m of course more into compact pedals - and the dual footswitches for granular application is a big win for me. I may even get both eventually!
Here follow the individual details :
AC Noises Urla CMOS Fuzz with Dual Resonant Filter - €205
Controls - Volume (Filter), Blend, Volume (Fuzz), Low Pass Cutoff, Low Peak, Expression : High Pass / Low Pass, High Peak, High Pass Cutoff, Filter Footswitch, Fuzz Footswitch.
There's so much about this to like - the granularity of controls and functional application in particular - meaning that you can deploy this separately as a Filter or Fuzz, as well as combined.
You have individual volume controls and a Blend knob, and both Cutoff and Peak values for Low Pass and High Pass Filters. For Expression control - it's either/or as aligned by the central Expression toggle-switch.
Separate Filter and Fuzz footswitches allow you to precisely control what you deploy. A pretty simple constructive but powerful too. The only oddity being as to why the skull graphic isn't properly cut-out?
Nothing to grumble about really - this is a very well thought out pedal - and for sure I will add it to the collection at some stage!
Dreadbox Disorder Analog Filter Fuzz - €118
Controls - Filter CV Input, Envelope CV Out, Sense knob, Filter, Fuzz, Envelope : + / 0 / -, Resonance, Level, Engage / Bypass Footswitch.
Coming in at nearly half the price of the above Urla, you certainly get more bang for you bucks with the Disorder, while you have less functional control overall - but you can bypass the Envelope Filter by setting it in the middle position. You also have more fuzz controls and filter Resonance here, while the actual Low Pass and High Pass filter sweep is all on the same knob.
So in some ways lesser, and in other ways a little more than the Urla. Of course dual CV inputs and a Sensitivity control too. No expression control though, and no proper granularity of application.
While I do contend that it sound really fantastic. It form-factor is not necessarily ideal for me - which puts me off a little - but on sounds alone, I'm sorely tempted.
I may very well end up with both of these - while I feel that overall the Urla delivers a little more to my preferences.
What think all of you?
