JHS celebrates 10 Years of its Colour Box Studio Style Console Pedal with a new '10' Grey colourway edition with additional features

I’ve always admired this Studio Style Console Box / Control Strip - while I’ve questioned whether I really need it. I have the Empress ParaEQ 2 DLX for all my EQ’ing needs, and I use some very specific gain-staging pedals, where some have up to +60dB onboard and an additional +30dB indenpdent boost - for pretty much limitless versatility.

I have several pedals with Audio Output transfomrmers onboard too, so I feel that I’m mostly covered for what I need already, and how I use those gain tone components. My Tavysh HARM for instance has immense gain versatility onboard - so do I really need the Colour Box?

I’ve mentally weighed this up several times, and the conclusion is invariable the same - I think if you’re like ’Spoon’ and you want to channel everything through one box - then this is a great solution for that - there’s a lot of fidelity in this unit - with stellar Lundahl pro-level audio output transformers, equivalent to Neve / Carnhill, and where this ’10’ variant is also utilising Neve / Marconi Fluted Knobs - a very attractive design indeed, and $50 dearer than last time - now at $449 / £449 for this model.

Controls - MASTER CONTROLS } Master Volume, Pre-Volume Gain, Step Up Gain (1st is +18 dB, 2nd is +23 dB, 3rd is +28 dB, 4th is +33 dB, 5th is +39 dB0; FILTER } Hi-Pass filter : On/Off | Sweep : 60Hz > 800Hz (@ 6dB/Octave), EQ } Treble± | Treble Q Shift, Middle± | Middle Q Shift, Bass± | Bass Q Shift; HEADROOM } Headroom Switch : Hi/Lo.

Side Ports : XLR Out, 1/4" Parallel Out, Combined Mic / 1/4" Input Jack, -20dB : On/Off, Instrument/XLR Option Switch.

The Most Significant Improvements in the last V2 Edition!

• Addition of an Output transformer
• Safely Passes 48V Phantom Power
• EQ Shift Knobs for precision EQ control
• Hi/Lo Switch for ultra-clean headroom
• 100% available clean signal even on acoustic guitar
• Silent switching, aka no ’switch-pop’
• Runs on standard 9V DC Neg power

I’d still quite like one, but probably in practical terms - I’m more likely to use the Poly Ample alongside my ParaEQ 2 for a similar job - so I’m guessing this Colour Box is still surplus to my requirements. I’d still quite like to own one - if anyone’s feeling generous - while I overall feel that I would not use it that much - and then it would just be one hefty dust-gathering doorstop really.

I do still think it’s an attractive proposition - and partially in that grey colourway - while I would have tried to match the hue of the grey closer to the Neve knobs - which are a touch warmer in their composition - so not quite a perfect 10 from me then!

Would be great to hear who uses one of these and how! Like I said - I feel it’s most valid if this is going to be your main output route of choice - for that direct into the console type of sounds - while if you’re going to mix things up a little more then it may not necessarily be the best route forward!

You can read up more about this release on the JHS Pedals Website.