Source Audio AfterShock Bass Distortion

What I like the most about this pedal is its extreme versatility and customisability. Using the Neuro tool (I'd recommend the Windows version, not the mobile) you can edit all the parameters that this pedal uses and the only true difference between this pedal, the L.A. Lady, and the Kingmaker is how such parameters are set. So if you like customisation, you can turn any of those three into either one, which is a very smart design choice in my opinion.

The editable parameters are well explained here: .

There are two ways in which you can save your presets: if you save them on the "green" slots (green LED lit), the pedal will recall all parameters except the ones controlled by the 4 physical knobs, whose position at any moment will dictate the value of those parameters. If you save them on the "red" slots (red LED lit), then all parameters will be recalled as stored, regardless of the current knob position (pretty much like a "full preset"). There are 3 slots for each type of presets, and NOT, as sometime stated, 3 for green and only 1 for red.

This pedal isn't without issues though. As someone else said in another review, it seems that the idea of parameters editing with the Neuro app is excellent in principle, but that they didn't manage to implement it in the best way possible. For example, the default "drive" range goes so high that slightly moving the drive knob would already produce too much distortion. Luckily there is a "max drive" setting, which in my case I had to turn right to zero to gain some finer control when I rotate the knob. I wonder in which conditions such a huge drive range is useable.

The other parameters seem to have been poorly calibrated too. For example, with certain settings, even the lowest drive value possible (0) already yields some heavy distortion effect. Also, even with the "Clean" knob to its highest value, you'll hear some distortion creeping in, if the "drive" knob is high. Isn't the "Clean" knob supposed to work as an "pedal ON"-bypass? Another example: the "Level" knob, which is supposed to compensate for the increase in volume as the drive is pushed high, has a way too low level for when the drive is below 1/4 turn. So if you turn the pedal ON, and your drive is turned up to 1/4 (which as I said it's already a big amount of effect), even with the "Level" way to its peak you will get a noticeable volume drop.

And speaking of bypass, this pedal noticeably lower the volume even when turned OFF. I tried both types of bypass, nothing changes in this respect. So whatever it's doing, it doesn't seem to me it's truly bypassing.

Now for the sound itself: I mainly use this pedal for the Tube Overdrive type of effect, and unfortunately it seems to me it is its weakest area, when compared to Distortion and Fuzz. It turns out it's not easy to chase that warm tube overdrive feeling. It took me a lot of editing and I am only partially satisfied with the results. The pedal in my opinion "colours" the sound way too much even with values set to the minimum.

Despite the few cons that I pointed out, overall I like this pedal enought to give it 4 stars. I like the concept of pedal customisation by app and I appreciate the effort by SourceAudio. I hope they'll improve in the areas I have found to be a bit lacking.