Demonizer

Damage Control Demonizer: Tube-amplified modern high gain distortion and preamp pedal. The Demonizer represents something a little bit different from most other distortion pedals. It can also double as its own preamp and be plugged directly into a power amp. If looking to do this, the easiest way is to plug the output from the pedal into the "return" of the effects loop of another amplifier.

The Damage Control Demonizer is no longer being made.

Thermionic Studios has one(1) Demonizer available for rental.

Controls

Image from Music Boulevard

Image from Pedal Finder

• Knob 1 - "Level": This sets up the output level (volume) of the pedal. Turning the knob clockwise increases the amount of output.
• Knob 2 - "Drive": This sets the amount of distortion applied to the signal. Clockwise motion on the knob increases the amount of distortion available.
• Knob 3 - "Opto-Comp": Turning this knob clockwise increases the amount of compression applied by the built-in optical compressor. Compression can go from 0 to maxed out at +20 dB.
• Stacked Knob 1 - "Pre" (tone controls prior to preamp)
  1. Inner (top) Knob - "Boost": This inner knob offers a boost level (from -6 dB fully counter-clockwise to +14 dB fully clockwise) for the frequency selected by the outer (bottom) knob.
  2. Outer (bottom) Knob - "Freq": Selects frequency (200 Hz to 1200 Hz) left-to-right on knob, to be boosted.
• Stacked Knob 2 - "Post" (tone controls after preamp)
  1. Inner (top) Knob - "Treble":
  2. Outer (bottom) Knob - "Scoop": This knob has a frequency scoop built into it that can't be shut off, but it can be moved. The scoop can sit at 500 Hz but also be moved out to 2200 Hz and any point in between.
• Footswitch 1 - "Engage": Pedal Bypass switch. Switches the pedal between active (engaged) and off (bypassed). When the pedal is bypassed the tube on the left side of the Demonizer is lit green. When the pedal is active, the left tube is lit orange, and when the pedal is engaged, and the second footswitch boost is also activated, then the left tube is lit red.
• Footswitch 2 - "Radiation Symbol (Boost)": Boost switch. This toggles between nothing, and a boost to the tube gain stage of +20 decibels (dB). When the boost is bypassed, the right tube is lit orange. When the boost is engaged, the right tube is lit red.

Jacks

• Jack 1 - "Input": Connect this pedal to an instrument with an instrument cable through this jack
• Jack 2 - "Amp Out": Use an instrument cable to connect this pedal an amplifier, or a power amp
• Jack 3 - "Direct Out": Use this jack to plug into a mixing console
• Jack 4 - "Power": This is where you need to plug in the power supply adapter that comes with every Damage Control vacuum tube-driven pedal. This adapter is necessary for sufficient current with sufficient voltage to be supplied to the pedal for the purposes of properly energizing the vacuum tubes inside.

Flat Eq Response

One of the things that people seem to like to do is put the tone settings on the Demonizer such that the frequency response coming out of the pedal is completely flat. However, it isn't necessarily clear on how to do that. Our best guess would be to turn all the Freq, Treble, and Scoop controls to "noon", adjusting the Level, Drive, and Boost to your own personal preferences.

Bypass: Unknown

We are unable to get our hands on a schematic for this pedal. It's possible, but not likely that there is not a buffered bypass. Until we get word back from Strymon (Damage Control), and given the rather large footprint of the pedal, we believe the most reasonable assumption to make is that it is buffered. Hopefully we'll hear back from the designer of this pedal, Pete Celi, as to whether it's a buffered pedal or not.

General Information

As the Damage Control Demonizer powers two 12ax7 vacuum tubes for its effect, the pedal requires a special, high-powered AC adapter. This adapter was originally supplied by Damage Control with the purchase of the pedal. Without these adapters, it's not possible to run this pedal.

We have this adapter and, of course, it is included when someone rents this pedal.

Scrape from the Damage Control Website - marketing speak:

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Direct Recording Monster

   3 devices in one: tube preamp, direct recording preamp, and tube distortion pedal.
   Massive dual 12AX7 gain section with tons of class A gain.
   Studio quality opto-compressor based on a classic circuit. Dial in your dynamics simply and easily.
   Active pre and post EQ sections.
   Pre EQ boost with variable frequency control.
   Post EQ features mid scoop control and active treble control.
   Advanced all-analog speaker compensation circuit results in the best direct recording tones available with any technology. Developed with extensive analysis of a closed back 4×12.
   “Magic Eye” display technology responds to playing dynamics.
   Rugged, road ready metal knobs and switches.
   20dB of additional footswitchable gain via “nuclear” footswitch.
   Crafted with love in the USA

Superior Analog Performance

   True Bypass. No compromise relay true bypass for zero loss bypass signal performance. NO tonal degradation.
   Premium low noise signal path.
   Direct output featuring 14th order advanced analog speaker emulation.
   Dual 12AX7s run at their full 250V plate voltage. No starving plates here.

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Phase Inversion

As there is no schematic available for the Demonizer, it's not possible to determine whether this pedal inverts phase without an oscilloscope. Once we get this on the bench and scoped, we'll be able to inform everyone of whether this pedal inverts phase or not.

Schematic

None has ever been made available and Damage Control, as a company, now exists as Strymon, and specializes in creating digital effects pedals.

Such a task would be very laborious without a lot of return. It would require removing what is likely a double-sided PCB from inside the pedal, understanding the circuit on the PCB, and then creating a schematic from the PCB. This is not like decoding a Fuzz Face that has, maybe a dozen parts and is a very simple circuit.

If we can get schematics from Damage Control/Strymon, based on the fact that we have several of these pedals, we believe that'd be the best case scenario...

Artists

We are currently unaware of any artists actively using the pedal now, or who have in the past.

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Additional Sources