The Xotic Super Clean buffer landed on my board in an attempt to fight a major tone loss issue caused by my GigRig QuarterMaster loop switcher (check out my QuarterMaster review to learn more). Since I discovered that tone issue with the switcher, I started looking for possible simple cures that can bring sanity back to my board. I was really trying to avoid getting into replacing my QuarterMaster, simply because I had a really tough year, full of gear issues, technicians and technical support and I just got tired of it. I ended up getting an Xotic Super Clean and I'm very happy with it so far. My clean tone has never been so good through any pedal board before, with or without the switcher.
Why I Chose The Super Clean?
After considering several buffers, I decided to go with the Xotic Super Clean, because it is essentially a buffered clean booster and I wanted the option of a clean booster in front of my gain pedals regardless of the tone issues I needed to solve. In addition, the Super Clean allows you to select between true bypass mode and an always on buffer mode with foot switchable booster, and since I planned to position it before my switcher input, I wanted to be able to control that behaviour in case the buffer is going to mess up my overdrive tones.
The Buffer
The Super Clean is the first buffer I have ever owned for the sole purpose of buffering my input signal. I used to have a Boss DD6 years ago, which contains one of the standard Boss buffers, but it used to be the last pedal in my chain, so I never really got much from it in that regard. Anyways, the Super Clean buffer is indeed super clean. My A/B tests showed that it does a great job preserving the natural tone of my guitar. I compared the tone of my guitar connected straight to my amp to the tone through the buffer and the switcher with all loops bypassed, and it was very close and with no obvious tonal change. The overdrives on my board sound a bit different with the buffer though. They sound as if fed with a slightly hotter signal, but again, their tonal character hasn't changed. My OCD overdrive sounds exceptionally better compared to what it sounded like on the board without the buffer and that is a huge win for me, because it is my main low gain overdrive sound and one of the busiest pedals on my board.
The Booster
The booster function is again, as the name suggests, very very clean and transparent and does not introduce noise of any kind. I cannot identify any tonal difference when I turn it on except for the extra gain of course. This is exactly what I wanted it to be and I couldn't be happier in that sense. The booster has a 12db gain range, which is more than enough for me. However, it's worth mentioning that 12db is probably not enough to push a slightly broken amp into thick overdrive with a single coil guitar, if that's your goal.
Tone Shaping
The Super Clean also has four micro tone shaping switches hidden on its right side. These switches can help adapting a specific guitar to an amp, or help sculpt your tone for soloing. They make subtle changes, but from what I experienced, they can be very useful. I leave them all in their off position, because I use the pedal only as a signal conditioner and to match the input signal of several very different guitars.
Here are the switches and what you could possibly use them for:
HIGH CUT - say you want to tame a super bright Tele
HI MID BOOST - cut through better with a humbucker
LOW MID BOOST - thicken up your single-coil
BASS BOOST - fill up the room with deep clean bass goodness
Pros
Does exactly what it promises and nothing it doesn't
Remarkably quiet
Optional non-true bypass mode for an always on buffer with foot switchable booster
The useful tone shaping features is a nice touch
Small pedalboard friendly size
9v or AC adapter powered
Cons
I would prefer a full size gain knob
Verdict
The Xotic Super Clean buffer is exactly what it was designed to be. It is a super clean, super transparent buffer and booster. Xotic effects are known for their RC booster, AC booster and BB preamp for years, because of their great quality and overall value and this little pedal lives up to the brand's name for sure. I am very happy with my choice and I highly recommend anyone who is on the market for a transparent buffer, booster or both to at least check that one out.
Xotic Effects Demo Video
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