Diamond Vibrato

HALF THE SIZE, ALL OF THE SOUND
Don’t let the size cause you to underestimate the power packed within. We’ve managed to stuff all the Vibrato’s analog audio path, Compandor and BBD Delay circuits in pedalboard-friendly sized enclosure. By using dual stacked PCB’s, we’ve not only optimized space but also enhanced the isolation of the audio path from the power and switching circuits. Add top jacks, soft-touch True Bypass switching, and standardized negative-center 9-18VDC input with polarity and over-voltage protection for a bulletproof pedal ready for any gig.
ANALOG BBD DELAY LINE
At the heart of this pedal lies the revered MN3007 Bucket Brigade Delay chip, renowned for its ability to create the rich, organic, and warbling Vibrato & Chorus tones which make the sounds of the 70s and 80s guitar icons. The MN3007 infuses its signature character to your guitar signal—delivering a natural, liquid-like pitch modulation with a rounded vintage texture and mojo that is missing from modern digital counterparts.
COMPANDOR MAGIC
Our Compandor Circuit adds warmth and complexity by controlling your dynamics. Acting as both a compressor and expander, it not only gives the Vibrato its signature feel and response but also reduces much of the noise inherently found in BBD technology. Borrowed from the Memory Lane Jr., the updated compandor design in the Vibrato provides increased clarity, less distortion and is pre-trimmed therefore will never have to be recalibrated.
INPUT VOLTAGE
While the original Vibrato could only be powered by an 18VDC reverse polarity power supply (internally regulated to 15VDC) – the new Vibrato offers a much more versatile 9-18VDC operating range. The voltage is internally regulated based on the power input and as a result, the pedal will sound slightly different depending on operating voltage as the clock frequency will shift.

For classic, pristine and lush Diamond Vibrato tones with added headroom, power the pedal at 18VDC like the original. Powering it at 9VDC will add a bit more color and warble—much like the “High Mode” in the original big-box Vibrato. You can take advantage of the added range or just dial back the depth. Better yet, grab a Cioks power supply and try it at 12VDC or 15VDC regardless of what you settle on, the Diamond Vibrato will sound great! As always, we recommend using a good quality, isolated power supply.

The Diamond Vibrato is a special pedal, period.
There is so much going on in the design, yet there’s an elegant simplicity to the pedal. The way the compressor and expander color and sweeten the tone and attack of your signal, while the MN3007 provides a natural and organic response, varying the pitch of your guitar. Plus, there’s a multitude of Chorus shades that can be dialed in. It’s a truly magical pedal, and the hype surrounding it is legitimate.

Since we relaunched Diamond a year ago today, we’ve been relentlessly asked about when the Vibrato will be in production again. As used prices for the large box Vibrato climbed until it crossed the four-digit price mark, many wondered why we were stalling. The simple reason is that we wanted to take our time to ensure we delivered an immaculate and sustainable successor to the original.

After months…and months…of playing, studying the pedal, and at times some downright frustrating prototyping, we can finally say that not only is the Diamond Vibrato back, but it’s also better than ever. Our goal was to create a pedalboard-friendly version that retains all the magic of the OG Vibrato while addressing certain drawbacks of the original big box pedal.

So, what else did we change other than the footprint? For starters we improved design of the compandor/expander by borrowing and tweaking the circuit that was originally designed for the Memory Lane Jr. The new design allows for less distortion, better clarity, a touch more high-end response, increased noise reduction, no popping, and pre-trimmed chips, eliminating the need for recalibration of the Vibrato.

The next big upgrade is a standardized 9-18VDC power supply. The new power section features polarity protection and an upgraded voltage regulator, allowing operation down to 9V. What’s more, you can alter the response and sweep of the Vibrato by using a different source voltage. For pristine and classic Vibrato sounds like the OG, plug it into 18V. For a more colorful sound with increased depth (like the original in high mode), plug it into 9V. Or experiment with 12V or 15V to find your Goldilocks setup. The pedal can be plugged into any common power supply, simplifying the process of finding your sound… We’ve seen enough pedals come in for repair due to being plugged into the wrong power source, and we’ve received numerous emails from people who are unsure about which power supply to use for the originals. With polarity protection and overvoltage protection, this pedal is built to last.

We’ve added an extra, darker Jazz setting, great for achieving a moodier tone or a lovely sound when placed before an overdrive. Additionally, we’ve added the option of a momentary or latching speed doubler when holding down the true bypass footswitch.

And the cherry on top? We were fortunate enough to score a stock of NOS Panasonic MN3007 BBDs (AKA the real deal) when we started this Diamond journey. We knew right away that we wanted to use them specifically for this pedal. The first few hundred Vibratos will be loaded with these BBDs*.
It’s finally here, and we couldn’t be more proud of our team for the hard work and care we put into getting this pedal right. We hope you enjoy it.

Greg

*Note about the NOS Panasonic MN3007 BBDs:

When we say “the first few hundred Vibratos will be loaded with these BBDs” what we mean is that we’re still building what we consider the first batch with the stock we already have on hand, meanwhile we are still working on securing as many more of the Panasonic NOS BBDs that we can find. So far we we have enough of them to fulfill all existing pre-orders whether it be from our website, reverb or a retailer.

Once we run out of the NOS Panasonics we will switch to the current production Xvive MN3007s which have the same amazing sound as the NOS Panasonic.

We’ll be sure to make a clear announcement via our website, socials and by informing our retailers if and when we are forced to make a switch to the current production MN3007s.