Lightning Boy Audio Announces Olympus Multi-Tube Stompbox & DI Box

September 10th, 2012 by Gabriel Lamorie

Lightning Boy Audio, the handmade pedal manufacturer out of North Collins, New York has just released their second addition to their line with Olympus. Olympus is a multi-channel, multi-tube stompbox and DI that uses both tubes regardless of which channel you toggle to. On top of the tone derived from the tubes, Olympus also has a 3-band EQ on each of the two channels.

Four vintage tubes will power the tone for Olympus

With a price TBA, Olympus is geared toward an October release this year. Here are the main features from Lightning Boy Audio:

“MULTI-TUBE, MULTI-CHANNEL STOMPBOX & DI BOX

For Live Application: To allow the player to set their amp clean and use Olympus to get Clean/overdrive/distortion by toggling the different foot switches on the pedal.
For Studio Recording use: When bypassed, the pedal is a high quality passive DI box, utilizing a Cinemag transformer for converting unbalanced instrument signals to balanced mic level through a high quality Neutrik XLR connector. When activated, the pedal allows the user to take full advantage of the vacuum tube warmth and a 3 band eq before it hits the DI output. Just think… a DI Box with a 3 band vacuum tube driven EQ and if you want distortion it can give you that too.

Features:

3 channels (bypass, A,B). Channels A & B are an exact clone of each other, which gives the user the unique ability to dial in very slight tonal changes between the two channels or ie. they can make drastic changes between the two channels if they want a thicker, louder sound for leads.
Each channel features a 3 band EQ with Bass, Mid, Treble, and a gain section with controls for gain and presence, but also a mode switch which toggles between low gain (clean) and high gain (thunder). There is also a master volume control for each channel.
Two footswitches on the pedal. One is a Master Bypass (true bypass). The other switch toggles between channels A & B. There are LED indicators for the selected channel and for the Master Bypass.
Power on/off switch with an LED indicator. (The power connection and power supply is the same as the popular pedal the LBA Soul Drive.)

What Makes This Pedal Unique:

Olympus uses 2 vacuum tubes which are both in use regardless of which channel you are on.
Olympus doesn’t switch between vacuum tubes when you change channels, but rather it maintains your tone by using both tubes in the same configuration for both channels. This design allows Olympus to have 2 identical channels which the user can set differently and toggle between.
When the pedal is activated the tubes glow blue with no impact on the tone.
The tubes have been recessed into the pedal enough where they can’t be accidentally dislodged or broken.
There are protection bars are around the tubes and the tubes are located on the front side of the pedal, not the top where the controls are to avoid constant wear.

The Stuff That Doesn’t Make it Sound any Better but Sure Make it Look Good:

Tons of chrome and bare metal adorn Olympus to inform the world this is a serious tool for serious professionals.

True Bypass, point to point hand-wired all tube circuitry, and standard 1/4″ inputs input define this pedal as a serious player.”

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