Let’s cut right to the conclusion: The Squeal Killer works at least as well as
the Kinder AFB+ at its core function of reducing feedback. But there are a few important differences and
caveats. Read on…
The Squeal Killer has no adjustments at all. In fact, it doesn’t matter which jack you use
for microphone in or out. The jacks are
not even labeled. The power supply is
hard-wired to the box so you cannot run it with a common 9-volt power source,
which could damage it. Setup is a
no-brainer.
I didn’t open up the pedal because doing so will void the
warranty, and I’m sure the creators of the pedal want to preserve any trade
secrets in the circuit.
The SK pedal is dead quiet and does not introduce any noise
into the signal that I could hear.
For this review I used my Mission Chicago 32-20 1x12 amp in
fixed bias mode. It makes 35 watts and
is very loud. I typically play this amp
on loud stages with no PA support. I
compared the performance of the SK to the Kinder AFB+ and to the amp with no
anti-feedback device. The harp mic I
used was my 1959 Shure 440SL with the in-line volume control removed. The review was done in my music room in my
house.
I used a sound level meter to confirm my subjective judgments,
but I relied on my ears to form my conclusions.
First, I played though the Mission amp with no pedals for a
while to get a baseline level and tone.
I am always impressed with the tone and power of that amp. With the amp on 5 (out of 12) it was barely
edging toward feedback and sounding awesome.
Let’s call that the baseline level.
VOLUME:
Next I plugged in through the SK pedal. The first thing I noticed was that the pedal
attenuates the signal. The amp was not as
loud on 5 as it had been without the pedal.
I was immediately skeptical that the SK pedal was no different than a
lower gain tube in V1, which will reduce your loudness allowing you to turn up
more but likely getting feedback at the same ultimate amplitude.
But as I cranked up the amp it got to the baseline level at
about 7 with no feedback, and I was able to crank it to 9 before it started barely
tipping in to feedback. The amp was louder than it had been on 5 with no pedals.
Next was the Kinder AFB+ pedal. This pedal does not attenuate the signal as
the SK does. I was able to crank the amp
to 7 before hearing a little ringing, which is the conventional wisdom for the AFB+. It is known for giving you about two extra notches
on a loud amp.
On 7 with the Kinder pedal the amp was about as loud as it
was on 9 with the SK pedal. At these
levels feedback was slightly better controlled by the SK pedal, and the sound
was more natural.
TONE:
The Kinder AFB+ is known for sometimes impacting the tone of
your amp. Many players say it adds a bit
of crunch. To my ear it is a small
trebly rasp that is not really annoying but is there. The SK pedal has none of that. It sounded closer to the true sound of the
amp,
I think the amp sounded best by itself, but it got louder sans
feedback with either pedal.
CONCLUSION:
It is common knowledge that replacing the input tube in your
amp with a lower gain tube changes the slope of the amp gain, making it less
steep and easier to manage. The amp will
not explode into sudden screaming feedback so abruptly. The SK pedal has that effect but it goes
farther: It reduces feedback potential at
the margins of higher volume. It allows
you to crank your amp more toward the “sweet spot” in the power tubes so you can
get improved amp tone AND reduced feedback at higher levels.
Based on what I heard today I’d give the Squeal Killer a
recommendation. It certainly deserves to
be in the conversation when discussing anti-feedback devices. It gets extra credit for simplicity and lower
price.
The Squeal Killer is available online from Rockin’ Ron’s Music 4 Less. They offer a 20-day return
policy if you are not satisfied. I’ve
dealt with Rockin’ Ron’s in the past and he has earned a reputation for excellent
service and reliability. That is part of
my recommendation for this product.
CAVEATS:
-The SK pedal is advertised as allowing you to crank your
amp to 9, and that is true but don’t expect your amp to be as loud as it is
without the pedal. The increased
headroom you get before feedback is not as dramatic as they make it sound, but
it is about the same increase you get with the Kinder pedal.
-It bears repeating:
The increased headroom you get before feedback is NOT dramatic but it is
useful. This pedal is not a magic bullet.
-This review was done in a certain room on a certain day
with a certain player and a certain amp.
Your results may vary. Feedback
is a demon that lives in the air and it is very unpredictable.
UPDATES:
Several readers have asked about the readings on the sound meter, Let's not get hung up on the numbers. My review was about playing impressions, it was not a lab test. The sound meter was there only to confirm my subjective judgment that I had the pedals at equal loudness, given that the SK pedal attenuated the signal and made comparisons of the volume knob position meaningless without a baseline measurement. I'm sure somebody will come along and do a more scientific test of the SK pedal.