Clean Boost?

I am planning on getting a Hardwire CM-2 Overdrive pedal for a little boost,tightness gain. I am wondering exactly how a clean boost is achived. Ive been told turn the gain up and the level down?
-mp-

For a clean boost with an OD...turn the level up and the gain down to almost nothing. That way you aren't adding much gain if any at all, but pushing (boosting) the signal harder with the level. That's what I do with my Bad Monkey.

zepplin490 said:

I am planning on getting a Hardwire CM-2 Overdrive pedal for a little boost,tightness gain. I am wondering exactly how a clean boost is achived. Ive been told turn the gain up and the level down?
-mp-

Click to expand...

Exact opposite. Level up and gain down.

K thanxz for setting me straight guys ive always been happy with my modules gain and tightness but ive always wondered what a boost would do for them!
-mp-

As a public service to you Matt there are two things that people use a "clean boost" for:

1: To drive a larger voltage signal into the front end, creating more signal to be amplified/distorted by the following stages.

and/or

2: To obtain the EQ inherent in the design of the boosting device.

Number 1 is pretty straight forward. Number 2 not as much. Many devices used for this application (the Tube Screamer is the poster child for this) have an EQ that tends to roll off the top and bottom, accentuating the midrange.

Combined with the results of number 1, you get a strong, mid-heavy signal into the front of your amp. Since many tend to counter this by using scooped mids or amps that have huge low end (think Rectos), the boost is actually counteracting your EQ decisions. You will experience a "tighter" amp with more saturation, very popular in the metal crowd. I know you also love a BBE in your chain, so you are taking that to another level.

Well the BBE is gone... those things are very strange they seem to do wonders for a couple weeks and all of a sudden seem to just be pushing crap so you take it out for a while then on a whim put it back in and its great again until it goes to **** on you again.. so i got rid of it and am happy without it!
-mp-