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NPD: Neunaber Neuron - with a little review

Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2023 7:44 pm
by vintage52
I've had a Neunaber Slate for a while that hits the spot for delays, reverbs and chorus.

The software you drive it with gathers up all those old versions and the most current for this model pedal quite well.

I was looking at the website last week and saw the Neuron Gain Intelligence pedal.

Up until then, I'd not known Brian Neunaber had ventured into the world of digital gain.

Trolling back through some old posts here I reached out to one of the team and asked about the feel, sound, useability etc.

Rather than a written review, I ended up with the pedal in my hot little hands and wow!!...what a pedal!!

It's very clever in its simplicity and hugely dynamic in its range.

Running the Neuron clean with some sparkle into the slate with a washy verb and then to my Laney 5W, the tones are just glorious!

I've played with the higher gain settings only a little bit as the clean is giving me that vibe like the tone of a piano - it's just awesome.

Will look to do a fuller review once I get past the honeymoon period.
Neunaber.png
Neunaber.png (296.02 KiB) Viewed 24562 times

Re: NPD: Neuron

Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2023 7:49 pm
by robthemac
vintage52 wrote: Thu Oct 19, 2023 7:44 pm I've had a Neunaber Slate for a while that hits the spot for delays, reverbs and chorus.

The software you drive it with gathers up all those old versions and the most current for this model pedal quite well.

I was looking at the website last week and saw the Neuron Gain Intelligence pedal.

Up until then, I'd not known Brian Neunaber had ventured into the world of digital gain.

Trolling back through some old posts here I reached out to one of the team and asked about the feel, sound, useability etc.

Rather than a written review, I ended up with the pedal in my hot little hands and wow!!...what a pedal!!

It's very clever in its simplicity and hugely dynamic in its range.

Running the Neuron clean with some sparkle into the slate with a washy verb and then to my Laney 5W, the tones are just glorious!

I've played with the higher gain settings only a little bit as the clean is giving me that vibe like the tone of a piano - it's just awesome.

Will look to do a fuller review once I get past the honeymoon period.

Neunaber.png
Oh fuck yeah I'll dibs the hell out of this please

Re: NPD: Neuron

Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2023 8:05 pm
by vintage52
Don't have the makings of a pedal board so here is my meagre attempt.
IMG_6231.jpeg
IMG_6231.jpeg (1.42 MiB) Viewed 24535 times

Re: NPD: Neuron

Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2023 8:40 pm
by Cdog
Nice one Bill! Look forward to reading your musings :)

Re: NPD: Neuron

Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2023 5:08 pm
by vintage52
Bit of a review after having the pedal for almost a month.

I feel spoilt.

First, Neunabers blurb and stuff with some editorial altering:

A solution that is convenient, easily portable, and doesn’t need to be turned up to 11 to sound great, whether you run direct or amplified.

A dynamic multistage guitar preamp with compressor, noise gate, speaker simulator, presets and MIDI in a compact pedal format.

Dynamic multistage gain architecture yields unparalleled control over the desired amount of distortion — producing harmonic structures that range from subtle to dense and complex.

Unique design, based on years of research into amps and pedal circuits, is not a model, emulation or simulation of any particular amp.

Single-knob Compressor easily controls the drive level for smooth, consistent tone.

Studio-quality Noise Gate with adjustable threshold.

Global Tilt EQ adapts your tone to various setups, saving you time when you change amps or between an amp and direct — simply turn one knob and go!

Switchable Speaker Simulator for running direct or to a powered monitor/full-range powered cab, saving you the trouble of an outboard speaker sim.

Three-band EQ plus Tightness and Presence gives you total control over your tone. Non-interacting controls allow for impactful and precise adjustments.

6 presets (user-configurable) stored/recalled from the footswitch - like having a multi-channel amp in a pedal.


What does all this mean?

A very versatile, multi tonal amp like pedal that gives me bell like tones out of my strat, gritty punch with some hair from my tele and, when so inclined, Panama sounding drive with harmonics galore.

It sounds wonderful clean, crunchy or OTT. It can Chug!!

I only have SC guitars and my tele has always been a bit of a mid-range monster and coupled with the Neuron, it's a sound that makes me want to play.

It's a bloody clever thing. Like BG, I have wooden ears so I may be hearing it different to others, but when I could get piano like tones clean and that VH Panama thing going using the Tele, I was most impressed.

Still finding my way but enjoying it immensely.

Re: NPD: Neuron - with a little review

Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2023 5:37 pm
by robthemac
Dibs.

Re: NPD: Neuron - with a little review

Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2023 12:45 pm
by vintage52
So....I'd lost my way with how I had settings on the pedal with regards to the tight, tilt and pres controls so I re reset them to a midday position as far as knob placement is concerned.

By having the extra controls set as such and driving from the top, I can't find a bad sound.

I read up on the interplay between the gain and compressor functions (not ever had a comp before) with the resultant tweaking producing anything from cleanish disco chord stabby tone, jingly jangly on edge of breakup tone, bluesy sustainy tone to some very nice Marshall tone whether bluesbreaker or JCM gain.

Full out gain and no comp, it's a chugging animal that chugs!!

Certainly knowing how to dial in the low, mid and high controls helps when trying to find that sound in your head and massaging them in small increments is vital so you can find that sound.

I was pleasantly surprised to get the dynamic drive tones of my RevivalTREM out of the Neunaber. The interplay between guitar volume and tone and the Neuron at reasonable gain levels from a digital unit is quite astounding.

So far.....honeymoon is still in full swing....

Re: NPD: Neunaber Neuron - with a little review

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2023 1:57 pm
by vintage52
FuzzMonkey wrote: Thu Nov 30, 2023 9:37 pm
Been listening to and having a hankering for one of these based off the vids and general vibe of reviewers.

Then I realised I needed to get my head back in the game for the Neuron.

Neuron don't claim to sit within any particular amp zone but the Neuron certainly has the gain intelligence to sit within just about any amp tone you would care to find.

If you engage the speaker simulator and hit a DAW, even though the Speaker Simulator filter is voiced to sound similar to Iconoclast with default settings and tone knobs at 12 o’clock and is not adjustable, it sounds very very "real".

Probably will still get one of those Boss thingies...... :lol: :lol:

Re: NPD: Neunaber Neuron - with a little review

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2023 2:11 pm
by Cdog
There are many things I need. Thankyou GAS

Re: NPD: Neunaber Neuron - with a little review

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2023 3:46 pm
by Kiwiaxe
Great unit. The computer app for it opens up a lot of opportunities too including multiple presets. And I use little Yamaha Bluetooth midi adaptors to connect my neuron to my computer without cables

Re: NPD: Neuron

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2023 4:09 pm
by olegmcnoleg
vintage52 wrote: Tue Nov 07, 2023 5:08 pm Bit of a review after having the pedal for almost a month.

I feel spoilt.

First, Neunabers blurb and stuff with some editorial altering:

A solution that is convenient, easily portable, and doesn’t need to be turned up to 11 to sound great, whether you run direct or amplified.

A dynamic multistage guitar preamp with compressor, noise gate, speaker simulator, presets and MIDI in a compact pedal format.

Dynamic multistage gain architecture yields unparalleled control over the desired amount of distortion — producing harmonic structures that range from subtle to dense and complex.

Unique design, based on years of research into amps and pedal circuits, is not a model, emulation or simulation of any particular amp.

Single-knob Compressor easily controls the drive level for smooth, consistent tone.

Studio-quality Noise Gate with adjustable threshold.

Global Tilt EQ adapts your tone to various setups, saving you time when you change amps or between an amp and direct — simply turn one knob and go!

Switchable Speaker Simulator for running direct or to a powered monitor/full-range powered cab, saving you the trouble of an outboard speaker sim.

Three-band EQ plus Tightness and Presence gives you total control over your tone. Non-interacting controls allow for impactful and precise adjustments.

6 presets (user-configurable) stored/recalled from the footswitch - like having a multi-channel amp in a pedal.


What does all this mean?

A very versatile, multi tonal amp like pedal that gives me bell like tones out of my strat, gritty punch with some hair from my tele and, when so inclined, Panama sounding drive with harmonics galore.

It sounds wonderful clean, crunchy or OTT. It can Chug!!

I only have SC guitars and my tele has always been a bit of a mid-range monster and coupled with the Neuron, it's a sound that makes me want to play.

It's a bloody clever thing. Like BG, I have wooden ears so I may be hearing it different to others, but when I could get piano like tones clean and that VH Panama thing going using the Tele, I was most impressed.

Still finding my way but enjoying it immensely.
I'm a Neunaber fan...now I want one.

Re: NPD: Neunaber Neuron - with a little review

Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 9:18 am
by vintage52
Kiwiaxe wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2023 3:46 pm Great unit. The computer app for it opens up a lot of opportunities too including multiple presets. And I use little Yamaha Bluetooth midi adaptors to connect my neuron to my computer without cables
That sounds interesting.

Got a link to the model you use please?

Cheers.

Re: NPD: Neunaber Neuron - with a little review

Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:05 am
by Kiwiaxe

Re: NPD: Neunaber Neuron - with a little review

Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 11:11 am
by jeremyb
Just be wary that windows doesn't generally support midi bluetooth without an app like midiberry, but on OSX / IOS like I assume kiwiaxe is using it all works beautfully... The Boss wireless expression pedal I have works fine on OSX via bluetooth but requires a Roland adapter to work with windows...

Re: NPD: Neunaber Neuron - with a little review

Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 11:19 am
by codedog
jeremyb wrote: Wed Dec 06, 2023 11:11 am Just be wary that windows doesn't generally support midi bluetooth without an app like midiberry, but on OSX / IOS like I assume kiwiaxe is using it all works beautfully... The Boss wireless expression pedal I have works fine on OSX via bluetooth but requires a Roland adapter to work with windows...
Things like these finally made me switch to a Mac at home.