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INTRODUCTION

Thanks for purchasing a Diamond Boost-EQ combination clean boost / parametric EQ. 
The Boost-EQ combines a very transparent discrete clean boost circuit with a unique se-
lectable parametric EQ combination of a ‘tilt’ EQ and midrange boost/cut filter.

Remember to protect your hearing and wear appropriate hearing protection when play-
ing loud…

DESIGN BACKGROUND

The concept for the Boost-EQ be-
gan with a customer request for a 
‘compressionless’ Diamond Com-
pressor - i.e. a clean boost circuit 
coupled with the Compressor’s tilt 
EQ. A custom pedal was built and 
shipped that added a ‘pull’ function 
on the Compressor’s COMP control 
to remove the opto compression 
element from the circuit, using the 
Compressor’s remaining make-up 
gain section as a boost circuit. This 
was then followed by the tilt EQ as 
usual in the Compressor chain. The 
next step in the Boost-EQ evolution was the decision to take the J-Drive MK3 clean 
boost circuit and couple that directly with the tilt EQ. This became the first officially an-
nounced Boost-EQ (it had a large paddle ‘EQ defeat’ switch where the middle knob usu-
ally goes) and was shown at summer NAMM 2007. The pedal worked really well, but it 
was decided that a little something extra was needed, so an additional midrange boost/cut 
filter was added to the EQ chain, centered at the fulcrum of the tilt EQ ‘seesaw’, to give a 
very unique parametric filter combination. This became the official production Boost-EQ 
design.

FEATURES

•discrete clean boost circuit with JFET input buffering and bipolar drive

•premium audio components, including 2% polypropylene capacitors, 1% metal film resistors, 

Vishay transistors, and a Burr Brown OPA2134 opamp

•post-boost ‘tilt’ EQ provides a very musical tailoring of frequency response - seamlessly transi-

tion from a darker jazz voicing to a brighter jangle, with flat frequency response at the center 

detent position.

•midrange boost/cut filter placed at the fulcrum of the tilt EQ for a unique parametric EQ re-

sponse

•EQ section can be removed from the signal path via toggle switch

•dual AC capacitive coupling paths for improved transient response

•true bypass signal path

Boost-EQ user manual v1.00

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