Great Eastern FX has launched the XO Variable Crossover pedal, catering to both guitarists and bassists. The pedal separates audio signals into two frequency bands, high and low, which are then directed to two individual effects loops. This design allows musicians to apply varied effects to different parts of their sound.
The company explains the pedal’s flexibility: “Whether you want to restrict a particular effect to just one part of the frequency spectrum – fuzz on just the lows, for example, or reverb on just the highs – or combine different effects on the two bands at the same time, the XO opens up a whole host of creative possibilities.” They highlight its use for bass guitar, noting, “the ability to apply effects to the mid and high frequencies while leaving the lows untouched effectively means that no guitar pedal is off-limits.”
A prominent feature of the XO is its large knob, which controls the crossover’s centre frequency. A Range switch adapts the frequency range for either guitar or bass, while a Phase switch adjusts the high and low bands’ phase relationship. The Send Flip switch swaps the high and low sends, allowing musicians to exchange the effects between the two loops. Great Eastern adds, “With the switch down, the high band is routed to the low send and the low band is routed to the high send. This allows you to instantly swap over the effects placed in the two send/return loops without having to re-patch any cables.”
The pedal also includes Return Balance and Dry Blend knobs, which assist in maintaining the desired tone and correcting levels.
To further explain the product, Great Eastern FX has shared a video demonstrating the pedal, showcasing its use with bass at the 21:41 mark.
The XO Variable Crossover pedal is currently available for $279.
