Out of the box, the Analog Spring Driver pedals are guaranteed to work with spring tanks that have an input impedance between 600 and 800 ohms. It is possible to use a tank with a lower input impedance rating though, but you may not be able to use the full range of the spring drive control. If you find there is too much or too little spring drive, the control range can be adjusted by opening the pedal and turning the blue trim pot on the circuit board with a small screwdriver by about 1/3 of a turn. Turn it clockwise for more drive and counterclockwise for less drive.
If you do not know the input impedance of the spring tank you have, you can find out by looking at the seven-digit code on the tank. If the input impedance is 600 – 800 ohms, the letter in the second position should be “E”. Here are a few examples of tank models that are the correct input impedance:
8EB2C1B
4EB3C1B
4EB3C1B
8EB3C1B
9EB2C1B
8EB1C1B
For more information on reading spring tank codes, see our article Spring Reverb Tank Codes Explained.
What sounds best is really a matter of opinion. What sounds best to one person may not be good to another. Fortunately, spring tanks are not too expensive. Most range from $15 to $40 U.S. dollars, so trying out a few different types is possible. If you want a fuller sound with more low end you should consider a spring tank with three springs, and if you want more of a vintage sound, then a two-spring tank will likely be a better choice.
No. Without a spring reverb pan connected, only the dry signal will be heard. Without a spring pan connected, you basically have a clean boost pedal. If you are intentionally running the pedal without a reverb pan, you might want to turn down the wet volume and spring drive knobs if noise is an issue.
Because the Analog Spring Driver pedals are real spring reverb effects that use actual spring tanks, it is normal for them to be sensitive to vibrations and electromagnetic interference. To avoid feedback problems, care must be taken when deciding where the pedals and external spring tanks are located in relation to other gear. You should avoid placing them directly in front of any amps or other speakers.
If you are using the ASD-1 or connecting an external spring tank to the ASD-2, it is very important that you use high quality, shielded cables. Cheap unshielded cables will produce a lot of unwanted noise. The best cable choice is an RCA (aka phono) cable that is designed specifically for reverb pans.
