The ULTIMATE Dream '65 vs. Strymon Iridium Comparison
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2024
- It's finally here. The big one. The comparison between the @UniversalAudio Dream '65 and the @strymon Iridium.
Gear used in this video: (affiliate links)
Dream '65 (only $319 now) : sweetwater.sjv.io/4PxAao
Strymon Iridium: sweetwater.sjv.io/LXy1DM
Strymon Flint: sweetwater.sjv.io/6eQ1Aq
BOSS SD-1: sweetwater.sjv.io/R5No1N
Xotic EP Booster: sweetwater.sjv.io/y2Pvy3
G&L Legacy: sweetwater.sjv.io/oqgvzO
Timestamps
0:18 - Biggest tonal difference in the modeling
1:13 - Clean sound comparisons / getting the same sound out of the pedals
3:20 - Max Gain on the Dream '65
3:47 - Max Gain on the Strymon Iridium
4:55 - Testing the boosts on the Dream '65
8:18 - The confusing nature of digital 'limitations'
9:15 - EP Booster with Strymon Iridium
10:16 - EP booster with Dream '65 and compared with Stock boost
11:08 - 'Vibrato' feature (Tremolo, I know)
12:55 - Recreate Vibrato sound with Strymon Flint & Iridium
13:41 - How the pedals handle OD pedals
14:08 - Dream '65 Clean vs OD w Sparkle Drive
14:42 - Strymon Iridium Clean vs OD w Sparkle Drive
15:09 - Dream '65 Clean vs OD w BOSS SD-1
15:52 - Strymon Iridium Clean vs OD w BOSS SD-1
18:28 - Dream 65 Speaker Sims (Celestion Greenback)
19:10 - Dream 65 Speaker Sims (Oxford 12K5-6)
19:48 - Dream 65 Speaker Sims (EVM12L)
20:33 - Dream 65 Speaker Sims (Celestion G12-65s Two Rock 2x12)
21:24 - Dream 65 Speaker Sims (Fender Reverb CTS 4x10)
22:07 - Dream 65 Speaker Sims (Fender Twin 2x12 JBL D-120F)
23:12 - Bass Response Comparison between Dream '65 and Strymon Iridium)
24:39 - Using the app and the problems of Bluetooth Technology
25:12 - Testing my favorite presets
26:49 - The problem with "smart" devices
28:28 - The costs of using each pedal
31:25 - The Dream '65 in a mix
32:11 - The Strymon Iridium in a mix
33:12 - How to compare these pedals and who these pedals are for
35:43 - I guess I don't need one of these, so I'll give one away
Superdanger Studios is based in Nashville, Tennessee and is a full service creative house for musicians and artists. Our services include songwriting, production, digital strategy, and media production. www.superdangerstudios.com
Follow on IG: / superdangerstudios
Equipment used (Amazon are affiliate links)
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Universal Audio Dream '65: amzn.to/3bU8bwO
Strymon IRIDIUM: amzn.to/3yv3rFf
Strymon FLINT: amzn.to/3QjbcGe
EP Booster: amzn.to/3w6Zm9U
BOSS SD-1 Super Overdrive: amzn.to/3T35udc
Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive MOD: amzn.to/3A0eEy9
Fender Blues Jr: amzn.to/3wZw50A
Lollar Pickups: www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-...
Warmoth Necks: warmoth.com/index.php/guitar-...
Strymon Iridium: amzn.to/3z9dmCk
York Audio IR: www.yorkaudio.co/shop
SSL UC1: amzn.to/3vVWISQ
iMac 2017 5k: amzn.to/2XVdqCi
Sony A6400 camera: amzn.to/3aksgY8
Sigma 16mm f1.4 lens: amzn.to/3fS4Fz5
Apogee Duet 3 Audio Interface: amzn.to/3M9AH9Q
I use the Apogee Duet but it is out of stock at over 10 years old, this is the newer one that will work just as well
Sony MDR-7506: amzn.to/33RiL1h - เพลง
Great review. First of all, finally someone that read the Iridium manual. Nobody, I mean nobody, compared this 2 pedals with the middle all the way to the left on Iridium. And that's how it's supposed to be emulating a Black Face Fender. Otherwise it is a blend of a BF and a Tweed. That way they really sound similar.
Now, the thing about the Vibrato controls on the Dream I agree completely. It's horrible to change the knobs then change back, and they are at the wrong positions, etc, etc. The only workaround I'm doing is setting the vibrato in a fixed way and using one of the switches to trigger it on or off. Otherwise, I prefer not to use it.
One thing I disagree with you is that the differences between Dream and Iridium are because one modeled the Normal Channel and the other the Vibrato Channel. I mean, sure, that's correct, and the Vibrato Channel does have a bit more gain and a bit more treble. But that's very little, at least on my Deluxe Reverb and all the others I have played. Iridium gets "flatter", with more mids, especially with gain added that's not really the way the Normal Channel would react. In the real Deluxe, it would still be scooped and very similar to the Vibrato Channel.
Also, I'm pretty sure that Strymon modeled Iridium with the gain of the amp from 1 to 5. Because a real Deluxe have much more gain than the Strymon pedal, more like the Dream in that regard.
And that's to me the difference between those 2 units. Dream is more authentic. Everytime you played I could close my eyes and think "that's a Deluxe Reverb". While Iridium can sound like that in some settings, and can sound like another amplifier. Not better nor worse, but something fendery but not a Fender DR.
Thanks Gus. Appreciate that. Yes you are right, I really should have said they are just completely different animals. One is an actual Deluxe Reverb, and the other is a Blackface homage amp. That probably would make more sense. Thanks for the input! Cheers!
@@SuperdangerStudios Hi, what is the specific york deluxe IR you’ve used on this comparison video. Because I have a york audio DR IR’s too. Hope you share it and looking forward to try it too. Great content, keep it up. Thanks 👍🏻
Hi Neil, I am using the DXVB which is their deluxe reverb style IR. Thanks for the kind words. Cheers!
@@SuperdangerStudios Hi, do you use the multi-mic mixes? Or just the single mics IR? Cheers!
I just use the multi mic mixes as I get stuck in the weeds and end up way over my head when combining mics! haha. I think I was using mix 3 on this one.
Such a well done video! Everything I was hoping to hear! Thank you so so much -- absolutely worth the wait!
This is such a great review! Really value the work you put into this. Excellent points on both pedals, and appreciated hearing the pro’s and con’s. Well thought out. Love your channel.
Thanks, Isaac! Both are great pedals just end up going in very different directions.
Excellent comparison video. I’ve been looking at both of these recently and you left no stone unturned. Fantastic job
Thanks, Ramirez! I have 3 more videos on the way re: the Dream and Iridium.
This is easily the best and most useful comparison I’ve seen by far. Thank you!
Thanks, JC! I tried to be as thorough as possible on this video and the other recent ones I have done. Covering the things other videos might have missed or went by too quickly.
Difficult to like one or another when you make both sound so great! Enjoyed this review!
Thanks for watching!
Love your videos, dude. I picked up an Iridium recently and found your channel while I was trying to do research. Your videos solidified my decision. So far, it is absolutely fantastic. I must say I've been spending most of my time with the "Punch" '59 Plexi setting myself! If you're wanting more gain, that's the place to be. Cheers!
Thanks, Darren! Appreciate the kind words. The Iridium is a great pedal and it sounds like you are already enjoying it! Cheers!
This video was so helpful to me as I love my iridium, but came very close to dropping 400 on a dream 65. Already having plenty of different drives and effects, I definitely am happy to have stuck with the Strymon! Thank you
The Strymon will get you 90% there! And with the right effects no one will tel the difference!
You deserve more subscribers sir. Your playing and tone is amazing and your videos is well made as well as the video production. Continue making great helpful videos.
Incredibly kind of you to say. Thank you! More to come.
Dude I usually don’t comment on these videos but this was a great demo comparison for sure! You definitely help me make my decision! Thanks man✌️
Rusty thanks so much for the kind comment. Big fan of your channel I love your teaching style. I’ve been able to learn a lot from watching some of your Vids. Cheers from a former Chicagoan.
@@SuperdangerStudios thanks a lot man✌️
@@rustysguitar1 what’s your decision?
@@theflamerising1767 Definitely the Dream! I haven’t bought it yet!
Your channel is the best Rusty.
Finally watched everything. This video is the most helpful one to help people decide which one to choose. I will look forward to watching the next video, seeing whether I can win Dream 65 to try :)
Thanks, Don! Appreciate the kind words. They are both great pedals but end up going in different directions when it comes to tone. Cheers!
I really love your videos. Such good playing and a very nice pace throughout. My Iridium was never nervous - it knew it was going to stay on my board.
Thank you David! Happy to hear your Iridium is safe and sound haha.
A very enlightening comparison - at last I seem to get a realistic impression of where the differences between these two pedals are, handlingwise and soundwise. And the playing here is certainly cool and competent as well.
Thanks so much for watching moreorless. They are both fantastic pedals but just take the tone in different directions. More authentic Deluxe Reverb on the Dream 65 and more versatility on the Iridium. Cheers!
Great video and in depth comparison! I play the Iridium live and love it!
Rock on! Love the Iridium. Gonna do a deep dive on the Punch channel next!
Alex, I love your comments and your playing! Thank you so much.
No thank you for watching!
Felt compelled to comment given the time it must have taken to make this, and it's a really quality comparison. Thanks.
Right on thank you for watching!
Never used the Iridium before, but currently am using the ACS1 by Walrus Audio (which I feel is more similar than the Dream '65), but from this review I can see why having the Iridium (or ACS1) is more applicable to me personally, I too like my pedalboard and using the Flint too! Videos like this are great for us TH-cam junkies who's eyes are much bigger than our wallet and we get the itch to buy gear without playing it ourselves, thanks for making this video so in-depth!. 👍🏻
Hey Nick, thanks for the thoughtful comment. I wanted people to realize that their pedalboard as it is today is not holding them back! The modelers from the last 3 years are amazing and the Dream pushes the tech further but does not leave anything in the dust. I gotta try that Walrus soon. Cheers!
Truly excellent and informative review, thanks a lot
Very kind! Thank you for watching! More to come.
Just happened across your channel whilst looking for Dream 65 reviews. Great review - super informed and informative.
You've got great production and your delivery (speaking) is excellent - not sure how to articulate it - interesting /captivating.
I'll definitely be watching more of your vids
Awesome, thank you, Andy! Appreciate the kind words. More to come!
Another great video, Alex. I see you are deservedly well on your way to the 2,000 subs I predict within weeks.
Your comparison between the Dream '65 and Iridium is the first one I have seen that does justice to both. Even before watching this, I was absolutely certain you would keep the Iridium. Every other demo I have heard makes the UA pedal sound just very good, whereas the Iridium usually sounds great to my ears in most standalone demos. When you factor in the Iridium's mid control, the other two stellar amp models and swappable IRs, it's a clear winner. The thing I find with the Iridium (and the RevivalDrive) pedals, is that I don't mind if they are not spot-on authentic recreations of any particular amp. What I most appreciate is how quickly and easily they get you into the cranked-NVM-classic-amp zone, especially the feel, guitar volume knob cleanup, and touch-responsive note bloom, with no bad sounds at any knob positions. I am interested to see if UA puts out its take on a Plexi-style pedal in this series. The Iridium Punch amp will be hard to beat.
Thanks again, Slide! They are both amazing pedals just meant for very different circumstances. As you have pointed out, along with others, the Dream is a literal Reverb Deluxe in a box, while the Iridium Round channel is more of a Fender homage amp. Not really nailing one amp but it gets the point across convincingly. But when you add the revival drive you are talking about a whole different beast.
I bet UA are doing at least 2 more pedals, marshall plexi, and maybe orange/hiwatt? Interested to see where their pedal emulation product line goes.
Thank you so much for this video. This 100% convinced me to keep my Iridium😄
No need to feel like you're missing out on a lot. The Iridium can do like 85% of it with the right IRs!
The best, most practical review of these pedals! Thanks!
Wow, thanks! Both amazing pedals that accomplish a similar goal in different ways!
No one ever mentions that they're based on the different channels on a Deluxe.
Another excellent review. Stumbled on one and stayed for more. I’d be interested in a review of of the ToneX pedal!
Thanks for watching! One day I’ll review the tonex!
Such a great, useful review. Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Thank u for making this comparison..love all yur videos..please keep it rolling. U just earn a Subscriber.
Greeting from Singapore. 🙏❤️
Thank you for watching! More to come!
Hi, first discovery of your channel with the subject matter being the draw as I have the Iridium at the end of my pedal chain, no amp. Really good info shown in a constructive and real way, thanks and I subscribe.
Thanks Dude! Strymon Iridium is still so good after all these years. Cheers!
Thanks for this! After many HX Stomp tries, Head Rush littler pedal, Iridium, Walrus ACS1, I kept coming back Deluxe Reverb builds in these things… that’s my favorite real amp and always has been but needed a pedal di solution… so I thought okay I’m gonna give this a try but first I watched this and others and man… I loved what I was hearing you say! Loved your tones! I got it Sunday(didn’t realize the postman delivered it Saturday haha) and it’s exactly what I hoped for and I love it! Thank you!
Thrilled the video helped! Which pedal did you end up getting?
Finally a fair comparison !! Excellent job
Thanks Ryan! Both of these pedals are great and deserve to be compared at their best.
What an excellent assessment. I have the Dream 65 and I agree with all your conclusions. I use this pedal as a backup/alternative on a second, smaller pedalboard that has less pedals on it then my main pedalboard. It's convenient for some rehearsal, informal and travel situations. For most live gigs and recording, I use my Fender Amps and a Two Notes Torpedo Captor X.
Gotta love the TwoNotes captor series. They did a great job. But the dream is a great little pedal to grab and go. Cheers!
Thank you. Finally a review that makes sense. I use a Mooer 5150 mini amp modeler. I'm on the cheap. I plan on upgrading when I think I need something else.
Thanks JD!
Great review. I just got the strymon and am really happy.
Great to hear! It’s a blast to use.
Thanks man, helpful! BTW, you have a great voice.
Happy to help! And also happy my voice isn't annoying haha.
I love this demo…. !! Awesome content all the time
Glad you enjoy it!
Dude you are a superb guitar player and this is a great comparison video! Thanks.
Glad you liked it! Thanks for the kind words. More to come!
Incredible review. Thank you
Glad you liked it!
Both pedals in the mix tracks sound good! Thank you for your videos of the Iridium and Dream, along with the highlight of York IRs. Great insight on "pedal platform" IMO - So, the never ending debate... Blonde or Brunette, both are equally beautiful!!
Thanks for the kind words! Love both these pedals and use them side by side often! Let the debate rage on haha.
Great video, and I more or less agree with you after owning both.
I have a bit more fun with the Dream treating it like a real, standalone amp where I can tweak the knobs and pretend I'm chasing classic sounds from my favorite albums. With the Iridium, my preference is to essentially "forget" that it is an amp modeler at all and use it as a neutral clean platform for all of my pedals.
Another thing to note is that the Lead mod setting on the Dream "removes" the bright cap, which should make it function more like the Normal channel that the Iridium is modeling. You can do this with boost on the lowest setting so as not to add any gain.
The Dream is an amazing pedal and it is a ton of fun. They modeled it perfectly. I use the iridium similarly to you. As a 'generic' fender platform sound. I did try that lead setting but I'll check that out again before I give this pedal away in the contest next month. Cheers!
Thoughtful content man. Really well put.
I started on guitar decades ago but spend most of my time with synths these days, working on indie game soundtracks that sometimes include guitar. Far from a Guitar / "Rock" centric studio.
You hit the nail on the head. I don't want versatility as much as I need a strong, single voice/tool I can learn to work with and shape to fit into my music. I want a mostly clean tone with some nice trem/verby vibes. It seems like this hits those all in one go just fine.
I have an old Fender Champ I can still slap a mic on. Especially if I want to blow the fucker up with a rambunctious fuzz tone (something I'm not expecting the Dream to hold up through, but we'll see.) But day to day, I just want something easily shapable I can leave on my desktop to ease the recording process.
I currently use a Joyo American Sound for this and it's absolutely fantastic for the price, if a bit noisy (even with my noiseless pups.) The touch dynamics are really there with the Joyo. It feels right and it responds to my pickup changes, volume/tone knobs and little things like scraping really close to the bridge with a pic. I just haven't used a software amp sim that's "Felt" right in that way.
The Dream is basically software in a box, while the Joyo is essentially a few stacked analog gain stages with some filter caps serving as a speaker sim. I'm really excited to give the Dream a shot with all the great things I've heard.
Very cool to hear thanks for sharing. I think you'll like the Dream it really covers a ton of ground and is easily shaped in post as well. And it does take a fuzz well! I put my voodoo labs super fuzz in front and it rocks all day.
This was honest and well thought mate. Thank you! Just bought Woodrow and its good for me, and what I do. I appreciate the thorough review here. I own a Deluxe Rev but hoped this would save my back on steady small venues and I could have both... LOL I WANT IT ALL, DUDE!! HAHAHA! 😄Cheers Brother!😇
Thanks so much for watching and the kind words. I just got the Woodrow too! Can't wait to put it through it's paces. I feel like it got totally neglected by everyone during the marketing blitz. And I hear ya on the gear my man. I WANT IT ALL AND WE DESERVE IT ALL
There is something about strymon iridium that I really love. I love how the input stage "senses" your guitars impedance when plugged directly to it. Response really well with your guitars volume knob esp single coils. Perhaps that's the FETs doing its glorious job? Well biased transistors are my favorites.
Love the Iridium. It just feels right.
Great unbiased review. Subscribed.
Welcome aboard! Thanks for watching, my friend!
@@SuperdangerStudios My pleasure. I think you’re the sole person on social media who actually “gets” the Iridium. Lol. The Dream is awesome too, BTW. Just different animals.
The Dream sounds much closer to like a real Deluxe to me. The Iridium sounds like a mixed and mastered recording of a Deluxe. You pretty much said that, just saying that was the first thing I noticed
Agreed! Both can work well just depends on your needs!
Top work and playing... based on this video, I will be buying both pedals 👏😎
Awesome! You won't be disappointed. Both are fantastic pedals. Cheers!
Excellent demo! 👏 For a strat player decided to go for the Dream, cheers
Right on! Hope you enjoy it!
Awesome review, thanks very much.
My pleasure! Thanks for watching!
I'm so sick of seeing TH-cam demonstrations of pedals where they don't read the manual and just set everything at 12 o'clock. This is .by far. the best explanation I've seen of these pedals.
Thanks so much! It’s important to make pedals sound their best, otherwise why even review them? Cheers!
Yeah, I agree with you. I own both. I love the sound of the Dream, but for some reason, the Iridium somehow fits better in the mix.
Thanks Aaron! I just recorded another video today and used my blues Jr after I was using the dream and the recordings are so different. So easy to mix the amp tracks compared to the dream.
@@SuperdangerStudios and the Blues Jr isn’t a great sounding amp, interesting.
Brilliant. Explains to me why it was so difficult to get a clean demo of the dream and it sounded shrill.
So I realized you have to turn volume to almost 0 and pump the output to get a really clean sound. Gonna do another video on that.
Great comparison. After watching your video, I thought I’d try something different that I’m not sure anybody’s talking about. Everyone always bags on the Line 6 Helix cabs. I’ve been watching several videos on how to make those cabs sound much better. They are apparently not IR based, but rather algorithms. Running both the Ruby and the Dream through several of the cabs on my Helix, I got some amazing tones. I’m not a TH-camr, so I’m not intending on putting a video together. But if you have an HX stomp or some other Helix product you might want to try running your Iridium and UAD pedals through the cabs in that box. Just a suggestion… Love your channel!
Thanks, Bryan! Great insight. I would love to try the Helix series. A lot of pros I know down here in Nashville love the helix stuff. It always sounds great in demos online and live on stage. I’ll try and get my hands on one. And maybe a Ruby too while I’m at it.
great review man!!!|
finally someone to tweak the knobs on the iridium and make it sound as great as any other good amp/cab sim pedal.
Right? The Iridium is no slouch! Tons of great tones out of this thing.
Holy crap. This was such a comprehensive comparison. GAS eliminated! Thank you!
Ha ha hey Christian thanks so much for watching. I appreciate the kind words and I’m happy to relieve you of your gas! Happy hunting
The comparison is brilliant. But more brilliant is your style (playing and talinkg), I laughed loudly a couple of times, without loosing the line of the video... thanks for this video! very useful for us on a GAS stage (again)
Thank you so much! These are great pedals and both have a rightful spot on any guitarists board. Happy to hear it was slightly entertaining too!
This may be the best comparison video I have seen on TH-cam. Thank you. Do you have any plans to do the same with the UA Ruby vs. the Iridium?
So many have asked and I guess that is next on the chopping board!
I'd be happy with either. I have the Iridium and Flint which I like. And I've thought about buying the Dream. Thanks for the comparison.
Both are great pedals with a little different spin on the deluxe reverb. Hard to beat the iridium and the flint though!
Cool video man.
Thanks Dude!
Another great sounding demo! I picked up a used Ruby and have a used Dream 65 on the way because I wanted to see how it did against the Iridium with my pedals. The Ruby doesn’t blow away the Iridium. Different but not better. It may sound 2% better for the basic raw AC30 sound than Chime Cab A but there are bigger sound differences when using different IRs on the Iridium. I agree with you that the Iridium is a chameleon that can change its sound. Ruby has a lot of settings that sound harsh and bad (you can hear this in some of the pro demos) and didn’t sound great lwith a Klon Centaur in front. I didn’t sense a better feel in the Ruby but there is less headroom than the Iridium. The bluetooth worked great out of the gate but it’s not practical for playing live.
I wanna check out the Ruby too bc so many people use that as their primary. I should get myself acquainted w the chime channel on my iridium bc i rarely use it. Cheers!
Thanks for the helpful comparison. I love the tones youre getting from each! Will you do a similar comparison with Iridium and the Lion 68? I have both and I'm curious about your perspective. Thanks!
I will eventually! The current video lineup goes through some killer amps from 2023 but will circle back to the UAFX Lion soon bc It sounds so good in the demos I have watched. Cheers!
Great, the Iridium is still my go-to :)
I appreciated this a lot. I’ve been looking into getting a digital solution recently. I don’t see many videos on your channel using the chime setting on the iridium. I wonder how the UA Ruby matches up to the iridium’s chime setting. Would love to see more chime setting videos on your channel. Love the channel and the content.
Going to do a bunch of chime and ruby videos coming up!
Awesome. I can’t wait to see them.
I know you love the Iridium/RevivalDrive combo. I think you will be keeping the Iridium. Me on the other hand, it is the combo of Page TS (used mainly for feel and eq depending on the guitar)>Cali 76 Stacked (very minimal compression, mainly for feel)>Revival Drive (either the regular custom OR Hot Rod Custom)>Dream 65 OR Woodrow 55 (each set as a pedal platform setting and only one being on the whole time). This setup allows my volume control on my guitar to determine the gain in my sound/tone... Looking fwd to the vid!
I run the exact same two pedals as my "main clean" sound Page TS into Cali stacked. I run it through a real princeton, but I hadn't thought about running that into the dream (or HX for that matter). Bu tI run my dirt out front of those. For OD/crunch, I run a two channel pedalboard with a Gladio+ millenium OD on one side and an Artisan on the other. As you say, then the volume knob controls dirt more than output.
@@MatthewSpringer actually both the Iridium and Dream sounded their best with the Page TS being set on preamp mode and with slight compression from the Cali 76. However it was too much when turning on the Revival Drive (which is a preamp in itself)...Same thing with the HX Stomp XL, the Page TS in preamp mode makes it sound WAY Better! I mean a noticable difference.
Thank you! I am really torn on wich one to get… I also just got a flint v2..it’s so hard with all the options these days also I am defiantly subscribing!
Thanks, Ryan! Good thing is whatever you choose will be a good decision. The Iridium is a bit more hands on, while the Dream is more of a plug and play. I have lots of other videos on Dream and Iridium comparisons if it helps. Cheers!
@@SuperdangerStudios thanks man! I really appreciate the insight, I will check the other videos out. That’s great to hear because I love all my strymon pedals and I’m also a dedicated UAD spark and volt2 user
Thanks man, I often use the UA OX live driven by a tube amp (Stapleton signature Princeton) using an OD peddle and the Boss fender '65 reverb peddle. Im a massive fan of what UA is doing. Own a pair of the UA Apollo x8p for my home studio. The Dream is worth looking into for my single coil guitars. A hell of a lot more compact and easy option than beating up my amp and home studio box at outdoor gigs. Appreciate it.
Oh man I love the Stapleton Princeton. I am town between that and a Suhr Hombre in the future. UA is really the top of the game in so many different departments. I think you will love the Dream and what it offers.
@@SuperdangerStudios Been playing with the Dream for the past 2 days. As I ran every single guitar I own through it, I have to say the Gibsons really shine, especially the ES125 from the 50s.
The sound's right where it needs to be through the PA compared to my live amp setup. Sounds superb thru a 57 tweed deluxe reissue to give the amp trem and reverb.
I'm sold. Love the pedal's versatility and simplicity. So many tones, small package.
Thanks for this!!
Cheers!
great evaluation top notch 👌
Thanks, Norm! Both are great pedals just serving different guitarists.
Really enjoying your reviews on these pedals. I love your points about using these pedals in the way that fits your needs, rather than using arbitrary settings to keep it “fair.” Also, I’m always digging your tones and writing, all around!!
As someone who hasn’t purchased either one yet, and is not bought into Strymon or UA at all, two things come to mind for me -
1) Dream users, correct me if I’m wrong! The Dream seems to be strongest in the studio, over a live application, when the huge array of tonal options don’t need to be accessed quickly and on the fly.
2) They both have excellent tone for what they do! There is a lot of critical thinking going on in the comments that is really highlighting how the differences are more like splitting hairs (tonally) than anything else. Lots of great points. Beyond the difference in features as stated before, the real difference is the player at that point.
I love that at the $400 price point, you’re bypassing a great amp, a great mic, perfect mic placement, a perfect mic’ing environment, even when rushing onto the stage to play!
I’m an analog pedalboard kinda guy, but the amp/mic/etc variable can sometimes dampen the experience of playing live especially, for me.
Thanks Alex for the work you’re doing, and to everyone participating in this discussion.
Thanks for the insightful comment and sharing your exp. I agree and in that I havent used the dream live but have used it in studio and it did great. I have used the iridium both live and on stage and both situations worked great as well.
It really just depends on your workflow and how much you want it to sound like a real Deluxe reverb. If that extra 5% is worth it to you then the Dream is where it’s at.
Cheers!
just loaded some bass irs onto my iridium and now I was between buying a second one (for gigs where I need a guitar and a bass amp pedal) or trying something new.
second iridium it is. thank you for the great review!
Right on Man! Sounds great as a bass amp kinda reminds me off the bass input on my old 64 Bassman . What IRs are you using?
I have both and am keeping both. The Fender sound has always been my sound, and living in a Tokyo condo I can’t do anything louder than my 1970s Vibrochamp at home.
I think they both sound great and excel at different things. I find the Dream ‘65 is really nice for when I only want to deal with one pedal and my looper (which has a headphone jack). It really can match loads of sounds on records I’ve had a hard time getting to date with my other gear. I find it doesn’t really gel that great with my humbucker guitar though, so when I want some old school jazz sounds, I go Iridium. The Iridium, Flint, and Deco really is a crazy good setup. I have the Volante as well which I love.
In short, the Dream ‘65 really is a luxury item for me and my setup, but I really enjoy playing it, and sometimes you just need a bit of variety to spark the creativity.
Thanks for sharing Dimensions. And I ageee! The Dream is perfect for a quick single pedal setup. It’s ready to go out of the box and it is insanely accurate at classic tones. Also I need to check out the Deco as it looks like the biggest sleeper hit pedal in the last 2 years.
Cheers!
The new Deco is a vast improvement over V1, mostly because of the tone control and cassette settings. It provides an amazing saturation and glue’s things together in ways that are impossible without it placed at the end of the chain. The doubler is super rad as well!
What looper do you use?
@@sawdustcrypto3987 Boss RC600
Got in for the comparison. Stayed for the playing! Very nice, congrats!
Quickie: how did you manage to use the York IR with the Dream?
Thanks for watching and the kind words! I used Bias FX 2 in Logic as an IR loader and turned off the speaker cab in the Dream 65. Sorry I wasn't clear on that. Cheers!
I think you've converted me... was really rooting for the Dream '65, but you make fair points. Thanks for the video, love your channel! (Y)
The Dream 65 is amazing. Easily the best Deluxe Reverb emulator I have ever played. But I am still an Iridium guy at heart.
Great comparison! I've got the Dream '65 and am delighted with it (I haven't tried the Iridium). It basically does everything I need in terms of a great reproduction of a classic Fender sound, and it's so convenient to travel light with and run through a clean amp or PA. For recording I use it alongside my Neunaber Neuron which offers masses of flexibility, but isn't trying to reproduce any particular amp sound. Really the only thing that irritates me with the '65 is that UAFX haven't also included presets management etc. in the desktop app - it would be so much handier in a studio set-up than messing about with a mobile phone. I think they missed a trick there, so I hope they'll address that at some point...
I bet they’ll add MIDI support in a future patch. It would be insane for them not to. Right?
@@SuperdangerStudios Absolutely. The basic hardware is fantastic - it totally nails what I bought it for (yes, I see the moans in comments about the switch settings for tremolo etc., and I agree - that's tripped me up too, so I need to get used to it), but I think (hope!) UAFX will add a lot in future firm/software patches, because the '65 is such a solid platform to get great sounds from.
I just watched your follow-up video using humbuckers into the '65 and Iridium. Really cool! I haven't tried that - my go-to guitar is my ToneFox Elcaster with P90s and the '65 works beautifully with it.
But I've just "rediscovered" my old 1978 Gibson The Paul. After watching your video I'll make it a priority to plug it into the '65 and try for some classic vintage gain tone! 😎
I get the impression the Dream is meant to emulate the way the amp really sounds as is, while the Iridium emulates the way the amp sounds after a touch of studio EQ to make it fit in a mix.
Which is a plus and minus for both sides. I like that out of the dream because then it's just closer to what you expect from miking your amp. So the transition from using a real amp to a simulation is more seamless. But it does mean you may get an unideal sound in a small venue with limited EQ capability.
The more i play the Dream the more I see how the boosts and the speaker cabs are part of the eq as well. It definitely helps clean up the mids and low end but not as precisely as an Iridium. Insightful comment! Thanks for watching!
"The ceiling is higher on the Iridium" ...You saved me a lot of typing with this perfectly in tune assessment. Musically the Iridium will have more range with pedals, for sure. It will have more room for experimenting.
I bought the Dream recently and while i thought it sounded stellar for what it was i sent it back and bought an Iridium,Flint,and Keeley compressor for quasi boost.Very happy now.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the blue-tooth on the Dream is the latest gen. so that means that it transmits 120 feet and has NO user interface. No security access whatsoever and you can never turn it off. This means that there is no assurance that it wont be transmitting all of your signals to the local "internet of things network". In other words you have no idea if your music is being picked up by ring cameras and sent to a cloud somewhere and there is no possible way to verify anything anybody says to the contrary. When i contacted UA about turning it off they said "it is always transmitting" and said they were genuinely going to bring it up in a management meeting.
The chips in the dream are way overpowered as well, they are of the variety that run the latest smart tv's...in other words internet of things chips.
Food for thought anyway. I always have believed a person should have total control over what they buy but then again i was alive before the internet.
You make very good videos sir, keep up the good work!
Wow I had no idea about that always on bluetooth. Very interesting. The Dream sounds amazing but same as you, I already have the sounds I need so I am gonna give it away. I agree also about having control over signal transmission on something you bought. It seems like the ethical thing to do right? I am interested to see if the product team addresses the bluetooth thing. Thanks for the kind words. Cheers!
@@SuperdangerStudios agree they should have added an on off switch for the Bluetooth. It’ll not be a serious live tool without that. For studio it’s acceptable.
This is such a great video. I picked up both the Iridium and Dream and ended up keeping the Dream. The Iridium is excellent though, and I can totally see why someone would choose it over the other options out there!
Both are such fun pedals and solve many different problems. If I was on the road more I would be tempted to keep the Dream! It does so many great sounds and might be the best modeler sound I’ve ever heard. Cheers!
@@SuperdangerStudios It's just cool that there are so many legit ampless solutions. In the past I couldn't find a single one I liked, and now we've got so many to choose from. It's way more fun when there's no clear winner.
@@andrewclarkeguitar what was your reasoning for keeping the dream? Looking at both of these and interested in your process and what brought you to the decision. Thanks in advance!
Great video. Very relaxed approach you should be a narrator of e-books! Lol
Haha thanks Music Fed! As long as they are guitar e-books!
I felt that “I don’t wanna smart anything” rant. I don’t even like saving settings on pedals with that function. Put the knobs in front of me, no hidden secondary function. I don’t want anything stopping me from playing, and if I have to think through secondary functions or scroll through screens or pull out my phone and use Bluetooth (which I hate with a passion) then I’m not playing.
It really gets in the way when I have a focused mindset. Picking up my phone when playing is a creativity killer!
Great video. I owned both but let the Iridium go. The dream sounds really excellent to me. Mostly I track temp stuff with amp in a box and then re-record with tube amps and cabs. I like the stereo in/out so I can use fancy stereo pedals into the front of it too.
Right on! They are both great and can tackle diff jobs for diff players. Happy to hear the Dream worked out for you!
I use the Dream in the exact same way, great for scratch tracks and still has the valve type feel.
This was a great review - comparison of both pedals wow! i do also write music and i am into the Dream 65, firstly as a backup in case my tube amp fails or maybe use it a lot more in my recordings if it sounds good anyway :). I watched and read in other reviews that the Dream 65 is noisy - humming like the real thing. Did you have any noise problems with this pedal? it is very important for me you know. Clean recordings :) Thank you!
Thank you Kostis! I have not experienced any humming unless I am using a weird fuzz pedal or high gain pedal in front.
I could not watch everything, but it seems like I will keep my Iridium. I do not need the overdriven sound of Fender amp. Thanks for your review, and hope to see other UAFX pedal reviews if possible.
Alex-my first video on your channel knocked me out! Well done, polished review sir! Such a superb, comprehensive comparison with all of the details one has to consider. Much appreciated. I came in with really liking the Dream 65 sort of due to frustration with modeling in general for the past year. I noticed how lush the reverb was in another comparison vid and it had sustain! My modeler which will go nameless sucks, especially the iffy sustain which is a deal breaker. Completely uninspiring and why even plug in? Moving along, I did get a laugh when you used the Flint for reverb with the Iridium-ah ha, looks like cheating..I'm kidding. As you mentioned, yeah the "room" on the Iridium isn't great, I was underwhelmed with that too.
Thanks for mentioning the difference of the Deluxe channels used by each unit, makes a difference for sure. For someone who is tired of constantly tweaking presets, the Dream 65 seemed like gold but hmmm, the process of the getting into the vibrato is kind of a drag. But it sounds good! I really did like how the Dream 65 cleaned up with the volume down on your G&L. Neither pedal really was great with their boosts as you mentioned. I did hear that the Iridium seemed to be slightly better at serving as a pedal platform.The Boss SD-1 sounded great through it. Something to consider obviously. I hear you-I don't need a smart anything-phone, house etc. either! (Alexa could you, for the love of God, get me a decent Marshall Plexi crunch tone?--Riiight) Man, that phone app and the resulting madness that could occur made me cringe. Who in the hell needs that aggravation? Thanks for the pro review Alex!
Thank you for such a generous comment, Marcus. Very much appreciated. It is unfortunate that there isnt a spring verb built in bc that is a big investment to buy the Flint, but the additional features on the Flint make up for it. I actually have been using the flint for a while on my main rig bc i dont like the spring verb on it so it was already in the collection haha.
The Dream is an amazing pedal though. They nailed the modeling of the deluxe reverb and all the intricacies that come along with it, however the internet of things is just more tech disasters waiting to unfold in your day to day life haha.
Cheers!
@@SuperdangerStudios Not a problem sir! Yeah, the Dream 65 may the one I buy but I was actually considering a Kemper a couple of weeks ago before I even knew it existed. But the Kemper obviously is alot of coin to part with-ouch! Going to really think that whole thing through and take my time on it. Modeling tones have come a long way but I want to streamline things and not be "scrolling around to make noise" as you said. Trying to avoid impulsive purchases though. I really did like the various speakers available on the Dream too. Not that I have completely written off the Iridium, will have to check out the other amps on it. And it IS a good platform pedal. Cheers back at ya!
PS-how do you enter the Dream giveaway contest?
After playing with the Dream more it really is an amazing pedal, even with the frustrating app/preset side. I love my Iridium but I can see alot of use cases for the Dream. As for the contest here is the video on it: th-cam.com/video/krFfYYeMd34/w-d-xo.html
Good luck!
Definitely prefer bass sound on the Iridium. I prefer some of the sounds on the Dream and it’s great but not throw-away-your-exiting-pedal great. If I want to switch to brighter sounds, I would just flip the switch to chime settings on Iridium. Or engage the fav switch. Works everytime for me.
Agreed. Both are great pedals but really end up making very different tones for different players. Cheers!
UAFX pedals are built as faithful representatives of the original amps. They're not of course the same, but that's the concept. You don't like the limitations of these amps, then go with an irridium, helix, or fractal. The deluxe amps on these pedals sound great. Personally I think there's charm in the kinks and limitations. I've had a helix and now I just want to plug in and play.
Well said
Excellent video. I'm currently choosing between getting the Dream 65 and Iridium (going back to pedals after a brief stint with modellers). I used to own Dream 65 for a bit, and I remember it being very "flashy" - mostly in a good way. What I mean by that is that it kinda sounded like a "hyped" version of the Fender clean sound, with a bit more bite, character, and top end (probably more top end than actual guitar signal usually has). It felt very nice under my fingers, and sounded great in isolation, but... it had some drawbacks. The bass response was kinda weird, some cabs made my low E sound kinda out of balance with the other strings. Dream is also inherently scooped (which it should be, as Fender amps also are) and that almost always sounds good in isolation, but not necessarily in a mix.
I never tried Iridium. It seems like it could be more "balanced" (which would suit my preferences). The only fear I have is the feel/dynamics. I know this is super subjective, but some reviewers described Iridium as "flat". What's your experience when it comes to dynamics/tactile nature of actually playing through this pedal?
Thanks so much for watching. As for the flat feeling I don't think so at all. Here are some other videos I made that go over what I use to make it sound and feel really good.
This goes over a lot of my settings. th-cam.com/video/FNlBxGdZC88/w-d-xo.html
This is my overview of the Iridium: th-cam.com/video/aWh5oFV4Z0Y/w-d-xo.html
This is my overview of the punch channel: th-cam.com/video/vhdVgNARRcE/w-d-xo.html
This is using it with the Revival Drive: th-cam.com/video/G_9r8be6P6E/w-d-xo.html
Hope this helps!
Great video. I appreciate all the angles you approached this comparison with. I personally disagree with your gripes with the tweakability of the effects. I imagine that if they put in more options, the price would have to also increase. I view the built in reverb and tremolo as bonuses if I choose to use them. They sound good and I plan to map my buttons to toggle the reverb | vibrato on/off. If I want specific reverb sounds, I would get them from another pedal instead of from this unit. There will always be too many or too few tweak able parameters for someone, so I'd rather there be a good, Fender reverb onboard a Fender-voiced unit (because while you may want a dwell knob, I may want a high and low tone control as well for the reverb, and the next person may require a pre-delay also). If someone is dropping $400 on an amp-modeler, logic would say that they also have a budget for other pedals.
Thanks for watching! I hear what youre saying re: the options but wouldn't their plugin software which runs as the basis for the OS on the UAFX pedals would be easy to port into the pedals via the app? They already give you access to various rooms/mics that are not available normally with the artist presets. That being said, I still love them both. Great pedals, solving a similar problem but in very different ways. Cheers!
Really dig your stuff. Content is useful and your production is great. Your are just fun to watch. So, since I have to bring a full PA to our gigs I'm working on loosing the my guitar amp/combo and replacing it with something like the Iridium. While I've not tried it live I've been able to get a really great guitar sound through my PA using an MXR ten band eq and, believe it or not. a Joyo American Sound. Never thought the Joyo was good enough to gig with but run through an eq I'm getting the sounds I want. I'm quite suprised. That got me thinking, could the Iridium be that much better sounding? What do you think? Would you gig with the Iridium? No high gain stuff, and I'd be using my other pedals through it. Likely only using it for the Round sound. Yeah, I'm also very aware the crowd could really care what I"m playing through. In reality I'm not much of a musician, more of an entertainer. So having that perfect "tube tone" isn't that important too me - so long as we are getting that positive flow of energy with the audience. Thanks again.
I have played the American sound and it does really well! Unless you feel like you’re missing something specific on stage or functionality (midi, IRs) then you should keep what you got!
I have both. The Dream smokes the Iridium. And honestly, I prefer the Walrus Audio ACS1 to the Iridium. But, to each his own.
I agree Eric. The Dream is an amazing emulation of a Deluxe reverb. I still love the Iridium though which is why I’m giving away the Dream to one of my followers.
Cheers!
I found your channel and have thoroughly enjoyed your videos. I have a few pedals that are a necessity and tried a headrush but didn’t like the latency and the digital learning curve so these amp sim pedals seem ideal. I use a boss katana and keep it on the clean channel with an added booster pedal and reverb. Would the iridium be best for a variety of clean sounds in this scenario?
The Iridium is a fantastic clean channel/pedal platform. From fuzz to modulation, totally handles all sounds!
@@SuperdangerStudios I think I may give Iridium a shot then. Truly appreciate your opinion and all of your videos!
Follow up, as I’d stated on another one of your videos, I ended up purchasing a Dream 65, along with loading up my Iridium with York stuff. My normal pedalboard always has a Flint at the end, going into a couple vintage PRs, or Trace Velocettes. I purchased the Dream 65 to replace the Flint, and the amps, on gigs where amps are not practical. It fills that role very, very well. It literally sounds like a miked Deluxe! It paid for itself on the first show on a ballroom gig with 5-600 people, and I didn’t have to cart amps down the street into loading bays.
That being said, the Flint/Iridium combo is very, very potent. So many great sounds to be had.
So great to hear that. So many tools for getting different jobs done!
I want my sound to be Fender Black Face and I did grow up with the Beatles and that British Invasion sound. I love the American Blues and the Kinks! So this video has made clear to me that the Strymon Iridium is the ticket!
Right on! Enjoy! I just used the iridium this morning on another track. Cheers!
i have the iridium, volante and flint v2 in my board. I love those 3 pedals, i didn't tried the dream because i am happy with the iridium, but when i can i use my real princeton 68 :D
Aw man I’d love the volante on my board! One day perhaps. And yeah if you got a real Princeton no need for the dream! Cheers!
Never have I wanted a pedal more only to be disappointed.....true, the Dream 65 does sound great clean but it gets edgy and brittle quickly. Meanwhile my Iridium just covers so much ground, it's so easy to dial in and sounds fantastic. But I will keep hold of the Dream 65 for now because it took me about 6 months to fall in love with my Iridium and maybe the same will happen with my Dream 65. Absolutely fantastic video review. I have now watched a few of your videos and have subscribed! Great videos, great playing, thank you!
Thanks for watching Stephen! I was the same as you. But now that I have had it for a while I really love the Dream, which is why I am so bummed I am giving it away haha. The Iridium is still my top amp in a box for now but the Dream nails the DR sound better than anything else I have heard. If that is what youre looking for, it is a great pedal. Thanks for the sub!
I think this dude makes the best guitar gear videos. It’d be my personal preference to have more focus on live/stage content but, this guy is great.
Thanks so much for watching!
6:20 “That’s not really useable…”
Dude… that was one of my favourite sounds the whole video. It’s about HOW you use it.
Good point!
Excellent video! Some of the ‘unusable’ sounds seemed curious to me because I like amps pushed to the limit where the speaker starts to lose the ability to accurately produce the signal with tube torture, overtones, and fuzz--and then backing off with volume …not sure if these units can produce that ‘Jenson speaker on the edge of its life’ tweed thing but would love to know….I’ll check out your Woodrow video;). Oops: 25:00 is informative with the ‘fuzz friend’. Hmm.
Thanks for watching and the kind words. I would say the Dream has a lot more usable sounds than the Woodrow. Love them both but the Dream really feels good when you roll back. Whereas the Woodrow takes some getting used to. Do you use any modeler right now?
I’m not necessarily saying one sounds better than the other and I do accept that the Iridium is conceptually different and meant to be ‘manipulated-to-taste’ perhaps more so than the Dream. HOWEVER, I’m a singer, I trust my years and have been schooled by some of the greatest producers of modern times. My ears tell me that no matter what you tweak to match in this demo, the Dream just sounds overall ‘more open’. Again not better or worse, that is of course subjective.
LOVE your Videos, as well as your communicative skills/style!
Had the Dream '65 come out first years ago, and you had built your Pedalboard around it, and if the Iridium (in its current form) just came out now, would you ditch the Dream '65 for it?
Thanks so much! Hmm. Great question. If the Dream came out before the Iridium I would have built my board much differently for sure. However, the Iridium has so many other features that I love so I would have probably saved up and bought the Iridium too! haha
I have the Dream 65, Ruby, and Woodrow. Might have been cheaper to just get the Iridium…
Great video, great performance. You used the Dream 65 with York Audio at one point. Do you think Dream 65 cabs are superior to York Audio's?
Thanks so much, Roberto! I do think the Dream 65 cabs are superior but that is bc they aren’t actually IRs. They are speaker emulations that are dynamic. An IR is only a capture of a speaker at a fixed volume response under a specific load. But speakers move and react differently from different volumes along with other factors within the cab. The emulations within the Dream 65 capture those nuances like nothing I have ever heard before. That being said, I love my York IRs and use them all the time on tracks and live. Cheers!
Very nice video ! Thank you for the great comparison ! If i get iridium can i use it with my real cabin at Home ? I have Marshall dsl head amp but with my setup i am not very happy with the sound of my amp .. these are compact and great sounding looks like taking pedals well .. Can i connect it to my cabinet and use them ? Many Thanks
Thanks! To answer your question, You will not be able to use the Iridium with you cab unless you go into a power amp first. Something like a Seymour Duncan power station. Or into a powered cab like a line6 power cab. Hope this helps.
Thanks! Your videos on this topic are all great. I'm wanting to improve sounds in my recordings and use a box rather than mic up an amp. These videos have been very helpful but I still can't decide. The Dream seems to have more string snap in the upper mids that the Iridium doesn't seem to have but The Iridium seems way more versatile. Currently, I'm using the Two notes Cab M+ but find those sounds good but not particularly authentic. Problem is, I like Fender and Vox sounds, so do I have to buy the Dream AND the Ruby? 😢
haha yeah that is an expensive purchase if you have to get both of them. If you are looking for true authenticity, the Dream is insane. I bet if you find one used or on sale on reverb you will be very happy with it.
@@SuperdangerStudios I've decided, I'm going for the Ruby as I have a bunch of great sounding amp sims within my UA Apollo Twin set up. Fender 55, Marshall Super Lead and Plexi and I have the Fuchs Super OD. (Game changer for the recording guitarist and songwriter). With Ruby, I should have all the bases covered and I think Ruby will be my main sound. I do love the Vox vibe and sound. Thanks so much for the reply and of course your great videos. Like I said, awesome work.
Finally picked up a Dream 65 to compare with my Iridium, and I have to say that the York Audio Deluxe Reverb IRs (which use an Oxford speaker) sound a lot better to me than the Oxford in the Dream 65. I'm using the Iridium in cab sim mode (bypasses amp sim) after the Dream to compare.
I agree. The York audio dxvb IR might be the best fender IR out there.
I like the iridium. Nice size. Easy to program without an app. Sounds great as a pedal platform and the “room” knob is really sweet. I prefer using the Marshal for my clean tone 90% of the time.
At this price point pretty much all pedals tend to have so many useable tones.
Iridium is a blast. The room knob is deceptively helpful when glueing together the sound or going for a real lo-fi sound.
As guitarists we have so many good options now. It’s amazing!