ODS® Overview

Approaching its tenth year of production, the Overdrive Supreme® has received glowing reviews in BOTH domestic and foreign publications. We recently received a very favorable review in Japan's "Guitar Magazine," as well as Guitar Player Magazine (February 2005). The Overdrive Supreme® is available in power ranges from 20 through 150 watts. Available in heads or 112, 210 or 212 combos. The ODs features a full time effects loop which can handle both line and pedal level signals. It can be run in series or parallel modes, and remains live, whether used as a line out (to drive a mixer or sound system) or a line in (for guitar synth, keyboard, drum machine, etc.). A spacious Accutronics 3-spring long decay reverb pan is used for a natural warm, yet detailed reverb.

The clean channel has brite and deep switches, as well as a rock/jazz switch, which changes the way the tone controls operate. Rock is a more aggressive and punchy bright tone, which jazz is lean and audiophile-like, being more balanced and smooth. There are passive high mid and low controls. The high control pulls for a mid boost, the mid control pulls for gain boost (which bypasses the tone controls). The clean channel acts as a preamp to the overdrive channel, and the tone controls and EQ switches are all active during overdrive use, including all boosts.

The overdrive channel features separate OD in and OD out controls. OD-in sets the level of saturation in overdrive, while the OD out control sets the final balance between clean and dirty channels. There is a global master volume, master reverb and accent control, which adds presence and edge to the output stage.

The entire audio signal path is fully tube (except reverb). The ODS® features a regulated high voltage DC supply for lowest noise, consistent tone despite line voltage variations, and also features regulated DC preamp tube heaters for additional noise reduction. These techniques are used in the finest audiophile and tube studio equipment, and are unique to guitar amps.

The output stage features separate 4 and 8 ohm outputs, AC and standby switches, as well as a detachable IEC power cord and external fuse. The chassis is made of aircraft grade aluminum, finished in gold iridite for corrosion protection. We use a combination of point to point and circuit board construction. All tubes are chassis mounted, while the power and output transformers are mounted directly to the chassis. By using single point grounding, the amp is quiet and free of hum at all operating levels.

High current power transformers and audiophile grade output transformers are standard, and are custom built to our specifications.

P3 Power

Install P3 power supply into Fuchs® ODS® or TDS® amp $199.00 (at time of manufacture). If done as a retrofit $249.00 plus round-trip freight. Allows amplifier to provide power for P3-equipped pedals and P3 power splitter, so pedal board is powered by the amplifier and requires no external power source. Amplifier may be used normally or with P3 pedal board. Rear panel power switch provided for P3 supply.

Footswitch

The standard ODS® footswitch is now a four-way Artist style starting in 2011.

This controls Overdrive and mid boost, gain boost, and reverb. Optional artist plus footswitches provide OD, Reverb, Mid and Gain Boosts, and FX bypass and mute (artist plus). The footswitch features extra rugged Cliff Switches, high brightness LEDs and a solid steel housing which is powder Coated and has a detachable CAT-5 cable.

ODS® Features

3/4" solid wood cabinets with durable tolex coverings. Anodized aluminum 3-pc chassis with long-lasting silk screened labeling on rear panel and brushed aluminum overlay on the front panel. Heavy duty Cliff brand jacks. Solid metal shaft Alpha potentiometers. Ultra-long-life neon pilot lamp and heavy duty AC power switch. Simple user adjustable bias (except 30-W which is cathode bias). The ODs combo amps feature tuned rear ported designs, to maximize bass and projection.

ODS® Specifications

ODS®-SLX Model

What's an SLX? Recently, the ODS® has gotten a revoicing. In conjunction with Scott Lerner, we re-approached the ODS® after its first three years of production. (All units after serial number 0300 are SLX). Previous units can be updated, contact your dealer or the factory for pricing.

The SLX update simply adjusts various tube operating points and equalizations within the clean and dirty gain structure of the ODS®. A few lengths of critical cable are also replaced with high resolution video/digital cable, which opens and extends the high end response, while smoothing the midrange out. The basic circuit design is unchanged, but the result is great detail, more touch sensitivity and a sweeter yet detailed overdrive. Note bloom and touch response are more noticeable. A tube replacement may also be required, as our choice of tubes throughout the amplifier has been carefully chosen to produce the specific tones inherent in SLX amps.

ODS®-HRM Model

By popular request, Fuchs® Audio Technology has now introduced the ODS®-HRM. The original ODS® preamp architecture was influenced by the D-style amps of the '70s and '80s, and will remain in production in all power ranges from 30 through 150 watts.

The new ODS®-HRM is heavily influenced by the '90s style D-style circuit architecture, and adds a unique, very flexible internal post overdrive tone stack, which provides a full range of adjustment for high, midrange and lows after the overdrive stages. In addition to allowing a player to tune both his clean and dirty tones to perfection, the overall overdrive gain architecture cleans up exceptionally well from the guitar. The HRM amps are articulate, yet can be warm, juicy and organic at he same time. The main tone controls now incorporate many of the innovations we designed for our Clean Machine® amp, and include gain boost, mid boost, selectable mid boost frequency, and a mid/low turnover switch, which adjusts the frequency point at which the mid and low controls operate. This provides for more tonal flexibility and a wider range of clean tones.

These amps are a culmination of Fuchs®' close to ten years of building the Overdrive Supreme®. The ODS®-HRM includes a revised version of our series/parallel effects loop, a revised reverb circuit with internal dwell adjustment, as well as a higher current raw DC power supply for maximum dynamics. The ODS®-HRM is available in both heads and combos, in 100 and 150-W versions. The final tuning and voicing was done by Andy Fuchs® and Scott Lerner.

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