The King in Yellow

Parallel Blending Overdrive

## Description

### Graphic

The graphic is an illustration by Asia Sansalone of the King in Yellow from Robert W. Chambers' book of short stories of the same name. He is depicted as a hooded figure facing away from the viewer whose cloak transitions below the waist into tentacles.

### Controls

* Level - Output master volume
* Gain - Input gain
* Low - Active low frequency cut/boost (+/-16dB)
* Lo-mid - Active low mid-range frequency cut/boost (+/-16dB)
* Hi-mid - Active high mid-range frequency cut/boost (+/-16dB)
* High - Active high frequency cut/boost (+/-16dB)
* Clip - Switches between symmetrical, asymmetrical, and LED clipping modes
* Blend - Clean/effects loop signal parallel mix (0-100%)
* Polarity - Switches effects loop phase polarity
* Bypass footswitch - SmartRelay footswitch, engages or bypasses effect

### Jacks

#### Top

* In - Signal input
* 9v - 9 volt, center negative power adaptor input
* Out - Signal output

#### Right

* Rtn - Return signal of the FX-loop, mixable with Blend control
* Snd - Sends dry signal to external effects

### Webstore Description

> Shortly after launching our initial line of pedals we started asking which pedal people would like to see the Lichtlaerm take on:
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> The results were overwhelmingly unambiguous: an Overdrive based on the classic green box that we all know and love.
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> At the same time we started discussing doing a collab of the “Heave Metal Amps & Pedals” group on facebook: after discussing features the amazing Asia Sansalone provided the artwork for this one and it turned out just glorious!
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> As always we tried to honor the original circuit and leave the core sound intact while offering something new that you won’t find on any similar pedal!
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> Enter: The King in Yellow!
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> With a saturation and frequency response clearly based on TS-style overdrives we added our revered active 4-band EQ - as always voiced to perfectly suit the pedal!
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> As we usually do we also added a charge pump to increase the operating voltage to 36V internally ensuring immense headroom, three times the output volume and a clear operation of the EQ while simultaneously keeping the noise floor low.
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> In addition to the classic symmetric clipping we added an asymmetric setting as well as LED clipping for more dynamic range - all available at the flick of a switch.
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> The real standout feature of the King in Yellow is its parallel loop, tho: create unique overdrive tones by blending the Yellow King with anything in the loop! A perfect mix of Klon-style transparency and the cutting mids of a TS? No problem! A Blues Breaker style breakup-tone with just a hint of SRV? Sure! Blending a modern metal boost with the tried and proven screamer as a boost? Pushing your amp into sonic mayhem by blending the Yellow King with an HM2? Bring it on!
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> Even a delay or modulation in the loop will create interesting textures as the loop signal will stay clean and be mixed with the saturated part later on.
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> You may even use it as a splitter for stereo setups with the polarity switch ensuring correct phase of both signals no matter if you decide to mix it back in or run the outs into separate amps!
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> If you decide to leave the loop unconnected it will turn into a clean blend to be mixed with our OD-signal. The mixing will always happen after the EQ but before the master volume to allow for clean boost operation as well!
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> Features:
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> * Lichtlaerm Audio Smart Relay technology
> * TS-style overdrive
> * symmetrical, asymmetrical or LED clipping
> * extremely high output
> * 4-band EQ with up to 16dB cut/boost per band, non-interactive, constant-Q
> * low noise, high headroom (27V internally created)
> * parallel fx-loop with polarity switch
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## History

### 2023

The first appearance of The King in Yellow was in a demo video by Jon Symons posted to Sonic Drive Studio's YouTube channel and shared on Lichtlaerm's social media pages on July 6th, 2023. The King in Yellow is the first pedal to feature white lettering printed on the gold faceplate. The pedal was added to the Lichtlaerm webstore and officially announced on their social media pages an hour later with the following text:

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> We just released a new pedal!
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> The King in Yellow is our take on the classic Tube Screamer circuit. Not particularly a circuit we were interested in doing but when we asked what you guys would like us do next this was by far the most requested style of circuit!
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> So we sat down and tried to come up with features that set this pedal apart from the rest of similar offerings and add something exciting to one of the most widespread circuits ever!
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> With it's super flexible 4-band EQ you'll be able to create sounds never heard from a TS before! Added clipping options are available as well as a parallel fx-loop that allows you to blend the King in Yellow with any effect in it's loop or simply use it as a clean blend!
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The King in Yellow as it appears in Sonic Drive Studio's demo video, 2023/07/06The King in Yellow official announcement image, 2023/07/06
## Videos

### 2023

* July 6 (Launch Day) - Kyle Bull, Sonic Drive Studio
* July 18 - dots.sounds
* August 10 - Sonic Drive Studio
* October 4 - Mad Steex (feature explanation by Daniel with full Guitar Summit 2023 line)
* October 8 - Dome
* October 11 - Dome (with Boss HM-2w and SD-1)
* November 13 - Ens\_Bass (bass demo with Altar, Medusa, Gehenna, Aquaria, and Electric Roots Meatgrinder, Lilith v1, and Lilith v2)
* December 13 - Dome (with Gehenna and Medusa)