Strymon Iridium – Is It Good? [REVIEW]

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strymon iridium pedal review

If you’re wondering if Strymon Iridium is a good pedal or not, don’t worry – you’ve come to the right place! In today’s article, I’m going to take a very close look on that high-end effect to see if it’s worth it. Many professional guitarists consider it as a crucial part of their pedalboards, but is it actually that good?

The truth is that Strymon Iridium Amp & IR Cab Simulator is an excellent guitar pedal. It’s not cheap, but it’s definitely one of the best effects of this type that you can find on the market right now.

Let’s dive deeper with research to find out what exactly makes the Iridium so unique and so popular. Firstly, we’ll have a look at the specs and the main advantages of that guitar pedal. We’ll also investigate if it has any cons. Of course, there will be a few sound demos included too, so you’ll be able to hear how it sounds.

Specs & Pricing

Strymon Iridium is a high quality stereo amp and cab simulator loved by the most demanding guitarists out there. Honestly, this pedal exceeds all expectations.

What makes it so special? Well, the pedal features three different tube amps and nine various speaker cabs. As you can imagine, that gives you access to a really wide range of different guitar tones! Whether you prefer the sound of the legendary AC30, Blues Junior or Deluxe Reverb – the Iridium won’t disappoint you.

What’s important, the pedal is also equipped with a built-in reverb effect, which makes it even more versatile and interesting. There are also 300 different presets that you can use to explore various different amp voicings. The versatility of Iridium is out of this world!

When it comes to pricing, it’s not cheap – in the end it’s manufactured by Strymon, the manufacturer of some of the most expensive guitar pedals in the world. Nevertheless, the high price is a result of a really high quality. That’s why this pedal is worth every cent!

Here’s the sound demo – feel free to check it out.

Who Is It For?

Strymon Iridium is a perfect choice for all musicians who want to get access to a huge amount of different sounds. It’s suitable for both beginners and advanced guitarists, although more intermediate players will be able to use its full potential.

Thanks to the versatility of that pedal, it can be efficiently used for recording and live performances. This is a really big advantage of that effect – that’s for sure!

Since it’s a pretty expensive guitar pedal, it’s designed for people who are searching for the best gear on the market. Strymon is considered as one of the best pedal manufacturers in the world, so it’s totally understandable why so many working musicians and professional guitarists use their pedals.

Overall, Strymon Iridium is an extremely versatile and highly efficient guitar pedal. I have no hesitation in recommending it to all guitarists who are searching for a great sounding and reliable amp simulator effect. I’m sure that you’re going to love it!

Here’s an another sound demo.

Disadvantages Of Strymon Iridium

It is difficult to find any major advantages of the Iridium pedal. It does a great job at simulating various different amp and cabinets and it’s really well made, so it’s very unlikely that you’ll experience any technical flaws.

It’s a quite expensive piece of gear, so it’s pretty clear that the high price is the biggest disadvantage of Strymon Iridium. But if you’re okay with spending that amount of money on that pedal, you will be extremely satisfied with your choice!

Are There Any Alternatives?

Although the Iridium is generally one of the best pedals of this type that are available on the market, it’s still possible to find a few really good alternatives. In my opinion, they’re not as good as Iridium, but they’re definitely worth checking out. The decision is up to you!

Here’s two other pedals that also simulate amps and cabs pretty well.

Alternative Option #1 – Walrus Audio ACS1
walrus audio acs1

Walrus Audio ACS1 is one of the most common alternatives that guitarists choose instead of the Iridium. It’s a really good and efficient piece of gear and in fact, some musicians think that it’s actually better than the cab simulator by Strymon.

But again, that’s highly subjective. Both of them are really good, so I’m sure that no matter which one you decide to add to your pedalboard, you’ll be really satisfied.

Here’s a video that compares both Iridium and ACS1 – feel free to check it out below.

Alternative Option #2 – BOSS IR 200
boss ir 200

BOSS IR 200 is an another really good amp and cabs emulator pedal, but in comparison with Strymon Iridium it’s a bit more complicated to use. The Iridium was designed to be simple, but the IR 200 requires a bit more time and practice in order to make the most of it.

Anyway, it’s a pretty good pedal as well. Here’s a really good video that compares both of these pedals – make sure to check it out below.

FAQ

Where is Strymon Iridium made?

Strymon Iridium is made in the USA – just like all the other pedals designed by this legendary manufacturer.

Where can I find the manual to Iridium pedal?

If you’re searching for the manual to Strymon Iridium, you can access it here.

Where can I find more information about Strymon?

If you want to find out more about Strymon and their gear, make sure to visit their official website.

Summary

As you can see, Strymon Iridium is a truly exceptional guitar pedal. Considering how versatile and efficient it is, it’s definitely worth the money. I’m sure that if you decide to add it to your pedalboard, you will be really satisfied with your choice. It proves that Strymon is the best manufacturer of pedals in the world!

What do you think about the Iridium? Do you think that it’s worth it? Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think, I’m really interested to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for checking out today’s review, hopefully it was helpful. If you enjoyed this article and you’re searching for more gear recommendations, you may also like: