Is the STRYMON IRIDIUM worth it in 2023? (How I use it) // PEDAL REVIEW
The Strymon Iridium is a compact, relatively inexpensive, immensely capable, and rather good looking digital guitar amplifier and speaker cabinet simulator that is powerful enough to use in a live setting, such as a church service or concert, but also quietly in your bedroom while you’re practicing or maybe just recording. Not to mention, it did save me from getting back surgery.
In this video, I walk you through how I use the Strymon Iridium in live settings (primarily at church) and at home for recording and quiet practicing. Leave a comment if you have a question and thanks for watching!
I wrote a song!
STAINED feat. Samantha Haydel: https://fanlink.to/ip4E
I’m in a band!
GRAVITY (Cover): https://fanlink.to/irxUWebsite: https://ajlindseymusic.wixsite.com/avenuec
IG: https://www.instagram.com/avenuecofficial/
Follow me on IG:
https://www.instagram.com/ajlindseymusic/
More info on Amp and Cab settings:
My 2023 Pedalboard for Worship Music:
David Hislop IRs:
https://www.davidhislop.co/impulse-responses
GEAR:
Logic Pro
Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface
Shure SM7B
JBL Studio Monitors
GUITAR:
Gretsch G5422TG
PEDALS // In Signal Chain Order:
JHS 3 Series Compressor
TC Electronic Sub ‘N’ Up
JHS Morning Glory V3
Fulltone OCD
Dunlop DVP5 Volume (X) 8
Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner
Walrus Audio Julianna
Boss DD-500
Boss RV-500
Strymon Iridium
CABLES:
George Ls
EBS Premium Gold
INTRO: 00:00
PART ONE // What is it?: 00:52
PART TWO // Why do I use it?: 01:21
PART THREE // Facts & Features: 04:24
PART FOUR // Pedal Placement: 10:47
PART FIVE // Live Music & Recording: 11:48
PART SIX // Overall Thoughts: 13:47
#STRYMON #IRIDIUM #worth #PEDAL #REVIEW
Originally posted by UCnjO-uPLXkvy-sUWwNW3gTA at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3sPLa5Tz7o
Less than 5 pounds. I thought you meant money, and I was like, what? lol
So, I’m confused.
If I have a JHS emperor (which is stereo), a DD-500 (is stereo as well), and a Walrus Fathom (which I believe it’s mono)… if I’m recording, should I just run everything in mono? And then double track everything? Or should in replace the fathom for something stereo, AND THEN record in stereo?
my use for it isn't super conventional but i love it! i use it with a variety of york audio IRs for digital recording, and then when i want to play out loud or live, i actually bypass the cabinet sim and use the preamp of it into the FX loop of a tube amp, so you get a little bit of tube saturation/compression from power amp tubes, and you also get some speaker distortion. super nice for when i want to play at a louder volume but basically use the same preamp settings i have tested digitally
Strymon Iridium + York Audio IR = MAGIC
What is the secret behind programming the L and R outputs to be separate amps/cabs? I can’t find anything anywhere describing the process or if it’s even a feature..
Thanks for the info, very helpful! Is there. Is there a way to use the impulse manger on an iPad Pro
Great Review and explanation on the Strymon Iridium. I’ve had this pedal myself for a long time and it has never failed. It’s a great simple easy to use pedal. You got a subscriber because your video was cool! Keep rocking and praising!
Thanks for clarifying how to run it in Stereo, very informative Video ????
Noob question. I want to use this for recording mainly. If I plug this into my interface and studio monitors, and then I also run pedals through the iridium, will the interface pick up all the other pedals that are connected to the iridium?
Why do you use the headphone out for recording and not the regular outputs?
Very good video you explain a lot of important things, but I have a question. Can iridium power a cab? As a speaker or a monitor without the eq integrated into the amp. I would like to sell my amp and only have a cab with iridium to play at home. Thank you for your answer. As you said, it's getting really heavy to bring an amp to church.
The fact that nowadays pretty much all of these type of devices can store custom IRs, makes them pretty much ageless…you can get some killer York audio vox impulses for example and it would be really difficult to outgrow this little box even if new stuff come out constantly….
I don't know if you point this out later in the video, but you can't call it a digital guitar amplifier like you did at the beginning of the video. Without a pa system or power amp, the Iridium is just an amp simulator.
Thank you for this awesome video I learned a thing or two. my main question is why do you use the minijack to record out when you could use quarter inch stereo out the back into your DAW interface? That part of your process, perplexed me to be honest. My main take away is to put the iridium at the end of the pedal chain. Thank you kindly and have a great day! ????????
Your video is a godsend. It explained to me. Questions that i'd had about how to run the iridium stereo. I've seen many tutorials on this. Even factory tutorials and none of them covered it as thoroughly as you did. Thank you very much and keep posting!!! ????????????????
Great video! I love my Iridium as well!
To me, the greatest advantage of the iridium over an all-in-one unit like the Helix is that if your Iridium breaks, you will still have your other pedals available, and you might be able to continue your gig using a back up amp. Whereas if the Helix stops working, you will also lose your effects.
As for the Iridium not having a loop… my thought process is that an amp’s effects loop is there so that you can place your wet effects after the amp’s distortion/drive, but before your speakers. With the iridium, you can just place your wet effects after it, and run the output of the wet effects to the pa or mixer. Doing so will still carry the amp and cab simulation signal from the iridium.
I have my iridium before a Strymon Dig delay and a Strymon Blue sky reverb. I run everything mono into the iridium, then stereo output from the Iridium into those pedals, and stereo out from the reverb pedal (last in the chain) into the mixer or audio interface using trs cables. It sounds great. If I ever want to hear the wet effects when I’m silent practicing at home, I plug my headphones into my audio interface, that way I can listen to my entire chain. Thanks again for the video! Subscribed!
so… you cannot go with normal patch cables into 2 inputs on your audio interface from the Iridium and retain stereo image? That seems weird to me.
This was such a helpful video! I haven't seen any others explain the stereo function as well as you did. Thanks!
Can you provide the link to buy those TRS cables? I have a GFI Systems Skylar, and I want to run it stereo but I can't find an L angle cable for that.
Great review. I’m looking to get one and you simplified it for me. I’m sold. Thanks ????
By far he best Iridium video that I've seen so far. Thanks for posting.
Amen! These amp sims sound amazingly good!
Thanks for the video mate! one correction: I think you can only separate IRs for L/R but not amps. So, in any of the modes (round, chime, punch) you can have a stereo IR setup. Unless I've been missing this feature for all these years! haha
Hey Champ. You don't need a DI or that goon sack splitter cable from the headphone out to connect your Styrmon to your focusrite. Just connect the outputs from the Strymon directly to the combi inputs of the Focusrite with some 6.5mm cables.
*relatively inexpensive, relative to what?
Strymon = $400
Hand Truck Dolly = $40
I love the Strymon Iridium. I also now have an AC15 with Celestion Blue speaker gathering dust for months. Our church meets Sunday mornings at a local music venue with pro sound staff and setup. No more lugging that 50 lb AC15 and setting it up offstage which I did for years. The Iridium sounds great. We play through wedges but I can also bring a Headrush powered speaker (or two for stereo). The sound staff takes the signal from the back of the Headrush or a DI if I leave the Headrush home. It is a fantastic pedal. I have it in front of my time based effects and run out of my reverb. One day I will take the cover off of my AC15 again. Thanks for the video. Well done.
Is this a good competitor for a bedroom amp ( katana, yamaha thr….) using it with a studio monitor such as a rockit or yamaha? I don`t find videos about this, it seems people use it live with PA or at home with a DAW and/or headphones.
Try carrying a 73 SFTR or a Mesa MarkV Combo. That’s why I bought a KPA 11 years ago, and a Helix when they came out.
Thank you for sharing this. It could definitely be handy for recording and live situations!
Unfortunately, and this is probably due to the form factor, it lacks a loop and balanced XLR out. Not having an app for organising presets doesn't help either.
It is, however, a great sounding unit.
Thanks for the info… do you think I could connect the strymon to powered studio monitors with the headphone out using a 3.5mm to rca cable?
Not worth it.
Just get those brand new UAFX pedals and send your iridium to me.
Excellent video and great information. The Iridium seems to be a wonderful tool for any guitarist. Great channel!????????????
Marcelo from M&R.
how do you manage to get , two seperate amp from stereo output ? i only know 1 amp 1 IR method. thanks
Great review! Very helpful…. Looks like a great pedal. Thanks!
For live you should try running the iridium into something like the Walrus Audio Canvas, it will help you.
It is my best tool for live work and studio, great video! greetings from Argentina
Great video. I would like to understand your logic for using a split cable to record from the Iridium's headphone output vs. running separate TS cables from the Iridium's L Out and R Out into Input 1 and 2 on your interface? I believe the audio signal from the headphone, L Out and R Out jacks is exactly the same. Also, the Scarlett's instrument inputs are good enough that I wouldn't say you objectively need a DI box. That's mostly a matter of taste.
Very helpful video, great overview of the Iridium. I am confused about a few things though.
1) I've been watching some videos about the Iridium vs. the UA Dream 65, and one criticism that comes up of the Iridium is that people don't like the stock IR's but they are not changeable. But you say you've changed them out. Was there maybe a time a few years ago when they couldn't be changed out?
2) Also, what does it feel like playing through the Iridium? Are there any latency issues?
3) When recording, is your method generally considered okay or are there better ways to use the Iridium to record?
4) Finally, I still don't understand DI boxes. When you want to play through speakers of some sort, is that what the Iridium has to go into first? Active or passive? What is the general purpose of it? I've read the definitions of them but I still don't quite get what they are and why are they are needed.
Thanks. Trying to figure out how to use one of these amp in a box things, but all the videos or articles on them assume too much knowledge that I just don't have yet :). There don't seem to be many "beginner courses" out there for all this tech that comes out.