The Paradox Parametric EQ is based on the Pearl PE-10, a two-band parametric EQ that was originally released in 1981 or ’82 and discontinued a few years later. We originally traced this pedal all the way back in 2015 as one of our very first traces. It took over ten years to release a PCB, but we got there eventually!
The PE-10 is part of Pearl’s “Sound Spice” series of effects which was designed by Korg, which also featured the OD-05. Each of these pedals is similar to classic effects such as the Tube Screamer or CE-2, but all of them have a twist that makes them stand out in some way.
This circuit is distinct from other compact parametric EQs in that it has a “Q” or bandwidth control, which most others such as the Ibanez PQ-9 or Boss PQ-4 are lacking. Because of this, it meets the definition of a fully parametric EQ while the others are technically only semi-parametric.
The Paradox is a direct adaptation of the PE-10 circuit. The only change is that the JFET switching has been converted to true bypass.