Welcome to this week’s Pedal of the Week, where we dive deep into the circuits that shape our sound. While the boutique pedal world is swimming in Tube Screamer derivatives, today we are looking at a masterclass in vintage revival: the Hudson Electronics Broadcast.
Inspired by the mic preamps of 1960s RCA broadcast consoles, this handmade germanium overdrive delivers a massive tonal range that leaves its vintage predecessors in the dust. Whether you are chasing sparkling clean boosts or saturated, fuzzy sludge, the Broadcast is a modern classic that deserves a spot on your board.
The Magic of the Broadcast Circuit
At its heart, the Broadcast is a transformer-coupled, discrete Class-A germanium pre-amplifier. Under the hood, you’ll find immaculately hand-wired components—no PCBs here, just perf board with tidily arranged, high-quality parts including a specially selected TRIAD Magnetics steel-core transformer and a mix of Germanium and Silicon transistors.
While it houses two transistors, it responds remarkably like the legendary single-transistor Dallas Rangemaster. However, where the Rangemaster was strictly a treble booster designed to brighten up dark British amps, the Broadcast takes that concept and expands it into an ultra-versatile stompbox offering a rainbow of crunch colors.
That Darn Germanium: Tone & Feel
The magic of the Broadcast lies in its dynamic response. You can dial in the most corpulent, thick crunch and immediately clean it up to a pristine sparkle just by backing off your guitar’s volume knob—a feat nearly impossible on IC-based overdrives.
A quick note on germanium: It gives you harmonically rich, thick tones with a thrilling high-end sparkle, but it can have a slightly higher noise floor. If you approach your tone with a gung-ho rock attitude, you’ll love it. Also, to get the most out of this pedal, it’s best to hit a warm-to-hot amp with plenty of output. If you run a high-gain setting with the pedal’s master volume choked, you might get buzzy results.
Let the Broadcast breathe, and the violent, crackling energy it delivers is glorious.
Control Your Crunch
Despite a simple layout, the Broadcast is deceptively versatile:
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Low-Cut: Placed upstream from the distorting transistor, this acts as a secondary gain control. Turn it up for bright, well-defined, lacerating treble; turn it down for stout, bass-heavy, Sabbath-style sludge.
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Gain Trim: Interacts heavily with the Low-Cut. Higher settings will gently roll off the high-end while adding grit.
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Gain Switch (Standard): Selects between Low (crisp, ’60s British rock and deep-fried clean boosts) and High (fat, loose, fuzzy, full-frequency distortion).
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Level: Controls the massive amount of output volume available.
The Rare Bird: BC-24V-LTD Edition
My own Broadcast I purchased around 10 years ago, and it is part of a limited run with a slightly different formula for the circuit.
If you are lucky enough to track one down, the BC-24V-LTD takes the already stellar Broadcast circuit and hot-rods it for the ultimate tone chaser. Limited to just 60 pieces worldwide and finished in a gorgeous British Racing Green, this version is a highly coveted unicorn.
What makes the BC-24V-LTD different?
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Internal 24V Operation: While the standard Broadcast can operate from 9V to 24V externally, the LTD runs internally at 24V using a standard 9V power supply. This voltage doubling yields extra headroom and a much tighter low-end—perfect if you want the Broadcast’s unique color with a little less loose saturation.
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Three-Position Gain Switch: Instead of the standard two-way toggle, the LTD offers LOW, MID, and HIGH modes.
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LOW: Massive headroom, stays nearly clean. Perfect for high-output pickups, baritones, bass, or keys.
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MID: Voiced to behave exactly like the regular Broadcast’s clean/grit setting.
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HIGH: Pushes into overdrive and fuzz, but with that signature tightened bass response.
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Internal Trimmer: Allows you to adjust the maximum gain available specifically for the HIGH mode.
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NOS Valvo Transistor: Loaded with a highly sought-after New Old Stock Valvo black glass germanium transistor.
There have been many limited runs of the Broadcast, each run slightly different from the others.
Suggested Settings
Whether you have the standard Broadcast or the BC-24V-LTD, here are a few starting points to unlock its potential.
| Tone Target | Low-Cut | Gain Trim | Gain Switch | Level |
| Console Clean Boost | 3 o’clock (Cut high) | 8 o’clock (Low) | Low | 2 o’clock (Pushing Amp) |
| ’70s British Crunch | 12 o’clock | 2 o’clock | Low (or Mid on LTD) | Unity or slightly above |
| Sabbath Sludge | 8 o’clock (Cut low) | Maximum | High | 12 o’clock |
| Frayed-Edge Fuzz | 10 o’clock | 3 o’clock | High | 1 o’clock |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the Hudson Broadcast a fuzz, a boost, or an overdrive?
It is technically a discrete Class-A preamp, meaning it can do all three! Depending on your Gain Switch and Low-Cut settings, it functions as a pristine clean boost, an edge-of-breakup drive, or a blown-out, fuzzy console distortion.
What power supply does the Hudson Broadcast need?
The standard Broadcast takes a standard 2.1mm negative-center DC supply but can run from 9V to 24V (requiring < 20 mA). Running it at 18V or 24V increases headroom and clarity. Note: The BC-24V-LTD strictly takes 9V, as it doubles the voltage internally to 24V. Do not use a battery; there is no battery snap. An isolated power supply (like a Voodoo Lab) is highly recommended.
Why does the pedal sound “buzzy” at bedroom volumes?
Germanium circuits thrive on pushing air and pushing tubes. If you set the Broadcast to high gain but keep the Level very low into a quiet, clean amp, it can sound fizzy. Turn the pedal’s Level up to clobber the front end of a warm amp for the best results.
Does the brand of the Germanium transistor matter?
While the original run used NOS Mullard OC71s, the LTD uses NOS Valvo black glass. Hudson tests and selects their transistors rigorously. Properly functioning germanium transistors of equal gain will sound nearly identical in this circuit, so you are getting top-tier tone regardless of the specific part number inside.
More Versions
Beyond the original flagship, Hudson Electronics has expanded the family to suit different stage needs and tonal palettes. The Broadcast – Dual Foot Switch is the functional evolution of the classic, moving the gain toggle to a dedicated footswitch with an added volume control for high-gain mode; this allows you to perfectly balance your “clean” and “dirty” levels for live performance.
AP-II
If you’re looking for something more specialized, the Broadcast AP-II is Ariel Posen’s signature preamp. It features two independent Class-A discrete silicon and germanium gain stages that can be used separately or stacked. This version is voiced specifically for Ariel’s unique slide-heavy style, offering a darker, smoother, and more “chewy” saturation compared to the biting, console-like character of the standard unit.
More Information
#Hudson Electronics #Broadcast
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