Hiwatt PEDALSMITH 30 Head

The Pedalsmith 30 is the DR504 circuit rebuilt as a pedal platform: the original Normal and Brilliant channels with high and low inputs, internally jumped, plus the quiet, distortion-free effects loop the 1970s amps never had.

Its output section runs two 6V6s for 30 watts, chosen over the more usual 20 for extra low end, and oversized transformers push the point where the amp saturates further out. That is the reason a boost in front of it boosts rather than turns to mush: the Hiwatt preamp and tone stack compress much later than most. A Filter switch offers three circuit variations for more treble or more bass.